Bookish Tuesday | A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette

By Iola Goulton @iolagoulton

A Light on the Hill is the first book in Connilyn Cossette’s new Cities of Refuge series. I think some of the characters featured in her previous Out from Egypt series, Counted with the Stars, Shadow of the Storm, and Wings of the Wind. I haven’t read any of the Out of Egypt series, but didn’t feel I missed anything.

The series title gives a hint as to the plot of A Light on the Hill: someone needs to seek refuge. Here’s the book description:

Seven years ago, Moriyah was taken captive in Jericho and branded with the mark of the Canaanite gods. Now the Israelites are experiencing peace in their new land, but Moriyah has yet to find her own peace. Because of the shameful mark on her face, she hides behind her veil at all times and the disdain of the townspeople keeps her from socializing. And marriage prospects were out of the question . . . until now.

Her father has found someone to marry her, and she hopes to use her love of cooking to impress the man and his motherless sons. But when things go horribly wrong, Moriyah is forced to flee. Seeking safety at one of the newly-established Levitical cities of refuge, she is wildly unprepared for the dangers she will face, and the enemies--and unexpected allies--she will encounter on her way.

Old Testament Biblical fiction, by definition, isn’t Christian fiction.

It can’t be, because the setting predates Christ. But it is an insight into the life and culture of the times of the Old Testament—in this case, the years after the nation of Israel first arrived in the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. And it does point to Jesus. The cities of refuge represented a revolutionary idea. An accused criminal could seek and gain mercy, instead of being subject to the cultural retribution of an eye for an eye, a life for a life.

But the theme of A Light on the Hill is definitely Christian.

Justice, or mercy? Love, or hate? Forgiveness, or retribution? While Biblical fiction isn't Christian fiction per se, good Biblical fiction reinforces the fact the Bible is one story, with the Old Testament foreshadowing the New Testament. This is additionally reinforced by the main characters, most of whom have chosen to follow Yahweh rather than being born Hebrew.

I don’t read a lot of Biblical fiction. It seemed to fall out of favour for a while, and my interest got pulled in other genre directions. But A Light on the Hill easily equals those early Biblical fiction stories I read from authors like Francine Rivers and Angela Hunt.

The story does take a while to get going—the first quarter is background, introducing the characters and setting up the situation that will force Moriyah to flee for her life. However, even this background is an interesting and necessary introduction to life in Shiloh in the early days of Israel.

The writing is strong. It’s an unusual choice to write historical fiction in first person, but it works because it takes us deep into Moriyah’s mind, and that enables us to relate to her. After all, we all have hidden scars of one sort or another. The characters are well-drawn, and the plot is full of suspense as we journey with Moriyah, hoping she’ll reach her objective, yet worried she won’t.

A Light on the Hill a story of judgement as the people of Shiloh judge Moriyah based on her external appearance to the point she hides away from people and from life. It’s also the story of mercy, as Yahweh has already established the means for Morihay to be accepted and saved.

Recommended for fans of Biblical fiction, or for those who would like to better understand the times of the Bible.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Iola Goulton

Iola Goulton is a New Zealand book reviewer, freelance editor, and author, writing contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist. She is a member of the Sisterhood of Unpronounceable Names (Iola is pronounced yo-la, not eye-ola and definitely not Lola).

Iola holds a degree in marketing, has a background in human resource consulting, and currently works as a freelance editor. When she’s not working, Iola is usually reading or writing her next book review. Iola lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty in New Zealand (not far from Hobbiton) with her husband, two teenagers and one cat. She is currently working on her first novel.

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Biblical Fiction That Shows Us Jesus

Stephanie Landsem is with us today. She lives in snowy Minnesota, but she writes about people who met Jesus in first-century Palestine. Read to the end of this blog to find out how you can win a free e-copy of her latest novel, The Thief, released just last week. Here’s the description:

Nissa is a Jewish woman with a sharp tongue and no hope of marriage. Abandoned by the God she once loved, her only recourse is to depend upon Mouse, the best thief in Jerusalem, to keep her blind brother, Cedron, fed and the landlord satisfied.

Longinus is a Roman centurion haunted by death and failure and desperate to escape the accursed Judean province. Accepting a wager that will get him away from the aggravating Jews and their threats of revolt, he sets out to catch the thieves harassing the marketplace.

