My novel is almost here

Dearest Family,

How many years have your heard me talk about this damned book.  Finally it is going to be published.

I am a month away from publication of my novel Song of Sarai.  I have spent twenty five years developing this story.  It is a woman's spiritual journey.  It is my spiritual journey.  Perhaps, your spiritual journey has similar aspects.

The novel has been condensed from a 1000 page trilogy to a quick read of a few hundred pages.  Gone is the generational back story.  Gone are the flowery descriptions.  What remains are the clear voices of the main characters, looking back upon events in their lives.  Often there is disagreement regarding the "truth" of these events.

Inspired by the scholarship of Savina Teubal, from Berkeley, 25 years ago, I was intrigued by an alternate history of Biblical Sarah and Hagar, the Egyptian.  I have visited the Middle East twice.  I have walked the ground in the story from Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Egypt.  I am passionate about the story.

I care about Sarah's life and times because like for many women of power and spiritual leadership, those who told her story converted her life into that of a barren old crone of little importance.  Her husband Abraham paid a fortune for the land and cave in which she was buried, indicating her status.  Yet, today in Hebron, the building which honors her burial and those that came after is called The Tomb of Abraham or Ibrahimi Mosque.  

Did we forget someone?  Yes.  I'm here to set the record straight, to reimagine the religious life and times of these two archtypal figures.  How do two people reconcile their differences when one worships the feminine divine and the other the masculine divine?  How do modern readers make sense of a very strange, conflicted Biblical story?

I hope you and your friends will be curious and even debate these ideas that are presented?

A discussion guide will be available for book clubs.

I won't bombard you with emails, but I'll honor your wishes if you're not really interested in hearing more.  Thanks for your support in the past.