From Downton Abbey to Dallas, from The Sopranos to Days of Our Lives, family sagas keep us thirsting for the next chapter. Maybe it is to escape our own lives, but I don’t think so. I think it is to escape the loneliness of our own crises, to recognize them in the lives of others—after […]
Archive | My Books
Family secrets
Family secrets are imprisoned stories. The silences, the unnamed people or events that threaten the family’s sense of itself or bring stigma are erased by silence. Such is the power of language—cease speaking of it, naming it (or the person), and it ceases to exist. But someone knows or they’d never get passed […]
Learning the Trade
After years of learning the craft of fiction writing, authors face a greater challenge, one they may not have much talent for–getting their work out into the world. Here, in another interview with Kate Williams, is my story of publishing and promoting HOME FIRES.
HOME FIRES: The Beginning
For those of you who like to listen to authors talk about themselves, here is Part One an interview conducted by Kate Williams.
Catharsis for Christmas? –A HOME FIRES Review
In case you haven’t visited the Amazon site for HOME FIRES lately, here’s the latest review of HOME FIRES. It’s author, John Reinhard Dizon, is the author of Nightcrawler, Tiara, and many other thrillers . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Catharsis for Christmas? Home Fires by Judith Kirscht is an intense and intricate family drama centered on the life […]
HOME FIRES Taster
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 […]
HOME FIRES in Print
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 […]
Review of Home Fires
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 […]
The Rabbleville Varmints, #1
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. […]
An Invitation to Cartoonists
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 […]
Seeds of Doubt: Introducing HOME FIRES by Judith Kirscht
“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. […]
Why Novels Make You Nicer
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 […]