LeAnne Hardy: I loved this book. Part of the tension for me was the knowledge that two thieves were crucified with Jesus. Which of the characters we are getting to know (and in some cases love) will die at Golgotha? The author sticks closely to what we know from Scripture even as she expands on events with her fictional characters.

Thank you for being with us today, Stephanie. Nissa in The Thief pretends to be a boy. Mara in The Well, the first book in this Living Waters series, is also an outsider. Do you see yourself as a rule breaker? What draws you to women who are?

Stephanie Landsem: When I read the Bible, I see that Jesus was drawn to outsiders. The Samaritan woman, the woman caught in adultery, the sick and diseased. He didn’t come to preach to the well, but to heal the sick. Perhaps that’s why my heroines are women that are desperate or on the fringes of society, to show that Jesus is present to them, no matter what their past sins.

LH: The crucifixion scene was very moving. How hard was that to write?

SL: It was extremely difficult. I remember sitting down and thinking “Why did I think I could do this?”  I read many accounts, spent a lot of time in prayer, and went through a box of tissues before it was done.

LH: I had to reach for the tissues reading it! Near the beginning of The Thief, Nissa’s brother Cedron is healed of his blindness in a fictionalized account of John 9. Later he is beaten and left with a limp. I found myself wondering why Jesus didn’t come back and heal the limp. What did you want to show us by Cedron being healed of one thing, but left to suffer another?

SH: As in The Well, I explored the question of what happens after an encounter with Jesus, the Incarnation. Once Cedron believed in Jesus, would his life be magically better and perfect? Or would he have even more challenges to face and how would he face them? We’ve seen that believing in Jesus isn’t a recipe for a perfect life on earth, but it will get us to the perfect life with him in eternity.

LH: Cedron is a Zealot. He has militaristic expectations of the Messiah. I found myself wondering about expectations we have of the Messiah today, like why doesn’t everybody get healed? What other expectations do you think we have of Jesus that he may, or may not fulfill? (I’d love to see readers chime in on this in the comments, too.)

SH: That’s a good question. Cedron had a simplistic view of Jesus based on what was happening in Jerusalem at that time. But God’s plan isn’t simple at all, as we know, and we can’t think that we ‘know best’ what he should do. I think it’s a mistake that’s easy to make when we’re facing personal hardship.

LH: Your books are biblical fiction. Do you start first with a Bible story you are drawn to or with a character?

SH: I start with the character and go from there. I like to wonder about the parts of their lives that aren’t written in the biblical account. Who were their families? How did they fit in their communities? And mostly, what happened after they encountered Jesus?

LH: Your books are full of historical details that bring the place and period to life. What are some of the techniques you have found most effective for historical research?

SH: I start with the Bible, then often read commentary and devotionals about that passage to get many interpretations of it.  Then I order many books from the Minnesota Library system and get an overview by paging through them. I find they have all sorts of resources from general history to compilations of papers published by historians, archeologists, and theologians. Many books have maps and sketches that are very helpful - such as when I was researching ancient Jerusalem for The Thief. It's really a treasure trove! After I get the majority of the research done and am writing the story, I use the internet when I come up against a specific question. For The Thief I needed to know what a first century Roman lock and key looked like and found it instantly on Google. For The Tomb, my WIP, I often go to JewishEncyclopia.com for questions on common Jewish practices.

LH: I’m sure you find much more interesting material than you end up including in the book. Do you have any guidelines to offer fellow-writers about when to include a research detail and when to leave it out?

SH: That’s a hard one. I hate leaving anything out. I usually know when I hit upon an historical detail that stands out as very different from present day. When I say to myself “Wow, that’s fascinating,” then I know it must be included.

LH: The Thief stands on its own, but it also includes characters we met in your first book, The Well. What was the thinking behind that?

SH: I thought it would be fun to have a minor character from The Well make an appearance in The Thief, and Longinus, the Roman soldier, seemed like a good choice given the setting of Jerusalem. But as I started writing him, he became a major character and one of my favorite ones that I’ve written so far!

LH: It isn’t often that a novel leads me into worship, but this one did. The scene at the foot of the cross shows Jesus full of power even as he submits to death. Each character brings his or her own story to the cross and there finds the mercy and forgiveness Jesus offers us today. The Thief will be wonderful reading for the Lenten season.

Comment on this blog by Friday, March 14, to enter a drawing for a free e-book of The Thief. I would love to hear your comments on our expectations of the Messiah, but that is not required. Don't forget to leave your e-mail address encoded to foil phishers. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries. Void where prohibited by law.

