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About the Author
Raised by a Mormon mother and a Calvinistic Presbyterian father, as a teenager, Robin Cohn found herself swimming in a sea of religious discussion. Initially the search for “facts” to prove a point motivated her to study the Bible intensely. However, she discovered that the biblical narratives attracted her more strongly than the abstract theological concepts. Buried within the scriptures were bits and pieces of a bigger picture waiting to be explored further. Like an archaeologist she now unearths the buried fragments of the legends and reassembles them into stories for a modern audience.
Ms. Cohn has written short stories, YA novels, poetry and children’s literature which have appeared regularly in regional literary magazines such as Drash: A Northwest Mosaic and publications sponsored by the Artist Trust organization.
After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in the Philosophy of Religion, Robin Cohn continued her education through courses on the subjects of women’s studies, the Bible and writing. She taught religious studies at the high school level and co-founded SIMS, a think tank that hosted the Sunstone theological symposium. She has attended many writers’ conferences, been involved in professional writing organizations and critique groups. In addition, she has completed the Certificate in Writing for Children program through the University of Washington. Recently she returned from living a year in Israel. Judith: Wise Woman of Bethulia is her first novel for adults.
Q&A
Q. What makes Judith unique from all the other women of the Bible books?
A. The story of Judith from the Apocrypha hasn’t been tackled in novel form before. Although the excitement of the plot appeals to a wide audience, those with knowledge of biblical subjects will revel in the intricate interweaving of the Book of Tobit, the stories of Ahiqar and Neo-Assyrian history in the time of King Hezekiah.
Q. Why did you write Judith: Wise Woman of Bethulia?
A. Initially I planned on writing a children’s book bringing the traditional connection of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah to the forefront of the story of Judith. However, the more I researched, the more I wanted to bring to a wider audience the surprising and delightful particulars hidden away in scholarly books and articles. The story of Judith tantalizes me. What motivated the characters to do what they did and say what they did? There are hints of a larger story than the one written down. Like a detective I wanted to uncover what must have happened to make sense of all the details.
Q. How are you qualified to write a historical novel about a woman from the Bible?
A. For most of my adult life I have been fascinated by the women of the Bible. Since I love research, I have scoured libraries around the world and read thousands of books on the subject. I have taken many courses at the university level and beyond on the subject of women’s studies and the Bible. However, I didn’t just want to collect facts to have them wither away in my filing cabinets.
Q. With such a dramatic storyline, why hasn’t any other author tackled Judith’s story?
A. One reason for the literary neglect of the story may be the result of the original author’s intent and writing style. Most scholars have concluded that the text was written in approximately 150 B.C.E. shortly after the land of Judea had overthrown its Hellenistic overlords in the Maccabean revolt. Many commentators believe that the original author intended the story to be a satire of these events. With blatantly false and anachronistic elements, the author alerted the contemporary audience that the story was a thinly guised critique of the abuse the Jews received by the hands of the Seleucids. Unfortunately for modern readers, the “inside jokes” no longer hold currency leaving us with the impression that the author was very confused. I have devised a way to tell the story as cohesive “history” by designing the geography, characters and timeframe to be consistent. I’ve kept the mocking spirit of the original by focusing on the irony inherent in the text. I should also mention that Judith’s story has been immortalized in an Old English epic poem, extensive paintings and sculptures, operas, symphonies, plays, movies and even a modern dance piece by Martha Graham. To my knowledge Judith: Wise Woman of Bethulia is the first treatment of the story as a novel.
Q. Tell us more about your background and the process of writing this manuscript.
A. As a storyteller and amateur archaeologist, I wanted to unearth the missing pieces of Judith's story and reassemble them. With this foundation to work from and a lot of study, I’ve developed a way to reconstruct the old stories for a modern audience. Along the way I’ve married, had two children, converted to Judaism and lived a year in Israel. Due to medical reasons, I have literally camped at my girl’s elementary school while I write, either in the stairwells and hallways or in my RV parked just outside (for which I should be made Chair of the Literary Department!).
Q. What books compete or compare with your manuscript?
A. The most prominent authors who write historical novels about women of the Bible are Orson Scott Card, Marek Halter, Ann Chamberlin, Ann Burton, Anita Diamant, India Edghill, Eva Etzioni-Halevy, Anne Rice and Rebecca Kohn. Many of their works have become international best sellers. Like the better-researched novels, I reach for a high literary standard.
Q. What is your target audience?
A. My story will appeal to readers of women’s fiction, high quality historical fiction, Jewish and Christian study groups (particularly Catholic audiences), book clubs and those who ask “what-if” and enjoy being taken to unknown places and times.
Q. Why should a reader care about your book?
A. It’s fun to read because the characters are intriguing, the time and place of this story are not widely known and therefore new to readers, and the emotional development of Judith is compelling and insightful.
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