Artist Profile: Julie Rasmussen, Writer

Artist Profile Julie Rasmussen, Writer

Julie Rasmussen

Hippie Dippy Bulls**t is a humorous memoir of spiritual growth. In it, I logically ask if “New-Age Spirituality”– and things like the concept of the ego, the Universal Law of Attraction, reincarnation, and “good vibes”– are really just hippie dippy bulls**t… or do they actually hold the truth of where we come from, why we’re here, and what happens when we die? It’s an engaging tale about awakening to a practical new understanding of God, and our existence, outside of religion.

Q&A with Julie Rasmussen

How did your journey to professional writing begin? What called you to it?

Well, I wrote some pretty riveting stories about the cafeteria cornbread while I was on the newspaper staff at Stevens High back in the late 80s (when I showed up for class). And later in life, I mastered the art of writing killer good Christmas cards. So, the spark probably started somewhere in there. Truthfully, I had no conscious intention to become a writer. Though I have a journalism degree, I’d mostly worked in marketing or as an entrepreneur in my adult life. I just started going through this spiritual experience a few years ago and a calm, firm voice inside my head (it was seriously very Field-of-Dreams-like) said, “Write this down. It will become a book.” So, I did. Best not to argue with the calm, firm voices in your head, I figure.

I understand why the voice told me to write it down… now that the book is out there, I’m finding that many people are going through the same shift I did - out of religion, into spirituality. I ended up writing a hand-holding comfort

book for others, because that shift is actually quite painful - our fearful egos don’t just let go of our lifelong beliefs overnight, even if they aren’t serving us anymore. It can feel like a miserable tug-of-war in your mind, between old and new beliefs, for quite a while. Hippie Dippy Bulls**t is there to help others feel a little less crazy and alone.

You talk about the Black Hills in your book. Why did you include those portions?

I spent my teenage years in the Black Hills, and I will always proudly call Rapid City my hometown. There’s no way I was going to write my life story and not work Mt. Rushmore, Shotgun Willie’s, and Penis Rock (you’d better read the book if you don’t know what that is) into it. Plus, some of what I wrote about happened while visiting Rapid City. There are people and places in the book that locals will recognize. Also, referencing local Native American culture and beliefs in my story helped me explain some of my points well. We could learn a lot from them.

Share a little secret…name one thing you edited out of this book.

Ha! Ya, right! Nothing! I left no subject out… psychics, swearing, religion, drag queens, orgasms, aliens, and Taco Bell… they’re all in there.

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You chose to self-publish. Are you glad you went this route? Would you recommend it to others?

I am glad I self-published in that it allowed me to get the book out there, circulating, when I was ready. Amazon really changed the face of self-publishing and gave it credibility; and many independent stores are great about working with Indie authors, if the book looks polished and sell-able (tip: do your research on how to not look self-published). In the first nine months, I got Hippie Dippy Bulls**t into 90 stores in 10 states, just by walking in and asking if they’d carry it (I have a rare advantage with my book in that it sells in gift stores, boutiques, and metaphysical stores… not just in book stores).

At the end of the day, word of mouth is what sells a book, so I do believe that a great Indie book can achieve what any other book can.

I would recommend self-publishing to others if you have a clear vision of what you’re hoping to do with your book. If you just want to see your story in print for friends and family, and you have the money, go for it. Hell, do it for yourself and enjoy the process! Cross it off the bucket list! If you’re hoping to write the next bestseller and make a career out of it, be prepared to spend some money promoting it and become your own under-paid, full-time publicist, salesperson, and road trip buddy for a while… but think of that as part of the adventure!

How long did you take to write the book to completion?

I wrote it as I was experiencing it, over a period of about eighteen months. Editing, layout, and getting it into print took another four months.

To remedy writer’s block, I:

I accept it and give myself permission to walk away for as long as it takes. I go have fun and focus on anything else for a while – I’ll go the mountains for a day, try to communicate telepathically with my cat, or binge watch old Fred Astaire movies. Anything. Writer’s block is just the mind saying take a break. It’s not a bad thing… unless you obsess over it.

What tips or advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Be your truest self. Authenticity sells. Original storytelling sells. Don’t write fluff and don’t write boring crap just because you experienced some adversity in your life. Yawn… we’ve all had adversity. Whatever your story, dig deep to tell it cleverly and be uniquely you!

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Julie Rasmussen

What authors have inspired you?

My two favorite authors are David Sedaris and children's book author Roald Dahl. I pay as much attention to smart comedians as I do writers – I love Trevor Noah, Eddie Izzard, and Jerry Seinfeld. The best spirituality authors I’ve read are Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, and Deepak Chopra. Hippie Dippy Bulls**t is definitely a unique combination of all those influences… detailed storytelling, humor, and spirituality.

What’s a common trap for aspiring writers?

Trying to please everyone. Oprah wisely said once, “Accept that everyone isn’t going to buy what you’re selling.” She’s right. Accept, before you start, that you won’t be everyone’s cup of tea… and that it’s ok. Don’t get discouraged if everyone doesn’t like you – you’re not guacamole or Tom Hanks. You’ll find your people. It’s all good.

Have you written any unpublished or partially written/totally abandoned books?

Not yet. My next book is percolating, but it’s not quite ready to come out in words. I know I’d like to write more on what modern day spiritualism is. You don’t have to be vegan, do yoga, or believe in astrology, tarot, or crystals to be spiritual. It’s much more about understanding that we are more than our human bodies, that there are no coincidences, and that we can deliberately co-create, with God/the Universe/Steve (call it whatever you please), our desired life experiences by being more purposely aware of our thoughts and emotions. Those other things are purely optional. I don’t own any crystals and my yoga pants have been to Smashburger waaaaay more than they’ve ever been to yoga class.

Where can we buy your book?

Online, you can buy it on Amazon or at TatteredCover. com. It’s also available in the Black Hills at Mitzi’s Books in Rapid City. My website, Hippiedippybs.com, has a listing of all the independent stores where it can be purchased. It’s $14.95 for the paperback and $6.99 for Kindle.

You’ve been busy promoting your book – what’s next?

I’m really excited to have just finished recording the audiobook of Hippie Dippy Bulls**t, which will be available soon on Amazon, Google Play, the Apple Store, etc. I did my first “official” book reading and talk at Hay Camp Brewing Co. this spring and was thrilled to be speaking in front of old and new friends in my beloved Black Hills. I have more speaking events and book readings scheduled this summer in Colorado, New Mexico, and California. Also, as the book is currently available in mostly western states, it will be finding its way east this fall. I’ve surrendered to the exciting, unknown journey of where all this will take me… which is really the point of the whole book. To infinity and beyond, my friends! BHW