wicked good mysteries & MORE!
Meet Rev. Dr. Judith Campbell; “The Irreverent Reverend,” mystery writer, political satirist, artist…and a whole bunch of other cool stuff.
About Rev. Dr. Judith Campbell
I am an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister as well as the creator of the Olympia Brown mysteries and more recently, the Viridienne Greene mysteries. In addition to writing the two series, I have published two books of watercolor instruction, children’s books and stories, poetry, and essays on the arts, religion, spirituality, and creativity.
I hold a PhD in The Arts and Religious Studies from The Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a Master of Arts in Fine Arts, from Goddard College in Vermont. I have presented writing workshops and ‘Writing as Spiritual Practice” workshops both nationally and internationally. When I’m not traveling and teaching or leading workshops, I make my home in Plymouth, Massachusetts. I live with my husband and best friend, Chris Stokes, (AKA Frederick Watkins) who refers to himself as a ‘Professional Englishman’, along with our two royally indulged cats, Simon and Katie.
I see my writing, and my other forms of artwork, as part of my ongoing community-based ministry. And while the stories are not preachy or moralistic, they do address contemporary social and ethical issues. Like the good reverend I portray in my protagonist, Olympia Brown, I do not take sides or cast opinions. My own ‘mission’ as the author is to raise awareness and hold up a question or an issue for my readers to think about and come to their own conclusions. This, and of course an exciting story that keeps the reader turning the pages. I will, from time to time, share thoughts, words, writing hints and ideas, poems on my “Postings” page and invite friends, readers and friends I haven’t met yet, to reply in hopefully what will become an ongoing creative dialogue between people or both similar and diverse interests and opinions.
I am also available via ZOOM to speak to your book group or your writing group, or to actually teach an on-line course or a one-day workshop. Contact me at: revdocmom@comcast.net
So, dear reader, do come back for regular visits; check out my FaceBook page and look online; and…make yourself known to me…AKA the Irreverent Reverend, …the Perspicacious Parson, or whatever else comes to mind when you read my books. You are welcome here!
Mysteries & Novels
Writers always tell one another, “Write what you know.” I know human nature. I know parish ministry. I know human greatness and human weaknesses and foibles, from keen observation and personal experience. I write what I know. The Olympia Brown Mysteries, are built around a lady minister protagonist with a natural talent for seeing beyond the obvious….and doing something about it, which more often than not, gets her into serious, but ultimately resolvable trouble. Olympia is warm, funny, deeply committed to saving both souls and lives, and very believably human.
I started writing these mysteries over ten years ago, and they are still going strong, with several more, just waiting to be written. The prevailing subject matter revolves around ethical and social…and murderous, troublemakers, and how the Good Reverend Olympia, and her compatriots, Father Jim, and Englishman, love interest, Frederick Watkins investigate and chase them down and put them out of business.
And Oh, by the way, there are several; personable cats in the stories and a very nosy and protective house-ghost, Leanna Faith Winslow, a Mayflower descendent.
Art Gallery
As an ordained minister and storyteller, I found I need more than one way to tell my stories. I have collected things all of my life; stories, lyrics, verses, cast-off bits, pieces of string too short to use and cast-off bits and pieces that some would call junk…these are my tools…over time they become the chapters of my novels, the components of my assemblages my art work, and in my ministry, my prophetic voice.
