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Julie Gianelloni Connor, founder of Bayou City Press, served for 33 years in the U.S. Foreign Service before retiring to Houston and starting Bayou City Press. As a diplomat, Julie had nine overseas tours: Israel (twice), Paraguay, Guatemala, Indonesia, Colombia (twice), Malaysia, and Chile. Interspersed with her overseas tours were assignments in Washington, DC, for the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) and the U.S. Department of State. She has also lived and worked in Portugal, Spain, and England, besides visiting many other countries. Julie received her B. A. in English and history from Rice University, an M.A. in creative writing from the University of Houston, and an M.S. in National Security Studies from the National War College in Washington, DC. Email Publishing@BayouCityPress.com. Visit Julie Gianelloni Connor’s Camino for Boomers blog.
Hi! My name is Luke Walker, and I’ve been an avid writer and reader all my life. I received a B.A. in English from Duke University, where I wrote my thesis on the novels and stories of Cormac McCarthy and D.H. Lawrence, with a primary focus on their works set in the American West. I went on to obtain an M.A. from Columbia University, where my studies centered on the writing of the Japanese author Yukio Mishima.
I worked as a content director and copywriter at start-ups for a number of years, but I’m making a big change and am now pursuing a career in the publishing industry! I love writing fiction, editing fiction, and working with authors, so joining Bayou City Press is a dream come true.
When I’m not writing or getting lost in a great book, you can usually find me at the dog park with my pug, Umi, or playing board games with friends. (One of my current favorites is a haunted mansion game called Betrayal at The House on The Hill.)
Good literature has the power to change the world. Let’s craft something beautiful together!
Hello, my name is Shelby Zigmond, and I’m excited to work for BCP as an Assistant Editor. Working for BCP is an opportunity that, for the longest time, I thought would not be possible. I was going to college for communication arts and psychology when my life went on pause in 2015 due to a decline in my physical health. I had to withdraw from classes to move back in with my parents. Then began the seven-year process of being diagnosed and adapting to my new normal.
My favorite way to escape is reading about anything and everything I can get my hands on. I have always enjoyed a good read, whether from assigned readings in school, to books checked out from the local library, or a great find in a bookstore.
I have experience with writing and storytelling from communication arts classes at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. I’m a creative and patient person who enjoys crochet, watercolor painting, and spending time with our family’s fur babies (eleven cats, two dogs, and eleven llamas). My goal is to embody resilience and strength and to display my curious eyes, ready to learn about the world we live in and to explore the many cultures and the community in Texas.
BCP staff photographer, Robert Connor, has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Robert worked in engineering and construction but is now happily retired. Robert has traveled to all the continents and has persued photography as a hobby for 50+ years. He resides in Houston with his wife, Sue Jean.
