Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Bluff
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Oklahoma City
STATE: OK
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
Interview with Julie Dill, author of Bluff
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2017004740
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2017004740
HEADING: Dill, Julie
000 00968nz a2200217n 450
001 10352001
005 20170114073536.0
008 170113n| azannaabn |a aaa c
010 __ |a no2017004740
035 __ |a (OCoLC)oca10679031
040 __ |a ICrlF |b eng |e rda |c ICrlF
100 1_ |a Dill, Julie
370 __ |e Oklahoma City (Okla.) |2 naf
372 __ |a Children’s literature |a Education |2 lcsh
374 __ |a Authors |a Teachers |2 lcsh
375 __ |a Women |2 lcsh
377 __ |a eng
378 __ |q Julie Pemberton
400 1_ |a Pemberton Dill, Julie
670 __ |a Dill, Julie. Bluff, 2017: |b title page (Julie Dill) page 243 (Julie Dill, lives in Oklahoma City, received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree and taught in elementary schools for ten years, currently serves as an adjunct professor, holds a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Oklahoma City University)
670 __ |a Facebook, Jan. 12, 2017 |b (Julie Pemberton Dill, author of Bluff, lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
PERSONAL
Children: two daughters.
EDUCATION:University of Central Oklahoma, B.S.Ed., Oklahoma City University, M.F.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and adjunct professor. Former teacher.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Julie Dill worked as an elementary school teacher before earning her master’s in creative writing and becoming an adjunct professor. Her first novel, Bluff, is a young adult tale that follows a teenage girl and her descent into gambling addiction. When she was younger, Chelsea’s mother left her with her father and never returned. Unfortunately, Chelsea’s father isn’t much better, and Chelsea is largely left to her own devices. It doesn’t help that Chelsea’s father can’t make ends meet, and now that she’s seventeen, Chelsea is determined to find a way out of poverty. She’s the one who deals with bill collectors, she’s the one who scrounges for change to buy clothes at Goodwill, and she’s the one who has to borrow money from her best friends when things are dire. When she’s finally fed up, Chelsea heads to a Cherokee Nation casino, and since everyone believes she’s over eighteen, she begins to play poker. Chelsea proves adept at the game, but soon she’s hooked on the highs and lows of gambling. Chelsea is living a double life; in one, she’s a poor schoolgirl; in another, an unrepentant gambler.
Commenting on her novel in an online Literary Litter interview, Dill remarked: “I was reflecting on my first visit into a poker room, and in the early nineties there were hardly any women at all. Even today, you can still walk by a poker room and notice that the majority of the players are men. I think when you’re developing a character it’s important to raise the stakes as much as possible (pun intended.) With Bluff, I really wanted something different and that wasn’t already ‘out there.'” A Publishers Weekly critic praised the result, asserting: “Debut author Dill paints a visceral portrait of the way financial pressures take a toll on a family.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor simply praised Dill’s portrayal of poker players, noting that “it’s their closely observed sessions that bring the novel to suspenseful life.” The contributor also called the novel “a sly, insightful close-up of risk-taking’s seductive, addictive appeal.”
Further applause was proffered by an online Bookstacked columnist, who advised: “Overall, I liked this book. It’s a very relatable read if you know someone who has dealt with addiction before, and even if you haven’t, I feel like Chelsea was/is very relatable and sympathetic and likable. And it’s a fun read. It’s kind of short, but very fast-paced.” Thus, the columnist went on to conclude, “Bluff is a great, fast-paced read that delves into the mind of an addict. It’s a very tantalizing and fun read, and Chelsea is a cool main character.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, November 1, 2016, review of Bluff.
Publishers Weekly, Decemberber 5, 2016, review of Bluff.
ONLINE
Bookstacked, http://bookstacked.com/ (October 12, 2017), review of Bluff.
