1. This is your third novel written about biblical heroines. What about Deborah’s particular story did you find compelling?
I found Deborah’s personal tale, as described in the Bible, particularly intriguing. The scripture tells us that when Deborah instructed warrior Barak to go out to war against the Canaanites, who threatened Israel with destruction, he demanded that Deborah accompany him to the battlefield. It further recounts that she ended up going with him to his hometown as well. Yet she was a married woman and a mother, and the text does not indicate that the husband, Lapidoth, accompanied her, and certainly her children would not have gone out into the battlefield.
Long before deciding to write the novel, as I read the story, I began asking myself: what did her husband have to say about that? What would ANY husband say if his wife went off to distant parts with another man? It makes good sense that this created marital problems between them. Would they be able to overcome those problems? Further, I asked myself, what transpired between Deborah and Barak when they were together with no husband in sight? These were the aspects of Deborah’s story that I found most compelling, and they prompted me to write the novel, in which I used my imagination to answer these questions.
2. You’ve had to do a significant amount of research in the past to write about the ancient Israelites. Did this new book require new research?
In addition to the research I used for my previous novels, I visited the major sites in which the action of THE The Triumph of Deborah takes place, not once, but twice. These sites include the River Kishon, Mount Tabor, Hazor, where there are excavations of King Jabin’s castle (although you need to use a bit of imagination to visualize how it looked then, in contrast to what it looks like now), and a nearby museum that displays artifacts from the castle.
By the way, as a teenage girl, I lived for three years in a town, which is close to both the River Kishon and Mount Tabor, so I have been familiar with the sites since my youth.
3. One of the subjects of the novel is judgment. There’s Deborah’s revered judgment atop the Mountains of Efraim; the Canaanites’ judgment of the Israelites, and vice versa; and then individual characters judging one another (with or without enough information to make a sound judgment). Did you have a particular theme in mind when you began writing the novel? Did it ever change? What would you consider the most powerful message of the book?
The theme of judgment is certainly prominent in the novel. But, importantly, The Triumph of Deborah brings to life one of the most beloved biblical figures, Deborah, who was not “merely” what we might call today the Chief Justice of the land. In addition, she was also a prophetess, that is, the highest religious authority and an adored political leader, something in the nature of a contemporary president. Arguably, Deborah, was the most eminent woman in the Bible (Old Testament.)
To my mind, the most powerful message of the novel, directly based on that of the Scripture, is that Deborah succeeded in attaining this outstanding position, despite the fact that the circumstances for women—their legal position and status in the family—were most limiting at the time.
Further, the novel shows that, in her own life Deborah was very much a woman, and that her femininity did not detract from her stature as national leader. Thereby it pays tribute to Deborah’s feminine strength and independence from which present day women, seeking to build lives of their own and assert themselves in whatever they choose to do so, may derive inspiration.
The lesson that women today can learn from Deborah is: “I can do it. No matter how difficult the circumstances, I can overcome them.”
As with Deborah, so also with women attaining high-ranking positions today: There is no evidence to show that they are less feminine (attractive, gentle, showing empathy to others, motherly) than stay-at-home moms.
Finally, The Triumph of Deborah describes a prominent woman leader who led her people to war but also to peace. Hence it should be of special relevance in an American presidential election year in which a female candidate is a front runner, a year in which the topic of female leadership in time of war and peace will be most prominent on the agenda.
The message that emerges between the lines of the novel is that a woman leader is capable of leading her nation to war whenever necessary, and to peace whenever possible.
4. Do you see yourself continuing to explore your roots through these stories about biblical heroines? What do you find most rewarding about creating historical fiction that is also based in your faith?
It so happened that rather late in life, as part of searching for my Jewish roots, I began reading the Bible on my own, and I was fascinated by it.
What enthralled me was that the people described in it, although they lived thousands of years ago, were so strikingly similar to us in their hopes and fears and anxieties. That so much has changed, yet human nature has not. I took an amazing journey thousands of years back in time, yet when I arrived, I felt myself back at home.
I was also enchanted by the fact, that the people in the Bible, even the most exalted heroes and heroines, are described not as angels, but as true human beings, with strengths but also with weaknesses, many of which stemmed from their sexuality, and also by the fact that the women in particular are presented as intensely sexual persons.
I began to identify in particular with the women, whose feelings and impulses I could visualize as if they were my own. So I began to write about them, stories of love and betrayal and redemption through more love and friendship, written for reading pleasure, yet meticulously faithful to the Bible—a divine, yet also a very human collection of books.
What I find particularly rewarding is that I was attracted to those heroines as part of searching for my roots in my faith, and the more I wrote, the more my faith was strengthened. Certainly I hope to continue in this vein.
5. Are you writing anything new right now? What can we expect to see from you next?
I am now working on my fourth novel about women in the Bible, temporarily named The Ruse of Tamar. It concerns the second Tamar in the Bible, the daughter of King David, she who was the victim of incestuous rape by her brother Amnon. Based on the biblical text, the novel depicts the trauma that the abuse caused the young girl to suffer, and then goes on to show how in time she succeeds in rebuilding her life through her feminine strength and her love for a mysterious young man, whose true identity is revealed only toward the end of the novel.
