What If… | Stephanie Landsem

As I navigate this new phase of my life, the one where my children are (somewhat) self-sufficient teenagers and I’m a (somewhat) successful author of historical fiction, I’m often asked one particular question. When did I know I wanted to write historical fiction? And why Biblical fiction, of all things?

From my earliest days, I loved history and daydreamed of far-off times and places. And I loved fiction: historical fiction, thrillers, mysteries . . . anything I could get my hands on. Still, I was a pragmatist—practical, sensible—writing stories as a career was nothing more than a flight of fancy.

So I went to college ready for hours in the lab as a biology major. Instead, something happened . . . I took my first college level history course. Pragmatism flew out the window, and I spent the next four years studying ancient Greece, imperial Russia, and medieval Europe. Unfortunately—and just as I’d suspected— there weren’t paying jobs for people who could write a thesis on the differences between Spartans and Athenians.

As twenty years passed, I exchanged research papers for marketing, and marketing for the joys of motherhood. Four children, volunteering, carpooling, and answering the inevitable what’s-for-dinner had filled my days for so long that when my youngest daughter entered school, I wasn’t sure what to do.

“What would you do if you could do anything?” my oldest daughter asked me one day.

Anything? I had to think about that. My answer came harder than I expected, perhaps because it had been buried for so long—percolating in the back of my mind as I’d changed diapers and read bedtime stories. “I guess I’d write historical fiction.”

“Then why aren’t you doing it?” she asked, with all the confidence of a twelve year old who still thought her mother could do anything.

Why, indeed? Because I didn’t know where to start. Because I’d never taken a writing course in my life. Because I might not be any good.

But my daughter was right. It was time to try. And if I fell flat on my face it wouldn’t be because I didn’t’ give it everything I had. I had a story, one that had come to me one morning as I’d heard the gospel account of the Samaritan woman at the well. And so I sat down to write.

The first day, I felt like an imposter. Who did I think I was . . . Anita Diamant? Francine Rivers? I was no Biblical scholar and certainly no wordsmith. Heck, I didn’t even know what a synopsis was. But I did want to help people experience the kind of life Jesus lived—to imagine meeting the Incarnation face to face. And so I started typing.

It wasn’t easy. But with hours of research, an online thesaurus, and plenty of prayer, I finally saw a book take shape. It was too long, too wordy, and didn’t have a ‘hook’. But it was a start.

Today, I’m a full-time writer with one book published (The Well) one releasing this February, (The Thief) and another on its way to my editor’s desk (The Tomb). My goal each day is simple: to transport my readers into the pages of the Bible; to bring the people, places, and cultures of the past alive through the power of story; and hopefully, to give readers of glimpse of what it might be like to meet  Jesus, face to face.

What would you do if you could do anything?

What would you do if you could do anything?  @stephlandsem @Grit_Grace
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More About Stephanie:

Stephanie Landsem writes historical fiction because she loves adventure in far-off times and places. In real life, she’s explored ancient ruins, medieval castles, and majestic cathedrals around the world. Stephanie is equally happy at home in Minnesota with her husband, four children, and three fat cats.  When she’s not writing, she’s feeding the ravenous horde, avoiding housework, and dreaming about her next adventure—whether it be in person or on the page.

Visit Stephanie at her online home at stephanielandsem.com, like her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter or Pinterest!

New from Stephanie:

A Roman centurion longing for peace and a Jewish woman hiding a deadly secret witness a miracle that transforms their lives and leads them to the foot of the cross.

Longinus is a Roman centurion haunted by death and failure. Desperate to escape the accursed Judean province, he accepts a wager. If he can catch the thieves harassing the marketplace before Passover, he’ll earn a transfer away from the troublemaking Jews.

Nissa is a Jewish woman with a sharp tongue and no hope of marriage. Only with the help of Mouse, the best thief in Jerusalem, can she keep her blind brother, Cedron, fed and a roof over their heads.

When a controversial teacher miraculously heals Cedron, Longinus longs to learn more about the mysterious healer. Instead, his journey leads him to Nissa, whose secret will determine the course of both their futures.

Unexpectedly caught up in the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus, they wonder who this teacher is who heals others but does nothing to save himself. Is the mercy he offers in his teachings real, or just another false promise? Can Nissa and Longinus overcome their pasts to find a future free of their shackles?

The Thief is an evocative story of two people trapped in their circumstances and the life-changing power of forgiveness and love.

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