Meet Julie Rowan-Zoch | Author, Illustrator, and Bookseller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Rowan-Zoch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
Community connections are everything! The path to becoming a writer and illustrator of picture books began with joining a local group, my regional chapter of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, as well as an online group, the 12×12 Picture Book Challenge. With the support and encouragement of others it has made every step of the journey easier. Others answered all my questions, suggested books and classes, taught me how to market my portfolio, and showed me the ropes in submitting and querying my work to agents. They cheered me on and wiped my tears! It didn’t take long for me to understand that helping others with what I have learned helps me too! And lucky me, the children’s literature community is one of the kindest!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The books I write are a reflection of the books I enjoyed most in my youth, and the illustrations I create keep me in touch with my inner child. And all of what I do makes me laugh!

While it’s beneficial to have one’s own work be easily identifiable as one’s own, I don’t strive to be different, but to like what I create: bold colors, simple lines, lots of negative space, engaging compositions, and again, it all has to make me laugh!

I am grateful to be able to publish books for children, and constantly aware that connections and community are what make it possible. No, it wasn’t easy, and it took much longer than I had imagined, and that’s why support and encouragement are vital. My critique partners help me overcome the challenges, but it’s the passion for this particular art form that carries me through.

I’ve had to learn patience, they say, publishing moves at a glacial pace. I’ve had to learn to ask for help when I need it, and to speak up for ideas I believe in. But the lesson I treasure most is the the joy I experience in celebrating the success of friends on this journey with me. Bliss!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love to hike and so do most of my friends, so we’d definitely be heading up to RMNP, up to Red Mountain Open Space in Fort Collins, Vedauwoo in Wyoming, etc.
In Denver we’d visit the Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Art Museum, enjoy awesome sandwiches at Leven Deli, wholesome soul food at Weston Street Cafe in Five Points, enjoy fresh canolis at Valente’s, spend a whole day at the Botanic Gardens, spend hours at Denver Public Library and institutions like The Bookies, and walk everywhere!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The woman who pushed me to give this career a go, Janice Lynne. Janice was on the path to becoming a creative coach and needed “guinea pigs”, people she knew who wanted to pursue a career in the creative arts. She asked if I wanted to get started on that book I always said I wanted to write, gave me all the tools to get started, met with me regularly for accountability, and coached me through the tough spots. The most important thing she showed me was to connect with others on this journey.

Website: https://julierowanzoch.wordpress.com/

Instagram: @julierowanzoch

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-rowan-zoch-6300bb78/

Image Credits
Bio photo: Olivia Zoch

Book event photo: Courtesy of The Bookies bookstore