Add pop over to Stephanie's blog to enter not just to win a free book, but a Kindle fire for reading it!

Thank you, Stephanie, for being with us today.

SL: Thank you for having me. It has been a pleasure to answer your questions.

___

LeAnne Hardy enjoys a critique group with the talented Stephanie Landsem. LeAnne hasn't published any biblical fiction to date, but her stories reflects her faith, her passion for storytelling that stretches the mind, and the cultures she has lived in. Learn more at www.leannehardy.net .

Jots and Tittles

Ten years ago this week, my first children’s book, Donovon’s Rainbow, was published. The publisher distributed the book to all of their Vineyard Bookshops worldwide. However, if I wanted it in other bookshops, I was responsible for the distribution. So I duly got on the phone and started doing the rounds.

I got in touch with a bookshop attached to a large church in Cape Town. They requested a review copy. When I phoned them a week later to ask if they wanted to order it, they tersely told me that they would not stock anything that was unbiblical. Shocked, I asked what they meant. Donovon is the fictionalised ‘back story’ of the dove who finds dry land for Noah. Although my starting point was the bible story the rest of the tale was obviously made up. I mean, it wasn’t as if the dove kept a journal of his travels to pass on to future generations.

But this was not acceptable to the managers of this shop. According to them I was ‘distorting the bible’ and leading people into deception. A specific example they cited was that in my story Donovon, who at first refuses to get onto the Ark because he doesn’t approve of the Creator’s plan to destroy the earth, is rescued from the waves after crying out for help. He says that he’s sorry and begs for a second chance. Noah then sends Terence the Tiger overboard to rescue Donovon. This was the ultimate sin, according to these managers, because the door of the Ark should have been firmly closed and no one given a second chance. This, in their opinion, is what happens to us when we die and we have not made a ‘decision for Christ’ beforehand.

Now, as I come from a Baptist background, I understood the theology behind what they were saying. However, did it really matter in this case? Couldn’t they look beyond those details and see the greater truth of the story? Apparently not. I can’t tell you how upset I was at being labelled a heretic. (Little did I know at the time I would have to get used to it!). After a bucket-load of tears and agonised prayers, I was no clearer as to why it had all happened.

That evening I received a phone call from a woman who ran a ministry to adults who had been sexually abused as children. She said she was calling to tell me that my little book had ‘set someone free’. In the story there is a Bird of Paradise called Pumla who is kept in a cage in the depths of the Ark. The evil Ronald Raven tries to convince Donovon that this is evidence that the Creator and his captain Noah are not trying to save them but to imprison them all. However, what Donovon doesn’t notice is that the door to Pumla’s cage is open and she remains there by choice because she is too scared to fly.

My friend, a Christian, read this story to her support group that afternoon. One woman was so touched that she had a massive emotional and spiritual breakthrough and, in my friend’s words, was ‘set free’. I asked my friend where she held her support group. You could have knocked me down with a feather when she named the very church to which the bookshop that had condemned me as a heretic that very morning was attached.



How much freedom writers should have in interpreting bible stories is a controversial issue. I’m coming up against it again with my new series of picture books based on the childhood of King David. But whether I am really a heretic or this is just a matter of jots and tittles, I know one thing: the truth will set people free.

Formerly a journalist, Fiona Veitch Smith is a writer of books, theatre plays and screenplays. Her first adult novel, The Peace Garden, is a romantic thriller set in England and South Africa. It is available as an e-book. Her Young David children’s picture book series is available online from her website and in selected bookshops in the UK. She also writes devotional material for CWR. She is a member of the British Society of Authors and her full list of published books, including ghostwritten works, can be seen here. She lives with her husband, daughter and two dogs in Newcastle upon Tyne where she lectures in media and scriptwriting at the local universities.

Interview and Book Review - Jewel of Persia by Roseanna M. White and book giveaway

Narelle here. I'm delighted to welcome Roseanna M. White back to our blog. Today we're giving away a copy of Roseanna's latest release, Jewel of Persia.

Roseanna M. White, author of A Stray Drop of Blood, makes her home in the mountains of Western Maryland with her husband, two small children, and the colony of dust bunnies living under her couch. After graduating from St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD, she and her husband founded the Christian Review of Books, where she is the editor. She is a member of ACFW, HisWriters, Biblical Fiction Writers, and HEWN Marketing.

