Debut author Kristen Wolf holds a Master's degree in creative writing, so she's been trained in the art of the sentence. Even so, she says she had a difficult time finding herself a publisher for her first novel.
All she did was to take an old story and tell it in a new way. It's the new way that created a bit of a snag. Ms. Wolf's debut novel, The Way, tells the story of Jesus...except Jesus is a woman.
It's a literary twist that has all the makings of a controversy. However, controversy creates buzz and buzz sells books, so we're good here.
Her reason for writing on such a topic?
Like so many Catholic women, she felt pushed off to the side by a male hierarchy that forbids a female to preach the gospel. The liturgy that Ms. Wolf followed was overrun by males, and the few females that were allowed into the story were heavily marginalized. After all, it was Mary Magdalene who was reduced to the role of repentant prostitute when the historical record holds an entirely different set of facts.
The author's imagination filled in the gaps of the "what if" scenario, and a novel was born. A retelling like this is fodder for book groups (those that actually discuss books rather than use the time to down a couple of pints). Debating the preachiness factor could fill a couple of hours with ease, and those who didn't read the book on time just might be compelled to finish it after all, to see what the fuss is about.
Write what you know. Add a unique twist.
And remember, there are more things known to you than you might realize at first glance. Sprinkle in a dash of imagination, and your next novel is already forming up in your head.
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