About Julie

AuthorPhoto

Julie Barton is the New York Times bestselling author of DOG MEDICINE, HOW MY DOG SAVED ME FROM MYSELF (Penguin, 2016). She has a B.A. from Kenyon College, an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and an M.A. in Women’s Studies from Southern Connecticut State University.

Julie has been published in Brain Child Magazine, The South Carolina Review, Louisiana Literature, Two Hawks Quarterly, Westview, The Huffington Post, and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

She lives in Northern California with her husband Greg, two children, and small menagerie of pets.

Join Julie and the Dog Medicine conversation on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dogmedicinebook

Julie instagrams here @juliehillbarton, and her “Just Dogs” Pinterest board is a highly recommended antidote to grumpiness.

PUBLISHED WORK:

Dog Medicine, How My Dog Saved Me From Myself, a memoir,  Penguin Books, July 2016.

Dog Medicine, How My Dog Saved Me From Myself, first published by Think Piece Publishing in November 2015.

How Writing About My Dog Saved Me After His Death,” published on The-Pool.com

Be There Relentlessly,” written for Think Piece Publishing on September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day. Also published on Psychology Today.

Why It’s Not OK to Label Our Children,” non-fiction, published February 6, 2014 in The Huffington Post via Brain, Child Magazine.

The Raven and the Crane,” creative non-fiction, published in the Fall/Winter 2013 issue of Two Hawks Quarterly.

“Maps of Africa,” short story, published in Brain, Child, The Magazine for Thinking Mothers, Winter 2013 (To read this story on your iPhone or iPad, click here to download the Brain, Child App.  https://itunes.apple.com/app/id573667065)

Absolution,” short story, published in WestView, 2009

Finalist in the Glimmer Train 2007 Fiction Open

Sinker,” poem, published in The South Carolina Review, 2004

Night Visions,” short story, published in Louisiana Literature, 2003

“The Last Solstice,” poem, published in CaduceusArt Place at Yale Medical School

“Tuesday at Noon: On the Phone with My Father,” poem, published in CaduceusArt Place at Yale Medical School

“Synapses Misfire,” poem, published in CaduceusArt Place at Yale Medical School

One minute Dog Medicine trailer


Bunker as a puppy, just before the road trip to Seattle.


Bunker trying to learn to climb stairs in 1996.


Footage of Bunker doing some healing in 1999, from  a video journal that I kept.


Bunker love in the yard. This is also from the video journal I kept in 1999.


Extended Trailer (3 minutes)


Video Journal of my Solo Hotel Writing Retreat, when I wrote the epilogue.

12 responses to “About Julie”
  1. Susanne Avatar
    Susanne

    Julile,
    I just read your book about Bunker. I cried so much because I have a relationship with my dog like that. Jasmine is 12 years old and I often think that I don’t know what I’ll do when that day comes. She is like a part of me and I’m so glad you wrote this book because I too, am always afraid people will think I am a crazy dog lady.
    Thank you and I’m happy all turned out well for you!

  2. DURAND Avatar
    DURAND

    bonjour Julie,
    merci pour ce livre magnifique qui m’a donné tant d’émotions! à 10 ans j’ai vécu un peu la même histoire avec Ringo mon chien, mon confident qui est parti trop vite. J’ai aujourd’hui 55 ans et je m’en suis toujours pas remise! j’ai toujours eu depuis des animaux mais mon premier chien gardera toujours une place privilégiée dans mon cœur!
    encore merci

  3. Jufrida Avatar

    I, too, had a Golden Retriever, B.J. (Brings Joy), who was my angel. She helped me through a very sad divorce and introduced me to my forever love, Glenn. I took her to my classroom every day where she administered her love and magic with my special needs students. She also passed away at age 11 from organ failure. I would have given her my kidney if I could have. I was with you every step of the way throughout your journey. I cried big tears for my girl (gone since Nov. 1994) when I finished your book. Bravo for sharing your story, Julie. It is an important one.

  4. Diane Cascia Avatar
    Diane Cascia

    I am just finishing reading your book which I purchased from a store at the Portland Airport a week ago. I love it. I have a 17 year old dog who I adopted from a rescue group when he was 9 and he is still going strong. Reading your book made me realize how lucky I am to have him in my life.. This is my first dog and it won’t be the last .. I will pass your book on to my dog loving friends.

  5. mini Avatar
    mini

    I cant wait to read your book 🙂 because its true and it happened to me as well!
    after 10 years I lost my job & my boyfriend broke up with me and I was lost !!! 2 months later i was walking my 2 dogs and the crossing guard near my home found a dog someone had dumped and was wandering around. Without thinking I brought him home and took him to the vet and cleaned him up. That’s when I realized I missed my little no name and I kept him. I was depressed, lost and didn’t know what to do with my life. But this new little dog took me out of myself and i focused more on him and helped him be less anxious and afraid to be left alone. i found him but i feel like he saved me as well. it took me a while to go back to work and want to interact with people but he helped a lot 🙂 its been 4 years now and we are all one crazy happy-ish family. He always makes me laugh and that’s important

  6. Susan McElroy Avatar
    Susan McElroy

    Julie, your writing is beautiful! And it is so important to share about depression. Too many people are floundering in this black water. And many have no idea what to do, or even that they are in the grip of a killer. I’ve struggled with depression for many, many years, and have become acutely attuned to its murmurings. Its return fills me with untold dread, and its leavetaking with grateful, unbridled relief. For those who belittle the taking of medications to cope with this beast of an illness, I would say, “Be quiet. You have no idea….no idea.”

    1. juliebarton Avatar

      Susan, Thank you so much! I am so honored! Your book ‘All My Relations’ was a revelation for me. As a child, I spent hours alone in the woods. I talked to deer, heard from trees, and when I grew old enough to question this, decided that I was probably just crazy. You wrote, “When we forget– and millions of us have forgotten –that the landscape of relationship includes infinitely more possibilities than only human-to-human relationships, we reduce our potential for healing and inner growth tenfold.”

      I KNEW that my dog had been the most healing agent for me after my most devastating bout with depression. But I was scared to tell anyone, for fear of being called the crazy dog lady. Now I’ve written a book about it–one long prayer to our deep connection–to that relationship without which I would not be here.

      Thank you for the work you do, for sharing some of your own experiences with depression. Your writing validated my journey and gave me courage. I’m so deeply honored that you visited my site. ~ Julie

  7. bebop Avatar
    bebop

    Hi Julie! I came across your website after googling my own name (as you do!) and I just wanted to say hello and I’m looking forward to reading your memoir when it comes out!
    ~Julie Barton

    1. juliebarton Avatar

      Hi Julie Barton! I love it. So glad you found me. I hope you like the book. Keep in touch after you read it! ~Julie

  8. Vivian Dorsel Avatar

    Julie, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your reading, but–dog person that I am–I definitely would like to buy your book when it comes out in the fall.

  9. Sondra Avatar

    Hi Julie-

    How do I subscribe to get your blog posts in my Inbox?

    Sondra

    1. juliebarton Avatar

      Hi Sondra,
      You can subscribe to my blog by going to the home page and clicking “Follow” in the upper right hand corner of the page.
      Thanks!
      Julie

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