Julia Elizabeth Garwood was an American writer of over twenty-seven romance novels in the historical and suspense subgenres. Over 40 million copies of her books are in print, and they are translated into dozens of languages around the world.
Julie Garwood, née as Julia Elizabeth Murphy, grew up in a large Irish family in Kansas City, Missouri. She was the sixth child out of seven siblings, with five sisters and one brother.
Due to a tonsillectomy at the age of six, Julie missed a significant amount of school and consequently fell behind in learning to read compared to her peers. It wasn't until she turned eleven that her mother realized her difficulty with reading.
A compassionate math teacher named Sister Elizabeth dedicated her entire summer to teaching Julie how to read and instilling in love for storytelling. In gratitude for the teacher's impact on her life, Julie named her daughter Elizabeth after her.
While pursuing a career in nursing, Julie Garwood enrolled in a Russian history course that sparked her interest in history. Intrigued by the subject, she decided to double major in history and nursing.
One of her professors recognized her writing talent by the quality of her essays and encouraged her to pursue it further. It led to the creation of her debut historical novel, Gentle Warrior (1985), and her first children's book, A Girl Named Summer (1986).
Julie Garwood married at a young age and had three children: Gerry, Bryan, and Elizabeth. The family settled in Leawood, Kansas. Initially, Julie did not intend to pursue a career as an author, but she enjoyed writing and took on freelance writing jobs while raising her children.
She also wrote longer stories for her entertainment. After her youngest child started school, Julie began attending local writers' conferences, where she had the opportunity to meet an agent. The agent successfully sold her children's book and historical novel, leading the publisher to request more historical romances.
One of her most famous novels, For The Roses (1995), was adapted for a Hallmark Hall of Fame production on CBS. She also wrote a novel for young adults called A Girl Named Summer (1986).
Whether the setting is medieval Scotland, Regency England, frontier Montana, or modern-day Louisiana, her themes are consistent: family, loyalty, and honor.
Julie described her goals: "I want my readers to laugh and cry and fall in love. I want them to escape into another world for a little while and afterward feel as though they've been on a great adventure."
Photo credit: juliegarwood.com
