About Julie Watson:
From a young age Julie pondered what she would do with her life. A job as a nurse aide in the local Maternity Annexe at the age of sixteen gave her a love for being with women during labour and birth and caring for mothers and their babies.
Life could not have been happier, married to the man she loved and the birth of a son. The tragic and unexpected death of her second baby in her first hour of life led to depression, loneliness and despair.
Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story tells of Julie’s struggle to overcome tragedy and who triumphs to become the midwife that she was born to be.
The many birth stories are told from an era in the 1970s through the eyes of a young nurse aide to modern day midwifery in New Zealand as an independant midwife with her own caseload.
Midwifery and my family are my passion. I also love to travel, gardening and doing crafts. I am a people person and love catching up with friends who seem to be scattered throughout New Zealand and around the world.
What inspires you to write?
I decided to write my memoir, 'Born for Life: A Midwife's Story' after being encouraged by my daughter. I had experienced a lot of tragedy in my life, including the death of my second baby at birth. This experience took me years to overcome, battling depression and low self esteem. I wanted others to be inspired and encouraged to never give up. Love, hope and faith were key to my recovery.
Tell us about your writing process.
I just write from the heart first and foremost. Then I put the story into some sort of order or chapters. I write, read, review and edit many times until I have the manuscript as good as I can get it. I then give it to a manuscript assessor or editor and work with them to perfect the story. I take months to mould my manuscript like a potter using clay to make a beautiful creation.
What advice would you give other writers?
My advice is to take your time to read and review many times before getting a manuscript assessor to look at your story. A profession editor is also essential to polish and perfect your manuscript. Don't be in a hurry and take your time.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to self publish my book after I had submitted my manuscript to traditional publishers and found I was waiting months for them to reply. In the end I decided to self publish and have not regretted my decision.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I am really not sure. A lot of authors are self publishing and there are so many books out there. It seems to be a common trend at the moment. I think everyone has an audience no matter what they write about.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: Memoir, Biography
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Link To Julie Watson Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
Julie Watson says
atI have recently published my second book called ‘Born for Life: Midwife in Africa.’ I write about my time living and working as a midwife at Kalene Mission Hospital in a remote part of Zambia, where I worked for five months, caring for African women and their babies at the most cherished time in their lives.
It is a story of joy and heartbreak, of courage and perseverance, and of an extraordinary adventure.