We're happy to have E.G. Lewis with us today talking about his book, Witness. To learn more about E.G. and his book, read on!
Title: WITNESS
Publisher: Cape Arago Press
Cover blurb: WITNESS — an old story told in a new way. Young shepherd girl, Rivkah, accompanied her father to a Bethlehem stable and held the baby Jesus…and years later she watched him die on a cross. Meet Shemu’el, the man God destined for Rivkah. Experience a love so strong that neither Caesar's might nor Herod's cruelty could crush it. Witness it all through the eyes of one who lived it.
1) How did this story come to you?
In 2006, while singing Carols during a Christmas service, I began to imagine a young shepherd girl accompanying her father to the stable that first Christmas. I immediately knew she’d want to hold the baby Jesus. I sat down to write this short, sweet Christmas tale knowing only two things; her name was Rivkah, the Aramaic form of Rebecca, and she’d held the Christ child. In no time at all, my little story grew into a full blown book and that single book became The Seeds of Christianity™ Series.
2)Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
When I completed WITNESS I went through the usual query process and, just when I was about to give up, found an agent who loved Rivkah almost as much as I did. Still, Biblical fiction is never an easy sell and the Christian publishers weren’t interested, so my agent decided to run it by the New York trade houses instead. They eventually passed, but by then several CBA editors expressed interest. Through two more rounds of submissions WITNESS garnered lots of praise and no offers. My agent released the book back to me, suggesting I try to place it with a small publisher. About six months later a local publisher, Cape Arago Press, took on the series.
3)Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
The main characters in most of my books have been women; with a wife, three adult daughters, and five granddaughters, I suppose it comes naturally. Also, my books are Biblically and historically accurate. What happens to Rivkah and Shemu’el could, and did happen to people of that era. I once wrote and directed corporate training films. It surprised me, I’d never worked with scripts and sets before.
4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
The second book DISCIPLE, was released this past June. Right now, I’m hard at work on the next one in the series, APOSTLE, which has a February deadline. There’s one more after that and then I can turn to some other ideas I have squirreled away.
5) Parting comments?
I want to thank you for this opportunity to connect with your readers and tell them about Rivkah, WITNESS and The Seeds of Christianity Series™. Writing and researching these books has been a journey of faith.
6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My blog, Sowing the Seeds – The Life and Times of the Early Christians, has lots of interesting articles about the Early Church, Judaism, the Roman Empire, etc. http://seedsofchristianity.com/wordpress/. All of my books are available in hard copy or as eBooks from Amazon and most other internet booksellers, or direct from the publisher, Cape Arago Press, at http://www.capearagopress.com/
