Mesu Andrews's Blog, page 3
March 25, 2024
Covid Changed Our Tour Sites and Short Stories Changed Our Hearts
In June of 2018, I began dreaming of returning to Israel for a second trip. My hubby Roy and I had made our first pilgrimage in 2000. We thought a 2020 trip to celebrate my 10th traditionally published novel, Isaiah’s Legacy, was a great reason to organize a readers’ tour of the biblical and historical sites mentioned in my books. We began planning over a year before our March 2020 “Experience the BOOK” tour. It’s hard to remember the days before Covid changed our world, isn’t it? Who could have guessed we would be the last American tour group in Israel when Covid-19 swept the globe? (U.S. travelers pictured above. International tour members met us in Israel.)
As part of a gift package to the readers who joined our tour, I wrote several short stories to read at corresponding biblical or historical sites in Israel. Though Covid changed some of our touring sites, our God still used those stories to work in our hearts. On April 2, 2024, I’ll be releasing 3 of those short stories on Amazon in a collection called, The Nameless Ones–biblical stories about people important enough for Scripture’s record but not mentioned by name. The lives of The 700th Wife, The Water Girl, and The Mole’s Wife were first read aloud on Israel’s soil in unforgettable circumstances…
First Day – Caesarea and Mount Carmel
After our red-eye flight “across the Pond,” we arrived in Tel Aviv at 10am local time. Our amazing guide, Hedva, was at Ben Gurion to greet us. Blurry eyed, but with enough adrenaline to push us, we pressed on with a rush of excitement, anticipation, and awe to explore God’s Promised Land. We began our tour along the Mediterranean Coast in Caesarea with the amphitheater, the remains of Herod’s palace, and the hippodrome.
From there, we traveled to Mount Carmel. We needed a little distraction on the thirty-minute bus ride between the historical and biblical sites. No matter how excited we were to be in Israel, our eyelids were drooping after many of us had gotten little sleep on the plane. Some had been awake for nearly forty-eight hours! So, I began reading aloud the first short story–The Water Girl–a fictional account of the girl who may have gathered the water to pour on Elijah’s altar of sacrifice (1 Kings 18).
Setting the Stage for Elijah
We were about to stand on Mount Carmel, the place where the Prophet Elijah met Queen Jezebel’s 450 prophets of Baal and proved Yahweh’s power greater. I wanted the story to come alive in their groggy minds before we climbed to the top of that mountain (hill).
Could The Water Girl have been one of the “they” mentioned in Scripture who drenched Elijah’s repaired altar before Yahweh’s fire lit the sacrifice?
“Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!'” 1 Kings 18:38–39
Could The Water Girl have needed a personal miracle from God as much as Israel needed relief from the drought?
Covid Invades Our JourneyWhen we left the U.S., we were told by some doctor friends to pack masks “just in case” some crazy new virus from China made its way to Israel. For our first four days of touring Israel’s sites, we were relatively unaffected by the world’s rising panic.
By day 5, however, Covid-19 popped our bubble of oblivion. When we arrived at the Jordan River’s baptismal site, the “robe rental” booth was closed. Why? Because all their employees had the Covid-19 virus!
That same day, Israel closed her borders. We had added a “3-day Petra extension” into the country of Jordan at the end of our tour but planned to re-enter Israel to fly home from Tel Aviv. We were faced with our first difficult decision:
Though our faithful tour director (above) tried every trick in the book to switch our flights to Amman, it seemed everyone else was trying the same thing to get back to the U.S. So, we cancelled Petra to remain within Israel’s borders.
The short story I’d prepared to read on our way to Mt. Nebo, The Shepherd Boy, is included in my 2023 short-story collection, The Edge of Promise. Discover how I imagined a shepherd boy might have been the only witness to Moses’s mysterious death and how the boy’s life was forever changed (see Deut. 34:5-6).
