Julie Cambria has been writing for almost twenty years in one capacity or another. She’s worked as a journalist
for several newspapers across the country, as an anchor and reporter for a television news organization overseas,
as the station manager for a television station in West Palm Beach, Florida, and most recently as the manager
of a public relations office in the Atlanta area. She began writing murder/mystery novels almost ten years ago
after producing television programs featuring the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Working with the deputies,
detectives, and crime scene unit officers for these programs gave her an insight into their work and a wealth of
ideas for stories. She lives in Atlanta with her family, a dog and two cats.
POINT BLANK
The murder of an innocent young woman on a secluded
beach draws Palm Beach County Homicide Detective Taylor
O'Ryan into the most dangerous investigation of her career.
The hunt for the killer leads her to the pretentious world of
Palm Beach, threatening those who have the most to lose.
Pulled deeper into the investigation, Taylor finds herself
drawn to wealthy developer Nicholas Carrera; an enigmatic
man her instincts tell her is central to her case. It's a
temptation she fights, knowing it could jeopardize her case
and the career she's worked so hard to build. As the
murderer claims more lives and Taylor closes in, he sets
his sights on her. And now solving the case isn't just a
matter of justice it's a matter of life or death.
Welcome mystery suspense author, Julie Cambria, to Love Romances and More. We are excited to have the
opportunity to speak with you and learn more about your work.
How long have you been writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?
I’ve been writing novels for about ten years. I had wanted to write since I was in my late teens, but never
got around to it until I was in my late twenties/early thirties. I was busy getting established in my career in
public relations, which is where I make my living. Plus, I was living my life, garnering all those experiences
that are so important when you sit down to write.
What inspired you to write in the first place? Does the same thing inspire all of your writing?
I think my love for books inspired me to write. There were always books in my home as I grew up, and my
mother was an avid reader. After I wrote my first novel, it was the process itself and the feeling of
accomplishment that inspired me to write. Plus, I love the written word. I love painting pictures with words.
Tell us about your road to publication; how long did it take you to get your first book published?
It took me about eight years to get my first book published and it was actually the second novel I had
written. The first one is still in my computer and will probably never see the light of day! However, it taught
me so much. It also proved to me that I could do it from start to finish.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
I enjoy reading when I can, but I don’t like to read when I’m writing so I don’t read near as much as I
would like to. I also like to work out at the gym. I’ve always worked out since I was a teenager. It’s an
important part of my life. It gives me a lot of energy, which enables me to write at night after I get home
from working a ten-hour day in my job that pays the bills.
Often a writer’s first book is the toughest to write. Was this true for you? If so, what helped you get through it?
The first book was actually fun for me to write because it was something I’d wanted to do for such a long
time. I made so many mistakes when I was writing that book, but the flip side of that was I also learned so
much writing that book.
Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who are some of your favorites? Have any
influenced your writing?
Yes, I am an avid reader. I have many writers who I love to read…Patricia Cornwell, Nora Roberts,
Catherine Coulter, Janet Evanovich, Iris Johansen, Kay Hooper, Laurell K. Hamilton, John Irving,
Stephen King…there are really too many to list. I think I’m influenced by all of them somewhat, but when
I sit down to write, it’s my voice that comes through.
Congratulations on your July 2006 release of POINT BLANK from Whiskey Creek Press, the book has received
rave reviews and was an EPPIE Award finalist. Could you tell us how this project came about? How does it feel
to have such positive recognition of your work?
Thanks so much. I began writing POINT BLANK when I lived in Palm Beach County, FL and working for Palm
Beach County in their Public Affairs Office. I managed their TV station and had a lot of contact with the
Sheriff’s Office. We produced television programs featuring their different units…the crime scene unit folks,
their warrant unit, their awesome labs…just about everything they do. I had access to so many different
areas people on the outside never get to see. I was very fortunate. It was a lot of fun for me, and that is
where the idea for POINT BLANK began.
It feels great to have such positive recognition of my work by readers and people in the publishing business.
I’ve gotten a lot of email from readers and it makes my day every time I receive one! I think most writers
are a little neurotic so that positive recognition does my heart good! Seriously though, to me it validates my
writing.
You have been complimented on providing your readers with action-packed drama and expert plotting.
How do you approach a project; do you usually outline your stories before you write, or do you "go with the
flow"?
I don’t outline. Now saying that, I do outline in my head. I know where the story is going, how it begins, the
plot lines and how it’s going to end. Getting there is the fun part. I don’t outline on paper because if I did,
I would feel the need to follow it to a tee, and I want the creative freedom to change things up when I’m
writing.
