Author Archives: Julie Goldberg

About Julie Goldberg

Julie Goldberg has lived a life entirely too entangled with books. She is a school librarian, former English teacher, compulsive reader, occasional jazz singer and the author of Lily in the Light of Halfmoon. You can email her at perfectwhole@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @juliegoldberg.

Vindication 

Posted on August 17, 2016

​In the Afterlife is a palace for artists, scientists, and visionaries who died penniless, unrecognized, or forgotten, but whose genius has been vindicated by history. Van Gogh, Dickinson, Melville, Tesla, Lovelace, Poe, and many others toast each other for all … Continue reading →

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“The Question Is”

Posted on June 2, 2016

Here’s another short story that takes place in the A&P two Tuesdays before Thanksgiving a little before 6pm. Jennifer Lerner, PhD., asks herself 66 questions about competition, marriage, academia, children, sex, careers, the soul, and cake mix. Here’s an excerpt: … Continue reading →

Posted in Motherhood, Writing | Leave a comment

Survivalism

Posted on July 26, 2015

Survivalism is a collection of absurd delusions. You have your own solar panels, your own water supply, and your own food growing and preserved on your own property? Someone bigger, stronger, or better armed can steal them, enslave you, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Criticism | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

“The Schools”

Posted on March 14, 2015

Lately, I’ve been writing essays in my head instead of on paper, which has made Perfect Whole far too quiet, and my head far too noisy. But I’m popping in to share some news. The inaugural issue of River, River, a … Continue reading →

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“How Kind of You to Come”

Posted on October 30, 2014

In what may be the first and last sort-of ghost story of my career, I present “How Kind of You to Come,” a short story I wrote for Neil Fein’s Magnificent Nose, a tale of Halloween, art, grief, obsessive love, … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Creating a Character Template

Posted on September 28, 2014

Dr. Johnson called remarriage “the triumph of hope over experience.” The same might be said of writing a second novel before selling the first. Yet here I stand at the altar again, veiled, clutching a bouquet, arrayed in the sleek second-wedding ivory suit, tuning … Continue reading →

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Rejecting the Gratitude Challenge

Posted on September 12, 2014

The Gratitude Challenge has been making the rounds on Facebook, and several people have invited me to participate. The object of the game is to list three things you are grateful for every day for a week, then challenge others … Continue reading →

Posted in Criticism | Tagged | 3 Comments

“Mom, What’s the Right Age to Start Having Sex?”

Posted on August 8, 2014

“Mom, what’s the right age to start having sex?” That was exactly the question I wasn’t expecting, sitting with my 13-year-old son and my husband in a restaurant overlooking the Hudson, sipping a cocktail, waiting for our food to arrive. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Motherhood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Don’t Pray for Peace

Posted on July 27, 2014

Lately, we’ve all been hearing many prayers for peace, but it’s not prayer or the lack of it that is our problem. There are limited resources in this world–land, water, oil, food, money, power. People fight over them, as they … Continue reading →

Posted in Criticism | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Alligators and Flash Fiction

Posted on July 23, 2014

Flash fiction is a strange beast, isn’t it? It’s compressed like a poem or a joke. It tries to do many things in a tight space: create a tiny narrative arc, suggest fully-formed characters in a gesture or two, allude … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Libraries, Criticism, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments