Interview Excerpt with Author Bruce Judisch

Lewiston Sun Journal: “From San Antonio to Rangeley”

Interview with author of “The Marble Falls Legacy,” Bruce Judisch

BY STEVE HUNNEWELL

I read an incredible little /mystery/thriller/romance book last winter, called Quimby Pond, by Bruce Judisch. And not only was it a “page turner/can’t put it down” type of book, but it’s set in my future home of Rangeley, Maine, which obviously made me love it even more.

Quimby Pond would have been one of my favorite books ever, even if it hadn’t been set in my favorite town ever. Why write a book with the setting of Rangeley? I believe you’re from San Antonio?

Yes, I am from San Antonio, but I have friends in great places—like Rangeley. One of those friends shared with me a newspaper discovered in his great-aunt’s attic, a copy of the Rangeley Lakes from August 20^th, 1896. It carried a fascinating article on an inner page that I’ve summarize the article on the back cover of Quimby Pond. Here’s a photo from the newspaper itself.

How could any self-respecting fiction writer read something like this, and not write a mystery story?

What can you tell me about your trip here for research, where did you go, who did you meet and talk to?

I visited Rangeley first in early May of 2015 to research Quimby Pond, and then again in August of last year where I supported the library’s annual fund-raising gala and do more research for the sequel, Sandy River. I’ve included the folks who made the story possible in the Acknowledgments page, but to name a few, I’m especially indebted to Belinda Mansfield as my primary local point of contact, who the public library referred me to when I requested help with research; Jarod Austin of the Rangeley PD took time with me to answer law-enforcement-related questions; and Earle Albert of North Star EMS, who was great at both answering medical/medical-transport questions and even suggesting some scenario elements that fit beautifully into the story. There are others who I hope will forgive me for not listing here, but they do appear in the Acknowledgements of the book.

Why did you call the town in the book Marble Falls instead of Rangeley?

I had retained “Rangeley” as the name of the town until the very last edit, when my editor suggested I fictionalize it. Initially, I rebelled at the idea, so entrenched was I in the town and the region. However, I discovered she was right. There are too many necessary fictional elements of the story that would not fit the actual setting—and violating the real Rangeley by inserting non-existent places into it would surely annoy folks who are familiar with the town. You can get away with hiding fictional places in large settings like New York or Chicago, but not so much a small town. So, I renamed some of the town’s streets and businesses. When I do take the story outside town, I revert to real names, like Quimby Pond and the town of Farmington.

Can you talk more about the historical basis for your book, what parts are based in the actual history of the region?

I conducted a lot of research online and on site in Rangeley, and some in conjunction with the History Department at UMaine. I don’t violate the true history I discovered, but I do adapt parts of it to advance the story.

Any insights on the characters or who they were modeled after?

They aren’t patterned after anyone in particular. I just made them up and love them dearly. The heroine, Gwen, is named after my 14th grandchild, so she’s close to my heart. After Gwen, the eccentric recluse Corky Williams was the most fun to write, followed by Skeeter, the seaplane pilot.

What can you tell me about your upcoming book? The tease at the end of Quimby Pond got me wondering!

I’m glad the tease got you to wondering. That’s what teases are for. Sandy River is a split-time story. In the present day, Gwen’s is trying to settle her late-father’s estate, which is hung up in probate by a startling revelation, one that puts her into danger. The historical storyline features Gwen’s distant grandmother, Irma Louise Kelly, a strident feminist and abolitionist living in Boston at the start of the Civil War. How their two stories entwine is the fun part. J

The third and final part of the Legacy series is currently under construction.

Bruce Judisch has been writing fiction for over fifteen years.  His first work, “A Prophet’s Tale,” is a two-part novelization of the story of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah ben Amittai, comprising The Journey Begun and The Word Fulfilled. A third part, The Promised Kept, is under construction. More recently, he wrote Katia and its sequel For Maria, both with split-time, (present-day and 20^th-century historical) storylines. His most recent work is another split-time trilogy, “The Marble Falls Legacy,” with Quimby Pond and Sandy River comprising parts one and two. Part three of that series is underway. His work has been independently and traditionally published by both small and large publishers. He also has nonfiction publishing credits to his name and has served as an editor for a Department of Defense professional journal.

Bruce lives in Texas with his wife and high-school sweetheart, Jeannie, and their two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Charlie and Raleigh. They are the proud parents of three and grandparents of fourteen.

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