Book Review by Narelle Atkins

Jewel of Persia (WhiteFire Publishing, 2011) is Roseanna M. White’s exciting Biblical fiction novel set in Persia around 480 BC during the reign of King Xerxes. Historical events from the Book of Esther are included in the story.

Kasia, a young Jewess, is bathing her feet in the icy river water in Susa when she has an unexpected encounter with King Xerxes. She doesn’t recognise the charming King, and she is more concerned about protecting her young charge, the future Queen Esther, than hiding her own identity.

King Xerxes is captivated by Kasia’s beauty and, much to Kasia’s father’s displeasure, decides he wants Kasia as his wife. Kasia is moved to the palace, and her friends and family assume her disappearance is caused by drowning in the river.

Twelve year old Esther is devastated by the loss of her best friend, only a few years after her parents passed away and her cousin Mordecai became her guardian.

Kasia falls in love with the King, and her life is in jeopardy because she is the King’s favorite wife. Palace life in the harem is a culture shock for the young Jewess, and her faith is tested and strengthened during the story. Drawing on historical events, the love story between Kasia and King Xerxes unfolds and provides a fascinating insight into the danger, jealousy and intrigue of life in the Persian Palace.

Jewel of Persia is a compelling story about royalty, fidelity and love, in the context of a society that expects their King to have numerous wives and concubines. The differences between Jewish and Persian society create conflict between Kasia and King Xerxes, who are from different worlds and hold diverse values and religious beliefs. I recommend Jewel of Persia for those looking for a powerful and challenging Biblical fiction story.

Narelle: Jewel of Persia draws on Biblical historical facts from the Book of Esther and Persian history. How did you go about researching Persian history?

Roseanna: Well, in college I’d read Histories by Herodotus, which is the Greek account of the Greco-Persian War, written a couple decades after the events. So when I weighed the evidence as to which king it was in Esther and decided it was most likely Xerxes, I was really excited to realize I already knew a lot about it. I then sat down and mapped out the events from Esther and Herodotus and was even more excited to realize they click together pretty perfectly.

I reread Histories and took notes as I went, which gave me the plot-points I needed for the book. Nearly every major event in Jewel of Persia revolves around history recorded either in the Bible or by Herodotus.

But to learn about the Persian culture itself, I did a lot of online research, including (my favorite) a fabulous documentary made in conjunction with an exhibit about Ancient Persia by the British Museum. I spent a lot of time reading about the climate, the land, the society, and the religion. I also got out a few books from my library on the subjects, though they didn’t have much to choose from, LOL. There’s a reason the British Museum entitled their exhibit “The Forgotten Empire.”

Narelle: Kasia and her family are Jews living in Persia under King Xerxes rule. What struggles did the Jews face as aliens in a foreign land?

Roseanna: Well, by the time Xerxes took the throne and my story begins, the Jews have already been given leave to go back to Israel if they so desired, which is where the books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Bible come in. But many chose to stay, my characters among them.

The Persians were actually very modern when it comes to religious tolerance, etc. They were a monotheistic society worshiping Ahura Mazda (what is now called Zoroastrianism, though at the time it would have been called Mazdayasna), an uncreated being whose enemy is another, evil uncreated being called Angra Mainyu. But as the empire expanded, they granted everyone the right to worship as they pleased. Still, “tolerant” societies don’t often get along with religious groups who claim to have an “only” behind them. Though we see the Persian kings themselves give favor to the Jews, we also see evidence that others hated them.

I chose to put my heroine in a family that was proud of its Jewish heritage and prejudiced against the Persians just as the Persians were prejudiced against them. But then I played up the contrast of Mordecai and Esther, who were more fair-minded about that. I also had a choice to make as to whether I wanted Mordecai to have always hidden his heritage (which is one way to read the book of Esther) or if rather he hid only his association with Esther (which is another way to read it). I chose the one that worked best with my plot. =)

Narelle: The Persians had their own gods and religious beliefs. How did their beliefs differ from the Jews and how did it affect their outlook on life?

Roseanna: As I touched on above, Mazdayasna was also a monotheistic religion. On the surface, it might look much like Judaism: one supreme god, who embodies all that’s good. One main enemy of the god, who tries to sway humanity against the good one. And a slew of minor deities much like angels, who do the bidding of either Ahura Mazda or his enemy, Angra Mainyu.

