Obedience
by
V G Kilgore
Genre: Historical Fiction,
Biblical fiction
Date of Publication: 4/22/17
ISBN: 154634330X
ASIN: B072B5BNSG
Number of pages: 352
Word Count: 65,000
Tagline: My father is a righteous man but I am just a man…who loves a woman
Book Description:
Ham is a man of passion and questions. He's adored his wife, Lita, since he first saw her draped in her father's fishing nets and threatened to leave with her if his father, Noah, didn't allow the marriage. She becomes his greatest comfort when Ham is at odds with his father and brothers.
When Noah claims their God has commanded him to build an Ark to escape a devastating flood, Ham worries about the construction stripping the land and the community's ridicule of the family. He and Lita draw closer together as outsiders. They're shocked when the rains come and the entire family is forced into the Ark, along with the animals that appeared.
Confinement and uncertainty of fate amongst the refugees exaggerate normal family tension, rivalries and forbidden love. On land, they reject efforts to reestablish traditions, feeling independent and invincible, as those chosen by their God to survive and thrive. But for Ham, there's tragedy and more doubt.
Noah warns him he must yield his will, lest there be even graver consequences. Ham can't imagine anything worse and careens down the path that forever links him with depravity and harsh judgment.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/FrvZEI8TW2s
Excerpt:
The small caravan wended its way from the site of the Ark and family home to the fishing village down the hill and to the shore.
Ham squinted into the early morning sunlight and noted again how barren the land was. This path used to cut through a large meadow, embroidered by great trees in the distance and a riot of color from the yellow and green grasses and its mixed bouquet of wildflowers. Now it was brown, rocky and rutted.
He walked beside the small, shaggy burro carrying his wife, Lita, ensuring the animal did not step in the ruts or holes in its path. Its burden was his joy.
He smiled up at her and she returned it, placing a hand on the side of his face. On previous jaunts that might have signaled to him that they should detour across the meadow for a tryst amongst the trees, but there were no more love nests on the stark plain, nor were they alone.
"Little Brother," Japheth called back to him, "if you can stop staring at your woman, we have plans to make." At the foot of the hill, the air carried a hint of the ocean and sound changed, volatile waves winning out over the chirping birds of the fields for dominance.
Lita felt the familiar surge throughout her body as she neared her natural habitat. The sea stretched before her like mother's arms, opened wide to welcome back a wandering child. She closed her eyes and licked her lips for the salty taste of home.
She felt Ham's calloused hands on her own as he passed her mount's tether to her and looked into his winking grin. "I will see you back at home," he said with the combination of promise and hope that made her feel so adored. She smiled in answer and continued riding straight with Namaah’s serving maid, Sar, whom Ham had insisted escort Lita, because the barren land was not as safe as a rich and fertile one had been. He knew the women were friends and it was not a trial for them to travel together. They both had knives and knew how to use them. He and Japheth diverged left to the village.
A frisky breeze traveling before them blew into the open tents and caused the tops to billow out, resembling mushroom caps, as they approached the market center.
"Let us stop in here for a moment," Japheth suggested, his eyes swaying uncontrollably to the wooden cottage on their right, from which came raucous laughter and the heady aroma of burning plants. From the open doorway could be seen men sitting in a circle, in the middle of which were small sticks and pebbles and piles of coins.
Ham shook his head and attempted to pull his brother away from the gamblers. "There is only trouble for you in that place. Remember last time?"
"Japheth!" called a feminine voice from the trouble house. He stopped and turned. A woman leaned against the doorway, her loose robe barely draping her shoulders or covering her feet. Rings sparkled on her toes and on the finger she crooked to beckon Noah's notorious son. He shrugged off Ham's hold on him and headed back to the den of sin.
"Japheth!" Ham shouted futilely. Their father's favorite and closest resemblance turned, walking backwards to the door where the woman and gamers awaited him.
"You know me, Little Brother," he sang out with his mischievous smile and tortoise shell eyes twinkling. "I can resist everything but temptation. I will meet you at the silver monger’s."
