About Judy

JUDY STERNLIGHT began her publishing career at Random House in the summer of 2000 as a temp in the sales department. After falling in love with the world of publishing—the bright, passionate, creative, and eccentric people, the joy that comes with bringing important, entertaining, and provocative stories into the world, and of course, the free books—she accepted an editorial position at the Random House Publishing Group.

As an editor at Random House, Ballantine, and The Modern Library from 2000-2009, Judy’s publications included Peter Matthiessen’s Shadow Country (2008 National Book Award, New York Times bestseller), Naeem Murr’s The Perfect Man (PEN Beyond Margins Award, Commonwealth Prize for Europe and South Asia), New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown’s Hounded to Death and Animal Magnetism, Kwei Quartey’s debut mystery novel Wife of the Gods, Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman’s Origins of the Specious, and The Book of the Unknown by Jonathon Keats (ALA’s 2010 Sophie Brody Medal for achievement in Jewish literature). For recent credits, click on the Projects tab.

Judy has always been an avid storyteller. From 1990-1997, she performed, taught, and directed publicity for SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, an acclaimed improvisational theater company based in New York City, winning Theatre Week's 1994 Straw Hat Award for Best Improviser of the Year. Working with a skilled team, she conducted creative and team-building workshops for actors, college students, and business professionals. She recently taught an "Improv for Writers" workshop at the Center for Fiction.

She also worked as a freelance writer and proofreader. Her essays, articles, and stories have appeared in the New York Times (City Section), Woman’s World, Made to Measure, and the Christian Science Monitor.

Judy has a BA from Brown University and she lives in New York City. She is a member of PEN American Center, the Center for Fiction, the Women's Media Group, and the Freelancers Union.