Julia R. DeStefano is the author of two poetry-photography collections, Whirling Into Flame and Leave Everything, and is currently working on her third collection. She is a longtime educator who, when not writing, can be found teaching 21st century skills, research and evaluation, literary appreciation, and tirelessly inspiring a love of writing within her students. You might have also seen her words and photographs within local and national A&E, lifestyle, and wellness publications. 

Julia characterizes herself as a confessional poet, capturing moments to preserve them in the glistening amber of language while unapologetically challenging perceptions. Readers of Julia’s poetry are quick to speak of her addictive ability to “ignite soul searching with analogies to ordinary life situations.” They note the ways in which she “twists and propels her readers through a whirlwind of very human passion and deep yearning for connection.” Her first collection, 

Leave Everything, reached #11 in Poetry by Women at Amazon and her poem, “The Sands,” was recently chosen as a Featured Post by Medium curators. Julia is regularly published on SpillWords Press, and due to readership and popular vote, her Spotlight interview received their Publication of the Month award in June 2020. In August of the following year, the SpillWords community awarded her the title of Author of the Month. For more information about Julia and her craft, please visit www.juliadestefano.com