I read The Shepherd Boy on our ascent to Jerusalem instead, trusting the same great God for whatever awaited us there…
To the City of David…
The day we entered Jerusalem was both exciting and unsettling. The first glimpse of its ancient walls and golden dome send a chill down my spine, but it wasn’t the same crowded, bustling city my husband and I remembered from our 2000 pilgrimage. In the wake of Covid’s uncertainties, only stragglers walked the streets. Many tourists had already fled the country. But we had more sites to see and short stories to read!
Before visiting the Western Wall of the Temple, I read The 700th Wife and we pondered together the life of King Solomon. Though the current temple wall dates back to King Herod, it was Solomon who built the original Temple in Jerusalem.
The Bible says King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. So, why did he marry seven hundred women? Who was The 700th Wife? Why did they marry? What was her purpose–political, religious, or personal connection? Because we have no historical record of her identity, my hope is that she influenced the spiritually wayward Solomon to recognize true wisdom in his final days on earth. Perhaps she helped him write these words:
Last Days“Remember Him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:6–7
Covid numbers around the world continued to climb, and fear with them. Israel’s Old City became more and more desolate. Yet our faithful guide, Hedva, continued teaching us. Every day. All day. Rain or shine. Our little band of travelers tramped all over the Old City to soak up every word she poured out.
After three days in Jerusalem, we had only one more day of sites to see before moving to Tel Aviv for three free days to await our return flight home. We’d saved our most anticipated Jerusalem sites for the last day:
The night before, we got this information from the ministry of tourism: All tours within Israel’s borders are to be suspended. Any tour guide found accompanying more than three people will be fined and his/her license suspended. All major historical and biblical sites are closed to the public.
It was the first time I’d cried about Covid’s effects on our tour.
God Wins
During our first trip to Israel in 2000, we hadn’t seen Hezekiah’s Tunnels, and they’d just started the archaeological dig on the City of David. Those two sites and the Petra extension were the main reasons we’d organized the reader tour for 2020. And Covid had cancelled all three. Death counts around the globe were rising. Fear began it strangle hold, and I felt like the enemy against us was winning.
Would Israel close the airport? Could we make it home? Would the U.S. let us in? Would we be quarantined if we made it to the U.S.?
That fear helped me understand what The Mole’s Wife must have experienced as the Assyrian army approached Jerusalem and her husband orchestrated the digging project of Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Every day her husband risked his life by digging through a mountain’s bedrock hundreds of feet below ground. But if he didn’t succeed in creating a tunnel–which connected the Gihon Spring outside the city walls to the well inside the city walls–the whole city would die in a siege.
Ashes to Dancing
I called a meeting that night to tell everyone about our last day’s cancellation and to read aloud The Mole’s Wife (the third short story in The Nameless Ones). After I finished reading, someone pointed out my hubby’s T-shirt from my book, Of Fire and Lions, and the Scripture quoted on the back:
“The God we serve is able to deliver.” Daniel 3:17
Our last day in Jerusalem was a beautiful time for leisurely strolls through the ancient city. With Bibles and/or cameras in hand, we prayerfully focused on deepening our love for God’s people. We spent our final three days in Tel Aviv. No guide. No schedule. We spent that time in self-guided tours to ancient Jaffa and through Israel’s most modern city. Beach walks and wonderful food was the perfect goodbye to a surprising and memorable journey.
On the way to the airport, our bus driver said, “I took one other tour group to the airport this morning. I think you’re our last American tourists in Israel.”
My heart ached a little at the sadness in his voice. “We hope to come back soon,” I told him–and meant it.
Keep watching my blog and newsletter for our next reader tour. We hope to return in the spring of 2026! CLICK HERE to subscribe to my newsletter and never miss “insider” news about my writing and personal photos and news.
For More Information on The Nameless Ones…Because my “Newsies” (newsletter subscribers) ALWAYS get special perks and insider info on my writing process, they’ll receive a special “TNO sneak-peak newsletter” next Monday (On April Fool’s Day, 4/1/24, no foolin’–one day BEFORE release!). This first chapter peek of The Nameless Ones can be found nowhere else!
So, if you’d like to be the first to read about Solomon’s 700th Wife, and get my exclusive monthly writing/life updates and fun giveaways, be sure to subscribe at: https://mesuandrews.com/#newsletter. You’ll also get a free novella! Enjoy!
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
March 7, 2024
Who Is Asenath?
My current WIP (work in progress) is King David’s Brides, so why am I writing a blog about Asenath–the main character of my May 2023 release, In Feast or Famine? Well, because I had a milestone birthday in December–yes, I turned the big 6-0–and my sweet friend/assistant, Amanda, gave me the most unique and amazing gift ever!
Amanda employed the artistic talents of my fellow biblical fiction author, Jenelle Hovde, to create an Asenath more like the beauty we imagined.
A Cover From a Traditional PublisherContrary to popular belief, an author who works with a traditional publisher (Waterbrook, Bethany House, Revell, Tyndale, Zondervan, Thomas Nelson, etc.) has little control over the cover you see on Amazon or a bookstore shelf. Occasionally, I get to help choose a model; most often, not. Usually, I get an email from my marketing director with a “first mock-up” or “rough draft” cover. After fourteen traditionally published books, however, I’ve learned that this so-called rough draft has already been through a significant vetting process.
The marketing and sales committees have discussed how Christian fiction readers, in general, will respond to the font, the model, background photos, and overall design. They’ve researched current trends in book covers and how sales correspond to certain types/styles of cover.
My publisher and their marketing/sales committees definitely know the market, in general, better than I do. But I know MY READERS better than anyone. The publishers I’ve worked with–Revell, Waterbrook, Guideposts, and Bethany House–have been extremely gracious to tweak that first mock-up cover when I make suggestions. But I’ve learned through the years that MAJOR changes likely won’t happen.
Asenath on the IFOF Cover
As you can see, we don’t get a full picture of Asenath on the In Feast or Famine cover. CLICK HERE to read the blog post that shows the multiple cover drafts I was given to choose from and more information about that process.
In Jewish lore, Asenath is touted as the most beautiful woman in all of Egypt–so beautiful, in fact, that her father kept her in a tower to protect her and keep her pure. (CLICK HERE to read my post, An Egyptian Rapunzel: Were Both Joseph and Asenath Held Captive?)
My faithful friend and assistant, Amanda, agreed with me that–though the model on my cover was attractive–she likely wouldn’t be considered the most beautiful woman in ancient Egypt.
So, Amanda asked our friend and author, Jenelle Hovde, to use some of my descriptors of Asenath from In Feast or Famine to paint a more beautiful wife for our handsome Joseph!
Jenelle’s Mock-Ups
I received a text from Amanda on my birthday morning asking, “Are you at home? I need to deliver your gift.”
She lives in Arkansas, and I was living in North Carolina at the time. She’s a very talented virtual assistant, but I couldn’t imagine how she could deliver a gift in person that day! I told her I was at home, so she called me and said, “Look in your inbox.”
Like every good employer, I obeyed my assistant! And there were these three beautiful “mock-ups” (B&W pictures above). Amanda told me the story of hiring Jenelle to paint them (oil painting on her iPad!), which was perfect because Jenelle has also written a biblical novel about Asenath! She knew all the appropriate jewelry, clothing, and backgrounds to use! (CLICK HERE to see all Jenelle’s books.)
The Asenath in My Head
Some authors have a really clear picture of their characters in their minds while they write the story. Others, like me, find photos online and use those images to guide their descriptions. I found Israeli model, Yael Shelbia, early in my research process and envisioned her as my Asenath while writing.
So, when Amanda asked, “Do any of the mock-ups look like the Asenath in your head?”
I was stunned at how VERY MUCH Jenelle’s paintings looked like the Asenath (Yael) I’d described in my book! “YES!” I told Amanda.
“Which mock-up looks MOST like the Asenath in your head?” she asked.
So, I ask YOU–dear reader–which of the three mock-ups would YOU have chosen?
My Choice
When I chose the middle one, Amanda heaved a huge sigh and said, “Check your email again.”