Your characters come to life in your books; Detective Taylor O'Ryan has been a reader favorite. How do you
approach character development? Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write? Do their
lives sometimes take over a part of your life?
I believe in strong characters and the books I’ve written are all character driven. I want the reader to
relate and like that person. They are going to be with them for 400 pages. Taylor is a great character and
I will be writing another book where she is the main character.
One of the first things I do before I sit down and begin a book is create the characters. I know them very
very well before I begin. It makes the writing easier for me. I know exactly how they are going to react in
any given situation. I don’t necessarily feel the characters “live” with me when I’m writing a book or take
over a part of my life. However, when I am sitting at the keyboard writing, I am immersed in the book. It is
all consuming at that point. There is a lot of joy in that for me.
Though POINT BLANK is primarily a mystery, how much of a role do romantic relationships play in your work?
Do you find it difficult at times to write love/sex scenes?
While POINT BLANK is primarily a mystery, the romantic plotline is also very strong in the book. Taylor’s
reluctance to enter into a relationship with Nick and her inability to stop herself from doing just that is a big
part of the storyline. Taylor grows quite a bit throughout the book.
Romantic relationships are important in my work because in real life most people have a personal life. If I
wrote a character without one, I don’t think they would be realistic. And I want my characters to feel real
to the reader. You know, I don’t have any problems writing sex scenes. There are four or five in
POINT BLANK. None of them are gratuitous and all of them are passionate which is important to me. What
I do find amusing is that people really fixate on them. Women readers really love them! And men readers
seem to be a little uncomfortable with them. There are more than a hundred scenes in POINT BLANK, but I
will always get asked about those four or five sex scenes!
Your website mentions that you published an Amazon Short, MURDER IN PLEASANT BREEZES. Could you tell us
a little about this offering?
MURDER IN PLEASANT BREEZES was a little short story I wrote when I was on vacation last summer. It brings
back Taylor O’Ryan as she investigates the murder of a local government official in Palm Beach County. A
lot of readers wanted to know when the next Taylor O’Ryan book was coming out, and I was hoping this
would hold them over until we could get the next book out there! Plus, it was a lot of fun to write. I’m
thrilled that it did so well on Amazon. For awhile it was ranked #5 out of 348 short stories in their
Mystery/Thriller Category and #24 out of 1300 short stories overall.
Have you ever suffered from "writer’s block"? If so, what did you do to get out if it?
I’ve suffered from what I call “writer slow down”. I’ve never had a total block, but in the latest novel I’ve
just finished, FLESH & BLOOD, the last 50 pages went so slow it was painful. I got through it by not stopping.
I just wrote through it. I write every day from 9 to 11:30 pm no matter how good or bad it is going. I was at
a book signing for Nora Roberts and someone asked her this same question. I loved her answer. She said,
“You can edit crap, but you can’t edit a blank page.”
All writing is rewriting. That is my favorite part of the writing process…the polishing that you do after you
get that first draft down.
If you could write and publish any genre of book, what would it be?
I write for pleasure, so I’m writing in the genre I want to be published in. I really enjoy writing murder
mystery/romance. Someday that may change and I hope I am lucky enough to be able to be published in
that genre as well.
Are you working on anything right now? Can you tell us a teaser about these projects?
I just finished my latest book, FLESH & BLOOD, which is another murder mystery/romance. I’m in the editing
stages right now.
The back cover could read something like this: An infant is stolen from its young mother. Twenty-nine years
later someone is murdering judges and lawyers across the state of Florida. Assigned to the high-profile case,
Assistant State Attorney Macy Ross soon learns nothing is as it seems. As the investigation moves forward
and the body count rises, Macy will uncover secrets about her own family that will put her and those she l
oves in the killer’s sights. It’s a very fast paced book and about 10,000 words shorter than POINT BLANK, so
it really flies. For those Taylor O’Ryan fans out there, Taylor is a supporting character in this book, but I think
readers will really like Macy Ross as well.
Any final advice to aspiring authors?
Learn everything you can about your craft. Take classes, read books about it, go to conferences, join writers
groups, join a critique group. Most importantly…write every single day even if it is just for an hour. It sounds
simple, but writing every day is difficult. There is always something else to pull you away. The more you write,
the easier it becomes and the better you get.
Do you have anything to add?
I just want to thank you so much for the interview. It was a lot of fun.
Thank you Ms. Cambria, for spending time with us at Love Romances & More. We wish you the greatest
success in all of your future endeavors.
Julie Cambria’s website: http://www.juliecambria.com/
Buy link: http://whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/PointBlank_JulieCambria.shtml
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