Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have published two. The first, “The Politics of the Feminist Novel,” won an Outstanding Academic Book Award from “Choice” magazine, a publication university and college libraries use to make their book selections and an award described by my publisher as “prestigious and well-deserved.” My second and recent, “His Name was Brownie: Close Encounters with Dogs, People, and Other Ridiculous Animals,” stems from my lifelong love of and laughter with animals, especially dogs.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“His Name was Brownie: Close Encounters with Dogs, People, and Other Ridiculous Animals.” I’ve always thought of my admission ticket to parties and get-togethers as telling entertaining stories to make people laugh. Usually, they were about animals. At one such party, an English professor friend suddenly looked serious and said, “you should write these stories up.” So fifty years later, I did.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I jot down ideas when they occur to me on pieces of paper and write when the spirit moves me–often I just write pieces of something and then as they get to be numerous, I start organizing them.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, Albert Payson Terhune and Walter Farley. I always loved animal stories. As an adult, too many to name but Barbara Kingsolver is right up there, along with Alice Walker.
What are you working on now?
Just promoting this book, which was written for fun. The next one will be grimly serious.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far, countdown deals.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read every book you can for years and years. Then read books with advice about writing. Then do it your way.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You should write.
What are you reading now?
“The English Patient.”
What’s next for you as a writer?
A serious novel.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I couldn’t do it. I can watch movies over and over without remembering a thing about them–always new. But I remember every book and everything in it–it just wouldn’t work.
Author Websites and Profiles
Judi Roller Website
Judi Roller Amazon Profile
Judi Roller’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile