Q & A With Tosca Lee about her upcoming novel Iscariot

 

Tosca, you say in the video that you may have done the same. What are your thoughts on that now that you've written the novel? After writing the novel did you have more questions, answers, or both? Did you find it difficult to humanize Judas?

Andie: Going through the process of researching and writing the novel, the tension of the time and that surrounded all those following Jesus actually convinced me that I might have done the same. Yes! I definitely had more questions afterward--that always seems to happen with each book. As for humanizing Judas: It became increasingly easier... I realized that I was writing my own story, too.


What was the hardest part of the creation of Iscariot?

1. The hardest part of the creation of Iscariot: The first hardest part was deciding to do it, because my initial reaction to Jeff Gerke (who had acquired and published Demon and Havah) and who had suggested I write about Judas was "NO WAY." The second hardest was doing all the research. I had a lot to learn.

 Did you learn anything unexpected while writing it? 

2. I learned more unexpected things than I have room for here, from the context of the stories we know so well to nuances of the parables formerly lost on me. But the over-arching thing was the context of oppression under Rome. The fact that other would-be Messiahs had risen up in the past, only to be violently put down. You could not safely make a bid at Messiah-ship without risking life and limb, and the freedoms (including religious freedom) Israel already had under Rome. In Jesus' case, it became far safer to silence him than to risk retaliation.

Did you ever picture yourself writing his story?
3. No.  

How have people in your church (assuming you have a home church. If not, we'll say people of your faith) reacted to you penning this book?

4. With wide-eyed looks, questions of "why?" and "Wow. That sounds fascinating." Not everyone wants to see a humanized Judas. But for me, I found looking at Jesus through Judas' eyes--and the eyes of the first Century Jewish Everyman--a way to understand Jesus far better. And the story is ultimately about Jesus.