Works

My debut novel: Rocket Queen

Rocket Queen Ebook

Rocket Queen Print

What happens when everything a teenage girl loves and dreams of gets ripped away? When she is misunderstood, angry, and so alone that everything is painful and dark?

“Sixteen-year-old Wren has been on a steep dive into depression. Kicked out of her old dance school, her reputation torn apart, her friendships lost, and a darkness inside her threatening to send her over the edge, she doesn’t know what to do or where to turn. Instead she lashes out at the world and spirals into self-hatred, anger, and estrangement from a life she no longer recognizes. She learns to survive through her fierce love for rock music and her new friendship with the handsome but troubled Aidan. Yet that’s not enough as more betrayal awaits her.

Rocket Queen is a heart-wrenching tale about a teenage girl’s struggle with mental illness in high school where her friends aren’t so clear and her enemies appear driven to destroy her through whatever means. It’s a story where many readers will identify with Wren’s struggle to find peace of mind and happiness when others conspire against her.”

First Word Blogspot

Where ‘Write’ Meets Light:

Rocket Queen — New Release: NOVEL ADDRESSES THE RISE IN TEEN DEPRESSION

Link to the Blogspot post: Rocket Queen — New Release

Depression is a serious medical issue that millions of teens face; a riveting, new book titled Rocket Queen takes on the topic to help others.

SACRAMENTO, California—Adolescent depression in the 21st century is on the rise. Statistics released from the National Institute of Mental Health report that about 3.2 million 12- to 17-year-olds have had at least one major depressive episode within the past 12 months. Julianna Morgan, a first-time author and college student, addresses this topic through a riveting new novel titled Rocket Queen.

Rocket Queen goes deep into the state of mind of a 16-year-old teen named Wren who has recently faced some emotionally crippling traumas in her life. Not atypical of many young teens in the U.S., she has faced some tough issues arising for the consequences of being unjustly kicked out of her dance school. This emotionally intense story draws readers into Wren’s daily life where she faces common friendship issues, but also some very uncommon and often intriguing mysteries and betrayals.

As life continues to get more complex around her, Wren doesn’t know what to do or where to turn for help, which also touches on a secondary problem with the mental health system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cite that only 20 percent of youth suffering from a mental health disorder, like depression, receive treatment for their condition, which means 80 percent, or about 12 million youth, do not.

Morgan uses a unique writing style that conveys the immediate thoughts of her depressed heroine. In using this technique, she swallows the reader into the same darkness enveloping her protagonist. This immediacy draws readers into the agonizing pain of a depression, torment, confusion, uncertainty, fear, and sorrow.

“Some people think that people who suffer from mental illness can actually help it, like it’s their fault, but it’s no different than any other illness,” said Morgan. “I hope when people read about Wren’s story, what she’s going through, and how she feels, they’ll identify with her. Maybe it will inspire them to get the help they need or recognize they’re not alone—other teenagers and adults go through depression too.”