The real challenge for me came from the fact that Herodotus talks about the Persians as if they’re worshipping Greek gods, which we know they didn’t. So most of the history we have to go on reflects religious opinions that don’t hold true to Mazdayasna . . . which, given the fact that Persian society strayed from it within the next half-century, actually sounds reasonable. So I had Xerxes caught between the beliefs in his god that came from their great prophet and the evidence he saw of what he thought was his god, but which the Jewish characters recognized as an enemy of Jehovah.

I did have fun, though, trying to portray my villains as very faithful . . . but to the wrong deity. I wanted to make it clear that their faith wasn’t in idols or smoke and mirrors, but in a living being . . . an enemy of God. But because they truly believed in this god they served, they carried out its will to oppose and even destroy those faithful to Jehovah, who they identified as the evil one in their religion.

What it came down to was something that harkens toward Jesus saying we will know the spirits by the fruits they produce—in my story, the deities of the Persians produced fruits of hatred and destruction while the God of the Jews produced fruits of love and healing.

Yep, fun stuff. =)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roseanna, thanks so much for joining us today. It's been a pleasure to interview you and learn more about Biblical fiction.

By commenting on today’s post you can enter the drawing to win a copy of Jewel of Persia. The winner will have the choice of receiving either a print or electronic copy. The drawing will take place on Friday, June 3 and the winner announced on Sunday, June 5. Please leave an email address [ ] at [ ] dot [ ] where you can be reached.

"Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws."

To learn more about Roseanna M. White, please visit her website, blog and Christian Review of Books.

Narelle Atkins writes contemporary inspirational romance. She resides in Canberra, Australia with her husband and children. To learn more about Narelle, please visit her website.

Book Review and Author Interview: Roseanna M. White, A Stray Drop of Blood

Narelle here. I’m delighted to welcome Roseanna M. White to our blog. Today we’re giving away a gift package including Roseanna’s book, A Stray Drop of Blood.

The gift package includes a personalized copy of A Stray Drop Of Blood, a Companion Guide with go-to references for all Roseanna’s sources and texts used in research, recipe cards featuring A Taste from the Land of Milk and Honey, a bookmark, and beeswax lip balm much like her characters would have used.

Roseanna M.White is a wife, mommy, writer, reviewer, and lover of all things literature-related. She makes her home in the mountains of Western Maryland with her husband and two small children, where they run the Christian Review of Books. She's a member of ACFW, HisWriters, and HEWN Marketing.

Book Review by Narelle Atkins

A Stray Drop of Blood (WhiteFire Publishing, 2009) is Roseanna M. White’s captivating debut Biblical fiction novel. The story is set in Jerusalem and Rome around the time of Jesus’ ministry.

Eight year old Hebrew girl Abigail is orphaned and sold into slavery by her stepfather. She is purchased by a Roman prefect as a companion for his Hebrew wife. Abigail is educated and raised as if she was their own daughter and her immense beauty is both a blessing and curse. Six years later her master’s son, a Roman soldier, returns home after a six year absence and claims Abigail as his own before she can be given in marriage to her fellow slave and best friend. Abigail is forced to accept her new situation and feels abandoned by her God.

Tragedy befalls her Master’s household and Abigail’s encounter with Jesus on the day he is crucified both challenges her faith and transforms her life. Her faith is tested as she loses loved ones and cannot escape being treated as a Hebrew slave despite changes in her circumstances. A powerful love story unfolds and Abigail struggles with her seemingly futile desire to be with the man she loves.

A Stray Drop of Blood is an honest story that explores the best and worst of human nature. Realistic and compelling character’s struggle with temptation and the differences between the Hebrew and Roman society create strong emotional conflict. The story is action packed, with masterful plot twists and the spiritual element flows seamlessly through the story. I would recommend A Stray Drop of Blood for those looking for a challenging and exciting Biblical fiction story.

Narelle: I really enjoyed reading your book. Please tell us about your inspiration for A Stray Drop of Blood.

Roseanna: It was Good Friday when I was 15, and I’d just gotten in a huge fight with my best friend over a guy (who, I might add, is now my husband). Feeling at once the high of young love and the bitterness of disappointment over the falling out with my oldest friend, I sat down at my parents’ bay window, looked out over the mountains, and turned my thoughts to the Lord. I got out my Bible and read the accounts of that first Good Friday.

Suddenly, my issues didn’t seem so big, and these bittersweet feelings just magnified the importance of the day, of what Jesus did. But in typical me-fashion, I didn’t internalize it just by reading the facts. I had to put myself into the story. I wondered what it would have been like to be a woman in the crowd at Jesus’s trial, his crucifixion. What would she have seen, have felt? And what if she had come seeking vengeance on Barabbas, only to collide with the forgiveness offered by the One to take the criminal’s place?

