The Weight of a Feather and other stories by Judy Croome

Join her on Instagram or visit her on Influences are Louise Erdrich, Witi Ihimaera, Rose Tremain, Osho,Toni Morrison, sundry poets such as WB Yeats, Walt Whitman, Rumi, Kabir, Robert Frost, John Keats, John Milton, William Wordsworth and others. In 20, Judy was the poetry judge for the Writers2000 (South Africa) annual poetry competition and, in 2021, presented 'The Gift of Poetry' to Writers2000 (South Africa). Shortlisted in the African Writing Flash Fiction 2011 competition, Judy’s short stories, poems and articles have appeared in various magazines, anthologies and newspapers, such as The Sunday Times, The Huffington Post (USA) and the University of the Witwatersrand’s Itch Magazine. Judy loves cats (who already appear to have discovered the meaning of life.)Ĭroome's fiction and poetry books 'the dust of hope (rune poems)' (Aztar Press, 2021) 'Drop by Drop (poems of loss) (Aztar Press, 2020) 'a stranger in a strange land' (Aztar Press, 2015) “The Weight of a Feather & Other Stories” (Aztar Press, 2013), “a Lamp at Midday” (Aztar Press, 2012) and “Dancing in the Shadows of Love” (Aztar Press, 2018, 2012, 2011) are available.Ĭroome co-authored 'Street Smart Taxpayers (Juta Law, 2017) with her late husband Dr. Judy loves cats, exploring the meaning of life, chocolate, cats, rainy days, ancient churches with their ancient graveyards, cats, meditation and solitude. Some stories appear to have been published before, and some appear to be originals, but they’re all great reads.Judy Croome lives and writes in Johannesburg, South Africa. A little like if you were to peek into your own heart.

Her characters–all of them–are simultaneously common and peculiar, a little like peeking into the closet of your smiling next door neighbor. Icky feelings, happy feelings, sad feelings, nervous feelings. Her stories are imaginative and engaging, they play heavily on the element of surprise, but more than that, they leave you full of feelings. It, too, was about life, and I found myself captivated by Croome’s short story collection in the same way.Ĭroome is a very good writer. But the question remained with me: What is your book about, Judy? My mind wandered back to another book I reviewed of Croome’s, a haunting spiritual journey titled Dancing in the Shadows of Love. I said it was about life, and that seemed to satisfy her. Leslie (my blog partner) asked me as I was reading what the book was about. It isn’t really an appropriate choice for my blog, but it was an enjoyable break, definitely worth sharing in a casual review.

I’ve been a sucker for short stories ever since I discovered Edgar Allen Poe as a young teenager, so when Judy Croome offered to share a collection of her stories, I couldn’t resist.

The Weight of a Feather and other stories by Judy Croome