About

I love books!

When I was about ten, it occurred to me that books are written by people and I was a person. I could create my favorite things–I could write books! I got a bachelor’s degree in English and music. I think my music education helps me write poetry. My first poem was accepted for publication before I graduated. I had some success with poetry, but my biggest dream was to write fiction for children. My first fiction piece was accepted about 25 years after the first submission. Finally!

Things you might want to know about me: I know how to persevere. I’m a third-generation California native, living in Indiana. I have two remarkable sons who are now young men and a husband who’s supported my writing for over three decades. I love cats and currently have three of them. I love being near water–oceans, lakes, rivers all work for me. Chocolate is probably my biggest downfall, after my insatiable urge to travel. I’m exceptionally curious. (Or nosy, as my family calls it.)

Hometown beach

38 responses »

Christie Wild on February 27, 2012 at 9:47 pm said:

You should contact Julie Hedlund at “write up my life” and do an interview for her on how you got your agent.

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- Judith L. Roth on March 1, 2012 at 4:58 pm said:
  
  Thanks for the tip, Christie. I’ll contact her.
  
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Gina Maldonado on June 16, 2012 at 3:05 am said:

I live in Short Hills, New Jersey. My daughter just graduated from The University of Notre Dame. Tonight she took my 9 year old son to Barnes & Noble to buy a book for me to read to his 2nd grade class for his birthday. They came home with Goodnight, Dragons. What a great story, and was surprised to learn you live in Indiana. Gina Maldonado

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- Judith L. Roth on June 16, 2012 at 4:11 am said:
  
  Congratulations to your daughter for graduating from Notre Dame. That’s a very influential institution in our area. Thanks so much for sharing–it’s fun to think about Goodnight, Dragons being shared for a birthday reading. Happy birthday to your son!
  
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holtsman on November 3, 2013 at 8:14 pm said:

My 10 year old daughter has written you a letter. Is there an address she can mail it to? She loved reading Serendipity and Me.

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- Judith L. Roth on March 20, 2014 at 10:09 pm said:
  
  I love getting letters!
  
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  - dulce or darlene on June 3, 2014 at 9:52 pm said:
    
    how old are you and make more books of serendipty
  - Judith L. Roth on June 7, 2014 at 2:26 am said:
    
    Old enough to be a grandmother, but I’m not one. Maybe someday I can write more about Serendipity…right now I’m working on other things.
  - Hannah on October 5, 2016 at 9:23 pm said:
    
    Love your books
Chloe on March 27, 2014 at 5:29 pm said:

hi im a 11 years old im a huge fan!!

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- Judith L. Roth on March 27, 2014 at 8:05 pm said:
  
  Nice to meet you, Chloe!
  
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sienna on March 30, 2014 at 11:15 pm said:

im a big fan too!!

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- Judith L. Roth on March 31, 2014 at 1:12 pm said:
  
  It’s nice to meet you, too, Sienna!
  
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dulce or darlene on June 3, 2014 at 9:52 pm said:

love you and serendipty

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- Judith L. Roth on June 3, 2014 at 9:57 pm said:
  
  Aw, that’s sweet of you to say….
  
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rain iris on June 13, 2015 at 9:16 pm said:

i love your book serendipity and me. some of the things that happned reminded me of my cats.

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- Judith L. Roth on June 13, 2015 at 9:28 pm said:
  
  Thank you! Cats are a lot weirder than they get credit for….
  
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  - rain iris on June 14, 2015 at 12:07 am said:
    
    are you working on anything now?
  - Judith L. Roth on June 14, 2015 at 2:20 am said:
    
    I’m always working on something; usually lots of things. I just finished revising another novel-in-verse–this one about two sisters ages 9 and 5. And they each have a cat…, but that’s not the main part of the story.
rain iris on June 14, 2015 at 2:58 am said:

cool i cant wait to read it.

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- Judith L. Roth on June 14, 2015 at 8:48 pm said:
  
  I hope you can. Someone has to publish it first….
  
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Angel on January 20, 2016 at 7:08 pm said:

I love your book I could not put it down! It was amazing and did I mention that I like your book.

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- Judith L. Roth on January 20, 2016 at 9:24 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Angel!
  
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Hailey on April 12, 2016 at 5:22 pm said:

I love serendipity and me

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- Judith L. Roth on April 12, 2016 at 10:39 pm said:
  
  That makes me happy, Hailey Thanks!
  
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  - Hailey on April 14, 2016 at 5:20 pm said:
    
    I am doing this project about you can you tell me about your self?
  - Judith L. Roth on April 16, 2016 at 5:49 pm said:
    
    Hailey, if you’d like to ask me some specific questions, I’d be happy to answer them. You can use my email address: mjbcroth@frontier.com.
Hannah on October 4, 2016 at 10:53 pm said:

I love you book serendipity and me xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

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- Judith L. Roth on October 5, 2016 at 2:16 am said:
  
  Aw, thanks, Hannah!
  
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Hannah on October 5, 2016 at 9:26 pm said:

What city do u live in

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Tessa on July 29, 2019 at 12:02 am said:

I absolutely love Serendipity and Me with all my heart. I read it when I was eight and I cried. Then I gave it away for some reason. I’m thirteen now and reading it and crying again. Love it.❤❤

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- Judith L. Roth on July 29, 2019 at 1:27 pm said:
  
  Aw, that’s so nice to hear, Tessa!
  
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Sage on October 17, 2020 at 7:28 pm said:

Hi I liked reading Serenity & Me!! I am doing a project on you can you tell me more about you?

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- Judith L. Roth on October 19, 2020 at 1:36 am said:
  
  Hi Sage! I’d be glad to tell you more about me, but you need to ask more specific questions for me to answer that question. Thanks.
  
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  - Sage on October 20, 2020 at 12:22 am said:
    
    What inspired you to write “Serendipity Me”? Why did you start writing? How many books have you wrote?
  - Judith L. Roth on October 20, 2020 at 9:36 pm said:
    
    Inspiration: Sara’s voice just came to me in the beginning as a poem where she remembered her mom. I kept exploring her story, and then an editor encouraged me to explore even more. I started writing because I wanted to be able to do what authors do. I was about eight when I wrote my first poems and stories. I’ve lost track of how many stories I’ve written, but the number of children’s books I’ve had published so far is four, with two more picture books coming out next year. Hoping there will be many more! Good luck with your project, Sage.
  - Sage on October 21, 2020 at 9:16 pm said:
    
    Thank you!!!
  - Judith L. Roth on October 21, 2020 at 11:54 pm said:
    
    Sure! Glad to help…