Julie Ann Dawson Quotes & Sayings

I've been told by a few people at conferences I have a rather academic approach to the subject matter that makes it easy for people to ask questions. I think some genre writers feel the need to "sell" or defend what they do, and so when a door opens to discuss their genre, regardless of what that genre is, they tend to get almost pushy. I'm comfortable with what I write. It is part of who I am. I don't really need to sell it. But if I'm asked, I'll explain it. — Julie Ann Dawson

Virtually every community in the country has legislation regulating door-to-door trade, yet telemarketers have run unchecked for years. The industry in general uses all sorts of slimy tricks to make sure you never make it to the do-not-call list. — Julie Ann Dawson

In a way, Darius brings the vampire back to a more classical interpretation. A modern day Dracula who is charming, sensual, and completely monstrous. There is no pretense of humanity with him. He considers himself a member of a species that is the true apex predator of the world, feeding on humans and using them as puppets for their own bizarre games. He's not struggling with any inner angst. Most humans are either food, entertainment, or useful tools to him. Sometimes all three. He finds the modern popular interpretation of vampires both amusing and useful for his own agenda. — Julie Ann Dawson

The do-not-call list puts the responsibility where it should be: on the telemarketers. If they want to make the calls, they should be the ones doing the work to ensure fairness. — Julie Ann Dawson

A telemarketer has as much right to force people to listen to a sales pitch as a door-to-door salesman has to force himself into a home. — Julie Ann Dawson

Stop thinking "Outside the box" and look what is actually in the box first. You jump around from marketing gimmick to marketing gimmick without a clear plan or goal, hoping to reproduce someone else's success without understanding all of the nuances and factors that went into that success. Further, people are so busy recreating the wheel that they have forgotten what the wheel looks like. — Julie Ann Dawson

There is a universal fascination with the living dead. There is more to a zombie story that a bunch of corpses attacking the living. The real power of such a story lies with the undercurrent of hopelessness compounded by a very real instinct to survive. — Julie Ann Dawson

You don't create a diamond by rubbing it with fluffy bunny slippers. You need to apply pressure and heat. There are enough air-headed cheerleaders out there. We need more drill sergeants. — Julie Ann Dawson

I've always said "Writer's Block" is a myth. There is no such thing as writer's block, only writers trying to force something that isn't ready yet. Sometimes I don't write for weeks. And then all of the sudden I'll get a rush of inspiration and you can't drag me away from my notebook. But I don't stress out if I don't hit some arbitrary word count each day or if I go a few days without writing something. — Julie Ann Dawson

Then you have this other phenomena of the paranormal romance. It's all the benefits of being a vampire without the sacrifices. By the gods, Meyer's vampires walk around sparkling in the daylight and some are vegetarians. But this phenomenon is also tied to a lot of our communal fears. Fear of aging. Fear of fading youth. Fear of loneliness. But whereas the classic motifs are more concerned with confronting and overcoming our fears, the fears of the paranormal romance genre become twisted fantasies of denial. The idea of staying young, attractive and powerful for eternity feeds into the modern self-absorbed ethos. — Julie Ann Dawson

Companies from which I have purchased items are more than welcome to call me with a sale or discount. If I request information on your Web site, please call me. If I don't want your wares, calling me 15 times in a week will not change that. — Julie Ann Dawson

I read a zombie story, and I have nightmares for days. But my youngest sister loves zombie stories. So when she insisted it was time for Bards and Sages to put together a zombie book, I couldn't tell her 'no.' — Julie Ann Dawson