This isn’t just a new chapter. It’s a complete rewrite of my story as an author. For me, writing began as an escape from personal struggles. I’ve always poured my heart into my stories, crafting worlds and characters that let me process my reality, even when I couldn’t face it directly. But now, it’s time for A.C. James to step into the shadows and for Julie Blackheart to rise.
When I started publishing as A.C. James, it wasn’t just a name—it was a tribute. Each letter in the pen name represented the first initials of my children’s names, and the “James” honored my father. It held deep meaning for me, but as time has passed, so much has changed.
In those early years, I was writing as a form of survival. My oldest child was (and still is) struggling with mental health and making life choices that were beyond my ability to influence or help. My marriage at the time was fraught with the devastating effects of addiction. Writing was my lifeline, a way to channel the challenges and heartbreak that felt too overwhelming to face head-on. The stories I crafted reflected that darkness, filled with themes of resilience, survival, and pain—because that was the world I knew.
When I finally left that toxic marriage, I found my voice as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence. I began to weave those experiences into my work, giving a voice to characters who had lived through similar pain. Writing was healing. It was my way of shouting into the void that we could endure, we could overcome. But healing isn’t linear, and life has a way of continuously reshaping us.
Losing my father last year hit me harder than I expected. His loss is one I’m still navigating, filled with complex emotions. He was flawed and broken in ways that made our relationship difficult. And yet, I loved him. How do you reconcile grief for someone who shaped you in both positive and painful ways? How do you honor the memory of a parent while acknowledging their imperfections? I wrote his eulogy, but it was my husband who stood before family and friends at the veteran’s cemetery to deliver the words I couldn’t. That day ended with breakfast surrounded by my Aunt Sue, my cousin Brandy, and my best friend of over twenty years. It was bittersweet, a connection amidst loss.
The pen name A.C. James was born out of that chapter in my life. It represented both love and pain, tied irrevocably to my family of origin. But as time has passed, I’ve realized that my life, my children’s lives, and my family are not defined by that past. I still believe in advocating for those without a voice, but my writing has evolved. Somewhere along the way, I shifted. The dark, steamy vampire tales and urban fantasy that once defined my work have given way to stories with broken characters and intricate worlds. I’ve found joy in building realms that resonate with hope, strength, and shades of grey.
And so, I’ve decided to leave the shadow of A.C. James behind and claim the unapologetic fire of Julie Blackheart. That pen name will now stand as a legacy for my older books, honoring where I came from and the stories that helped me survive. As Julie Blackheart, I’m starting fresh. This is a new chapter, letting go of the past but enriched by all the lessons it has taught me.
Julie Blackheart is a name that personifies resilience and a little bit of rebellion. It’s about not living by the rules that were written for people we will never become. It’s a promise to myself and to you, my readers, to create stories where broken characters find strength, where love thrives in the unlikeliest places, and where imagination knows no bounds. It’s my way of reconnecting with the community that has supported me through every twist and turn my unconventional life has taken.
Thank you for standing by me. Thank you for believing in the power of storytelling to heal, inspire, and bend the rules. This isn’t a goodbye to A.C. James but a celebration of the writing journey we’ve shared and an invitation to join me on a new adventure together and the raw, dark, gritty stories you fell in love with in the first place.