About Julia

I've loved books for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I devoured the novels in our school library, and was always getting into trouble for reading them during class. My favorite books were historical fiction, especially the ones that let me explore the rich tapestry of civilizations that have existed around the world before modern times. In college I learned foreign languages so that I could read great works of European literature in the original.

I spent twenty years working in international poverty alleviation, which involved extended stays in Senegal, Kenya, and India. I learned Wolof and lived with a family of fishermen on the west coast of Africa, an experience which inspired my debut novel, The Song of Tiyya. It was during this time that I founded Zidisha, a philanthropic crowdfunding platform that helps people in Africa start small businesses and improve their lives.

Today I live in Virginia, where I homeschool my two sons. They inspired me to found Kid Art Show, an online marketplace for kids to sell their artwork, and Nautilus Homeschool, a literature-based homeschooling curriculum for kids who love to read. When they got into novel writing, their example encouraged me to use my fascination with historical research and stories collected during my travels to write my own work of fiction.

In my free time, I enjoy martial arts, distance running, meditation, and, of course, reading.