All this takes place against the backdrop of various intrigues in King David’s court, which are described in the Bible, and elaborated on in the novel.
However, the novel is still at an initial and rudimentary state, and I can only hope that my readers will bear with me for a while, until I bring it to its conclusion.
What a great interview! I found it really interesting to see that she visits the sites she writes about and even as a young girl lived in a town that was close by. I also like the clear message that she gives that women ‘can do it’. We are strong and we are capable. You can visit her website here for more information on her and her books.
So, onto the GIVEAWAY. Eva has graciously agreed to send a signed copy of The Triumph of Deborah to one lucky winner! (Keep in mind she lives in Israel so the copy may take a few weeks to get to you). So, onto the rules:
- one entry for leaving me a comment here.
- two entries for telling me something you found interesting about the Q&A.
- three entries if you spread the word about this giveaway on your blog.
This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere. I will draw for a winner on Monday, October 20, 2008. Good luck everyone!
Wow I would love to win!! Nice interview!!
I was just looking at this right as you left me a comment! I’m SO in…
Oh! The book sounds awesome 🙂
I would love to get this book 🙂 But can people from Asia take part in the giveaway?! 🙂 Let me know.
The author’s answer to Qs. no 3 is very motivating… AMazing 🙂 “I can do it. No matter how difficult the circumstances, I can overcome them.”
🙂
And I did mention about the giveaway @ http://test-veens.blogspot.com/2008/10/giveaways-and-giveaways.html
Veens, I just sent the author an email to check on that for you. I’ll let you know.
Great interview! Thanks for alerting me to it. 🙂
Having just finished her other book, The Song of Hannah, I would like to read Eva’s other books including this one. So please enter me for this giveaway! Thanks much! bookaddict4life (at) gmail (dot) com.
Thanks! I’ve posted this at Win A Book. No need to enter the contest though.
Dar, this is a great interview! This book is coming up for me shortly and I can’t wait.
Excellent interview! I loved the fact that in researching these characters, she found herself.
Count me in!
Hello Dar.. GREAT interview. I loved it… I am loaded up with books right now … so you don’t have to enter me…but I wanted to comment that this was really really “blog read worthy.” thanks… happy blogging!!!!
Sounds really nice!
Please count me in. Thanks.
avalonne83 [at] yahoo [dot] it
Please enter me – The Triumph of Deborah sounds absolutely riveting. What was especially intriguing to me about the interview was how powerful of a leader Deborah is portrayed to be. In an age where the glass ceiling still very much exists for women, I think it is important to consider how successful women can be as world leaders. Kudos to Eva for writing such an empowering book!
What a great interview! I didn’t know that she was married and had kids when she went off. What a test not only of her character but of her husband’s and their relationship.
No need to enter me, Dar, but I wanted to say what a great interview! I have this one waiting for me and am anxious to read it.
Dar,
Thanks for sharing the Q & A with Eva! I cannot wait to read this book. No need to enter me as I have a copy already. I will blog about your giveaway soon in a giveaways post!
I would love to read this- sounds wonderful!
Dar, as you know I already have the book, but I did enjoy the Q&A. I am SO excited to read the book about Tamar. I've always been intrigued by her story.
Shana
Literarily
Shana, I’m anxious to read her next one too. The other two should arrive today and it’s going to be difficult for me not to pick one up right away.
Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the great interview.
I haven’t read any of Eva’s books yet and I would love the chance. The interview really intriqued me, I loved the statement about how Deborah exemplified female leadership during war and peace. Please enter me and I blogged about this giveaway here.
great interview. looks like a nice read 🙂
Hi Dar,
1. I love stories about biblical
women and what their lives must of been like, especially since the bible leaves out the details concerning the women characters.
2. I found the interview interestig where she was talking about all the “what if’s”, ie: about Deborah’s husband, children, her travels, etc.
Thank you for this offer!
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com
Hi Dar! I thought I signed up for this one, but I guess not. I’m doing my giveaway post right now (mentioning this one and Professors’ Wives’ Club–guess I missed Immortal). Thanks for the giveaway (and I still want to know how you make all this possible!!!).
It must be fantastic to visit places from the Bible, as research for writing a book, then the joy of writing the story. I also like this statement from the author: “It so happened that rather late in life, as part of searching for my Jewish roots, I began reading the Bible on my own, and I was fascinated by it.” We’re never too old to begin on a new adventure!
Please include me in the drawing.
Please enter me too! Thanks,
Sara M
Sararush at hotmail dot com
Thanks for the great interview. It really sounds like a great book, I’ve been seeing a lot of good things about it.
What an interesting interview! Thank you for it, and for the chance to win a copy of this book. I read a lot of ancient history in college. I’ve always found it fascinating that exotic people from so long ago (and far away) are so similar to people of today. We may be separated by cutures, distance, and/or time, but we are all made up of the same stuff. This book is going in my TBR pile one way or another!
geebee.reads at gmail dot com
Nice interview. These historical novels are great, aren’t they? Enter me in the contest please.
florida982002@yahoo dot com
I know I missed the giveaway (still catching up with everything UGH) but I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the interview! This book sounds great!
–Anna
Diary of an Eccentric