Literary Litter, http://literarylitter.blogspot.com/ (October 12, 2017), author interview.*
ulie Dill
edit data
Julie Dill lives in Oklahoma City where the wind always comes sweeping down the plains—literally. As a young girl she always wanted to be a teacher, so she went on to receive her Bachelor’s of Science in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and taught in elementary schools for ten years. Currently, she serves as an adjunct professor and loves helping students achieve success. One of her greatest professional accomplishments is earning her National Board Certification. She holds a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Oklahoma City University and continues to work on various writing projects. From hiking in Colorado, to playing poker in Vegas, she’s always up for a new challenge. Julie is a busy mom of two teenage daughters, and any extra time that she may carve out is spent reading, writing, and rooting for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Kim Ventrella
Skeleton Tree
More About Me
School Visits
Contact
Blog
Newsletter
WRITER INTERVIEWS
Interview with Julie Dill, author of Bluff
JUNE 11, 2017BY KIMVENTRELLA
Image result for bluff julie dillYoung adult author Julie Dill joined me this week in the hot seat to discuss the writing life, poker and her debut young adult novel, BLUFF.
Your new novel BLUFF is about a 17-year-old girl who sneaks out of the house at night to play poker at a casino. Are any parts of your story based on your real life?
I was never in a casino until I was actually old enough, but I did fly to Las Vegas when I turned 21. I had played home poker games with my family with rolls of quarters so I thought I knew enough about the game to join in. Back in the 90’s it was unusual for young women to play so it was a little intimidating, but I did it (and held my own!). Now, I just play recreationally a couple times a year.
How did you get started as a writer?
When my daughters were young I started dabbling with bedtime stories, etc. I became serious when I heard Anna Myers speak at a book festival I attended. She was generous with information about the publishing world, and I was eager to learn. I’ve always been a book lover.
What advice do you have for young people interested in writing?
Read, read, read. I know that sounds cliché, but reading is the number one practice that will strengthen your writing skills. Also, surround yourself with people that will make you better at what you do.
What was the most exciting/surprising part of your publishing journey?
It is really exciting to walk in a bookstore and see your project on a shelf. I love to dig around on the world library catalog to see where Bluff has landed. I was super excited to see it has hit many libraries in Singapore. So cool!
Should readers be looking for a sequel to BLUFF? Or what are you working on now?
Yes, I am working on a sequel. I have a middle grade novel I am revising then my focus will be on the sequel. Writing, for me, just isn’t sitting down to draft. I feel like I’m constantly “writing” throughout my day. I get a lot of my ideas when I run, do laundry, etc. then I carve out time to actually develop those ideas.
juliedill
About Julie Dill
Julie Dill lives in Oklahoma City where the wind comes sweeping down the plains-literally.
As a young girl she always wanted to be a teacher, so she went on to receive her Bachelor’s of Science in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and taught ten years in elementary schools. Currently, she serves as an adjunct professor and loves helping students achieve success. One of her greatest professional accomplishments is earning her National Board Certification.
She holds a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Oklahoma City University and continues to work on various writing projects. From hiking in Colorado, to playing poker in Vegas, she’s always up for a new challenge. Julie is a busy mom of two teenage daughters (send backup!), and any extra time that she may carve out is spent reading, writing, and rooting for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Find her on Twitter: @JulieDillOKC
Advertisements
Share this:
TwitterFacebook3Google
Post navigation
← Put on your #bookfaceHow to Support Your Favorite Authors →
Leave a Reply
Enter your comment here...
I’m having a book baby!!!!!!!!!!!
--SKELETON TREE-- Release Date
September 26th, 2017
The big day is here.
Instagram
Signing copies for St. Mary's Episcopal School 💀📚🖊 @scholasticinc #kidlit #bookfair Yes!!! Awesome photo ❤️💖😘 #skeletonspotting #SkeletonTree @tammisauer @gayesanders This picture is SO awesome!!! 💖❤️💖 #skeletonspotting #SkeletonTree @litbeing I had such an awesome time tonight celebrating the release of #SkeletonTree2017!!! Got to see so many wonderful friends & family, including my SCBWI and @pioneerlibrarysystem crew!!!
Adventures in Skeleton Spotting
Find Me on Facebook
Follow Me on Twitter
Follow Blog via Email
Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
Join 1,215 other followers
Enter your email address
Follow
WordPress.com.
Follow
:)
Chicklit Club Connect
HOME
ABOUT US
Home » Connect Post » Q&A with Julie Dill
Q&A WITH JULIE DILL
Julie Dill talks about using the game of poker as inspiration for her book, Bluff.
1. Tell us more about Bluff.
Bluff is a first-person narrative about a seventeen-year-old girl who sneaks into the casinos to play poker. She is desperate for money, and the tension of the book is 1.) the ups and downs of her wins and losses and 2.)the fact that she’s underage. Chelsea is a gritty, self-reliant character who isn’t afraid of much.
