BIOGRAPHY
Raised in Illinois, Judy attended several universities in Colorado and the Chicago suburbs earning her bachelor’s degree in Communications. Early work included commercial writing and marketing communications. She moved to New York in the late 80s where her last job was a director of professional development in the public relations field. Now retired, she focuses on short story fiction. She likes to include humor, sarcasm and farce in many stories but occasionally spends time on more serious topics. Outside interests include gardening, gardening and more gardening.
INTERVIEW
confetti: Who or what inspired you to write?
Judy Voss (JV): The movie The Thin Man was an early inspiration. I loved the book and the movie, especially the scene where William Powel goes to the foundry with his dog, Asta. Nick’s flashlight is the only thing that’s visible and it creates suspense. All that added up to my thinking that I’d like to write a thriller. Other inspirations came from teachers, friends, and family throughout the years.
confetti: How would you characterize your writing style?
(JV): My writing style is rather loose. I haven’t written the thriller yet but have, instead, written farces and various microfiction pieces. Sometimes I’m serious, but that’s rare. Life is too short.
confetti: Who is your favorite writer and why?
(JV): Several writers including David Ellis, Lucy Foley, Agatha Christie, Lee Child–all who write thrillers.
confetti: What are you currently reading?
(JV): Mysteries, thrillers as a staple. During COVID, the library became one of my lifelines, so I explored different writers and stories but always came back to mysteries and thrillers.
confetti: What are your three favorite books?
(JV): In the Company of Liars by David Ellis, Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome–from way back, and possibly The Woman in White by Wilke Collins. I’ll probably change my mind a lot on this one as I remember more books and read more books.
confetti: What are your three favorite movies?
(JV): The Thin Man, Casablanca, A Good Year, Love Actually, among many others.
confetti: What is your favorite song of all time?
(JV): Impossible to pick one song. When I look at my playlist for the gym (and cleaning my house and dancing with my pets) there’s lots of old Rock and Roll songs on it. But I also like Handel’s “Halleluiah Chorus” at the holidays and Mozart’s “Rondo alla Turca“. That’s about it for classical though. Jazz is always pretty good.
confetti: What advice would you give to young writers?
(JV): No matter what, keep writing. Keep a journal, keep your lists–to do, laundry and wish lists. Note the changes over the years. Keep reading too–everything from books, road signs, emails, even labels at the grocery store (you’d be surprised). Everything counts. All the time. So don’t waste it!
GARDEN GALLERY
AVIARY
PUBLISHED FICTION SNIPPETS
“You know they say there’s no ‘I’ in team.”
But there are two I’s in idiots, I thought. I dared myself to say it out loud.
—from “A Dog’s Life”
“He never reached for my biscuits,” whimpered Joanna, not strictly thinking of biscuits.
—from “Risky Biscuits”
He frowned. “The dog ate my Viagra. His tail became very stiff.”
—from “The Serial Dater”
“Do you mean the first man I had sex with?”
“Well, yes.”
“Oh,” I stalled. “That was Jeremy Martin,” a stranger to David. Fiction to me.
—from “First Love”
“I’m the remote queen,” Ginger proclaimed, once again circling the stations. “That’s what my ex always called me.”
—from “Bar Food”
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