Julee Balko is the author of The Things We Keep, her first novel. She’s also a freelance writer who has helped many companies find their brand swagger. While she started her career in advertising, she now finds herself writing for all sorts of creative endeavors. But her favorite creative project will always be her three daughters who inspire her every day.

Julee believes in interesting characters and complex relationships. She wrote her debut novel The Things We Keep because she wanted to write a book for women of the “sandwich generation” who are trying to take care of their parents while balancing motherhood, a job, and multiple glasses of wine. After being thrust into the world of grief when her mother and father died, Julee knew there needed to be a book that showed this often not-talked-about journey – and then she added a dash of science, mystery, motherhood, and of course, love into the mix.

Growing up Julee always had one dream, to have a book with her name on it. (And to own a pet pig.)  There’s no piggy yet. But she happily has a rescue hound, an inquisitive bunny, and fosters as many kittens as her husband will agree to.