There is nothing better than highlighting an author who has overcome the odds, never given up on her dreams, and is finally enjoying the fruits of her labors. All this and more describe the author I am presenting to my readers today–Judith Hennessey. I could not even tell you how I came across her, but I knew after investigating her and her backstory that I would absolutely adore featuring her on my website. While she has had to await this article for much longer than she should have, I am honored to share her with my readers today!
RH: Why did you decide to become an author? What path did you take to ultimately become a full-time writer?
JH: When I was in my mid-thirties, my mother dragged me to a writers conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She had wanted to be a published author and for some reason, she thought I was destined for the same path. I appeased her by submitting a short story to the conference and was fortunate to land a meeting with a very important agent who owned her own agency in New York. I dreaded the meeting, figuring she was going to say, “Don’t quit your day job.” As it turned out, she said, “This is not a short story; it’s a novel. You are a good writer, so write.“ The look she gave me was serious and her words were more of an order than a casual suggestion. I just sat there and listened as everything she said resonated. I was already a visual artist, a painter, and a pretty good photographer. Yet, when I wrote that short story, I realized that I love translating what I see and experience into words. The story had a soul and I had more to say. Like so many first-time authors, I was scared to show anyone my work. But when I got back to St. Louis, I started writing. That was over twenty years ago.
As for becoming a full-time author, I didn’t quit my “day job” for many, many years. I was a single mom and couldn’t generate enough income by writing to pay the bills. But I did seek ways to feed my creative writing muse while holding down a nine-to-five job. I reached out to a local newspaper that was receptive to my first travel story. So I traveled when I could and wrote travel articles. A few years later, I opened a small advertising agency and wrote copy for TV and radio commercials. I worked on my novel when I could, but it was a long, arduous process. After three editors, I lost count on how many rewrites I went through. It took me ten years to finish First Rodeo. I was only able to become a full-time writer (my only job) when we sold our family business seven years ago.
Please tell us what inspired you to write your first novel, First Rodeo.
I love everything about the West and was lucky to have the opportunity to live in Wyoming. I spent time with some intriguing ranchers, cowboys, and cowgirls. These folks were the real deal, doing the same job the cowboys of the American West have done for over a hundred years. Many ranches now have modern equipment, tractors, ATVs, and trucks, but some places don’t. It’s a lonely, thankless job, but a cowboy is a cowboy, and he’d have it no other way. They are wild, free and insanely stubborn. But they definitely know exactly who they are, and most have big hearts and incredible depth learned from the life of hard knocks.
After experiencing their lifestyle, I felt compelled to write a story that painted a realistic picture of contemporary cowboy culture. I also wanted to create a modern, entertaining story. The main character in First Rodeo, Kate Marino, is a city girl. She lives a pretty sheltered, controlled life. When she travels to Wyoming she is submerged in wide-open spaces and falls in love with an authentic cowboy. It’s through her relationship with him and his lifestyle that she comes to know her own heart and soul. She is empowered to become her own person. At heart, she becomes a cowboy. It’s important to me to weave a deeper message into my novels. This one was about developing a strong relationship with yourself: know thyself and love thyself.
How long did it take for this book to ultimately be published?
It took nearly ten years for First Rodeo to get published. By the time I felt it was ready, my New York agent had gone into semi-retirement. She kindly referred me to another agent who represented literary fiction only. That agent referred me to someone else who ended up being too busy. I was disheartened by writers’ conferences with hundreds of writers and only a handful of agents for each genre. The pressure for a great “elevator pitch,” one sentence describing your 300-page book, was insane.
I finally gave up on an agent and decided to find an independent publisher that would be a good fit. That was also a very interesting and disappointing journey. I found a company that claimed they were a full-service publisher, meaning they at least did a spelling/ grammar edit, printed, and marketed your book. I wish I could find a way to say this more gently but I can’t: They just flat out lied. After having to hire their editor, they roped me into another six-month re-write. The silver lining was that I finally figured out they were not being honest.
About a year later, I started traveling to Santa Fe, where I met my now film partner, Peter Kershaw (more about that later). He asked to read my manuscript and I was elated when he asked me if I would wait to publish the book until it was adapted into a screenplay. I had always envisioned First Rodeo as a film. When the first draft of the screenplay needed a re-write, I was asked to join the writing team. We worked on the script for nearly two years, and then I resumed my hunt for a publisher. I decided to go with Sparkspress in 2016. It’s hard to believe it took me ten years to write it and then another ten years to publish.
Please tell us about your involvement in the film industry as well.
