Longing to Belong

Longing to Belong
227 Pages
ISBN 978-0-9968909-1-5

Judi Bergen's debut novel, Longing to Belong, draws the reader into the hidden layers of a family's tragedy shrouded in secrecy. How do the characters inner lives affect the trajectory of their actions?

It takes place in a small town in Iowa. Judi named it Turtle Creek. The town comes to life through the eyes of Amanda MacGregor, a young woman struggling to fit in with others in town. Her life is haunted by a family tragedy and secrets held by her father's maiden sister who runs their household. Bergen's characters drive the story within the milieu of small-town life.

Judi Bergen

About Judi Bergen (Austin, Minnesota Author)

Judi Bergen

Judi Bergen has a master's degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin. She has worked as a therapist in inpatient and outpatient mental health settings for over 40 years. For the ten years before she retired Judi also worked with Hospice patients and their families.

Writing has always been an important part of Judi's life. Her short stories have been published in literary journals. Her essay about a hospice patient was published in a rural life magazine, and placed in the top five in the National Writers Association contest in 2005.
Longing to Belong is her debut novel.

She lives with her husband in Austin, Minnesota, where they have enjoyed raising their three children.