Q&A: Julia Alexandra, Author of 'Midnight on the Celestial'

We chat with author Julia Alexandra about Midnight on the Celestial, which is a dark romantasy set on a sinister cruise ship that siphons magic from its staff for lush entertainment of the privileged guests aboard, where a teen resurrector must join the crew to fight for her magic and her life.

Hi, Julia! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Yes, of course! I am a debut YA fantasy author living in Orlando, Florida with my twin sister who is also my best friend. I love reading with a calming fantasy ambience in the background, going for walks, listening to K-pop, and collecting too many stuffed animals.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

Falling in love with stories at a young age is what made me want to become a writer. My mom started reading books aloud to my sister and I when we were little, and I remember begging her for one more chapter each night. I read everything I could in elementary school, and I started writing my own “books” in journals. It didn’t matter if stories came in the form of TV shows, books, or movies, I became inspired by the characters and found strength in them. By high school, I loved writing so much that I was waking up early before school to write and researching all I could about getting published. When I struggled with my mental health in high school, reading was a healthy escape, and I wanted to create that fantastical escape for someone else.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

The first book you ever remember reading: Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo
The one that made you want to become an author: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Oathbound by Tracy Deonn

**Your debut novel, Midnight on the Celestial, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?**

Magical, luxurious, haunting, whimsical, and emotional!

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect a luxurious magical vacation with a darker side, a powerful heroine with a rare magical ability to raise spirits of the dead, a supportive found family, an alluring love interest who enjoys elaborate dance costumes and aerial silks, thrilling magical cruise attractions, romantic aerial silks scenes, hallways that become nightmares after dark, and thought-provoking societal commentary.

**Where did the inspiration for Midnight on the Celestial come from?**

My own fears became my biggest inspiration for Midnight on the Celestial. Two of my biggest fears are death and cruise ships. I’ve always been fearful of sailing aboard a packed cruise ship in the open ocean. Similarly, death and the uncertainty of what happens after has always captivated me. This led me to make my main character, Roe, a resurrector with the power to raise spirits of the dead. She’d have to sail aboard a magical yet dangerous cruise ship to earn a chance to save her magic. I created Roe to be very different from me. She embraced her magic and saw the beauty and power of death. Although I love the fun attractions aboard cruise ships, my fear of them was a big inspiration for the horror elements aboard the ship.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I had so much fun creating the magical attractions, foods, and drinks aboard the Celestial. I did lots of research on real-life cruise ships through watching videos and exploring ship layouts. Gift shops, theatres, swimming pools, and game rooms are already fun, but adding magic made them even more exciting. My sister and I created mocktail versions of some of the drinks aboard the ship at home, which was such a cool way to bring the book to life. I also really loved writing the aerial silks scenes between Roe and Ivander. There was something so romantic and cinematic about writing scenes with characters in beautiful costumes on aerial silks.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

As a writer who struggles with OCD and anxiety, I have encountered challenges with my mental health while writing. My self-doubt and perfectionism can go to an extreme level that makes it difficult to trust myself and my abilities. I was better able to deal with these challenges by attending my own therapy, leaning on supportive writers who understand me and love me for who I am, and working with a supportive publishing team. For me, writing has been a welcome escape, but it can be a source of stress too. I’ve had to be more intentional about making sure I have hobbies outside of writing and accepting that no draft will ever be perfect, even published ones!

This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?

The road to becoming a published author was challenging and exciting for me. I began querying literary agents in high school, but my early querying journey resulted in only rejections, which felt devastating at the time. I didn’t get the courage to query again until graduate school. After getting only rejections again, I decided to write another book just for fun and to help ward off the discouragement from rejection. I wrote it in a month and a half, and it became the book that landed me my agent, Midnight on the Celestial. I did not sign with my agent immediately, and instead revised my manuscript and resubmitted to her. Luckily, it went well, and I ended up signing with her days before my graduate school graduation. We went on submission with the book and had a dream experience of receiving an offer in less than a week. Although this journey can be challenging at times, I am so grateful for where I am now.

What’s next for you?

I am writing another fantasy…or two! More to come. While Midnight on the Celestial is a standalone, I think anyone who enjoys my debut will enjoy my future books.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

I have so many books I am looking forward to this year! Some of the books I am looking forward to picking up this year are This Blade of Ours by Shalini Abeysekara, Heart’s Gambit by J.D. Myall, An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole, Our Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai, Burn the Sea by Mona Tewari, Bound By Fury by Noelle Monet, The Legacy of Poe by Demri Redmond, The Free Verse Society by Delali Adjoa, Prodigal Tiger by Samantha Chong, The Lustrous Dark by Loretta Chefchaouni, There Used to Be People Here by Kennedy Cole, A Dance of Lies by Brittany Arena, Death Card by Jasmine Smith, Cursed Ever After by Andy C. Naranjo, When Dealing With Dragons by Dana Swift, and Not Your Typical Love Story by Caitlyn Averett. I could go on forever about so many books I want to read!