A daughter, a caregiver, and now a writer

Thirty years in business. One story that had to be told.

Before she was a writer, Julie was an executive. Over three decades she held Director and Vice President roles in sales, marketing, and business development at newspaper, magazine, publishing, and media technology companies. She built presentations, crafted pitches, and shaped strategy — skills that would later serve her in ways she never anticipated. During the pandemic, she pivoted toward healthcare, joining a company of community-based centers focused on senior adults and later taking senior leadership at a startup developing wound care products for older patients.

But the story that compelled her most was not a business one. When her mother, Suzanne, was diagnosed with ALS, Julie became her primary caregiver. Suzanne moved into Julie's home in the later stages of the disease. Her daughter Kylie joined in the care. The three women — mother, daughter, granddaughter — formed a bond that became the emotional center of everything Julie would eventually write. Suzanne passed away in 2015.

Julie wrote this book because the content means so much to her, and she hopes it may mean something to others. She believes there are moments in life we should seize — that we should not miss the opportunity to save precious memories. Sometimes Shells Make Sand is a tribute to her brave mother, and a larger hope: that every conversation about ALS is one step closer to a cure.