Julia Walton
Author of
Weirdly Walter
On the Subject of Unmentionable Things
Just Our Luck
Words on Bathroom Walls
![JUST OUR LUCK[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9787d5_06e198a48fab4a099bf411f93aec8694~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_220,h_332,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/JUST%20OUR%20LUCK%5B1%5D.jpg)
IN THE PRESS
WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS
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Echoing the premise and structure of Flowers for Algernon, this frank and inspiring novel shows how a teen’s life changes after he is given an experimental medication to treat symptoms of schizophrenia.
JUST OUR LUCK
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A masterpiece and a delight.
WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS
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Walton has crafted a character with unparalleled likability, a boy whose endearing, witty, introspective commentary allows readers to get inside the head of a person with a debilitating mental illness...Highly recommended.
Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Kirkus
School Library Journal
ABOUT
JULIA WALTON is the award-winning author of Words on Bathroom Walls (now adapted to a major motion picture!) and Just Our Luck. Her third novel, On the Subject of Unmentionable Things, is set for release on August 23, 2022. She received an MFA in creative writing from Chapman University and a BA in History from UC Irvine. Julia lives with her husband and children in Huntington Beach, CA.
Okay but for real, here’s THE HONEST BIO.
JULIA WALTON was miserable in insurance. She wrote quite a bit of Words on Bathroom Walls on a notepad near her work phone while she was supposed to be, you know, working…So clearly she was a stellar employee and the company was lucky to have her.
Julia talks to herself a lot and cannot pass a reflective surface without checking out her hair. Spoiler...it’s usually a disaster.
She loves avocados, sushi, her mom’s meatloaf, and her grandma’s marinara sauce. If she’s going out to lunch, her go-to meal is a tuna melt on sourdough with sweet potato fries.
She eats candy (Cadbury please) and the occasional, generous scoop of Nutella (Costco size only) in her pantry while her kids are distracted.
She will not put any effort into her ensemble unless her hair is also under control.
She’s afraid of hippos and snakes in that order.
She tells her kids that some shows on Netflix are broken because they are so effing annoying she cannot watch them.
She cannot dance. Or read a map. Or wear high heels.
Sometimes she writes books.
Red Vines are better than Twizzlers.
Pie is better than cake.
Swedish fish and Haribo are superior to all gummies.
Figs and tangerines are underrated.
Blam.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Where can I watch the Words on Bathroom Walls movie?On Amazon Prime (In the U.S.)!! It is also available to stream on Netflix in some countries. Additional information regarding the movie can be found here.
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What is your writing process like? Any advice for writers with small kids?These days the success of my writing life depends heavily on when my children choose to nap. But usually I love writing like 20 pages in a notebook and then typing it up and editing as I go. I also do a lot of outlining in the Notes App of my phone while I nurse my son or while my kids watch their newest Netflix obsession. Right now it’s a toss-up between Tru and the Rainbow Kingdom and Rescue Riders. Now that we have Disney +, Princess Elena has also joined the ranks of most requested programming. My Little Ponies is permanently broken. Huh. That’s weird. Oh yeah, my process… in a perfect world I would write every day at the library. I can write like 5,000 words in a quiet corner of my library if I have zero interruptions and lots of coffee (this is not a regular occurrence by any means but it has happened before!) but now I have kids so those days are pretty much non-existent. As for advice for parents who are also writers: I guess what works for me is to squeeze in the writing time whenever I can…and to outline scenes so that when I do get an uninterrupted hour, I can get right to it without re-reading everything I just wrote. Having kids has changed my approach to writing dramatically. I write entire scenes on my phone and email them to myself to add to my Word Doc later. It’s not easy but it does get words on the page so… *shrugs*
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What are you working on right now?Working on a secret Middle Grade….Shhhhhhhhh! Also a novella and another YA! It is also my life goal to get a picture book published someday!
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What non-writing goals do you have?I’d love to get certified to teach yoga. And learn to play tennis.
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What is your favorite book (just pick one, you coward)?Geez. Okay…A Christmas Carol is my favorite story of all time. Not just because I love Christmas. I love the idea that someone can turn their life around. And the best adaptation of all time: MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL. Don’t argue with me, just sit there in your wrong-ness.
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Okay but what books are you recommending right now?The Guncle by Stephen Rowley Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga The Magic Fish by Tung Le Nguyen
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What advice do you have for writers just getting started?WRITE. Little by little you will get there. Just keep going! And don’t beat yourself up if you don’t hit a word count. Even a few lines is progress. Also, keep your eyes on your own paper. Don’t measure your success by how others are doing.
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How do you stay motivated to write?I think about when I saw my book at Barnes and Noble for the first time. I was with my daughter and she saw it on the shelf before I did. She was about one and a half at the time. I remember she raced over to it and with her little baby hands, pulled it off the shelf and held it up to me. “Mama’s book,” she said. And she smiled. I remember that smile more than I remember seeing the book. That moment still motivates me to keep going.
CONTACT
The best way to contact Julia is on Twitter and Instagram.
Julia's literary agent is Jodi Reamer at Writers House. Please only contact her with professional inquiries at jreamer@writershouse.com.
For film and television rights, Julia is represented by Mary Pender at United Talent Agency. Please contact Mary at penderm@unitedtalent.com.
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