Columnist Zahra Barri talks to urban fantasy author Julie Walker about time, memory, grief, spirituality, family and the moon

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I am a big fan of the moon. The wondrous white beam that slowly reveals more of itself each day, from tiniest crescent to half-wedge to full crescendo - when wolves supposedly howl and strange things happen… for example, when I got drunk at Koh Phangan’s full-moon beach party, boy, did some weird things happen that night! The moon is magical, moving us all with its magnetic and mysterious forces.

Such celestial forces form the crust of Julie Walker’s latest novel, which sees three women get 10 minutes each full moon to speak to their deceased fathers. Slipped Again is the sequel to Walker’s first book around the same lunar concept. I read Slipped Again before reading Slipped (don’t worry, Julie says this is fine and not like when I accidentally watched the Godfather trilogy out of order). Funnily enough, the fathers in Walker’s writing, just like Coppola’s, also stress the importance of family, except it’s not through the, er, mafia.

In hindsight, reading her Slipped series out of order was quite symbolic - all of Walker’s writing ruminates on the concept of clocks ticking (her first novel was called The Gift of Time) and that the memory of our time spent with loved ones and on this Earth is less chronological, more elastic. I got in touch with Julie to find out more.

Slipped and Slipped Again are based on the effects of affording these girls born on the same day 10 minutes with their deceased dads every full moon. Can you tell me what inspired this unique idea?

The original idea for Slipped came from conversations with my friend and my sister. We were remarking on our three daughters, who we were all pregnant with when the Great Storm in 1987 happened. We all agreed they were special and yet we couldn’t figure out why and then my imagination ran away with me. Slipped Again came about because of the cliff-hanger at the end of Slipped - it needed addressing and it took me three years to do that. I also made sure that Slipped Again could be read as a standalone.

Slipped Again revolves around the moon, something that is both a deeply magical phenomenon and an everyday occurrence. The blend of the magical with the mundane is quintessentially the rhythms of the magical realism genre - have you always been drawn to this particular vein of writing?

Yes, I grew up in a very spiritual home and I think that curiosity of ‘there’s more to life than what we see as reality’ came from a young age. It’s also a genre I love, so I think it’s natural to write what you would want to read.

I am equally obsessed with the moon. On what level of obsession are you at? Do you do any new- or full-moon rituals?

A fellow selenophile! I’m a yoga teacher and I love to do moon salutations. Also, on the full moons I cleanse my crystals by placing them in a glass jar full of water outside, directly in line with the moon. The following day I rinse my hair in the moon water (you should try that), which is lovely.

Wow! Beats the old Pantene! Clearly you are a spiritual person - this is quite evident not only by the way you wash your hair but in both your writing style and topics. It has been written that you suffered a serious illness and this has perhaps factored into the issues and styles and subjects that you write about - is that right?

Yes, my illness changed my whole life. I actually don’t think I would have survived without my beliefs, and death holds no fear over me. My life has been described as a soap opera and sadly we’ve had a lot of family tragedy, which informs my writing ability.

I’m so sorry to hear that, but I am a huge believer in the act of making art out of our broken hearts, as Carrie Fisher famously quipped. What was the writing process like? You mention that the idea was inspired by your own pregnancy during the great hurricane storm of 1987 and yet you had no idea how it would end.

I’m not a traditional plotter in terms of writing, so, no, I don’t always know where I’m going to end up, but I like that. For instance, in Slipped Again I wrote the first page of chapter 9 before anything else! Writing like that, though, means I have to go back and forth to add and remove, but that in itself, I believe, makes my writing better.

If you could have 10 minutes every full moon with someone who you never see, who would it be?

My father died suddenly on the night of my 50th birthday party - without doubt it would’ve been him. However, in my 60th year my mum died unexpectedly, too, so can I have both?

Granted! You were recently promoting the book at The Beaney in Canterbury - how did that go and what is your favourite literary thing about Kent?

The Beaney is an amazing historic building and we had a very successful, fun launch day there. We are so lucky in Kent to have such a wonderful literary history, for example we have the Dickens Festival every year and there are many other notable authors with connections to Kent.

What’s next for you? Do you see yourself writing a trilogy? Or is there a completely new project you have in mind/

I loved the characters, but it won’t be a trilogy - I’m happy to leave it where they are. I do have another idea brewing, but I’m taking a break right now.

Yes, it’s important to refill the well. Can I ask why you write?

I have always written on and off, but during lockdown I decided to stick my head above the parapet and get something published. It’s fair to say that 2020 changed many people’s lives. Since my own illness, I know how precious life is and it’s important to follow your dreams - that is motivation enough for me.

What do you think makes a good writer and what do you think makes a great writer?

Good writing doesn’t mean you’re a bestselling author; it’s being able to convey stories in a compelling, likeable manner. I don’t think I’m a great writer, I often finish a book wishing I could write like that! Stories that stay with you long after you’ve read them - those are from great writers.

Slipped Again is available from Troubadour Publishing @£10.99
troubador.co.uk/bookshop/fantasy-and-horror/slipped-again

INFO: www.juliewalkerauthor.co.uk

INSTA: @juliewalkerauthor