The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

Judy Lillibridge: The Next J.K. Rowling

While some seniors were catching their first cases of senioritis, senior Judy Lillibridge was busy writing her first novel for her senior project—a satiric romantic comedy about two vampire slayers. 


“Nothing in the book is based on Edward Cullen, said Lillibridge.  “My vampires are, one, not major characters, and, two, are pretty much pure evil.”  

Finding the inspiration for writing a fantasy novel is usually a more difficult step in the writing process.  However, for Lillibridge, it was just another bus ride to camp. Similar to J.K. Rowling’s creation of the Harry Potter world, Lillibridge also found her inspiration while riding public transportation.

“I needed something to do while I was riding the bus and I came up with the characters. And, the situation is loosely based on the Zombie Survival Guide.  But vampires have more sex appeal, you know,” said Lillibridge.

     The book, which Lillibridge titled Silver and Venom tells the story of Michaela, a sarcastic blond auto-mechanic, Damien, a flirtatious and handsome British 22-year -old, their various vampire-slaying adventures and playful banter.

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      Although she wrote the majority this past summer at home, Lillibridge completed her novel in the first semester at school.

    At 196 single-spaced pages, Silver and Venom is the longest piece Lillibridge has ever written, and perhaps the most challenging.

    “It was difficult to pin down what would happen in each chapter,” said Lillibridge.

    For the next semester of her senior project period, Lillibridge plans to edit her novel and contact publishing companies.

   “I hope to get published, but so few books actually reach that stage,” she said.  “So, who knows?”

    Even after the school year ends, Lillibridge plans to continue writing novels.

    “I want to become an author and I’m going to the Pratt Institute to major in creative writing,” said Lillibridge.

     Lillibridge recommends that future authors have plenty of ideas and a decent grasp of English grammar. 

    “It helps if you read a lot of other books so you get a sense of what you like and what you want to write about,” said Lillibridge. “Get to know your characters before you try to write about them. Write the sort of book you’d want to read.”

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