Judi Lifton
JudiLifton.com
2024
Coming from a literary and musical family, Judi Lifton questioned why life had to be
lived in such a traditional manner. Why do we have to get a degree in education,
science or law? Why do we have to be so formal in actions and words that the family’s
idea of a sporting match is a debate? Nevertheless, she pursued an education in
science. Taking advantage of grants, scholarships and opportunities, she attended two
years of college out west, SUNY @ Syracuse for special training and finished her
education at the University of Iowa before going into research and co-authoring
numerous scientific papers. Still on a quest, Judi switched to the business arena
working for Corning Glass in management, finally deciding to establish her own
business. For 25 years Pentagon Gallery and Frame in Cleveland Heights, Ohio
represented Cleveland area artists. This became her passion … the other was her life-
partner Leland Emerson who left his engineering world and joined Judi in business.
They lived and worked together side by side for many years until his death.
Adjusting her focus on life, Judi went into companion work reading and befriending
those with dementia, later expanding into tutoring challenged children. Meanwhile, she
has never stopped writing journals, poems, stories and songs. Born a Franklin, Judi has
a legacy of three generations of writers with published literary works and memoirs
(some in Swedish). In 2020 Calumet published Judi’s first memoir Letters to the Chief: A
Minnesota Childhood, which won three awards. Two years later, A Glimpse of the Other
Americas: A Backpacker’s Memoir was published.
In 2024, veering from the family tradition, her first work of fiction, Judi’s Tales and
Fables, was published. The stories have a taste of the Midwest and yet, some a flavor
of her travels. Judi lives in a small house on Lake Erie in a community called North
Kingsville On-the - Lake, plays pickle ball, takes her dog, Zinny, for long walks and
continues to write and work with students. Follow the author on judilifton.com
Judi's Folktales: Magical stories and fables
“The treasure trove of stories in this delightful anthology will tickle your funny bone, surprise you, and introduce you to a cast of unforgettable characters like Corny Portinga, Mr. Gizzard, Raspberry Rice, and Sassy Spudnut. A mix of adventures, fantasy, and a few fables full of talking animals will keep you turning the pages. Most of the stories feature lovable dogs, like Splash, Cheerio, Punkin, Frisbee, and Graham. There's so much happening in each story, you'll want to go back and read them over and over again.”
~Gloria G. Adams, author, librarian, storyteller
Letters to the Chief: A Minnesota Childhood
In this enchanting and unforgettable memoir, Judi Lifton captures her luminous years growing up in a small Minnesota town where childhood was a time to read a book, ride your bike, explore the neighborhood and let your mind sift through unexpected discoveries. Lifton’s memories are creatively presented as letters written by her fourteen-year-old self to a beloved and terminally ill friend who frequently travelled to her hometown, Chief White Feather, an American Indian storyteller/singer and advocate for Indian rights. In reality, the letters were “letters of the heart,” thus never written down until rendered now in sepia-tone prose that glistens with fondness for family and friends, nostalgia for the simple pleasures of childhood in the 50s, and the heartache of loneliness and loss. This is a story that will stay with you for a long time.
A Glimpse of the Other Americas: A Backpacker's Memoir
Backpacking in Belize 1983, Guyana 1990 and Ecuador 1997 -- It was unbelievable that I was on a jungle river in a torrid rain in Guyana. I felt compelled to look through the veil of water pouring down the front of my face and bouncing on the waves of the river. I watched the greenery glisten and dance with the rain. The thatched huts, barely discernible in the distance, looked like small fortresses. I breathed deeply. It was a privilege to feel and sense the culture—to observe.
Here on the river, as in our other adventures, we would try to be as unobtrusive as possible . . .