I love to read, but I am also addicted to movies. I had experience with writing and producing TV commercials, but had no exposure to the film industry. Peter offered me an opportunity to be the executive-producer for his award-winning short film, 20 Ways. Part of my agreement with him was that I would learn how to make a film from start to finish. I also wanted to be on location and have a job other than producer. It was an amazing experience. I loved watching the action, seeing all the work that happened behind the scenes to create the finished product. It’s a very collaborative effort and I was sad when the project was over.
Peter and I partnered to form our own production company, White Crow Raven Productions. We are still in the early stages of producing First Rodeo. My intention is to be involved as a producer, but I also hope to be on set again. Peter is also working on another film, The Dark Places.
I’ve also served on the board of New Mexico Women in Film. This organization offers so much support, educational seminars, scholarships, and good old fashioned networking for anyone interested in the film industry.
Any upcoming works you can tell us about?
I have completed my second novel. Fortunately, I now have an agent and we are in the process of submitting the manuscript to publishers. I feel fans of First Rodeo will connect with my new heroine, Emma Sullivan, a single mom from Kansas City who has been jilted by her fiancé. She’s smart and sassy and she finds her footing again when she pursues her passion of writing. Love comes knocking on her door again and the adventures begin. Emma’s freelance travel writing takes her to Wyoming and Santa Fe, two locations that are near and dear to me. The story explores the difficulties that single working parents face, the challenges of dating and potentially blending families. The novel is light and entertaining, while being very authentic. It delivers an important message about the nature of love. I’m looking forward to spending some more time in New Mexico next year and will also be working on my third novel.
Are there any causes or organizations you support? Why?
I have had three family members that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I took care of both of my parents until they passed away. I am now trying to help a sibling who suffers from memory impairment. I support The Alzheimer’s Association, a great resource.
I also believe in supporting my community and am involved in our local Defiance Merchants Association. The inspiring people who run the organization give so much of themselves. They create fun events that attract visitors to our town. I try to attend meetings and volunteer for events when I can. I was one of the official judges for the “best horse” and “best horse/rider costume” in this past year’s Christmas Parade!
Speaking of horses, I love all animals. I support two favorite shelters, The Horse Shelter in Santa Fe and The Heart and Soul Animal Sanctuary, also in New Mexico. Both shelters are operated by individuals who have dedicated their lives to animals. I am grateful for people who are there for the animals who depend on human intervention for survival. These organizations depend on donations. When First Rodeo was published, I did a book signing at Back at The Ranch in Santa Fe, my favorite boot shop on the planet, and donated the proceeds to The Horse Shelter.
When you have free time what do you like to do?
I still love traveling, seeing new places, meeting people, and experiencing different cultures. I enjoy researching and planning trips with my husband or family so we can spend quality time away from the distractions of home. We enjoy exploring our National Parks although they are getting more and more popular, requiring advance reservations. I guess it’s a good thing that more and more people are seeking out and visiting our country’s greatest treasures.
When I have a few hours to relax, you will find me reading or watching a movie. This time of the year there would be a fire crackling in the fireplace!
I’m also a bit of a foodie. We like to try different restaurants and I always try to round up one of our kids for Sunday supper. Family is very important to me and I enjoy cooking with my husband. I try to make it a social event, a time to gather in the kitchen, cook, and catch-up on what’s going on in all of our lives.
We grow organic vegetables on our farm so we are very blessed to have a mini backyard Garden of Eden. One of my favorite things to do is take my dog out for a walk around the garden. It’s very grounding and an incredible way to start every morning. It is amazing to see what can sprout, grow and ripen in just twenty-four hours. I am so very thankful for my life, family, and home.
It would seem to me that Judith is finally able to pursue her passions and experience some recognition for all of her hard work over the past years. While her journey continues to evolve, I have no doubt that more blessings are headed her way. I appreciate her confidence, drive, and ingenuity in the field of writing, and I adore the fact that she is getting her feet wet in the area of film as well. I greatly anticipate the day when everyone can tune into her movie, First Rodeo, based on her best-selling book. Furthermore, having just returned from a vacation in New Mexico, this is an even more ideal time to share my enthusiasm for this part of our nation by celebrating a novelist and screenwriter who has so effectively paid homage to such a beautiful and historic state! I happen to know that the film industry is alive and well in New Mexico, and I look forward to the time when we can see more from this talented woman. I hope that everyone visits her links below and considers purchasing her book as well. Let’s rally behind this amazing author and support her as every dream within her heart and mind unfold before her!
FOLLOW JUDITH
