I first heard about Emmy Award winner Julianne Hough’s book signing event on Instagram. Initially, I assumed it was for an autobiography or memoir, but to my surprise, it was for her novel, Everything We Never Knew. The event was held at The Grove on August 10, 2024, and the book was co-written by Ellen Goodlett, who was also in attendance. It was a family affair, with her brother Derek Hough, his wife Hayley Erbert, and their mother Marianne Hough there to surprise and support Julianne.
As an added bonus, toward the end of the Q&A, the audience was invited to participate in an immersive experience. Julianne asked us to close our eyes and listen as she guided us through the major elements—earth, fire, water, and air. I personally felt the heat, and the whole room seemed to warm up, making the experience incredibly vivid and powerful.
Julianne mentioned that the book is centered around a character named Lexi, who is largely based on herself. She hopes the story will resonate with readers as it’s another medium for her to express herself, much like her passions for singing, dancing, and writing music.
The event’s interviewer, Kelly Noonan Gores, who is also an author and a tennis player, was personally selected by Julianne for this occasion. Kelly kicked off the discussion by asking how Julianne and Ellen met and began their collaboration.
Julianne explained, “It all started through an agent. I had this idea for a book based on a spiritual exploration journey I went through. At first, I thought I’d get a ghostwriter because that’s what my agents suggested. But as I started meeting people, they showed me Ellen’s work on Rule and Rise, and I immediately fell in love with her writing style. The visuals were captivating, and I found myself deeply immersed in the worlds she created. That’s when I knew Ellen was the right fit.”
Ellen added, “At the time, I was in the middle of moving to Portugal. I had packed up my entire New York apartment and left everything at my mom’s house in Pittsburgh. Just as I settled there, my agent called and said Julianne wanted to meet me in New York in two days. So, I turned around and drove back. The meeting was at the opening of KINRGY, which was a bit nerve-wracking. It’s a dance studio, and I’m a writer—I didn’t expect to be dancing in front of a professional dancer! But it turned out to be a requirement.”
Julianne continued, “It was crucial for me. I started KINRGY, a company based on the elements: earth, fire, water, and air. It incorporates movement, breath, and visualization. Experiencing it was vital for Ellen because those elements are encoded in the book and are key to the character’s journey of transformation.”
Ellen concluded, “It was nerve-wracking at first, but it really helped me later when writing those scenes. That’s how we met.”
Here are some highlights of the Q&A:
Kelly/Interviewer: “Did you experience any healing during the process? And what did you become more aware of or awakened to throughout the journey?”
Ellen: We actually started writing it right at the beginning of lockdown, which made the process quite challenging, especially toward the end of the book. So much of the story is about community and the idea that you can’t truly heal in isolation—you need a strong foundation and people around you. But during that time, I was very isolated from my community since I had just moved to Portugal and didn’t know many people. It was a real challenge, but in the end, I believe it made the book stronger as we figured out how to incorporate those elements.
Julianne: I feel like I experienced this activation that became the impetus for writing this book. But as we started to write, my world began to unravel. There are different layers to it, right? I see it as a spiral. The first layer was the activation—this expansion where I was having these mystical experiences, and it felt exciting and amazing. My life was changing in the best possible way. But then came the unraveling. Everything that wasn’t aligned started falling apart, and that was painful.
If you’ve put systems of protection in place to safeguard yourself, those very systems might actually be distancing you from your own safety and self-trust. These external structures I had built began to unravel, and that’s part of why the book took so long to complete—I went through what I call my ‘death hole pit of sh%^&*’ era. That’s book two (laughs).
During this time of expansion, I wanted to write about it, but I felt out of integrity because I was stuck in this sad, dark, heavy period. That’s why it took so long. I wasn’t sure if I could even relate to the material I was trying to create. You (Ellen) were so patient—seriously, so patient—and our publishers were patient too. Many people have been on this journey with me, making this book possible.
Every time I had a small moment of levity, I’d give you (Ellen) a note or something, thinking, ‘Okay, let’s do this again.’ The patience was incredible. And that’s really the essence of healing—you’re on your own timeline. You can’t rush it, you can’t push it. You just have to take one step at a time and trust that you’re on the right path.
By November 2022, I felt like I had crawled out of that dark place. I could finally breathe again, so we got back into the writing. I read the entire manuscript from start to finish, rather than in chunks, and I thought, ‘Oh, this is good.’
To be completely honest, I’m a performer. I get things done. If you hire me, I do the job—no matter what. But this was different. This came from me as an artist, not just a performer. It required the time and care it deserved, that you deserved, that I deserved. I’m really proud that we allowed it to unfold naturally, instead of just rushing to finish it. And again, I’m so grateful for the patience.
Kelly: Tell us about the musical element you’re weaving into the book.
Julianne: Writing music for the book was never really part of the original plan, but right now, I’m living in what feels like Book 3 of my life. I’m fully in my creative expression. As we were finishing the book and planning the release, I found myself wanting to get into the studio and start writing music. There wasn’t initially an intention to write something specifically for the book, but while I was in the studio with some of the writers I’ve been working with, I thought, ‘What if I created a theme song for the book?’ That’s how the song Everything We Never Knew came to be. I wanted it to feel like the trailer for a movie—something that captures the journey and the emotional arc of the entire story.
