Women's basketball alum Julie (Flanders) Carter '05 published her first book "A Good Day" recently.

Carter played four seasons for the Patriots under Coach Debbie Taneyhill. A presence in the middle, Carter led the team in blocks during her senior campaign. In 2003-04, the Patriots competed in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship, losing to the perennial favorite Old Dominion, 85-81. The Green & Gold went to the postseason for the second time in Mason history, dropping an overtime decision against Seton Hall in the WNIT.

GoMason.com caught up with Carter.

Q.         Tell me a little about what you've been doing since graduation?
A.         Since graduating, I went overseas and played basketball for two seasons in Spain and Finland. I came back to work on my M.A.I.S in Higher Education Administration, while I was coaching women's basketball as an assistant for two seasons at Howard University. After my post-graduate degree, I went on to corporate America, working for a series of companies. I currently work at Fannie Mae as a Project Manager. I have since attained my MBA with an IT Management focus from APUS and I recently started my doctoral degree (DBA) at Liberty University focused in Leadership.

I am married with two kids, Amora (10) and four-year old son Christian. We have a fur baby, Olaf, who is about to be six years old.

Q.         Tell us about the book? 
A.         The book is about my then 18-month-old son's daily routine. A simple anytime read that shows our brown family in a loving and normal way. Representation is everything. 

Q.         Is this your first book or do you have others published?
A.         Yes, definitely "A Good Day" is my first and only published book. I have another children's book currently being illustrated, "A Good Secret", which I am hoping to release in a couple of months; and I am working on a memoir (this one is taking its sweet old time).

Q.         What inspired you to start writing this book?
A.         My family, more specifically, the relativeness of time and being able to memorialize our family during our most human times.

Q.         How long did it take to write the book? 
A.         If I am being completely honest, it took me about a couple of hours. It was a poem that came to me that I decided to illustrate and Viola, I'm an author or a colorful children's book. The entire process however from start to finish was about 2-3 years. Finding an illustrator that was skilled to bring my words to life was harder than I thought. But everything happens in its own time.

Q.         When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A.         From the time I was in junior high school I knew I wanted to be a writer and maybe even before that. I thought I would have written erotica like author Zane, but I guess having kids, a family, and being diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, deemed it to be children's books.

Q.         How did you come up with the title?
A.         Every day when we got dressed for the day, I would ask my son if it was going to be a good day and he would repeat it just as he did with every phrase we said to him, so it made perfect sense to title the book "A Good Day" because his routine was the start to a good day.

Q.         What do you hope your readers take away from your book?
A.         If my readers can see a little bit of themselves in the story, that is ideal, but ultimately, I am hoping readers take away that "A Good Day" can be and start any way you want it to. It is all about our choice to smile or frown, to stop or carry on. "A Good Day" is the epitome of simple leading to something great!

Q.         What do you like to do when you are not writing? 
A.         When I am not writing, I am inspiring through mere existence. When I am not inspiring, I like to unwind doing absolutely nothing that requires my brain to be on.

Q.         What was the highlight of writing this book? 
A.         The highlight of writing "A Good Day" has been the outpouring of genuine support. You get some support by default, but people outside my immediate family seem to genuinely enjoy the simple message the book provides and that is humbling as the story is based on a true story! 

Q.         What is the first book that made you cry?
A.         "Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch. Former Mason teammate Kristin Higy gifted me this book as a baby shower gift celebrating my son.

Q.         What's your favorite under-appreciated novel? 
A.         "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. I'm not sure if it is under-appreciated, but it's one of my favorites.

Q.         What is your favorite childhood book (before this one, of course)? 
A.         "Green Eggs & Ham" by Dr. Seuss

Carter's latest podcast interview with Authored By Us about "A Good Day" is available on Spotify.