Judy Croome

J A Croome is a South African novelist, short story writer, and poet. Born Judy Ann Heinemann on 16 December 1958 in Zvishavane, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), she received a Master of Arts (English) degree from the University of South Africa.{{cite web

| url = https://uir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/1585?show=full

| title = And The Sea Looked: A Novel in the Making

| last = Croome

| first = Judy Ann

| date = 2009-08-25

| website = Unisa Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations

| publisher = University of South Africa

| access-date = 2014-05-06

| quote = The dissertation "And the Sea looked : a novel in the making" is an exploration of the creative process of a prose fiction novel called „And the Sea Looked‟.

}} She currently lives in Johannesburg. Croome was married to South African tax law scholar, Advocate of the High Court of South Africa and tax author, the late Dr Beric John Croome, who died in April 2019 after a long illness.{{Cite web

| last = Wolf

| first = Rafael

| title = ENSafrica mourns loss of executive Croome

| access-date = 2019-04-29

| url = https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/cape-times/20190429/281608126850365

}}

Biography

Croome's short stories and poetry have been published in The Huffington Post,{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = The Weight of a Feather

| work = Huffington Post

| date = 2013-07-16

| access-date = 2014-05-06

| url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judy-croome/

}} the University of Witwatersrand's School of Literature, Language and Media's Itch Magazine{{Cite web

| title = Judy Croome

| work = ITCH, a Journal of Creative Expression

| access-date = 2014-05-06

| url = http://www.itch.co.za/blog/Judy-Croome

| archive-date = 4 May 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140504205217/http://www.itch.co.za/blog/Judy-Croome

| url-status = dead

}} and in various print anthologies released by small presses in the United States{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = The Last Sacrifice

| work = Elephants Press Bookshelf

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://www.elephantsbookshelfpress.com/authors/

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = Giraffes

| work = The Vine Leaves Literary Journal

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://www.vineleavesliteraryjournal.com/uploads/9/8/1/2/9812757/vine_leaves_april_2012_for_web.pdf

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = The Gold Miner; Whispers of Love and Triptych of Poems

| work = Variations on a Theme: Anthology; Notes from Underground Anthology

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://literarylab.blogspot.com/p/genre-wars.html

}} and South Africa{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = Winter

| work = This Woman Is ... Poetry Potion #10 from Black Letter Media

| access-date = 2016-12-08

| url = http://shop.blackletterm.com/product/poetry-potion-10-this-woman-is/

| archive-date = 20 December 2016

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161220082240/http://shop.blackletterm.com/product/poetry-potion-10-this-woman-is/

| url-status = dead

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = The Beggar's Cry

| work = Love & Compassion Poetry Potion #11 from Black Letter Media

| date = 24 July 2017

| access-date = 2017-07-27

| url = http://www.poetrypotion.com/poetry-potion-print-quarterly-11-cover-reveal/

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = The Other Side of Love

| work = the Others Poetry Potion #12 from Black Letter Media

| date = 17 November 2017

| access-date = 2017-12-13

| url = http://www.poetrypotion.com/poetry-potion-print-quarterly-12-cover-reveal/

}}

Croome has also appeared on South African national television on the South African Broadcasting Corporation's Channel 2 Morning Live show{{Cite web

| title = Judy Croome talks about her book "The Weight of a Feather"

| work = Morning Live Show, Channel 2, South African Broadcasting Corporation Digital News

| access-date = 2014-05-06

| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIy4g3DGZM8

}} and on South African national radio on the SAFM Sunday Literature programme.{{Cite web

| title = Judy Croome talks about her book "The Weight of a Feather"

| work = Sunday Literature Show, SAFM Radio, South African Broadcasting Corporation channel on iono.fm

| access-date = 2014-06-02

| url = http://iono.fm/e/85981?autoplay=1

}}

Croome has also had articles published in South Africa,{{Cite web

|last = Croome

|first = Judy

|title = Facing the Future

|work = Litnet Big Book Chain Chat 82

|access-date = 2014-08-19

|url = http://litnetstage.gloo.co.za/Article/big-book-chain-chat-82-facing-the-future

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20140503041213/http://litnetstage.gloo.co.za/Article/big-book-chain-chat-82-facing-the-future

|archivedate = 2014-05-03

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = Following the Writing Drum

| work = BodySensing

| date = 22 February 2013

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://bodysensing.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/following-the-writing-drum-by-judy-croome/

}} including in The Sunday Times (South Africa){{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = Head among the Clouds in the Italian Alps

| work = Sunday Times Travel Weekly|date= 2015-10-11

| url = http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/travel/2015/10/11/Readers-World-Head-in-the-clouds-in-the-Italian-Alps

}} and internationally by various on-line magazines{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = Women Writers of Africa

| work = For Books Sake (UK)

