FāVS Book Club welcomes author Julie Ferraro Sept. 10 to discuss Billy Connolly-inspired book
Join us Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse in Moscow, Idaho, to meet Ferraro in person — or register for the Zoom option to attend virtually.
By FāVS News Staff
Readers, fans and curious newcomers are invited to a special FāVS Book Club event Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse in Moscow, Idaho, featuring author Julie A. Ferraro. For those not able to attend, a Zoom option will be offered, but people need to register online.
We recently interviewed Ferraro about her book, “The Wee Book of How Not to Be Beige: Drawn from the Wisdom of Billy Connolly.” Here’s what she had to say.
1. You talk a lot about inspiration in your book in the form of people and the creative spark. What inspired you to write “The Wee Book of How Not to Be Beige”? About when in your life did that inspiration come?
It has long been a habit of mine to collect quotes from books I read, films I watch or people I’ve met that inspire me. Given that my handwriting is awful (I can barely read my chicken-scratch 10 minutes after I jot a note to myself!) these quotes were gathered into a file on my computer. More and more, the section of quotes from Billy Connolly grew because I found laughter to be the best medicine after my heart decided it “didn’t like me just” before Christmas 2024, when I spent a week in hospital while waiting for a pacemaker to be implanted. As my recovery from that procedure continued into 2025, I realized Billy’s way of looking at life went far beyond merely comedy. I wanted to share his wisdom with others in a way that hadn’t been done before, hopefully to inspire others to break free of the “beige” and live more fully.
2. What was your writing process like for the book? For example, you were able to travel to Scotland for research. What was that visit like and the writing process overall for your book?
My writing process is kind of unusual, compared to other authors with whom I’ve spoken over the years. I compare it to an endlessly flowing fountain as, once the “spigot” of inspiration is turned on, the words seem to spill out of me from the first sentence to the last, almost nonstop.
I was in Ireland for quite a while between 2025-2026, and I did a bit of research there, since Billy Connolly’s father’s family came from Connemara in the western part of the island (which is where I was). I also visited Glasgow, Scotland, a couple times, including in early January, which was almost like a pilgrimage for me. The Scottish people are incredibly friendly and answered my questions and told me stories. I was even allowed to read materials written by Billy Connolly that are held in the University of Glasgow archives — and I’m no scholar, by any means!
3. Who did you write the book for?
The book is for those who ache to move beyond their ordinary routine, who want more creativity, more meaningful relationships, more color in their lives beyond the “beigeness” of society, of consumerism, of the lies told by public figures and business moguls who only want to line their pockets, while hard-working people — and the environment — suffer because of their greed.
It’s the type of book a person can read in short stretches, then think about a given chapter for a while before going on to the next. Unlike some of my novels, it’s not a page-turner that needs to be finished all in one sitting to find out who-done-it!
4. A good portion of the book includes some memoir from your life. Reflecting on that now, do you wish you added more of your story to the book? Less of it? Or are you content with what you shared? Why?
Billy — and his other biographers — have written extensively about the abusive childhood he survived. The reason I included personal memories from my own life in the book was meant to show how my experiences led me to relate to Billy’s philosophy — and how people whose lives until now haven’t been “ideal” can find hope, laughter and wisdom in his words. It’s about ongoing personal growth, a day-to-day journey of having an open mind and open heart, and being willing to change as that growth continues.
5. If you had to write it again, is there anything you would do differently? Do you feel like this is a final draft or something you may revisit down the road and expand upon?
I purposely intended this to be a “Wee Book” and not a massive tome. I find, when I write nonfiction — especially about aspects of life and faith — I prefer to get to the point and move on. Long, drawn-out paragraphs don’t necessarily make for a better reading experience. I also try to avoid “fifty-cent words” that require the reader to have a dictionary handy to understand what is meant.
6. Readers shared that the book felt like a “love letter” or “thank you card” to Billy Connolly for his way of being and his impact on your life. Can you comment on that?
Wisdom is a much-underappreciated gift in today’s world. So many people are busy staring at their screens — phones and computers — they don’t realize what they’re missing. Billy Connolly, in his travel documentary series, for instance, didn’t just point out the historic sights of the countries he visited/toured with his comedy, he interacted with the people, the cultures and the wildlife. On stage, he gave his audiences an opportunity to look at themselves and the world in a way where it was possible to see that vulnerability isn’t a bad thing, and having a sense of humor about that vulnerability can break down barriers. As I inscribed in the copy of the book I sent him, I wrote it in a spirit of “infinite respect and gratitude.”
7. The chapter “Jettison Those Beige Beliefs” and other parts of the book seem to counter much of what you write for FāVS News as one of their spiritual columnists. Can you share a little bit about how Billy Connolly helped you sort through your own spiritual path?
Though Billy Connolly left the Catholic Church as a young man and doesn’t really abide organized religion or the hypocrisy often associated with it, he respects the beliefs of individuals as they live their own personal faith journeys. He has participated in a tribal sweat lodge while touring Canada, consulted a Navajo elder after injuring himself in a motorcycle accident in the American southwest, joined a Sunday service in the Chicago church where gospel music was born, learned Buddhist meditation, stood in a Hindu shrine while in India learning about his mother’s ancestors and visited a Muslim temple. He has played angels on screen and has worn decidedly Catholic shirts, such as one with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and another that said, “I too have sinned.” He still remembered the “Hail Mary” long after leaving school — reciting it during a 2008 television interview — and referenced the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary during an interview with Michael Parkinson in 1999.
For me, the people are the Church. As I wrote in one of my recent columns, I see Catholic vowed women religious as heroes for their work among the marginalized, the immigrants, the poor. They live their faith in very tangible ways. I have a difficult time with those who think a certain set of religious doctrines makes them superior to others because we are all equals as human beings — all worthy of love and respect, regardless of the particular spiritual path we follow.
8. Anything else you’d like to share about your book, the process of writing or Billy Connolly?
The most important quote in the whole book, I think, and the message every person needs to take to heart in this very troubled world we’re living in right now: “There’s only love. That’s all there is.”
To attend via Zoom, register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Jd2hGMP_RM-tfYIf6jsznw.
