Welcome. Come on in. Each Monday we feature a thought-leader for a one-hour conversation with our subscribers. The recorded video has the feel of a down home potluck, because everyone brings something to the table. Join us by subscribing (free). Photo credit: image of Julie Cantrell on our Zoom call by Chuck Offenburger.
Uplifting, Insightful, and Deeply Personal: A Conversation with Julie Cantrell
Best-selling novelist Julie Cantrell joined the Monday Zoom potluck for a conversation about her path as a writer, teacher, and seeker. The interview began with Cantrell's origin story—a barefoot Louisiana girl with a deep love for books, storytelling, and the magic of the South. She shared how a ninth-grade assignment—journaling as Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird—ignited her passion for fiction and empathy-driven storytelling.
Despite being discouraged by a high school teacher who told her she'd never make it as a writer, Cantrell eventually embraced her calling, getting up at 3 a.m. to write before tending to kids and animals. That determination led to Into the Free, a novel inspired by a real-life “gypsy queen” grave in Mississippi—and a career that catapulted her to the New York Times bestseller list.
Key Highlights:
* Teaching & Mentorship: Julie sees writing as a sacred tool for personal and spiritual growth. She believes everyone has a story, and she loves helping others birth theirs—especially through retreats, classes, and editing. She was a guest speaker during the last Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, and returns this fall.
* The Role of Fiction: Writing fiction allows Cantrell to process hard truths, build empathy, and deliver transformative life lessons. She views fiction as a way to “deliver medicine with a spoonful of sugar.”
* Memoir Advice: When guiding memoirists, Cantrell encourages choosing a focused “slice of life” with a transformational arc. Based on a conversation with one of our participants, One compelling hook shared: “How did an Iowa woman end up in a tank in Afghanistan?”
* Her Spirit Retreat: Cantrell co-leads this women-only, in-person retreat blending writing craft, community, and wellness. It includes top-tier writing instructors, yoga, ‘sound baths,’ in a luxurious California spa setting.
* Substack Column – Curiosity: Her column explores everything from secret Vatican libraries to sunken treasure—driven by her boundless inquisitiveness and desire to learn.
* Encouragement to Writers: “Dare to do it.”
Participants on the call, including fellow writer and Summiteer and Okoboji retreat veteran, Julie Klein, praised Cantrell’s ability to coach and critique with insight and warmth. A rich Q&A followed, covering memoir structure, rejection, writing routines, and dialogue development. Cantrell shared that she is fascinated by language, and sees dialogue as second nature thanks to her speech pathology background.
If she could do anything and not fail? Write for film. A series or feature screenplay is on her bucket list.
Final Message: Fiction builds empathy, heals division, and gives voice to those who often go unheard. As Cantrell said,
“Maybe you’re the only one who can give that story in the way someone needs to hear it.”
More
Julie Cantrell’s Substack column: Curiousity
Story Summit: Learn more (Become a member and take online classes for year for one low fee)
Her Spirit Retreat: Learn more
Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat News: Learn more
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