Judy, describe yourself for our visitors.
I’m Judy Alexander, a fiction writer, photographer, and adjunct professor from Southern California. I’ve been writing fiction for 20 years, but just recently had my first novel published, Desert Medicine. When I’m not writing, taking wedding photos, or teaching, then I’m napping, riding horses, or driving my 15-year-old son to tae kwon do or art lessons. I’m also the proud mother of a recently launched son, age 22. My husband Gene and I have been married for almost 18 years and are at the wonderful stage of finally giving up on trying to change each other and instead realizing that our differences are what make each one complete the other.
How do you find time to connect with God?
I’m a regular attendee of a small, Bible-based church, so I receive teaching and community support there. My private time with God and writing time are the same. I sense God’s nudging’s most clearly when I’m writing. So I get up early in the morning and go to the local coffee house, where I journal, which is a form of prayer. Then I work on my novel, which is definitely an act of faith. When I take a break, I read a few pages in my daily Bible. I have yet to make it through to the end, though I’ve had a daily Bible for several years. This year, I’ve started again at the beginning and am now totally swept up in the story of Abraham and Sarah.
Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
My favorite Christian author is Catherine Marshall’s. When I was about 13, I received a copy of her novel Christy as a prize for successfully memorizing Bible verses in Sunday School, and I’ve adored that book ever since. A mainstream author I deeply admire is Anne Tyler, who finds drama and humor in seemingly mundane interactions between family members. I love her novel The Accidental Tourist.
Tell us about your journey to publication.
My publishing journey was very long. I held the mistaken assumption that if you had some talent, and you applied hard work, then you would be “discovered.†But that wasn’t my experience at all. I spent years writing one novel that was never published, and then I wrote Desert Medicine. I knew when I finished that I had something special, but even so, I couldn’t find an agent or a publisher. I kept doing the things that writing books suggest that you do, such as get a mentor, join a critique group, and attend writing conferences. Finally, after repeated rejection, I took the novel to a writing conference in Lincoln, Nebraska, that promised to go through the entire manuscript. My wonderful workshop leader, Brent Spencer, gave me valuable editing advice. I did as he suggested, and at the next writer’s conference, the Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I submitted a marketing plan and the first few pages of Desert Medicine. Kregel Publication’s editor, Steve Barclift, contacted me soon afterwards. So, it took me six years to write the novel, another six years to find a publisher, and the past year was spent editing the book yet again before its release.
Tell us about your current book?
In Desert Medicine, a young mother of twins, Laurelle, is going through a divorce and she doesn’t want to feel sorry for herself, so she offers to help Rhoda, an older woman at the small church Laurelle joined for the sake of her children. Rhoda tells startling stories about her childhood, beginning in Panhandle Texas where she was an abused child, and continuing in Calexico, California, where she was sent to live with an aunt who ran a home hospital.
How did you come up with ideas for Desert Medicine?
Going through a divorce was the wake-up call that brought me back to the church and made me realize that I needed God’s grace and the support of a community of believers. So, the character of Laurelle was inspired by own emotions and struggles during that time. Rhoda was inspired by a tragedy-prone neighbor and member of my church who was straight-talking, a remarkable storyteller, and less-than-apologetic about her mistakes.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on my next novel, titled A Stable Woman. A free-spirited California teacher finds herself estranged from her teenage son, married to man in prison who scares her, pregnant, and having trouble with her job. She decides to start over, for the sake of her baby, and impulsively quits her job and drives to rural Southwest Nebraska, where an elderly aunt and uncle run the family farm.
Where can visitors find you online?
Visit my website at www.judyalexander.com. Look for the free readers’ guide which will generate discussion at book groups. Because Desert Medicine examines how a church offers access to intergenerational relationships and provides a sense of family, this book is ideal for women’s, divorce-recovery, and singles’ groups.
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