Last spring, while at the IRA convention in New Orleans, I had the pleasure of running into an author from Missouri. Yes, imagine going all the way to Louisiana to run into someone from “home!” Well, I was delighted to spend a few minutes visiting with Judy Young and quite excitedly told her all about our new and improved journal. Of course, I couldn’t help but gush that she should be part of the fun! To my delight, she said she would be honored to be highlighted in an upcoming issue.
Now, fast forward to the end of October on a crisp, fall day after school. I am doing my after-school Mom duty, and while going through my daughter’s backpack, I discover a note about an author visit happening in conjunction with a Family Reading Night. Yes, you guessed it---award winning author, Judy Young, was coming to our local school! This was my confirmation that I should track this lady down and do a little Q and A with her for you, our readers. So, sit back and relax and get to know this treasured author from right here in our own backyard.
Julie: Hi, Judy! Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Judy: Thank you, Julie, for asking me to be interviewed for The
Missouri Reader. I am
honored! It was nice
meeting you in New
Orleans, and again,
meeting up with you at
Bolivar Primary School.
I am the author of
sixteen children’s fiction,
nonfiction, and poetry
picture books, with five
more books scheduled
to be released in 2015
and early 2016, including my first novel for children called Promise! Editor's note: We tried to get a sneak peek at the cover, but it is under lock and key---and contract!
Julie: Where did you grow up and go to school?
Judy: I grew up in Springfield, MO, going to Delaware and Pershing Elementary Schools, Pershing Jr. High, and graduating from Glendale High School. I went to college at the University of Tulsa, where I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Speech and Language Pathology.
Julie: At what point did you know you were destined to be a writer?
Judy: I’ve always liked to write, ever since I was a young child. However, I didn’t really think about being an author until I was grown. For twenty-four years, I worked as a speech and language pathologist in the schools but kept on writing in my spare time, mainly just for myself. When I turned forty, I made a conscious decision to do something with my writing. Although not confident that anyone would want to publish my work, I started by submitting poetry to magazines and literary journals and was delighted to get some published. Then, in 1999, my life changed
dramatically. My husband, who has always worked as an artist for a living, mostly painting bird dogs, got a call from Sleeping Bear Press, a publishing company located in Michigan, asking if he would be interested in illustrating a children's book. From that phone call, I learned that
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Invaluable Invitation
6
A Jaunty Jive with Judy Young
Julie and Judy at IRA 2014 in New Orleans