When Julia Park Tracey turned 50, she didn’t slow down. Instead, she picked up the pace by writing new books, co-founding a publishing company, mentoring emerging writers, and continuing her lifelong journey of creativity and self-sufficiency.
Today, Julia is passionate about helping women over 50 find and share their voices, ensuring that their stories are not only heard, but celebrated.
“Women of a certain age become invisible,” Julia said. “But we’re at the peak of our powers. We’ve been writing for decades, and you can see the craft on the page. The stories are amazing.”
That belief led her to co-found Sibylline Press, a publishing house created to champion women over 50 who often get overlooked by traditional publishers.
“We started Sibylline because, after 50, I couldn’t even get a return phone call from agents,” she explained. “It wasn’t because the work wasn’t good. It is because the industry tends to favor younger writers they can ‘grow’ for decades. But I already have 10 books ready to go!”
A second act filled with purpose
Julia’s commitment to storytelling didn’t begin later in life. It has always been woven into who she is. Growing up in a strict, Puritanical household where “fun equals chaos,” she kept her poetry and creative writing hidden.
“I called myself a closet poet for years,” she said. “It was very much frowned upon. If I was caught reading, it was ‘get your nose out of that book and get to work.’”
Despite the lack of encouragement, Julia found her way into journalism, which was a “practical” form of writing her parents could accept.
“Journalism was seen as a real job. Being a poet wasn’t,” she recalled. “I learned to write fast and write well because when I started, we used typewriters. You didn’t get a second chance to fix your story.”
After years of working in newspapers and magazines, Julia’s creative writing began to blossom. But it wasn’t until after 50 that she truly embraced her own voice, and committed herself to helping other women do the same.
“I mentor a lot of women writers,” she said. “Many of them don’t realize how publishable their work already is. They’re just waiting for someone to tell them, ‘You can do this.’”
Telling stories that matter
At Sibylline Press, Julia and her partners focus on publishing fiction and memoir stories. But, they are selective about the kinds of memoirs they accept.
“We’re not looking for victim stories,” Julia explained. “We want stories of triumph written by or about people who have gone through something and come out stronger on the other side.”
She stressed that memoirs should capture a meaningful arc of a person’s life, not just a recounting of hardships.
“If your whole life is 180 degrees, I’m looking for a 15- or 20-degree slice,” she said. “Something significant, where you faced something hard and came through it.”
Whether it’s a widow who climbed Mount Everest or a housewife who discovered her true identity at 50, Julia believes these stories deserve to be told – and celebrated.
“It’s about survival, resilience and wisdom,” she noted. “That’s what inspires people.”
Writing her own chapters
In addition to mentoring and publishing, Julia remains a prolific writer herself. After 50, she published a collection of poetry, two romance-suspense novels and two deeply researched works of historical fiction.
“The Bereaved” is based on her great-great-great-grandmother’s real-life struggle to reunite her children after they were sent away on America’s infamous orphan trains. “Silence” tells the story of an ancestor who was punished with a year of enforced silence after questioning her Puritan community’s rigid religious beliefs.
“These stories are about grief, oppression, survival and finding your voice even when everything tries to silence you,” Julia said. “They have so much relevance today.”
Her books have earned critical acclaim, receiving starred reviews and being named among the top indie fiction releases of their respective years.
Homesteading, beekeeping and living with intention
Beyond writing, Julia finds meaning and purpose in her deep connection to the earth. Living in the California foothills with her husband, she has embraced homesteading, beekeeping and a commitment to zero-waste living.
Her journey into urban homesteading began years ago when she moved into a former Navy base housing project and saw an opportunity.
“We had acres of crabgrass and chain link fencing,” she said. “So I put in vegetable gardens, got chickens and started taking back the land.”
Later, she learned beekeeping from a neighbor who needed help managing his hives.
“He had been stung so many times that he developed an allergy,” Julia explained. “So I suited up, used the smoker and checked the brood. It was fascinating.”
Julia loves the lessons bees offer.
“All the worker bees are female,” she said. “They clean, they build, they nurse and they defend the hive. They’re amazing creatures. It’s a little feminist utopia.”
Today, Julia continues to grow her own food, minimize waste, compost and advocate for sustainable living.
“I call myself an eco-sexual,” she laughed. “I don’t care who you love just as long as you don’t mess up the planet.”
The power of resilience
Life hasn’t been without hardship for Julia. At 60, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy, which temporarily stole her ability to write.
“I couldn’t remember words,” she said. “Chemo brain is real.”
Still, she didn’t give up. She scribbled notes to herself, reminders of ideas to explore once her mind cleared.
“You get through it by taking notes for the future,” she said. “Just like with anything hard, you survive and you find your way back.”
Her experience only deepened her belief that suffering builds character, and that those hard-won lessons are worth sharing.
“If you haven’t been through anything, you don’t have the resources to deal with challenges,” she explained. “It makes you more compassionate and empathetic. It makes you a better human being.”
Living fully and learning always
Now in her early 60s, Julia refuses to slow down. She’s actively writing, gardening, exploring new skills and challenging herself to learn new things.
“I’m taking a class this weekend on grafting fruit trees,” she said. “I want to make one of those trees that grows different fruits on different branches!”
She is also studying German on Duolingo and intentionally trying new foods and experiences.
“Try the gingerbread latte,” she joked. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”
Julia’s advice for anyone over 50 is to stay curious, stay engaged and never stop growing.
“Don’t be a big baby about technology,” she said. “You can learn new things. It keeps your mind alive.”
A mission to inspire
For Julia, life after 50 is not about winding down. Rather, it’s about stepping into a deeper, richer sense of purpose. Through her writing, publishing, mentoring, homesteading and environmental advocacy, she is not only building a meaningful life for herself, but also lighting the way for countless others.
“I’m not Britney Spears, and I’m not Kim Kardashian,” she said with a laugh. “But I’ve been through some things. I have stories to tell – and so do many other women.”
Thanks to Julia’s efforts, those women now have a platform to be seen, heard and celebrated for the powerful storytellers they are.
For more information
People can connect with Julia on several platforms:
- Website = www.juliaparktracey.com
- Facebook = www.facebook.com/juliaparktraceywriter
- Instagram = www.instagram.com/juliaparktracey
- TikTok = www.tiktok.com/@juliaparktracey
All 11 of Julia’s published books, including “Silence” and “The Bereaved,” are available on Amazon and in other bookstores.
If you buy one of Julia’s books from a link above, Forward From 50 may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.