2. Do you have a favourite character?
I personally love Ms. Stella. Chelsea, the main character, doesn’t have a mother at home so she is seeking that maternal guidance. She meets Ms. Stella at casino, and they develop this beautiful, special bond.
3. Where did you get the inspiration for the novel?
Bluff is loosely based on my some of my experiences from the first time I entered a casino. When I turned 21, I flew to Las Vegas and walked into a poker room at the Mirage. I was outnumbered. The players were mostly older men, but I didn’t let that intimidate me.
4. What was the hardest part of the book to write?
I’m a mother of teenage girls, so it was hard for me to put Chelsea in danger. She makes bad choices – a lot. I always wanted her to be safe so those scenes were probably the hardest to write.
5. What does your average writing day look like?
Sporadic. I don’t have a rigid routine, but I need to get better at this. I try to squeeze in writing anytime I can. That may mean jotting down an idea on the back of an envelope after a run or drafting in a booth at a coffee shop for a couple of hours. My writing schedule is a little all over the place.
6. What is the best thing about being a writer?
Creative freedom. It’s liberating to be able to make all of the decisions for the world you create.
7. What is the worst thing about being a writer?
The worst thing is trying to find time to devote to your craft. We live in a busy, over-scheduled world (guilty!), and it’s hard to find big chunks of time to write.
8. What is a great book you’ve read recently that you would recommend to others?
I really liked Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. Also, I like all of Billie Lettes’ work. She has a real knack for creating interesting characters you care about.
9. What is one thing about you your readers would be surprised to know?
Readers may be surprised to know that some of the players in the poker scenes are based off of real experiences. I was playing poker in Tulsa a few years back, and there was a really drunk cowboy at the table…you may or may not see him in the book.
10. What’s next for you?
I have lots of projects brewing. I’m co-writing a children’s picture book, and I have a middle grade series I’m working on.
Seventeen-year-old Chelsea Knowles is your average teenager. But she’s harboring a secret that very few people know: she and her dad can’t pay the bills. Broken by his wife leaving, Chelsea’s father ignores his parenting responsibilities. Between cheer costs, grocery bills, electricity, and other financial burdens, Chelsea knows it’ll be up to her to keep the lights on.
She manages to sneak into a casino, and her first big poker win sparks the beginning of a downward spiral. Money stops being a problem, but a complicated web of lies begins to spin out of control, threatening to reveal her bluff.
Julie Dill currently lives in Oklahoma City where she serves as an adjunct professor and loves helping students achieve success. She holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Oklahoma City University and continues to work on various writing projects. From hiking in Colorado, to playing poker in Vegas, she’s always up for a new challenge.
amberjackpublishing.com/authors/julie-dill/
Share this:
TwitterTumblrPinterestEmailFacebookLinkedInGoogle
Like this:
Loading...
MARCH 2, 2017 BY KATHERINE | 0 COMMENT
« In the Pursuit of LoveAmbulance Girls in the London Blitz »
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Q&A with Shari Low Q&A with Cherie Kephart Q&A with Georgie Capron Q+A with Rosie Clarke Q&A with Erin Green
Tags: Julie Dill, Q+A
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment
Name *
Email *
Website
Post Comment
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
SEARCH ON CONNECT
Search
FOLLOW US!
Sign Up for our Newsletter
Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on RSSFollow Us on Google+Follow Us on E-mailFollow Us on Chicklit Club
ADVERTISING
TOP POSTS & PAGES
Those Walsh Sisters Those Walsh Sisters
Entering the Vaccination Debate Entering the Vaccination Debate
A Guide to Dating in the 21st Century A Guide to Dating in the 21st Century
Q&A with Carys Jones Q&A with Carys Jones
Finding You Extract Finding You Extract
My Fake Facebook Boyfriend My Fake Facebook Boyfriend
Committed to a Female Audience Committed to a Female Audience
SISTER SITES
Chicklit Club
Chicklit Club
We Heart Writing
We Heart Writing
Bree Darcy
Bree Darcy
SUBSCRIBE TO CONNECT
Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts.