Kelly: In the book, Lexi leaves a top-performing job to follow a whisper in her soul, guided by the energy of her visions. Could you share with the audience how worthwhile it is to face that fear and emerge on the other side more authentic and empowered?
Julianne: This kind of transformation can happen at any age, right? For me, it started around my Saturn return, which in astrology happens between the ages of 28 and 32. It’s when the planets align as they were at the time of your birth, offering you an opportunity to reflect on your life. You start asking yourself, ‘Have I been living authentically? Am I close to my truth, or have I strayed far from it?’ This period often triggers a process of unraveling the layers of protection, beliefs, and conditions you’ve built over the years.
But it’s not just limited to that age range. I mentioned my mom earlier—she just turned 70 and is going through her own unraveling. It’s a reminder that it’s never too late to start. The question is, do you want to spend more time suffering or stuck in a middle ground where you’re unsure and not trusting yourself? Or would you rather take a few years, maybe even just six months, to feel that sense of freedom and relief as you step into your own power and trust yourself? Life isn’t just continuing; it’s just beginning, and that realization is so powerful.
That’s why this book is more than just me sharing my experiences; it’s a reflection for anyone who reads it. You don’t have to be afraid of change—maybe lean more into the joy of transformation. It can be the simplest thing, though simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy. But when you do trust yourself, when the external things in your life—which can often overwhelm us—start to fall apart, and you still have that inner safety and trust, there’s nothing better than that feeling of freedom. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are; having that feeling is absolutely worth it.
I would say, just go for it. Whether it’s for yourself or for your community, we often feel like we’re alone, but we’re not. This book represents that shared experience. We’re reading this together, experiencing this together. The lessons Lexi goes through are universal, and they can inspire others to find their own courage.
Ellen: Definitely. I can relate to Lexi too. It’s funny—I had never heard of a Saturn return before we started working on this, but after learning about it, I went back and calculated mine. It turns out my Saturn return began the year I quit my corporate day job in publishing to write full-time. At that point, I hadn’t yet sold a book of my own; I was just ghostwriting on the side. But I crunched the numbers and realized I could afford to do this if I didn’t live in New York City. So, I quit my job, gave up my apartment, freaked my mom out, and spent the next three years traveling the world, living out of a suitcase, and writing.
It turned out to be the best decision I could have made, but it was incredibly terrifying at the time. I had all this security—a good job, a good salary—but ultimately, stepping away from that was what I needed to do.
Julianne: I also believe the magic lies in the uncertainty, right? When you connect with that part of yourself that truly trusts, you realize that even though you don’t know what’s going to happen next, you can trust that you’ll be okay. More than that, you recognize that you have the power to choose and design the life you want, rather than just falling into it and trying to make it work.
Kelly: How do you view grief and emotions, and what tools do you suggest for expressing them in a healthy way to avoid feeling blocked?
Ellen: Writing is definitely a lifeline for me. Anytime I’m not writing regularly, I start to feel a bit unbalanced. Fictionalizing experiences can be incredibly helpful because sometimes you can be more honest in fiction than when addressing something directly. It allows you to explore the underlying emotions without having to confront specific circumstances that might be triggering.
Julianne: A few years ago, I saw something on Instagram that really stuck with me. It was an image of a jar with a black marble inside, fitting tightly, and the caption said something like, ‘Your grief doesn’t get smaller, but the jar gets bigger.’ The idea is that your capacity to hold grief expands over time.
When I think of this book and Lexi’s experience, it resonates with so many people who go through devastating events that often don’t receive the empathy they deserve. Society tends to expect us to just move on, but grief doesn’t disappear—it’s our ability to carry it that grows. That’s a key message in this story.
I can even feel the emotion rising as I talk about it. The vulnerability of sharing grief feels scary because of the emotional charge it carries—the anxiety in your heart or chest can feel overwhelming. But what if that’s too much to keep inside? When you finally let it out, like after a good cry, there’s often a sense of relief, like you can breathe again, even if you’re exhausted. Our nervous systems need that release.
It’s important to find the right modality for you—whether it’s movement, singing, connecting with a friend, or sharing your story. I recently did an interview about this book where I shared something I had never revealed before. In that moment, I had a breakthrough. I could have kept it in, but I chose to let it out, and it took a lot of courage. My hope is that someone else will hear this, not feel alone, and find the courage to express themselves too. That’s what I mean by the ripple effect.
The Q&A session offered a profound glimpse into the emotional and creative journeys that shaped Everything We Never Knew. Julianne and Ellen’s candid reflections on grief, transformation, and the courage to follow one’s truth resonated deeply with the audience. Their shared vulnerability and insights not only enriched the understanding of the book’s themes but also inspired those in attendance to embrace their own journeys with openness and courage. The conversation underscored the power of storytelling to connect, heal, and create a ripple effect of empowerment.
To purchase the book, click here. To follow Julianne on Instagram, click here.
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