For a taste of HOME FIRES, here’s scene one: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter 1 Early September. Myra Benning stood on the patio and watched as the orange of poppies emerged from the fog, then the shadowy forms on the ridge became eucalyptus, and finally the sea appeared. The fennel dotting the meadow that ran between house […]
For those of you who still love to hold a “real” book in your hands, HOME FIRES is now out in paperback. And if you find your search for a good read swamped in titles, here’s a word or two about this novel. It’s the story of a woman faced with the distintegration of her […]
It’s a few days late for resolutions–let’s hope that’s not an omen for the rest of the year–but it’s still the time for mulling over the coming year. So here’s to 2014!! Hoping … The Middle East will tire of bloodletting, Washington will renounce close-minded radicals, Americans and Middle Easterners alike will rethink the holiness […]
May the holidays bring you peace, rest, and many reading hours
Many thanks to author, Mary Trimble for her review of my upcoming novel Home Fires, below. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Judith Kirscht’s Home Fires is a noteworthy and timely novel dealing with a family gone awry. Myra and Derek Benning and their teenage children, Peter and Susan, appear to live a privileged life. Susan has a few social […]
For those of you tempted to enter the drawing contest of the previous blog, here’s the first episode of The Rabbleville Varmints. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Above her drafting table, Matilda, Rufus, Eustasia, and Alphonse hung in a row like marionettes awaiting their puppeteer. Myra taped a fresh sheet of paper onto the board and began to draw. […]
Myra, the artist protagonist of HOME FIRES, discovers that cartooning herself, rather than her usual artistic modes, is the best medicine for the troubles of the day. Here she is: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Myra turned on the light, finally, and stared at the print run, which was, in fact, complete, and she was in no mood […]
I’d like to share a note for November, passed on by a neighbor from a local nursery newsletter. “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – William Arthur Ward As long as I can remember, I have been a serendipity enthusiast. I was […]
“Derek—Professor Benning. This is Gina. Call me.” The nervous young voice clicked off, leaving Myra staring at nothing. The only motion was the drifting fog, the only sound her own breathing; if she stood here long enough, the fog and the sea would lift all else away; gradually all would grow faint, diaphanous and vanish. […]
According to an article by the above title in THE WEEK of October 25th, (pg 19) researchers at the New School for Social Research have found what English teachers have long maintained—that “reading fiction enables people to better understand other people’s feelings and perspectives.” The Psychologists asked subjects ages 18-75 to read 10-15 […]
Many thanks to the Deborah Previte of the Bookish Dame for this review just published at her review site, The Bookish Libraria: http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-inheritors-by-judith-kischtclass.html THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS : This is the story of a girl who inherits the house that belonged to her grandfather and mother. Once she does, she finds pieces […]
A Year in Search of America to Feel Its Heartbeat Tacoma journalist, Bob Mottram, and his public-health-nurse wife, Karen, decided to celebrate their retirement by taking that quintessentially American trip—a year traveling America in an RV. True to its title, the story of their journey is intimate and personal, yet expresses the vast geographical diversity […]
Judith Kirscht lives and works in the beautiful Puget Sound area. She is the author of four published works of fiction with more to come soon!