Email Address
Email Address
Subscribe
SITE ADMIN
Log in
Entries RSS
Comments RSS
WordPress.org
CONNECT ON FACEBOOK
CHICKLIT CLUB TWEETS
CONTACT US
Name (required)
Email (required)
Your Message
Please enter captcha below
Send
Copyright © 2012-2017 Chicklit Club, All Rights Reserved ® Publisher: Stephanie Pegler Commissioning Editor: Noemi Proietti and Katherine Marks
:)
Literary Litter
Home Reviewers Needed Publishers Editing Services Resources Promoting/Marketing Review Sites Literary Agents Giveaways Cover Art/ Illustrations
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Bluff by Julie Dill
Cover Design: Ashley Ruggirello
Description: Seventeen-year-old Chelsea Knowles is your average teenager. But she's harboring a secret that very few people know: she and her dad can't pay the bills. Broken by his wife leaving, Chelsea's father ignores his parenting responsibilities. Between cheer costs, grocery bills, electricity, and other financial burdens, Chelsea knows it'll be up to her to keep the lights on. She manages to sneak into a casino, and her first big poker win sparks the beginning of a downward spiral. Money stops being a problem, but a complicated web of lies begins to spin out of control, threatening to reveal her bluff.
An interview with author Julie Dill:
1. As a professor, do your students ever influence your characters or writing?
Yes, I would say my students have always influenced my writing in some way. Also, I taught in public schools at the elementary level, and definitely some of the characters/settings (or even life situations) have influenced the way I write.
2. During your writing process- do you brainstorm with your students, colleagues, or family? Or, do you prefer writing alone?
I read some early drafts of scenes of Bluff to friends and family and got feedback, and I guess it was positive enough to keep moving forward with the project. Also, I have a critique group, and we're always bouncing ideas off of each other. I've been with the same 3 ladies for several years, and I really value their opinions and input.
3. Do your students read your writing? What are their thoughts?
My students have not read any of my creative work. I teach English composition, and that's a whole different ballgame. However, my students have expressed interest in Bluff and are eager to check it out.
4. What influenced Chelsea's character development?
It's weird how a character evolves. I really tried to create a unique character - a high school girl who wasn't the norm. My personal life, as a teenager, could not have been more opposite than Chelsea's so I really had to get outside of what I knew and what I was comfortable with to get in Chelsea's head.
5. You yourself are a poker player. How does poker serve as an underlying metaphor in the novel?
I'm a recreational player, and I only play a couple of times a year. I think that the game of poker represents challenges - trying to get ahead and outsmart your competition.
6. Many adolescents have to take on a the role as parent in their households. What role did you play in your household growing up?
I came from a home that Chelsea would envy. My household was nothing at all like hers. I had a hapyp childhood, and unlike Chelsea's dad, my dad worked very hard to provide for us. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, and we had stability.
7. What inspired you to write Bluff?
I was reflecting on my first visit into a poker room, and in the early nineties there were hardly any women at all. Even today, you can still walk by a poker room and notice that the majority of the players are men. I think when you're developing a character it's important to raise the stakes as much as possible (pun intended.) With Bluff, I really wanted something different and that wasn't already "out there."
8. Chelsea's father doesn't fulfill his role as a parent after her mother leaves him and leaves Chelsea to become a provider. How does Chelsea cope with both parents' absence?
She manages. She doesn't have a choice. I think down deep Chelsea is longing for some maternal guidance, and that's why I wanted her to have Ms. Stella.
9. What attracted Chelsea to gambling and casinos?
Initially, it was her attempt to try to get some quick cash. But long term, it became escapism. She could enter this world where she didn't have to think about all of her responsibilities and just escape.
10. Where did you write the majority of Bluff?
It's extremely difficult for me to write at home. I get too distracted with things like laundry, my dog, Ellen, and naps. The majority of Bluff was written in coffee shops or the Panera Bread near my house.
11. What made you choose Bluff as the title?
I love one-word titles, especially in YA. Since Chelsea's life is basically one big bluff - lies to her dad, her friends, Nate and others- I thought it was fitting.
12. Who was your favorite author growing up? Has it changed?
I have many. Alice Walker and Bille Letts are up there. I once attended one of Bille Letts' book signings, and I remember standing in line staring at her thinking how does that woman come up with these characters? her characterization is phenomenal. And who doesn't love Alice Walker?
Posted by Literary Litter at 10:06 AM
Email This
BlogThis!
Share to Twitter
Share to Facebook
Share to Pinterest
No comments:
Post a Comment
Newer Post Older Post Home
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Giveaway Notice
All winners of giveaways will be notified as soon as their name has been drawn. Each winner will have two weeks to respond in order to receive their prize. Prizes cannot be delivered without an email/physical address. Any prizes that are not claimed within a two week period will be forfeited.
