Michael Schmicker's Blog, page 2
June 7, 2016
An Irish Haunting (BOOK REVIEW)
14 March, 1913. County Fermanagh, Ireland.
Widow Murphy is scared.
An uninvited something haunts the farm where she, son James, and her five daughters eke out a living. It starts with scratching sounds in the hayloft above the cottage. A rat? It moves closer – knocks in the dead of night on the children’s bedpost. The spooky raps move to the ceiling, become a hammering. An unseen force presses itself against young Nora’s chest. She cries out, the girls flee downstairs to huddle near the fire.
In shades of Peter Blatty’s “Exorcist,” the distraught mother summons a priest. Father Smyth hurries over, says Mass to settle down the widow and her neighbors, then forcefully commands it –whatever “it” is – to depart “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost!”
It refuses.
As Ray Bradbury famously put it, “Something wicked this way comes.” In Dianne Ascroft’s softly menacing short novel “An Unbidden Visitor,” the wicked turns out to be a classic poltergeist.
I spent three years researching my first book on scientific anomalies, “Best Evidence.” I still recall how surprised I was at the accumulated, credible evidence for “noisy ghosts” (from the German poltergeist). Parapsychologists are split on what a poltergeist is. The late Dr. William Roll leaned towards psychokinesis as an explanation. He noticed how often an emotionally repressed or troubled teen – typically a young girl – appeared to be the focus of the poltergeist events. His hypothesis? Internal rage explodes into physical manifestations (in Ascroft’s novel, young Annie is the focus). More daring researchers cede to Occam’s razor, accepting discarnates as an equally logical, more intellectually honest, fit for the facts.
Great Britain is famous for its poltergeists. England’s venerable Society for Psychic Research boasts several celebrated, credible investigators – I was particularly impressed by the work of Guy Lyon Playfair, who painstakingly documented the notorious Enfield poltergeist case. Author Ascroft closely bases her own novel on Northern Ireland’s real-life “Cooneen Ghost” case.
In her retelling of the event, Ascroft avoids Hollywood theatrics, focusing primarily on the personal and psychological damage the paranormal encounter wreaks on the family. Friends stop visiting – fearful the creepy phenomenon will follow them home. Whispers and speculations grow. The widow is to blame – her deceased husband Mick is haunting the farm. Daughter Annie’s boyfriend shuns her, scared he’ll “catch her queerness.” Schoolmates accuse another daughter of worshipping the devil. As the widow Murphy plaintively tells Fr. Smyth, “Folks are afraid of us.” Worst of all, they may lose the farm. Neighbors beg off helping them save the potatoes and bring in the hay, leaving only son James to shoulder the work alone – a physically impossible chore. The family is sleepless, exhausted, anxious, increasingly isolated from the community. We see everything through the lens of their personal suffering.
In real-life, the Cooneen story is quite dramatic. Eyewitness accounts describe plates rising off the table, flying across the room and smashing to bits against the wall; a bed levitates several inches off the floor; pots and pans sail through the air; loud groans are heard; mysterious shapes appear and disappear on the wall. Googling the case, I discovered that in 2010 a famous UK psychic, Marion Goodfellow, toured the derelict home as part of a BBC series on “Northern Ireland’s Greatest Haunts.” She came away seriously shaken, calling it the scariest place she ever visited.
In the novel, the Murphys plead with their local bishop to conduct a formal exorcism. If it fails to drive away the entity, they’ll face a terrible choice – hang on, and try to tough it out (James’s wish); or cut their losses and sell the farm before notoriety radically devalues it (Mrs. Murphy’s pick). For just $1, you can buy the e-book and find out what happens next.
Ascroft’s deep understanding and judicious references to Irish culture and language adds texture to the tale. During four centuries of Protestant British occupation and harsh oppression, the Irish clung tenaciously to their land and their religion. Ascroft’s characters rhythm their lives to a Catholic calendar, Lent and Michaelmas; people “dander down” to fields to scythe hay; James goes out “ceilidhing” (partying); widows place bluebells on churchyard graves; “Dad” is “Da.” The evocative book cover is iconic Ireland.
Surprisingly, Ascroft herself is Canadian. She moved to Britain in 1990, settling with her husband on a small farm in Northern Ireland where she’s a member of the Fermanagh Authors Association and regular contributor to the "Fermanagh Miscellany." Her Kindle books are bargain-priced; her short-story collections enticing; and her fine novel “Hitler and Mars Bars” deserves more attention.
Widow Murphy is scared.
An uninvited something haunts the farm where she, son James, and her five daughters eke out a living. It starts with scratching sounds in the hayloft above the cottage. A rat? It moves closer – knocks in the dead of night on the children’s bedpost. The spooky raps move to the ceiling, become a hammering. An unseen force presses itself against young Nora’s chest. She cries out, the girls flee downstairs to huddle near the fire.
In shades of Peter Blatty’s “Exorcist,” the distraught mother summons a priest. Father Smyth hurries over, says Mass to settle down the widow and her neighbors, then forcefully commands it –whatever “it” is – to depart “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost!”
It refuses.
As Ray Bradbury famously put it, “Something wicked this way comes.” In Dianne Ascroft’s softly menacing short novel “An Unbidden Visitor,” the wicked turns out to be a classic poltergeist.
I spent three years researching my first book on scientific anomalies, “Best Evidence.” I still recall how surprised I was at the accumulated, credible evidence for “noisy ghosts” (from the German poltergeist). Parapsychologists are split on what a poltergeist is. The late Dr. William Roll leaned towards psychokinesis as an explanation. He noticed how often an emotionally repressed or troubled teen – typically a young girl – appeared to be the focus of the poltergeist events. His hypothesis? Internal rage explodes into physical manifestations (in Ascroft’s novel, young Annie is the focus). More daring researchers cede to Occam’s razor, accepting discarnates as an equally logical, more intellectually honest, fit for the facts.
Great Britain is famous for its poltergeists. England’s venerable Society for Psychic Research boasts several celebrated, credible investigators – I was particularly impressed by the work of Guy Lyon Playfair, who painstakingly documented the notorious Enfield poltergeist case. Author Ascroft closely bases her own novel on Northern Ireland’s real-life “Cooneen Ghost” case.
In her retelling of the event, Ascroft avoids Hollywood theatrics, focusing primarily on the personal and psychological damage the paranormal encounter wreaks on the family. Friends stop visiting – fearful the creepy phenomenon will follow them home. Whispers and speculations grow. The widow is to blame – her deceased husband Mick is haunting the farm. Daughter Annie’s boyfriend shuns her, scared he’ll “catch her queerness.” Schoolmates accuse another daughter of worshipping the devil. As the widow Murphy plaintively tells Fr. Smyth, “Folks are afraid of us.” Worst of all, they may lose the farm. Neighbors beg off helping them save the potatoes and bring in the hay, leaving only son James to shoulder the work alone – a physically impossible chore. The family is sleepless, exhausted, anxious, increasingly isolated from the community. We see everything through the lens of their personal suffering.
In real-life, the Cooneen story is quite dramatic. Eyewitness accounts describe plates rising off the table, flying across the room and smashing to bits against the wall; a bed levitates several inches off the floor; pots and pans sail through the air; loud groans are heard; mysterious shapes appear and disappear on the wall. Googling the case, I discovered that in 2010 a famous UK psychic, Marion Goodfellow, toured the derelict home as part of a BBC series on “Northern Ireland’s Greatest Haunts.” She came away seriously shaken, calling it the scariest place she ever visited.
In the novel, the Murphys plead with their local bishop to conduct a formal exorcism. If it fails to drive away the entity, they’ll face a terrible choice – hang on, and try to tough it out (James’s wish); or cut their losses and sell the farm before notoriety radically devalues it (Mrs. Murphy’s pick). For just $1, you can buy the e-book and find out what happens next.
Ascroft’s deep understanding and judicious references to Irish culture and language adds texture to the tale. During four centuries of Protestant British occupation and harsh oppression, the Irish clung tenaciously to their land and their religion. Ascroft’s characters rhythm their lives to a Catholic calendar, Lent and Michaelmas; people “dander down” to fields to scythe hay; James goes out “ceilidhing” (partying); widows place bluebells on churchyard graves; “Dad” is “Da.” The evocative book cover is iconic Ireland.
Surprisingly, Ascroft herself is Canadian. She moved to Britain in 1990, settling with her husband on a small farm in Northern Ireland where she’s a member of the Fermanagh Authors Association and regular contributor to the "Fermanagh Miscellany." Her Kindle books are bargain-priced; her short-story collections enticing; and her fine novel “Hitler and Mars Bars” deserves more attention.
May 28, 2016
Can't wait!
Narrator Derek Perkins tweet from this morning.
Vulgar Italian trickster or genuine Spiritualist? I'll find out when I start to record The Witch of Napoli today! pic.twitter.com/DCllj36YC8
— Derek Perkins (@derecp26) May 27, 2016
Witch Free June 7-9
All: On June 7-9, 2016, the Kindle edition of the Witch will be free as part of a major, international BookBub/Amazon Select promotion. Check your BookBub email feed or Amazon to download.
If you have friends who like historical fiction with a parannormal twist, you might want to let them know.
Aloha and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
If you have friends who like historical fiction with a parannormal twist, you might want to let them know.
Aloha and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
Alessandra Bewitched by Brit
It's a match made in heaven.
So proud to announce that award-winning British narrator Derek Perkins has been chosen to dramatize “The Witch of Napoli.”
Derek has voiced over 200 audiobooks, and sports a bookshelf crowded with industry awards -- multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards; AudioFile Best Voice (Biography & History); Society of Voice Arts double finalist; and Audie nominee in 2015 & 2106. As one Audible Editor declared, Derek’s voice is “both intimate and intellectual, immediate and poetically lofty.” I couldn’t agree more. You can sample his vocal talent here: http://www.thederekperkins.com/.
I had a fun email exchange with Derek when we inked the deal (he now lives in Massachusetts). “I think you'll enjoy narrating the Witch,” I wrote. “The narrator is an Italian, and the heroine is a fiery, tough, 40-year-old Neapolitan woman. She’s based on a real person, Eusapia Palladino (1854-1918). Curious to hear your vocalization of her.”
He’s a consummate pro, but graciously solicited my input.
“I’ll be starting to prep for the Witch very shortly,” he mailed back. “Let me know if there is anything else you would want me to be aware of, or take into account, as I start to record. Can I contact you if I am stumped by any specific pronunciations (my resources usually get me through most)?”
I shared my two secret concerns. How would he, a male, handle the voice of Alessandra, an emotional woman? More importantly, how would he do Tommaso, the Italian narrator -- would he try to carry an Italian accent throughout the story? Would it end up sounding like a Mafia B-movie?
I was relieved by his answer. “It would be quite a stretch to maintain a full-on Italian accent for the duration of the book. I’ll play around with this a bit, but my sense is always to err on the side of what best helps the performance connect with the listener. If I think my accent won’t allow that to happen, I’d rather read it ’straight,’ or with just a slight intonation to denote the person is not English.”
I grinned as I hit the reply button. “Couldn't agree more. A pretty straight read for the Italians would seem to me to be best. The villain, however, is an upper-crust Englishman; that's an accent I'm sure you’ll have fun with. There's also French and German minor characters, tailor-made for your dialect skills.”
It’s Memorial Day weekend, and the ball is now rolling. Derek is cooped up in his studio, and I’m hitting the beach this afternoon to devour Derek’s new book. He just came out with a how-to manual for aspiring narrators. I’m going to educate myself a bit about the mysterious craft he practices so brilliantly.
Meanwhile, I just noticed that Tantor Media, the audiobook producer, has already started pre-sales on the Witch Amazon page. You click a button and they send you an email as soon as the audiobook is available (July 12, 2016). Unabridged CD and MP-3 CD versions will also be available.
Can hardly wait to hear Derek intoning the opening line of the novel: “Alessandra is dead.”
It’s going to be Christmas in July for this excited author!
Aloha all,
Michael
So proud to announce that award-winning British narrator Derek Perkins has been chosen to dramatize “The Witch of Napoli.”
Derek has voiced over 200 audiobooks, and sports a bookshelf crowded with industry awards -- multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards; AudioFile Best Voice (Biography & History); Society of Voice Arts double finalist; and Audie nominee in 2015 & 2106. As one Audible Editor declared, Derek’s voice is “both intimate and intellectual, immediate and poetically lofty.” I couldn’t agree more. You can sample his vocal talent here: http://www.thederekperkins.com/.
I had a fun email exchange with Derek when we inked the deal (he now lives in Massachusetts). “I think you'll enjoy narrating the Witch,” I wrote. “The narrator is an Italian, and the heroine is a fiery, tough, 40-year-old Neapolitan woman. She’s based on a real person, Eusapia Palladino (1854-1918). Curious to hear your vocalization of her.”
He’s a consummate pro, but graciously solicited my input.
“I’ll be starting to prep for the Witch very shortly,” he mailed back. “Let me know if there is anything else you would want me to be aware of, or take into account, as I start to record. Can I contact you if I am stumped by any specific pronunciations (my resources usually get me through most)?”
I shared my two secret concerns. How would he, a male, handle the voice of Alessandra, an emotional woman? More importantly, how would he do Tommaso, the Italian narrator -- would he try to carry an Italian accent throughout the story? Would it end up sounding like a Mafia B-movie?
I was relieved by his answer. “It would be quite a stretch to maintain a full-on Italian accent for the duration of the book. I’ll play around with this a bit, but my sense is always to err on the side of what best helps the performance connect with the listener. If I think my accent won’t allow that to happen, I’d rather read it ’straight,’ or with just a slight intonation to denote the person is not English.”
I grinned as I hit the reply button. “Couldn't agree more. A pretty straight read for the Italians would seem to me to be best. The villain, however, is an upper-crust Englishman; that's an accent I'm sure you’ll have fun with. There's also French and German minor characters, tailor-made for your dialect skills.”
It’s Memorial Day weekend, and the ball is now rolling. Derek is cooped up in his studio, and I’m hitting the beach this afternoon to devour Derek’s new book. He just came out with a how-to manual for aspiring narrators. I’m going to educate myself a bit about the mysterious craft he practices so brilliantly.
Meanwhile, I just noticed that Tantor Media, the audiobook producer, has already started pre-sales on the Witch Amazon page. You click a button and they send you an email as soon as the audiobook is available (July 12, 2016). Unabridged CD and MP-3 CD versions will also be available.
Can hardly wait to hear Derek intoning the opening line of the novel: “Alessandra is dead.”
It’s going to be Christmas in July for this excited author!
Aloha all,
Michael
May 18, 2016
Grab your earphones -- The Witch goes audiobook
Aloha all:
Our witchy heroine Alessandra gets a voice this July. I’m excited to announce that Tantor Media has bought the global audio rights to the Witch of Napoli. Just completed the negotiations last week. Tantor approached me out of the blue with an offer I couldn’t refuse, and we inked the deal in short order.
What sold me? The Witch will be joining some rather august company -- Tantor Audio titles include National Book Award winners, Man Booker Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize winners and New York Times Best Sellers.
The Witch debuts in July (can’t wait!) and will be available on Amazon and Audible in three formats -- audiobook, CD and MP3-CD. My sincere thanks to Tantor staffers Kristen Hummel (acquisitions), Brandy Lawrence (production), Nicole Broderick (contracts), and Brittany Hemingway (CD cover) for their cheerful, efficient professionalism in quickly putting the project together.
Next up? Select the narrator. I negotiated final say on choosing the “voice” of the novel and its extensive cast of characters -- Alessandra, Tommaso, Huxley, etc. I’ll be listening through Tantor’s list of over 250 pro narrators, sampling their work.
Want to help me decide on a narrator? Here’s the link where you’ll find the choices. https://tantor.com/narrator.html Click on a name, then one of his/her books, then click the “audio sample” button. Who would spin the Witch tale best – man or woman narrator? American or Brit accent? Someone specializing in historical fiction? Romance? Paranormal?
I’m always interested in your opinions. The book owes its success to you all!
Our witchy heroine Alessandra gets a voice this July. I’m excited to announce that Tantor Media has bought the global audio rights to the Witch of Napoli. Just completed the negotiations last week. Tantor approached me out of the blue with an offer I couldn’t refuse, and we inked the deal in short order.
What sold me? The Witch will be joining some rather august company -- Tantor Audio titles include National Book Award winners, Man Booker Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize winners and New York Times Best Sellers.
The Witch debuts in July (can’t wait!) and will be available on Amazon and Audible in three formats -- audiobook, CD and MP3-CD. My sincere thanks to Tantor staffers Kristen Hummel (acquisitions), Brandy Lawrence (production), Nicole Broderick (contracts), and Brittany Hemingway (CD cover) for their cheerful, efficient professionalism in quickly putting the project together.
Next up? Select the narrator. I negotiated final say on choosing the “voice” of the novel and its extensive cast of characters -- Alessandra, Tommaso, Huxley, etc. I’ll be listening through Tantor’s list of over 250 pro narrators, sampling their work.
Want to help me decide on a narrator? Here’s the link where you’ll find the choices. https://tantor.com/narrator.html Click on a name, then one of his/her books, then click the “audio sample” button. Who would spin the Witch tale best – man or woman narrator? American or Brit accent? Someone specializing in historical fiction? Romance? Paranormal?
I’m always interested in your opinions. The book owes its success to you all!
March 18, 2016
Paula and Me
Aloha all:
Just found out that The Witch of Napoli has won a 2015 Chanticleer Paranormal Award (Supernatural Fiction). I'm truly honored. Chanticleer reviews and awards are highly respected in the ever-expanding indie book world.
My good friend and fellow author Paula Cappa also won a Paranormal Award for "Greylock." Here's the blurb I penned for her wonderful book when it first came out: "Tchaikovsky meets The Shining in Gothic Readers Award winner Paula Cappa’s newest supernatural thriller – an intricate symphony of music, madness and murder. If you’re looking for an imaginative, sophisticated read, you’ve found it. Five stars."
If you get a chance, definitely check out Paula's paranormal thriller!
Just found out that The Witch of Napoli has won a 2015 Chanticleer Paranormal Award (Supernatural Fiction). I'm truly honored. Chanticleer reviews and awards are highly respected in the ever-expanding indie book world.
My good friend and fellow author Paula Cappa also won a Paranormal Award for "Greylock." Here's the blurb I penned for her wonderful book when it first came out: "Tchaikovsky meets The Shining in Gothic Readers Award winner Paula Cappa’s newest supernatural thriller – an intricate symphony of music, madness and murder. If you’re looking for an imaginative, sophisticated read, you’ve found it. Five stars."
If you get a chance, definitely check out Paula's paranormal thriller!
February 21, 2016
Got Book?
Aloha all: I recently re-connected with a friend of mine in NYC, Jaida Temperly, a smart, engaging, writer-focused lit agent at the New Leaf Literary and Media agency. She''s looking to build her list of authors.
I'm guessing some of you dream of publishing a book yourself (Right?!) If you've got a great, finished manuscript languishing in your desk drawer, here's your chance. Visit their website at www.newleafliterary.com and carefully read the submissions requirements.
Jaida is looking for middle grade and young adult titles, although she has a particular love for quirky, dark stories (The Mysterious Benedict Society, Coraline, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library). For Adult Fiction, she loves those with strong mystery, high fantasy, or religious undertones (The Westing Game, A Discovery of Witches, A Game of Thrones, The Da Vinci Code). She’s also open to picture books by author-illustrators with completed dummies.
Don't be afraid -- I promise she won't bite, Despite working over-caffeinated hours in the uber-competitive Big Apple, she's originally from Wisconsin, with Midwest manners. With luck, you'll score representation and be off on a grand adventure; if you don't, you'll still come away feeling like someone took your dream seriously.
I'm guessing some of you dream of publishing a book yourself (Right?!) If you've got a great, finished manuscript languishing in your desk drawer, here's your chance. Visit their website at www.newleafliterary.com and carefully read the submissions requirements.
Jaida is looking for middle grade and young adult titles, although she has a particular love for quirky, dark stories (The Mysterious Benedict Society, Coraline, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library). For Adult Fiction, she loves those with strong mystery, high fantasy, or religious undertones (The Westing Game, A Discovery of Witches, A Game of Thrones, The Da Vinci Code). She’s also open to picture books by author-illustrators with completed dummies.
Don't be afraid -- I promise she won't bite, Despite working over-caffeinated hours in the uber-competitive Big Apple, she's originally from Wisconsin, with Midwest manners. With luck, you'll score representation and be off on a grand adventure; if you don't, you'll still come away feeling like someone took your dream seriously.
January 6, 2016
USA Best Books Award
Just found out the Witch won a: "USA Best Books Award 2015" (New Age Fiction category). Nice way to start 2016.
The Witch and the Monkey
Aloha all: Happy Year of the Monkey 2016! The Chinese zodiac is highly popular out here in Hawaii. If you were born in any of the following years, you're a monkey: 1944, 1956, 1968,1980,1992, or 2004. The Chinese believe if you're born in a year of the Monkey, you are witty, intelligent, and have a magnetic personality. Personality traits, like mischievousness, curiosity, and cleverness also make you very naughty. :) Sounds like you're someone fun to be around!
If you're a Monkey (no cheating!), email me at schmickermichael@gmail.com and I'll send you a free ebook (mobi or epub format ) copy of the Witch.
If you're not, Goodreads is giving away 2 signed paperback copies of the Witch of Napoli. The contest ends Jan. 15. Here's the link: http://bit.ly/1VJBJd0
Happy New Year all!
If you're a Monkey (no cheating!), email me at schmickermichael@gmail.com and I'll send you a free ebook (mobi or epub format ) copy of the Witch.
If you're not, Goodreads is giving away 2 signed paperback copies of the Witch of Napoli. The contest ends Jan. 15. Here's the link: http://bit.ly/1VJBJd0
Happy New Year all!
December 7, 2015
Love in the Time of Heterodoxy (Book Review)
Ask any author – sinners are more interesting than saints.
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), Father of the Church and author of the seminal "Confessions of Saint Augustine," was decidedly both. In "The Saint’s Mistress," Kathryn Bashaar cleverly conjures up an imagined heroine who brilliantly illuminates Augustine’s life by sharing her fictional own.
Strong-willed, tenacious Leona is Augustine’s celebrated mistress, mother of his child, teller of his tale, and – at the risk of heresy – ultimately the more interesting of the two.
Speculative theology is thin milk compared to the richness, contradictions, longings, and doubts each of us experience as we grapple with the spiritual. Augustine’s airy, philosophical gymnastics are exhausting and desiccated; in dramatic contrast, Leona’s personal path to God runs through her only child. I quickly found myself less interested in the fate of Christian orthodoxy (as Augustine battles Manicheans, Neo-Platonists, and other heretics) than in the fate of Leona and their child. God can take care of himself; a child needs a father and mother. From hot, dusty North Africa to eternal Rome and back, the trio travel, while the tortured Augustine wrestles with sexual, religious and philosophical conundrums, leaving Leona to fend off her imperious mother-in-law who wants Leona out of Augustine’s bed and life.
During its 2,000 year historical evolution, the followers of Jesus gradually ossified into a male-dominated, sexist Christianity that severely marginalized the role of women – forfeiting insights, inspiration and leadership from fully half the human population. Sad. "The Saint’s Mistress" feminizes early Christianity in a quiet but visceral way, leaving this reader convinced a true male-female partnership might have given birth to a much different – and better – religion.
Readers familiar with Christianity’s historical roots will mine the most from this unique love story.
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), Father of the Church and author of the seminal "Confessions of Saint Augustine," was decidedly both. In "The Saint’s Mistress," Kathryn Bashaar cleverly conjures up an imagined heroine who brilliantly illuminates Augustine’s life by sharing her fictional own.
Strong-willed, tenacious Leona is Augustine’s celebrated mistress, mother of his child, teller of his tale, and – at the risk of heresy – ultimately the more interesting of the two.
Speculative theology is thin milk compared to the richness, contradictions, longings, and doubts each of us experience as we grapple with the spiritual. Augustine’s airy, philosophical gymnastics are exhausting and desiccated; in dramatic contrast, Leona’s personal path to God runs through her only child. I quickly found myself less interested in the fate of Christian orthodoxy (as Augustine battles Manicheans, Neo-Platonists, and other heretics) than in the fate of Leona and their child. God can take care of himself; a child needs a father and mother. From hot, dusty North Africa to eternal Rome and back, the trio travel, while the tortured Augustine wrestles with sexual, religious and philosophical conundrums, leaving Leona to fend off her imperious mother-in-law who wants Leona out of Augustine’s bed and life.
During its 2,000 year historical evolution, the followers of Jesus gradually ossified into a male-dominated, sexist Christianity that severely marginalized the role of women – forfeiting insights, inspiration and leadership from fully half the human population. Sad. "The Saint’s Mistress" feminizes early Christianity in a quiet but visceral way, leaving this reader convinced a true male-female partnership might have given birth to a much different – and better – religion.
Readers familiar with Christianity’s historical roots will mine the most from this unique love story.