So, again, I happily obeyed and found my choice already prepared in a digital oil painting! I was laughing and crying while trying to get out the words, “How did you know which one I’d choose?”
“Because she just felt like the Asenath you described in your book!” Amanda said.
That’s why she’s my virtual assistant (and dear friend)–not because she gives me great birthday gifts. LOL! 😆 Amanda is special because not only does she read my books but she also cares about getting my books into the hands of the people who need to read the messages.
It’s not about sales numbers or trending cover designs for us though both are VITAL to my continued publishing! I’m so grateful for the caring professionals who guide my writing, marketing, and sales for each traditionally published book. I’m equally grateful for my readers and friends who have a huge impact behind the scenes–like my VA and friend, Amanda.
Thanks for helping make my 60th the best birthday yet! 😉
January 1, 2024
Poll Results “Most Anticipated Eight” 2024 Releases!
Welcome! And thanks for stopping by to see our Biblical Fiction Fans’ “Most Anticipated Eight” 2024 Releases! Congrats to our winning authors! [Mesu fill in the winning books & authors] See All 2024 Releases! CLICK HERE to see the full list of 2024 biblical fiction releases (that were known to me as of 12/15/23). Happy Reading, and a Blessed New ...
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December 25, 2023
“Most Anticipated Eight” 2024 Biblical Fiction
It’s time to begin building your reading list for the New Year! I’ve got a little inside info for you biblical fiction lovers and a plan to help more readers deepen their knowledge of the Bible! You’ll find many of these wonderful biblical fiction titles on the Goodreads, “Most Anticipated Christian Fiction 2024” List. PLEASE CLICK HERE to VOTE, and ...
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November 20, 2023
3 Reasons to Feel Thankful and Secure
It’s no coincidence that we’re days away from the American holiday of Thanksgiving, and I’ve just received my editor’s revisions. Gulp. Lord, why can’t I simply be thankful to publish my books and feel secure in Your favor? But even after having published fifteen books with four traditional publishers and working with many top editors, I’m still anxious and insecure ...
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November 13, 2023
Israel at War: Part I (Nov. 2023)
When my feet stood on the Promised Land in February 2000, I realized Israel is to the world what the heart is to the human body—the epicenter of life and breath. Perhaps it sounds overly dramatic, but when I exited our plane and stepped onto the pavement at Ben Gurion Airport, something inside me shifted. Though I was 6,000 miles ...
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September 18, 2023
Tour Israel With Two Storytellers
We’re Going Back to Israel! On February 17 – March 2, 2025, we’ll take as many as fifty excited readers to Israel and offer an optional extension to Petra! Wait, “WE”? Yep! My dear friend and fellow biblical fiction author, Connilyn Cossette, and I have teamed up! We’re leading a tour that will focus on our greatest passions: God’s Word ...
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August 21, 2023
Control vs. Surrender – Living Victoriously
When I was a little kid, I remember attending old-fashioned “camp meetings” (outdoor revivals in huge, white tents) with my grandmother. The pianist and organist played on a stage with a choirmaster who stood behind a large pulpit. His arms bounced in rhythm with old hymns as the audience belted out, “Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever!” But when the ...
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August 14, 2023
Fact or Fiction – Beauty’s Surrender: Sarah’s Story
In the first pages of Beauty’s Surrender: Sarah’s Story, our heroine receives her very first personal visitation from Elohim in the form of a dream. She sees herself walking alongside Abram, both of them young and vibrant. She wears her familiar wedding garment and the veil of dangling gold coins. When he pulls the veil of gold aside to kiss ...
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July 17, 2023
Ah-Hah! Research Discoveries About Joseph in Egypt
Part of what I love most about research is the stunning discoveries that come with every project. I never dreamed high-priest Jehoiada was in his mid-nineties when he married 16-year-old Jehosheba. (Ewww!) Together, they saved King David’s lineage from Queen Athaliah’s murderous rampage (see 2 Kings 11; In the Shadow of Jezebel). Who’d have thought Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, was a ...
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