Carole Towriss's IN THE SHADOW OF SINAI

Author Carole Towriss & In the Shadow of Sinai

Everyone knows the story of Moses, but with this story you live and breathe it. Seen through the eyes of a character that witnesses the liberation of the Hebrews from Egypt and told in an astoundingly vivid way In the Shadow of Sinai gives the reader an unique Old Testament experience. I was swept along the dusty march in the desert (literally tasting the dust in my mouth), held in awe of the parting waters (felt the water's spray cool my skin), amazed at the miraculous events (held in awe of the awesomeness). New light was shed on an old, old story.

 

published by DeWard Publishing 2012

Read below to see why Carole wrote her biblical fiction and learn a little more about her next book, which I had to opportunity to glimpse. It will be another astounding piece and another book by Carole Towriss to have on your bookshelf.

"

The idea for Sinai first came to me as I was reading in Exodus. God says to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills…” I wondered, how does a slave learn to make all the beautiful pieces that were in the tabernacle? Did God just say, “Poof! Now you know!”? Sometimes he works that way, but not very often, and it’s not very fun that way, so I made up a story to explain it.

The main story comes from the Bible, as do some of the characters. I added others, because I wanted to tell the story from a different point of view, to see how the familiar story affected regular, everyday people. My stories aren’t about the big-name people like Moses, Joshua, Ruth, David—though sometimes they’re in there.

I don't know if I'd call it a fear, but my biggest concern in writing this was being true to the Scriptures. Historical fiction by its nature involves adding to the record, and sometimes authors take liberties with the facts to make the story flow better--compressing time or characters, for example. But in Biblical fiction I don't think you can do that. I tried very hard to remain true to the Bible. I added where the details were missing - for example, all we know about Bezalel is he is the son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and that he built all the furnishings of the Tabernacle. We're not even sure it's the same Hur as in "Aaron and Hur." So I made up everything else about his life.

I've just finished the sequel, By the Waters of Kadesh, which picks up where Sinai leaves off. It's the story of the spies were sent into Canaan. Kamose from Sinai, and one of the ten spies who comes back and says they cannot conquer Canaan, are two of the leads. Hopefully that will come out in the fall. I've just started the third in the series, which takes place at the end of the forty years in the wilderness."