Notice
All books (unless otherwise specified) belong to me already, have been borrowed, or are sent to me by the author, publisher or review company for review. I do not receive any monetary rewards for reviewing books. The opinions expressed in my reviews belong solely to me.
Contact Information
If you're in the book business, we want to hear from you. Please email me. shawnremfrey@yahoo.com.
Literary Litter
Literary Litter
Check our Facebook!
Search This Blog
Search
Blog Archive
▼ 2017 (35)
▼ March (9)
Lala Pettibone's Act Two by Heidi Mastrogiovanni T...
Newsletter Writing: Being Gender Specific
Our new logo!!
Gather Her Round release day!
Sins of Empire release day!
Skulls by Tim Marquitz review
A Debt of Survival by L.F. Falconer
Bluff by Julie Dill
Undead Cheesehead by Scott Burtness Release
► February (18)
► January (8)
► 2016 (194)
► 2014 (147)
► 2013 (35)
► 2011 (79)
► 2010 (128)
Google+ Followers
Followers
NetworkedBlogs
Follow this blog
Awesome Inc. theme. Powered by Blogger.
SHARE
9/28/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1506642536833 1/2
Print Marked Items
Bluff
Publishers Weekly.
263.50 (Dec. 5, 2016): p74.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Bluff
Julie Dill. Amberjack, $10.99 trade paper (250p) ISBN 978-1-944995-05-8
Seventeen-year-old Oklahoma native Chelsea Knowles has grown up playing cards with her single father, and with
their financial situation in a very dire place, she puts those skills to the test, sneaking into a local casino, where she wins
big at poker. Suddenly, Chelsea has money to spare, and she begins to see playing poker as a means to help her father
pay the bills and to afford the clothes and social opportunities she's only dreamed about. Thus begins a gambling spree
with all the highs and lows that come with the territory, as well as a romance with Nate, an attractive casino worker a
few years her senior. Debut author Dill paints a visceral portrait of the way financial pressures take a toll on a family,
particularly on teenagers who don't necessarily feel as though they can anything about it. Chelsea's tender if fraught
relationship with her father, given extra depth through flashbacks, and the electric thrill she gets as money starts coming
in, will make it easy for readers to understand why she embarks on such a risky path. Ages 13-up. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Bluff." Publishers Weekly, 5 Dec. 2016, p. 74. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475224957&it=r&asid=b43a0d6b9b7c7f9d3f59a84bbfc4ff5e.
Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A475224957
---
9/28/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1506642536833 2/2
Dill, Julie: BLUFF
Kirkus Reviews.
(Nov. 1, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Dill, Julie BLUFF Amberjack Publishing (Children's Fiction) $10.99 2, 7 ISBN: 978-1-944995-05-8
An Oklahoma teen turns her poker prowess into a source of income then finds it exacts a price.Chelsea, a small child
when her mother left, lives with her amiably negligent father, whose job doesn't cover expenses. Chelsea negotiates
payment with creditors, shops at Goodwill, and searches available (minimum-wage) jobs, while oblivious classmates
brandish designer accessories. Her best friend lends her money, but Chelsea's tired of being the needy one. Desperation
sends her to a Cherokee Nation casino, where she uses a fake name and, passing for 18, staves off insolvency playing
poker. Soon she's a regular. Gambling exhilaration energizes her--likewise Nate, the hot casino employee who asks her
out. Winning funds a major shopping spree; losing means pawning her father's gun. Lying further fuels the adrenaline
rush. Keeping her identities separate is complicated; avoiding exposure demands lies to cover lies. Outside the casino,
her world seems drab to readers and to Chelsea herself. Too little's at stake--which is precisely the point. Only at the
poker table, where players read one another, lay bets, and risk what they can't afford to lose, do they feel fully alive,
and it's their closely observed sessions that bring the novel to suspenseful life. The way Chelsea objectifies her fellow
players (Red Head Lady, Cute Mafia Guy, Asian guy) makes it clear that both Chelsea and the novel's default are white.
A sly, insightful close-up of risk-taking's seductive, addictive appeal. (Fiction.14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Dill, Julie: BLUFF." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA468389095&it=r&asid=ea651654bccd6c00665b628bcc534699.
Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A468389095