Ham threw up his arms in disgust and continued to the vendors' tents, following the smell of sweet spices and increasingly rare flowers, to choose some oils as a present for Lita.
***
In the home of her parents she made one more entreaty for them to join in the Ark project.
"Noah is a fool," her father, Eliakim, said laughing. "What does a farmer know of building a boat? I live on the water. There is no sign of the great rain that he predicts."
She looked out the narrow window of the small beach hut to view the greyness of the sea. The meager sun seemed to dull on its surface, like slate, rather than reflecting off of it, as she had always known, to make the water a dazzling jewel. Something was changing. Whether it was the prediction of her father-in-law or just nature reacting to the stripping of the land, as Ham suspected, things were different.
"Please, Father," she cajoled, helping her mother serve him his mid-day meal of fish and bread, "Come back with me. Help finish the boat. I cannot bear the thought of what might happen to you and Mother."
Eliakim smiled and placed his hand on the top of her head. "Nothing will happen to us, my dear daughter. When everyone sees how much they have given up to Noah, how little food they have from the land, they will all turn to me for my catch." The smile graduated to a self-satisfied chuckle. "Then we shall see which father allowed his child to marry beneath her house."
***
Ham lowered his head, thoughts of Lita bringing warmth to him, as the Ark became visible with the day's last light. As much as he had resented it over the years, its appearance represented home, family, wife. He hastened his step, eager to see her.
"Think of it," Japheth reminded him. "Your one act of defying our father's wishes gave you her. What might you have if you did it more often?"
Ham grinned. It was impossible to stay angry at his brother. He threw his arm around him to hurry them back to the Ark and the thatch cottage where their women waited.
Behind them, thieves lay in wait for victims...marketers prepared their wares for the next sale...carousers sinned and families settled in for the night. None knew they were doomed.
About the Author:
V. G. Kilgore's father suggested she write a bible story about family, though the finished product wasn't exactly what he had in mind. She consulted biblical and rabbinical texts and people of different religions about Ark legends and teachings, in writing a hopefully entertaining and thought-provoking story.
A former reporter and state bureaucrat, she spends her days at the pool, on her laptop or on the road, and as far away from a desk as possible.
She lives in an empty nest in Kentucky with her husband and pit bull and claims four children and three grands.
https://www.instagram.com/veragburris
Interview with V. G. Kilgore
Where do you get inspiration for your stories? Usually out of a need to clarify. For instance, with OBEDIENCE, I’ve always been bothered by the holes in the story of Noah and his son Ham ((Ham castrated him? He would have bled to death.) So I wanted an explanation that might make people say “Ah, that makes sense” in addition to being moved or just entertained.
How did you do research for your book? I have a pretty good home library with old text books and historical/biblical fiction and I used the internet for specific topics, like the rabbinical story of Noah and his Vineyard.
Do you have another profession besides writing? I trained as a journalist and worked in family support for quite a few years. I retired a couple years ago.
If you could go back in time, where would you go? Maybe the U.S. a few years after the Revolutionary War, when there was so much optimism. It was believed slavery could still be abolished and women given rights. It’s nice to think what might have been possible.
What is your next project? A middle grade twofer about boys growing up in ancient Alexandria and studying at the library. I’ve written the one about Heron, who grows up as an inventor, and I’m working on the one for Tiberius Alexander, who becomes an infamous Roman general
Tour giveaway
1 $25 amazon gift card
1 $10 gift card
1 copy of Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent
1 leatherette journal
As soon as I saw the name 'Ham' I knew it must be something about Noah & the Ark but it's so much more. Ms. Kilgore must have done an awful lot of research to bring this story to us.
ReplyDeleteIf you read it, Kate, I hope you enjoy it. VGK
DeleteExcellent post! I really enjoyed reading the excerpt and the interview! This book sounds like a very interesting and intriguing read! Looking forward to checking it out!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ally. If you read it, I'd love to hear what you think
DeleteThank you for choosing me as one of your winners. Can't wait to get the book.
ReplyDelete