I moved to the computer and quickly wrote a 6-page short story called “A Stray Drop of Blood,” where the heroine’s life is changed when she feels the fire and power of her savior’s blood when a drop lands on her. I knew then and there it would expand into a book, and over the next six years as I finished high school and went to college, I turned it into one. (Or, if you’re going by word count, perhaps I turned it into three, LOL. It was looooooong!)

Narelle: Please share with us a few tips for researching Biblical fiction.

Roseanna: Oh, my. First, read texts from the day. The Bible, obviously, and some notes and commentary on the setting or story you’re using. You’ll also want to do some outside research on things like fashion, housing, geography, that sort of thing. But the thing that will really help you get in the mind-set of the culture is to read other writing from the time period.

For A Stray Drop of Blood, I utilized all the reading that I did in my first two years of college; the Ancient Greeks, from Homer to Plato and Aristotle, the playwrights, even (actually, especially) the histories and biographies; the Bible, obviously, both Old and New Testaments; and Roman works from the time of Christ, from Virgil and Epictetus to Tacitus. These helped give a complete picture of what life, religion, politics, and philosophy were like leading up to Jesus’ day, and each of my characters tend toward a different school of thought.

Narelle: I was fascinated to read quotes and references in your book from philosophers eg. Aristotle, Homer. What influence did the Greek philosophers have on your characters in A Stray Drop of Blood?

Roseanna: Tremendous! LOL. I really enjoyed learning all about them my Freshman year of college–and by learning, I mean reading their works, even translating them from Ancient Greek, not reading about them in textbooks. But what I really loved was how the Greek way of thinking, the Greek literature were such a presence in the time period I was writing in. Educated people in Jesus’ day would be very familiar with the dialogues, plays, and treatises from the Greeks, and many texts from the Romans and their contemporaries reference them like you and I would reference popular TV shows.

I also loved the differences between the Greek way of thinking, the Hebrew way of thinking, the Roman way of thinking. To achieve diversity in my characters, they each tend toward one of these big philosophies. Abigail represents the Greeks, always asking questions, trying to understand the form behind the things she sees, but rarely willing to accept the answers given her. Ester, her mistress, is Hebrew through and through, and though she loves the Lord with a full heart, she also tends to think that the Law is God, rather than an extension of Him. Jason, Ester’s son (and his friends), represents the Roman philosophies that focus largely on self, and on how self relates to state. His primary concerns through the beginning of the book are finding his pleasure and planning his future in Roman politics.

I've yet to get a frustrated email from a reader that says, “You totally lost me with all those dead philosophers, you over-educated ninny!” but just in case, I’ve put together a Companion Guide for the book that points out all the places I mention writers or figures in history that might be unfamiliar to the average modern reader, and I expound on the references. And even if you caught all my references, you might take interest in seeing the complete list or my reasons for including them. Check it out here.

Narelle: Abigail is sold into slavery as a young girl. How were slaves treated in Jerusalem and Rome?

Roseanna: These actually have very different answers. A Hebrew that is sold (or sells oneself) to another Hebrew is, by Law, treated very well; they would in fact be a bondservant, not a slave, and would be given the choice of freedom in the year of Jubilee, and sent off into the world with the means to support themselves. Only foreigners were permitted by the Law of Moses to be held as true slaves and considered property that could be inherited with the estates, and whose children would be born slaves.

Romans, on the other hand, were definitely in the people-selling business, and slaves were little more than livestock. I was truly shocked by how many times in Tacitus’s Annals I read about slaves being sold to the state for torture when someone suspected they might know something about a crime or plot.

The issue is complicated in A Stray Drop of Blood because Abigail is sold to a household technically Roman–for the record, Hebrews were told not to sell their own to foreigners. Abigail’s step-family would have been frowned on for doing this, but given the political climate of the day and her particular situation, it’s still reasonable. She is fortunate to have been purchased by a Roman who upholds Jewish law as much as he is able. Her master and mistress both treat her with love, as a daughter. But when their son Jason returns from Rome, he doesn’t share their outlook and treats her as the Romans treat their slaves–namely, however he pleases.

Narelle: Abigail’s master, a Roman prefect, learns of Jesus’ teachings and wants his household to hear Jesus in person. How did your character’s cultural background influence their response to Jesus’ teachings?

