From dentist to published author: How Julie Fitzgerald turned her storytelling passion into a reality

When author Julie Fitzgerald’s debut middle-grade novel, The Wall in the Hall, is published today, it will mark the culmination of an extraordinary journey. From supporting her young brother as an NHS nurse to a long career in paediatric dentistry, Julie’s path to a Master’s degree in Creative Writing at Northumbria University has been anything but conventional.

Now, with her book released by Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and all her author royalties dedicated to charity, Julie reflects on how Northumbria University provided not only the academic environment she needed, but also a life-changing dyslexia diagnosis that transformed how she understands herself.

Julie’s route to higher education began amidst severe personal hardship. After losing both of her parents within months of each other when she was just 16 and 17 years old, she cared for her 11-year-old brother. She joined the NHS, training as a registered nurse and, once qualified, settled in paediatric nursing. It wasn’t until age 28 and further NHS experience that she was finally able to pursue her undergraduate degree in Dental Surgery at Newcastle University, eventually working, teaching and researching in paediatric dentistry and special care dentistry.

Throughout her clinical career working with children, many facing life-limiting or complex health conditions, storytelling was Julie's way of connecting and putting young patients at ease.

“Part of being with children is relating to them, and as a nurse and dentist, it was taking them away from the situation they were in by telling stories,” Julie explains. “Although I didn’t have academic writing experience, what I had was years of making up storylines.”

A diagnosis of secondary progressive MS stopped her working clinically and became the catalyst for Julie to consider writing seriously. After attending a transformative one-week Arvon residential course in Hebden Bridge with successful children's authors, Emma Carroll and Liz Flanagan, she applied to Northumbria University’s Creative Writing MA. Here she found a vibrant classroom setting where she could learn alongside others, all much younger and with passion to take their writing further. Graduating with a commendation in December 2023, soon after she completed a 12-week Faber & Faber Children's Writing course at The Common Room with children's author Chloe Daykin.

Coming from a scientific and clinical background, Julie admits to feeling like she had catching up to do alongside classmates with English Literature degrees. However, it was during her time at Northumbria that she received an unexpected revelation: a formal diagnosis of dyslexia.

"The dyslexia diagnosis by Northumbria University laid to rest why certain tasks had always seemed to take longer for me to do than other people”, says Julie. “I had always been very able academically and clinically but felt like I had to check things more than other people, so it was a huge relief to know something was causing that difference in processing speed.”

After a perceptive tutor suggested she get checked, Northumbria arranged for Julie to see a clinical psychologist at the University. Following the diagnosis, she was given tailored support and strategies to pace herself, conduct research, and navigate academic tasks effectively.

Beyond the learning support that came with her diagnosis, Julie found a deeply encouraging and nurturing environment across the entire university. Returning to study as a mature student meant navigating modern submission systems and digital platforms – a task made far less daunting thanks to the dedicated staff at Northumbria, particularly the Ask4Help IT team.

That sense of care extended into the classroom. Course tutors offered early encouragement, recognising the promise in Julie's initial ideas. Later, dissertation marker Assistant Professor Fiona Shaw, herself a published author, provided vital guidance for Julie, to help her develop her story. As Julie describes: “The level of academic mentorship was transformative. Fiona was instrumental in the way she embraced students, I really felt she was totally committed to developing me.”

What started as a story draft for her MA dissertation grew into The Wall in the Hall – a Victorian cosy crime mystery set in a grand ancestral hall in County Durham. Aimed at 8-12-year-olds, the book blends mystery, historical detail, and themes of class and social change. The story follows 11-year-old Effie as she attempts to solve the sudden disappearance of her cousin, Viscount George Baxter, with the help of two housemaids and Bramble the dog.

The book is now available in paperback and eBook formats. Demonstrating her lifelong commitment to caring for others, Julie is donating 100% of her author royalties, dividing them between two causes close to her heart: the Children's Cancer North (Newcastle upon Tyne), providing life-changing care and support and childhood cancer research and The Little Sisters of the Poor in Newcastle, a global charity dedicated to caring for vulnerable, low-income elderly individuals.

Julie thanks all on the course who taught her and, when asked what advice she would offer to others, said: “It is never too late to explore learning to write.”

The Wall in the Hall is available to buy now.

Northumbria's strength in creative writing teaching and research is set to grow further with a new centre for writing and publishing planned for Newcastle. Developed with founding partner New Writing North, the centre will bring writers, publishers, students and members of the public together under one roof, creating new opportunities for the next generation of authors like Julie.

The centre has attracted more than £10.5 million in investment to date, including £5 million from the Government's Cultural Development Fund, £2.5 million from Northumbria University, £2 million from the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority and £1 million from Newcastle City Council.