Let me start by saying that this isn’t my first shindig. It may not be the most exciting way to introduce a new website, but trust me – it’s an exciting way to introduce your last website.

Why last? Because I’ve been writing for well over 20 years now (sometimes people even pay me), and at the tender age of 37 I’m finally quite happy with my style, use of language, and generally what I have to offer to the world. You wouldn’t think it if you heard my internal self-dialogue, and there is of course still plenty to learn; but then life would be boring otherwise anyhow.

So here is a brief introduction to my last (sounds fierce) website and myself: I’m Julia, wife to my very handsome Scottish husband and mum to two incredible little boys. Chiefly, my identity revolves around being those two things, and I’m cool with that. However I’m also a huge lover of classic books and an avid writer. I write for a multitude of publications, including wedding magazines and industry professionals, literary ezines, cookery blogs, lifestyle sites, travel blogs, and even joke websites that bizarrely think I’m funny.

My love for classics focuses on a definite ‘type’, which is somewhat romantic with a lot of descriptions of gardens and landscapes. Think anything at all by L.M. Montgomery*, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett*, Elizabeth Von Arnim’s books (especially Elizabeth and Her German Garden* and The Enchanted April*), or the Little House on the Prairie* series (except for the last one, we’ll not mention that book…)

So why this blog? I wanted an outlet for my portfolio of both commissioned content and stuff I enjoy writing in my own time. For example, The Tree of Nine Worlds* which I published in 2016 and a multitude of short stories, including my food and fiction series.

I also wanted to share a bit about what I like to call a ‘literary lifestyle.’ Not ‘how to fit more time into my schedule to read books’ (books find YOU, not the other way around) but rather ‘how to make my life a bit more like the classics I love.’ For example, what sort of plants were featured in the Anne of Green Gables series, how to cook like Ma Ingalls (her sourdough was fascinating), how to turn your kids’ rooms into book-inspired havens, and how to live a little more traditionally in general.

On that note, I’m also a firm believer in strong, traditional ladies. The women of ye olde days were badass and got a lot more done than most of us modern girls could ever hope to achieve. So if you’ve read this far and you’re on the same sort of page, then welcome, and I hope you’ll join me for everything from book reviews, literary lifestyle ideas, and DIY projects that our heroines of yore would have been well proud of.

* affiliate links