Roseanna: Well, the teachings appeal to Cleopas largely because he is a Roman who loves the Hebrew God. The way he sees it, he as a Roman can never fully obey the Law, and he longs with all his heart for a mediator, someone to deliver him from his shortcomings and allow him to move closer to God, rather than being stuck forever in the outer courts of His temple.

Cleopas's wife, Ester, is the daughter of a legalistic Jew, and she cannot reconcile the messages Jesus teaches with the way she was raised. His words raise questions in her heart of how he dares to judge people like her father, how he even knows their hearts, and why he calls chaff all the work and study the religious Jews dedicate themselves to. Though she loves the Lord, she fails to see that it is her heart, and not her tithes and sacrifices, that matter the most.

Abigail has been so well educated in Greek, Hebrew, and Roman philosophies that she cannot just accept what she sees. She questions everything, and the answers never satisfy. Part of her wants to trust Cleopas’s word, since she respects and honors him, but it takes much of the book for her to realize that the beliefs of her mistress, the faith of her master, will never be enough for her own soul. Abigail must experience something that surpasses philosophy before she can accept not only that there is a Truth, but that it stands before her.

Jason, her master’s son, has been immersed in Roman ways for the last six years, and he has embraced the hedonism and Stoicism of the day. It at first makes him scoff at Jesus and all he represents; but the longer he’s in Jerusalem, the more he sees the difference between the kind of authority his father wields and the kind his friends aspire to, the more he begins to understand there is something more to life than wine, food, and women. It is his father’s example, more than the teachings of Christ themselves, that eventually capture his curiosity.

I could go on, but I don’t want to bore everyone, LOL. I’m skipping a rather vital character, but that’s largely because I don’t want to ruin a major twist. :-)

Narelle: A Stray Drop of Blood is published by a small press, WhiteFire Publishing. Are they open for submissions? What type of stories are they looking for and will they consider foreign settings?

Roseanna: WhiteFire will be expanding their fiction line in the next year, so interested parties should keep their eyes open for a call for submissions. A Stray Drop of Blood is a decent example of the kind of book they’re looking for, though not necessarily Biblical fiction. They’re embracing the motto of “Not Your Grandmother’s Christian Fiction,” and looking for books that portray the realities of life, love, and faith; not shying away from issues but handling them Biblically. Edgy is good, but the precepts of the Bible must reign in the conclusion.

As for foreign settings, that gets a resound, “Yes, please!” Rather than publishing what everyone else is and then competing with the established authors of those genres, WFP wants to establish its own niche, and they’re seriously considering getting that niche started with foreign settings, especially historicals. The only caveat to that is that the language itself must be accessible to Americans, so too much dialect or idioms from other countries would have to be American-ized a bit–not completely, mind you, but enough that the average American reader could immediately understand what’s being said.

I'll actually be the acquiring editor when WFP opens for submissions, and it’s pretty easy to know what books capture me. Things like mine, obviously, LOL, but I’m also the senior reviewer at the Christian Review of Books and blog daily, so my opinions are all over the place. I like books that are passionate, that have a unique voice, that have an intellectual appeal without being stuffy or feeling like a textbook, and that delve into the spiritual realities that surround us as Christians but which are often unseen (and I’m a sucker for romance!). Send us something like that, and we’ll be excited to welcome you to the WhiteFire family!

Roseanna, thanks so much for joining us today. It's been a pleasure to interview you and learn more about Biblical fiction.

By commenting on today’s post you can enter the drawing to win the gift package, including a personalized copy of A Stray Drop of Blood. The drawing will take place on Friday, February 19 and the winner announced on Sunday, February 21. Please leave an email address [ ] at [ ] dot [ ] where you can be reached.

"Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws."

To learn more about Roseanna M. White, please visit her website, blog and Christian Review of Books.

If you miss out on winning the gift package, you can purchase Roseanna’s book at CrossPurposes (her mom's online store). A note from Roseanna: If you purchase A Stray Drop of Blood from CrossPurposes, you can then email her at roseanna [at] roseannawhite [dot] com with how you'd like it personalized, and she'll sign it for you. Feel free to use coupon code BLOGGER at checkout for 20% off!

Narelle Atkins writes contemporary inspirational romance. She resides in Canberra, Australia with her husband and children. She can also be found around the inkwell at the Inkwell Inspirations blog. To learn more about Narelle, please visit her website.