Cover blurb
Can an Israelite
captive, wrenched from all she loves, serve the very man who destroyed her village?
Miriam is asked to do
the impossible: serve the wife of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army.
Clinging to treasured memories of home and faith, Miriam faces captivity with
worry and bitterness. Little does she know the Heart Changer is wooing and
preparing her for a greater mission—far beyond what she could imagine.
This middle-grade
historical novel reflects the heartache and angst of a young refugee in a
foreign land where all hope seems lost.
Please tell us five random
things we might not know about you.
1. I love to travel,
and am passionate about visiting new places. My motto is: never visit the same
location twice. Well — I’ve disregarded my own rule a few times, but otherwise,
I stick to it as best I can. I’m slowly checking off destinations on my bucket
list, and have journeyed to six of seven continents. I’ll let you decide which
one I have yet to step foot on . . .
2. I was accidentally
hit in the head with a baseball bat and sported black and blue eyes for eight
grade graduation. A well-meaning elderly man thought I had applied my makeup
incorrectly. The ironic thing is — I am not a sports fan!
3. When I was a
junior in high school my first job was — no joke — in a Chinese laundromat.
4. My secret desire?
To get caught up in a flash mob singing a tune from a favorite musical.
5. When I was in
elementary school, I begged my Mom for a baby alligator from Florida, trying to
convince her we could keep it in our bathtub. She gently asked me what I would
do once it grew to full-size. I pondered the question for a minute or two, and
reluctantly backed down.
Why did you choose to write this book?
I have a soft
spot for kids in the Bible who have no name and backstory, but have made a huge
impact on the people around them. So, I chose the story of Naaman’s wife’s
servant girl from 2 Kings 5. I gave Miriam a name AND a feasible backstory! I
try to stay as close to the historical account as possible.
What one thing about writing do
you wish non-writers would understand?
Authors are not passionate about writing for financial gain, but because
we have a story to tell the world that can’t be squelched. We want to impact
lives!
What is the toughest test you've
faced as a writer?
Hmmmm. I guess I have to say receiving one manuscript rejection after
another. One year, I submitted to agents and editors twice a month. That’s over
24 submissions which ended up as a ‘no’ or ignored, as I watched other kid lit
authors sign contracts and find agents after only a few tries. It will happen
when the time is right. My career is in God’s hands.
What do you hope readers to take away from your
novel?
There’s
always hope when God is allowed to write our story. He has conceived it, so He
will bring it to pass in the best way possible.
What
accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not?
I wouldn’t consider this an accomplishment, per se, but
I have the ability to fit into whichever culture or country I am visiting at
the time. Often, while traveling, folks can’t tell by my speech that I’m
American. They say I have more of a cosmopolitan accent. And I love to eat,
speak and live as they do. From ‘85 to ‘87 I taught missionary children in an
isolated village of Papua New Guinea. Even there I tried to fit in by carrying
a load in a woven bag on my back with most of the weight resting on the strap
across my forehead, just like the local women.
Please give us
the first page of the book.
C H A P T E R O N
E
“RUN! RUN, MY DAUGHTER! DON’T let them see you!”
Miriam’s mother cried in alarm, shielding baby Zacchaeus in her long robes. She
watched, helpless, as her precious child ran to escape the oncoming invasion.
Picking up
her skirts, the young girl fled down the center of the Shunem town market,
following the frantic path of others, terror- stricken by the billowing clouds
of dust gathering in the distance. As the villagers ran for their lives,
baskets of fruits and vegetables, nuts and spices were carelessly scattered on
the parched ground. Carts of fish and goat’s cheese were upset, the sound of
splintering and cracking adding to the mayhem as striped awnings ripped from
their door frames. Goats and sheep scattered, and those who could not be freed
from their leads bleated in fear. Shouts of the Syrian army, and the sound of
clomping horse’s hooves on the stone pavement signaled the enemy’s advance.
Cries and screams escaped from the villagers as they dropped a trail of
precious belongings in their flight. A keepsake and a fresh loaf of bread meant
nothing. Only their lives mattered now.
Miriam eyed
another overturned cart, its sweets scattered in the dust, and swiftly darted
behind it to evade the soldiers’ haunting advances. She covered her face with
the cloth from her head covering, tucking it in to hide her maturing face.
Heart pounding, she took a deep breath, pressing her head against the rugged
wood, praying no one had seen her.
What do you do for fun when not
writing?
I love to take tours and visit museums, especially when they relate to
history. Travel is my go to inspiration, so I take advantage of it whenever
possible. Next on my bucket list is a cruise through Scandinavia or a stay in a
Mongolian yurt! And I have to admit, I love to be pampered with a facial or
massage, but it’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed one.
What are you working on
now?
I have three
other middle-grade novels, set in England, Spain, and the 1893 World Columbian
Exposition. The latter novel I’ve been submitting to publishers and agents, so
I would be blessed if it was in God’s plan for it to be snatched up in 2019!
Jarm
(‘J’ pronounced as a 'Y') Del Boccio finds her inspiration in everyday life,
but in particular, when she travels the globe, observing the quirky things that
happen along the way. Focusing on lives of characters from the past, Jarm is
devoted to breathing new life into the pages of history.
Jarm
has a background in elementary and high school education, and served for seven
years as a school librarian. Grateful for the opportunity, she taught three
missionary kids in an isolated area of Papua New Guinea. She is part of SCBWI
and American Christian Fiction Writers, and has published articles in "The
Old Schoolhouse" magazine.
“The
Heart Changer,” her debut MG historical/biblical fiction, releases with
Ambassador International April 26th 2019. Jarm is content with the journey God
has placed her on, and lives with her husband, adult daughter and son (when he
lands at home) in a tree-lined suburb of Chicago. You can connect on her author’s
website/blog at: https://www.jarmdelboccio.com/
"My Passion is to Make Scripture and History Come Alive
for my Readers: Illuminating the Past. Making Sense of the Present. Offering
Hope for the Future.”
Where else can readers find you online?
Instagram: @JarmDelBoccio
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