Judy Savinar

You Found Me!

Now meet ten unforgettable women.

One book that dives into everything life throws their way—empty nests, aging parents, illness, heartbreak, desire, and twists that flip the script.

They’ve lived in my head for years. Now they’re breaking free. Bold, messy, and ready to be heard.

Buckle up. It’s anything but ordinary.

About Kissing Strangers

About Kissing Strangers

About Kissing Strangers

Ten stories, ten remarkable women. We begin with Lorna. Newly divorced and airplane bound for Omaha, Lorna’s seatmate shares a tale shattering her controlled world. Can she make peace with what she knows? 

Next, Bianca, Tootsie, Louise, and Stephanie, whose obsession with a Barbie Doll staves off her depression, but is it sustainable?

Lourdes, Amy, Joy, and Meg follow. Haunted by her dead husband, Meg’s mental health devolves, threatening to destroy her daughter’s life. And lastly, Millicent. Her lifelong friendship with Dotty is shaken by a terminal illness. Survival becomes pivotal for both.

Thank you for joining me on this adventure. I hope you cheer for these post-menopausal characters without judgement but with empathy and understanding. And when finished, be left with bits that niggle you at night. Like a shadow passing in your peripheral vision, something to keep you questioning what you saw, or if you saw anything.

Meet Judy

Meet Judy

Meet Judy

For the love of stories, I’ve been writing since I discovered Ticonderoga pencils were the bomb of pencils. From a young age, I used Ticonderogas to write endless pages of stories, some with endings, some left to dangle on pages, forever. I told stories too. Someday, I imagined, I would write from a rooftop garret in Paris while birds landed on my windowsill, and I sipped wine. 

The closest I got, sipping French wine with a bird on the label. But I kept storytelling throughout school, writing stories in college, and as an advertising copywriter in San Francisco and Portland.

Then, I switched gears. I taught middle school writing and guided young readers and writers as a middle school librarian. 

Telling stories is what I do. It’s what I love, what I’ve always loved. And, believe me, this, I am not making up. 

I live in Portland with my husband, Dan, and our dog, Penny. I try not to stalk my sons and their wives, in New York and California respectively, too often. I still sip wine.

For the love of stories, I’ve been writing since I discovered Ticonderoga pencils were the bomb of pencils. From a young age, I used Ticonderogas to write endless pages of stories, some with endings, some left to dangle on pages, forever. I told stories too. Someday, I imagined, I would write from a rooftop garret in Paris while birds landed on my windowsill, and I sipped wine. 

The closest I got, sipping French wine with a bird on the label. But I kept storytelling throughout school, writing stories in college, and as an advertising copywriter in San Francisco and Portland.

Then, I switched gears. I taught middle school writing and guided young readers and writers as a middle school librarian. 

Telling stories is what I do. It’s what I love, what I’ve always loved. And, believe me, this, I am not making up. 

I live in Portland with my husband, Dan, and our dog, Penny. I try not to stalk my sons and their wives, in New York and California respectively, too often. I still sip wine.

For the love of stories, I’ve been writing since I discovered Ticonderoga pencils were the bomb of pencils. From a young age, I used Ticonderogas to write endless pages of stories, some with endings, some left to dangle on pages, forever. I told stories too. Someday, I imagined, I would write from a rooftop garret in Paris while birds landed on my windowsill, and I sipped wine. 

The closest I got, sipping French wine with a bird on the label. But I kept storytelling throughout school, writing stories in college, and as an advertising copywriter in San Francisco and Portland.

Then, I switched gears. I taught middle school writing and guided young readers and writers as a middle school librarian. 

Telling stories is what I do. It’s what I love, what I’ve always loved. And, believe me, this, I am not making up. 

I live in Portland with my husband, Dan, and our dog, Penny. I try not to stalk my sons and their wives, in New York and California respectively, too often. I still sip wine.

Reviews

Reviews

Reviews

  • "Beautifully written. Author teleports you into the lives of 10 different women. I’ve never read a book that so successfully encapsulates what it feels like to actually be the protagonist.. and this book does it 10 times! So much depth in each story, you will feel the full spectrum of emotions."

    jacob

    Verified Purchase

  • "Judy Savinar imagined a compilation of short stories that showcase her incredibly seductive and entertaining writing style. A gifted storyteller with a genius for humor and crisp, gripping narrative, Judy invites us in for an alluring glimpse into the unique journeys of 10 intriguing women. You just might see yourself in any one of them. A steady and conversational read, Judy captivates us with her tight and witty imagery."

    caj

    Verified Purchase

  • "This collection of short stories had me hooked from the very first page, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The author masterfully crafts complex, relatable characters, each brimming with raw emotions and navigating situations that range from the beautifully mundane to the utterly shocking…"

    Lindsay deacon

    Verified Purchase

  • "Kissing Stangers is a book of short stories. Each written a bit differently in style, but all have a page-turning clip. The characters and stories had me absorbed from the first sentence. It was my buddy while traveling through California. Whether flying or sipping solo in a hotel bar San Fran, loves every page."

    Janelle Baglien

    Verified Purchase

Where to Buy

Where to Buy

Where to Buy

You can find Kissing Strangers at the following bookstores:

Amazon - buy on Amazon

Barnes & Noble - shop at barnesandnoble.com

Dudley's Bookshop Cafe (Bend, OR) - visit dudleysbookshopcafe.com

Lucy's Books (Astoria, OR) - visit lucys-books.com

Buy Kissing Strangers

Buy Kissing Strangers

Buy Kissing Strangers