My Brother's Keeper

NEW EDITION OF MY NOVEL
ABOUT THE FAMILY OF JESUS

My Brother’s Keeper, the historical novel I self-published in 2017, is being republished by Red Penguin Books of New York.

Winner of the Catholic Arts and Letters Award for Best Adult Fiction, this is a somewhat different take on the Christian story, of interest to readers of all religious persuasions.

The novel recounts Jesus’ ministry — its background, its political and social context, and all the conflict surrounding it — as viewed by his relatives. In particular it reflects the perspective of James, a key figure in the early Christian movement, whom Scripture identifies as “the brother of the Lord.”

My story draws on the ancient Church tradition that Joseph was an older, widowed man with children at the time he took Mary as his (much younger) wife. So James, in my telling, is Jesus’ foster brother.

As the Bible notes, James was leader of the Jerusalem “mother church.” And he played a key role in the council that set ground rules for evangelizing the world.

As you might assume, my presentation veers significantly from the usual, Christmas card portrait of the Holy Family. It’s an imaginative and unconventional take on the Gospel account.

But it’s inspired by early Christian writings. It’s not in conflict with Church teaching. And it doesn’t contradict the Bible.

My Brother’s Keeper follows James’ quest to become a rabbi and doctor of the law. Central to my plot is the promise to protect Jesus made by James to his dying father, Joseph, who sees trouble ahead for Mary’s strangely gifted child. [Read more…] about My Brother’s Keeper