Judy Christenberry

Judy Christenberry hasn't always been a writer, but she's always been a dreamer. As a child she often kept herself entertained while doing chores by making up elaborate stories—stories, she admits, in which she was always the heroine. Judy didn't actually start writing until she turned thirty-eight, the year after the heartbreak of her father's unexpected death. Over time, it became apparent that there were two central themes dominating her writing: family and small-town life. In addition, many of her books have cowboy heroes—partly because she read all Zane Grey's romantic versions of the Old West as a teenager, and partly because of the influence of her parents, who both grew up on farms. The last element that frequently appears in Judy's stories is a dash of humor—just enough to bring a smile to your face. With a smile and a wink of her own, she says that she believes that laughter is good medicine...and it definitely makes a six-foot hunk even more attractive. Judy Christenberry passed away on November 8, 2013.