Dr. Julia Gousseva has been teaching college-level writing courses since 1993, starting as a graduate student at the University of Arizona. She earned her PhD in 2001 and has been a full-time writing instructor at a community college in Arizona ever since. Julia specializes in short story writing and creative nonfiction — courses she loves to teach because of the deep connection with her students' creativity.

Julia is the author of several works, including the Adventures of Alex and Katie children’s books, Anya’s Story historical fiction series, three mystery novels, and a collection of short stories. Her current project is the Bob and Billy series — humorous stories that blend absurdity with real-world moments.

Her work has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons from the Cat, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Messages from Heaven and Other Miracles, Highlights for Children, and The Sun Magazine. Julia also enjoyed a year-long assignment with the Tucson Citizen, writing the My Tucson column.

Creative writing is Julia's passion, and she is constantly at work on new projects, whether it's fiction or exploring creative nonfiction.