From memoir to children’s tales, exploring identity, family, belonging, and the ways love and loss transform us.
Welcome to My Online Home!
I’m Julie Ryan McGue, a storyteller who writes about the search for self, the meaning of connection, the ways love and loss shape who we become, and the moments—quirky, tender, transformative—hat give life its texture. I believe in writing that heals, uplifts, and reminds us that finding our place in the world is a lifelong adventure.
On this site, you’ll find information about my books, blog, That Girl, This Life blog, and upcoming appearances and events.
As an adoptee, identical twin, mother, widow, and grandmother, my life has given me many perspectives to draw from. These experiences inform everything I write. From memoir to children’s literature, each writing project is guided by curiosity, compassion, and wonder for how we find our place in the world.
I have published three works of nonfiction. My debut memoir, Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging (2021), chronicles the five-year search to connect with my birth family. Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship (2023) is a collection exploring the needs to know oneself and for connection. My newest memoir, Twice the Family (2025), traces my coming-of-age as a twin and adoptee growing up in a large, blended family.
I also write for younger readers. The “Let’s Go with Lulu” picture book series begins with Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm (Muse Literary, 2025) inspired by my family’s real tree farm. It celebrates family, legacy, and the quiet magic of nature. The second book in the series, DJ and Lulu Go to the Car Wash, releases in August 2026, and features adventures with my oldest grandson.
My wish is that you’ll stay here for a while and discover writing that resonates. And when you leave, I hope you carry with you a new idea, a spark of connection, or a story that lingers in your heart.
“An engaging, endearing chronicle of a woman’s quest to find her origins.” – Kirkus Review
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New Release
RELEASE DATE: Sept 16, 2025
Published by Muse Literary
Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm
By Julie Ryan McGue (and Illustrated by Mariia Stepanova)
Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm is a lyrical and heartfelt tale about a boy named Jack who visits Weatherwood Walnut Farm. His great-grandfather once dreamed of planting a walnut farm as a gift for future generations—a dream carried forward by his family. Now, Jack has the chance to choose a tree of his own.
When he discovers a small oak standing proud among the saplings, Jack feels an instant connection. With a tiny surprise nestled in its branches and the weight of a legacy that takes root in him, Jack learns that family love can grow and endure like the strongest of trees.
Perfect for readers who cherish Miss Rumphius and The Giving Tree, this story celebrates growth, remembrance, and belonging across family seasons.
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That Girl, This Life
Weekly posts that focus on identity, family, and life’s quirky moments.
When the Heart Widens
The heart doesn’t replace—it expands.
An Interview With Author Deb Miller
She calls herself an “accidental author.”
More or Less
What do you crave more or less of?
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June 20, I look forward to connecting with fellow local authors at the Chicago Writer’s Association conference in downtown Chicago. This year’s event is at The Steppenwolf Theatre.
July 16-19, I will attend the Understory Writer’s Conference in Park City, UT. I can’t wait to reconnect with fellow authors who attended with me last year.
On August 15, The second book in my Let’s Go with Lulu kidlit series, DJ and Lulu Go to the Car Wash, launches! Details forthcoming. Story is based on the real-life story about adventures with my oldest grandson.
September 6-22, I plan to hike a section of the El Camino again with Laura Davis’ group, The Writer’s Journey. My return is driven by the need to do research for a third memoir about my journey through love and loss while hiking the Camino.
October 9-11, Next Fall, I will attend the She Writes Press author retreat at the Westin Rancho Mirage Resort in Palm Springs, CA. Thrilled to be selected as a presenter for the panel, “Marketing for Memoirists.”
Follow Julie by visiting her website, subscribe to her bimonthly newsletters, and listen to previous podcast recordings where she discusses topics like adoption, identity, family relationships, sisterhood and belonging.