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://forbookssake.net/author/judycroome/

| archive-date = 4 May 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140504204914/http://forbookssake.net/author/judycroome/

| url-status = dead

}} and websites.{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = The Benefits of a Goodreads Ad

| work = The Helpful Writer

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://thehelpfulwriter.com/goodreads-ads-benefits/

| archive-date = 23 October 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141023051228/http://thehelpfulwriter.com/goodreads-ads-benefits/

| url-status = dead

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = Holding a Successful Goodreads Giveaway

| work = The Helpful Writer

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://thehelpfulwriter.com/successful-goodreads-giveaway/

| archive-date = 23 October 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141023051110/http://thehelpfulwriter.com/successful-goodreads-giveaway/

| url-status = dead

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = 12 Easy Steps to Making a Book Trailer

| work = The Book Designer

| date = 13 May 2011

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2011/05/12-easy-steps-to-the-making-of-a-book-trailer/

| archive-date = 20 October 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141020160536/http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2011/05/12-easy-steps-to-the-making-of-a-book-trailer/

| url-status = dead

}}{{Cite web

| title = 8 Essential Tips for a Successful Book Reading Event

| work = The Book Designer

| date = 30 May 2014

| access-date = 2014-06-02

| url = http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2014/05/judy-croome/

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = A Wounded Name

| work = The Literary Lab

| date = 13 September 2011

| access-date = 2014-08-19

| url = http://literarylab.blogspot.com/2011/09/wounded-name-by-judy-croome.html

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = Twitter Love

| work = Story Quest

| date = 20 March 2012

| access-date = 2014-08-25

| url = http://storyquestbooks.com/twitter-love/

}}{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = Reflections on Being a Writer

| work = The Beautiful Room

| date = 8 June 2014

| access-date = 2014-08-25

| url = http://janeayres.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/reflections-on-being-writer-judy-croome.html

}}

Croome also has an interest in esoteric matters and does intuitive tarot readings.{{Cite web

| last = Croome

| first = Judy

| title = What is Tarot?

| work = Bryanston Wellness

| access-date = 2022-01-15

| url = https://bryanstonwellness.co.za/tarot-astrology/

}}

Works

Published as J A Croome:

The Sand People: a collection of magical realism and other stories (fiction, Aztar Press, 2024){{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210223290-the-sand-people|title=The Sand People |publisher=Aztar Press|date=2024 |access-date= 2024-03-31}}

Published as Judy Croome:

the dust of hope (poetry, Aztar Press, 2021){{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58970438-the-dust-of-hope|title=the dust of hope |publisher=Aztar Press|date=2021 |access-date= 2022-07-01}}
Drop by Drop (poetry, Aztar Press, 2020){{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53460187-drop-by-drop|title=drop by drop: poems of loss |publisher=Aztar Press|date=2020 |access-date= 2022-07-01}}
Street Smart Taxpayers: A Practical Guide to your Rights in South Africa (non-fiction, Juta Law, 2017) co-authored with her husband Dr Beric John Croome{{cite web|url=https://juta.co.za/products/street-smart-taxpayers/|title=Street Smart Taxpayers |publisher=Juta Law |date=2017 |access-date= 2017-09-16}}
a stranger in a strange land (poetry, Aztar Press, 2015){{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25931921-a-stranger-in-a-strange-land|title=a stranger in a strange land |publisher=Aztar Press|date=2015|access-date= 2022-07-01}}
The Weight of a Feather and other stories (short stories, Aztar Press, 2013){{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18584020-the-weight-of-a-feather-and-other-stories|title=the weight of a feather and other stories|publisher=Aztar Press|date=2013 |access-date= 2022-07-01}}
a Lamp at Midday (poetry, Aztar Press, 2012){{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58970438-the-dust-of-hope|title=the dust of hope |publisher=Aztar Press|date=2021 |access-date= 2022-07-01}}
Dancing in the Shadows of Love (fiction, Aztar Press, 2018, 3rd edition;2012;2011){{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42942390-dancing-in-the-shadows-of-love|title=Dancing in the Shadows of Love |publisher=Aztar Press|date=2018 |access-date= 2022-07-01}}

Awards and presentations

In 2021, Croome presented a poetry workshop "The Gift of Poetry" to Writers2000(South Africa).{{Cite web|title=Judy Croome speaks poetry with Writers 2000|date=23 October 2021 |url=https://bedfordviewedenvalenews.co.za/480210/judy-croome-speaks-poetry-with-writers-2000/|access-date=2021-10-31}} In 2021 and 2016, Croome was the external judge of the poetry section in the Writers2000(South Africa)(1985) annual writing competition.{{Cite web|title=Poetry judge impressed by the standard of writers 2000 poems|url=http://bedfordviewedenvalenews.co.za/294299/poetry-judge-impressed-by-the-standard-of-writers-2000-poems/|date= 2016-08-23|access-date=2016-08-24}} In 2011, Croome's "The Place of the Doves" was shortlisted for the African Flash Fiction writing award.{{Cite web|title=Results - Flash Fiction Competition, 2011|url=http://www.african-writing.com/eleven/flashfiction1.htm|work=African Writing Online; Many Literatures, One Voice|access-date=2014-05-06}}