Today on Meet the Author we’re featuring Julie Modra. Julie writes middle-grade fiction, as well as adult fiction in the genres of inspirational fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction and romance. She is a graduate of the Australian Writers’ Centre and champions other writers in their creative pursuits whenever possible.
Julie’s latest book is Oscar Was Here. Set in rural Australia, it’s a story about kindness, grief and helping others. It’s the latest book in the Rhiza Shorts series, which are stories designed for reluctant or time-poor teen readers.
Where did the inspiration for your latest release come from?
Oscar Was Here explores bullying from the perspective of a bystander rather than a victim. While not every young reader has experienced bullying firsthand, most have witnessed it. I wanted to guide readers towards having empathy. These hopes and ideas for the story were inspired by my own experiences of being bullied while growing up in a low-socioeconomic household affected by domestic violence.
Later, unfortunately, my middle daughter was born with cancer. She became severely deaf as a result of treatment and was left with permanent spinal damage. Because she had special needs and was ‘different’, she was bullied without mercy throughout her school years. As her mother, it broke my heart.
As a high school teacher, it was always sad to see that one student sitting alone in the playground while I was on lunch duty. I always tried to make them feel seen and valued. All these experiences have stayed with me and ultimately led me to write Oscar Was Here. However, while the novel confronts bullying, at its heart it is a sweet story about the beauty of friendship and the power of kindness.
Which character do you identify with most in your story?
I shamelessly based the character Neena, Milo’s grandmother, on myself. When my beautiful grandson first started talking, he called me ‘Neena’ instead of ‘Meema’, so Milo calls her ‘Neena’ for the same reason. Like Neena, I am also a devoted chicken mum who has a passion for animal welfare. I also gave Neena a past as the owner of a bookstore—a writerly dream of mine. And I set her rural property in the Scenic Rim at the foothills of the Lamington National Park, a region I fell in love with after many camping trips and would happily call home. While Neena is inspired by me, she is definitely way cooler than I am. It was great fun living vicariously through her.
When did you start writing?
I started writing young. At around 13, I wrote puppet plays that were performed at my local church. Later, I took a Year 10 elective called Publish or Perish and wrote four children’s picture books that are still tucked away in a box in my shed. And when I was around 18, I wrote and directed a full-length play for a large cast that was staged in a packed church auditorium.
Looking back, I’m amazed by my ability to write at such a young age, yet at the time I never imagined I had a gift for it—I simply assumed everyone did the same thing. Sadly, low self-esteem stemming from my childhood meant I let my passion for writing fall away.
I rediscovered my love of words and storytelling in my early thirties while training to become a high school English teacher. I often wonder how different my path might have been if just one person had recognised my potential and encouraged me to pursue it. I now try to do that whenever possible as a writing teacher and workshop facilitator.
Do you have any other projects coming up?
I’m currently completing a Master of Creative Writing, which keeps me busy writing short stories and continually refining my craft. I’m grateful that my work has been met with encouraging feedback.
On the publishing front, I’m in discussions about another story exploring homelessness, belonging, and the meaning of home—a story especially close to my heart due to my own conviction: ‘There but for the grace of God go I’. I’m also completing the final edit of my adult inspirational historical romance novel, which will be pitched to publishers in the coming months.
Which favourite books, movies and TV shows have inspired or influenced your writing? In what ways?
My favourite film is Ben Stiller’s remake of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It never fails to inspire me to dream bigger. Walter begins in a grey, ordinary world, daydreaming and longing for adventure until he’s forced beyond his comfort zone to do the near impossible. Writing is rarely the easy or secure path, but if storytelling has a hold of you, you have to step out of your comfort zone, take the risk, and pursue it.
Not only does the movie inspire me in this way, the artful blend of storytelling, music, cinematography, and theme inspires me to write stories that create the same beauty and impact—one can always hope.
When it comes to books, I aspire to write in the whimsical, lyrical style of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery and the warm and cosy narrative style of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I may not be there yet, but I’m still reaching for it. Readers will also find echoes of C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia series throughout my work, particularly in my love of symbolism and motifs, layered meaning, and themes of faith and hope.
If you could only read one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Literary fiction, without question, especially stories that are clean, uplifting, and hopeful. I am a huge fan of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and the Brontë sisters in the classical literature genre, and I consider contemporary literary fiction by author Amor Towles an absolute treat, especially his novels A Gentleman in Moscow and The Lincoln Highway.
When it comes to middle-grade books, there is a masterful use of literary fiction elements in works by award-winning Australian author Katrina Nannestad. I absolutely love her historical novels All the Beautiful Things and We Are Wolves.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
First, invest in learning the craft. We all learn to write at school, but I discovered through countless rewrites that fiction writing is a skill that must be practised and refined, much like learning a musical instrument. No matter where you are on the journey, there’s always more to learn. (A shameless plug: you’ll find helpful resources and advice in the Writer’s Hub on my website.) Second, don’t write in isolation. Join a writing group and embrace manuscript workshopping. The feedback, encouragement, and fresh perspective you receive are invaluable.
Share three things that people may not already know about you.
I have Indigenous heritage through my paternal grandmother, a Worimi and Biripi woman from the New South Wales Mid North Coast. Due to my mum’s Scottish heritage, I inherited red hair and fairer skin, unlike my siblings.
I’m among the 1.5% to 3% of the world’s population who can twist their tongue completely upside down—called an ‘upside-down taco’. Until my mid-twenties, I genuinely thought everyone could do it!
As a young adult, I appeared in regional Mitre 10 television commercials while working in the hardware department, selling hardware, mixing paint, and cutting keys. That life experience has proved very useful during home renovations and has occasionally allowed me to one-up my husband.
You can follow Julie via her website and social media:
Website: www.juliemodra.com
Facebook: Julie Modra Author
Instagram: juliemodra.author