When I was little, I dreamed of having a pet skunk. My dream came true when I found a real live skunk in a pet store during my sophomore year of college! I named him Skunkly and brought him home to meet my pet iguana, hamster, gerbil, parakeet, cat, and dog. 

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Currently, I live in a cottage on the water in Florida with one scruffy pup named Moose. The wild animals that swim and fly past my porch are not pets, but they are fun to watch and listen to as I write. Writing under my maiden name as Julie Fruitticher, I have several picture-book stories in my collection and am working on two middle-grade novels set in Florida.

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The ideas for most of my stories are stimulated by my wild and wonderful children, grandchildren, and many animals I have known through the years.

 

​I am an associate member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and am in my third year of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge. Critique groups are a valuable part of my writing life, and I am in several really great ones. I also participate in kidlit writing classes and kidlit webinars as often as possible to hone my writing skills. This past year Highlights Magazine purchased one of my stories, and I had winning entries in two contests. My story NEVER-EVER-EVER was a winner in the KidsChoice Kidlit Writing Contest and my 50-word entry THE RESCUE was a winner in the #50 Precious Words Contest. I am seeking a literary agent.

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