Author Spotlight with Julie Wise

Name: Julie Wise
Title of book: Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease
Website: http://www.wise1coaching.wordpress.com

Bio: Julie Wise is a professional life and relationship coach who works with people to take their dreams from wishing into reality. She knows from personal experience the challenge of starting over when your dream has fallen apart. Instead of giving up, she learned how to reinvent herself and discovered that there is always a bigger (and better) dream waiting to happen. In her new book, Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease, she offers a fresh, practical and hands-on approach to inspire readers to overcome their challenges and achieve their heartfelt desires.

KS - Tell us a little about yourself.

JW - I’m a professional life and relationship coach and my focus is on helping people identify what they want in their lives and then working with them to make it happen. I’ve spent my life reinventing myself, so the skills I’ve developed over the years are what I share with clients as well as with readers in my new book Dream BIGGER. To give you some examples, I graduated from university as a translator and have also worked as an ice dancing coach, a newspaper editor, an artist creating wall designs, and a consultant on community projects across Canada and even in Argentina. I’ve found that there are always new ways to repackage my skills, and unexpected opportunities waiting around the next corner.

KS -Any interesting writing quirks or stories to share with my readers?

JW - I’ve found that I can’t settle into writing before 10 a.m. I need to have a slow relaxed start to the morning and ease myself in gently. When I first sit down to write, I go to a file on my computer that’s called “writer’s journal”. It’s where I note down thoughts about where I want to go next in the story, any challenges I’m facing and how I might deal with them, and also just give myself little “pats on the back” to stay motivated. After that, I can get on with the business of writing.

KS - When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

JW - I’ve always wanted to write. As a child, I created books with my own stories and illustrations and very proudly printed my name on the cover. My father had a bookstore and I loved to spend time among the new books, running my fingers along the spine, and imagining that it was my name on the front.  He was also a marvelous storyteller, so I’m sure I inherited some of his word-weaving talent. Over the years, I’ve written poetry and short stories, even a novella and a fictional memoir, but I haven’t taken the step of publishing anything until now.

KS - What would you say has inspired you most in your writing career?

JW - My initial inspiration was definitely my father. I think it was his dream to be a writer, but he set it aside to support his family. He still managed to stay somewhat connected to his dream by owning a bookstore and writing a regular newspaper column as well as humorous poetry, but he never pursued the full dream.  My mother didn’t have the chance to pursue her dream either (of becoming an archeologist), so I think that spurred me on to reach for all my dreams. Interestingly, writing is the one dream that I resisted taking seriously until two years ago, and now that I’ve opened that door, there’s no turning back!

KS -What does your family think of your writing?

JW - My parents have been gone for a very long time now, but I know they would have been incredibly proud. I’m sure my father would have displayed my book in the front window of his store! My adult children are very proud of me, mentioning the book to all their friends through social media networks and doing what they can to promote me. It’s quite a feeling when you can impress your own children!

KS -What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book?

JW - With Dream BIGGER, I think I was surprised at how easily it came together. The book virtually wrote itself. All I had to do was show up at my laptop every day and the ideas would unfold. When I finished writing the basic content, I realized that I needed something more, perhaps another section, but I wasn’t sure what to do. Suddenly I thought of interviewing some people I found inspiring because their dreams had expanded to have a community or global impact. I contacted them (I didn’t know any of them personally) and they all agreed right away.  A few weeks later the interviews and writing were done. I’d written the entire book in about three months.

KS -What inspired you to write your book?

JW - In my coaching practice (and in my own life), I’ve realized that most of us yearn for “something more”. Dream BIGGER meets that need by offering a hands-on guide to rekindle the dream you have for your life, create an action plan, and make your dream a reality. Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we planned and in those moments, it’s hard to have hope for the future. We just want to give up.  I believe that’s when it’s time to dream bigger because the dream we had for ourselves wasn’t big enough. The bigger dream invariably connects us to a larger community and has broader impact than what we would have expected when we started out. In the book I provide real life examples of people who have created new lives and directions for themselves.  I also offer simple and effective exercises to motivate and inspire readers get to where they want to be.

KS -Can you give us a snippet from your book?

JW - This is taken from the back cover.

Take a moment to remember daydreaming as a child. Recall the joy, freedom, and sense of possibility you felt. Imagine being able to experience that every day!
You can with Dream BIGGER, Julie Wise’s heartfelt and inspiring guide to realizing your deepest desires. Using her experience as a life and relationship coach, Wise provides personal anecdotes and numerous client examples to create a living, breathing roadmap for those seeking insight and wisdom on their daily path.
The workbook format deftly illustrates Wise’s motivational message, giving you the chance to work through past doubts, disappointments and fears using simple yet effective techniques. She shows you how to stay focused and achieve your dreams by creating a workable action plan. Divided into easy-to-read chapters, Wise offers inspiring stories from those successfully living their dreams and covers topics such as revealing the dream, befriending the gremlins, reawakening your potential, seeing the signs, and much, much more!
Your dream is within reach. Let Dream BIGGER show you how to make it a reality!


KS -Where can we find your book?

JW - Dream BIGGER is available online through Amazon.com (http://amzn.to/cdS1Yf) and Amazon.ca (http://amzn.to/bvLWz4)

KS - Do you have a website or blog?

JW - My book blog is at http://www.wise1coaching.wordpress.com
My coaching website is http://www.juliewiseconsulting.com
And there’s currently an online contest where people can post videos of their dreams and win prizes to help them make their dreams happen.  It’s the Dream BIGGER Reinvention Challenge and it’s at http://www.dreambiggercontest.com

KS - Do you have any closing advice to aspiring writers?

JW - Write. Read. Write about what excites you, whether it’s in a blog, a journal, emails or newsletter. Read and notice how your favorite authors write. By writing you’ll develop your style, and by reading you’ll learn more about what captures a reader’s attention.