The Fisherman's Bride by Catherine Magia
Publication Date: November 2, 2016
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC, CreateSpace
Kindle & Paperback; 240 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Biblical Fiction/Christian Literature
READ AN EXCERPT.
She has no name. She is not even a footnote. Her tale is hidden behind the well-told fable of her husband, the man who would become Simon Peter, the first Apostle.
Cast off by her family after shunning a wealthy suitor to marry a humble fisherman, her life is fraught with hardship. She endures her husband’s growing restlessness, fish shortages from the Sea of Galilee, and the oppression of an all-powerful Roman Empire over her people. Then her life is forever changed when her dying mother is saved by a miracle performed by a young carpenter—a man who speaks with understanding and acts with compassion. A man who can inspire the extraordinary.
Simon Peter lives on in history as the undaunted martyr of the carpenter. This is the untold story of his young bride. Her journey traverses villages and deserts, love and tradition, and a brewing revolution, to an awakening of faith that challenges everything she has ever known.
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Praise
"Catherine Magia has penned a moving Christian story that transcends religious boundaries--a novel that occupies the rare space between the historical and the Biblical realms. At once speculative and interpretive, Magia's vigorous first-person narrative of St. Peter's wife makes a compelling case for the life, motivation and spirituality of a minor, nameless Biblical character. An ambitious and impressive debut." -Andrew X. Pham, author of Catfish and Mandala and The Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars
"Right from the start, the evocative and compelling tone of The Fishman's Bride casts its line and draws in readers with a deftness that borders on enchantment. Perhaps this is because Catherine Magia uses an uncommon perspective and outsider's view of events. And, by 'outsider,' this means observations that come from beyond Jesus' inner circle, yet are closely connected by love and association. Also included in the saga are stories of fortunes made and lost, faith thwarted and regained, fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the impact of social and political change upon entire communities. Catherine Magia's attention to embracing the extent of daily living in Biblical times, from different methods of preserving fish to different attitudes encountered during their travels, brings the story to life.
Readers of Christian literature and Biblical retellings will find this story a powerfully written, compelling account of the impact of Jesus on all layers of society, narrated from the eyes of an outsider to his central group of believers who uses the ordinary life experiences of an unnamed wife to chronicle an extraordinary journey of love, faith, and miracles." -D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.
Review: I wanted to be part of this tour because I knew this was a book my mother would love. She's blind, and I read it too her, which was a unique experience for me, as well.
Catherine Magia's writing brings Simon, the apostle's, life so well, that you almost felt like you were in the story.
Simon's wife remains unnamed throughout the story, which lets you see how women were treated in that time. She went from a wealthy daughter to a poor women who was disowned by her father, because she refused to marry a wealthy merchant, instead choosing to be the wife of Simon and orphan, fisherman.
You see Simon's struggles at business, her loss of a child, and the desire of her husband and his brother to find someone that will save the Jews, from Judas to John the Baptist, finally to Jesus and how his finding Jesus changes his relationship with his wife.
It takes half the book to first encounter Jesus, but it was really enjoyable to see the fiction relationship that Catherine created with Simon and his wife, and later how she figured in with Jesus' ministry as we see in the gospels.
Simon's wife may be a nameless character, but she is a strong woman, and a character you won't soon forget.
This story was absolutely stunning and so well written. If you love biblical fiction this is an absolute must read. (My mother agrees) We are both looking forward to the continuation of the story.
Rating: 5 flowers
About the Author
Catherine Magia was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to New Jersey as a teenager. Although her formal education was in the hard sciences, Catherine has always maintained a passion for the written word, publishing her poetry in several literary journals including the Michigan Quarterly Review.She discovered the voice of Simon Peter's wife on a soul-searching journey, a trek through the biblical lands of Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. She spent seven years researching and writing her debut novel, traveling as far as Ephesus, Turkey.
She is working on her second book - the conclusion to The Fisherman's Bride.
By day, she works as an associate director of marketing research in the development of new cancer medications. She is currently based in Boston.
For more information please visit Catherine Magia's website and blog.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, April 17
Kick Off at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, April 18
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective
Wednesday, April 19
Excerpt at Broken Teepee
Thursday, April 20
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Friday, April 21
Spotlight at The Paperback Princess
Saturday, April 22
Review at Rainy Day Reviews
Monday, April 24
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, April 25
Interview at Books, Dreams, Life
Wednesday, April 26
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation
Thursday, April 27
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Friday, April 28
Review at Beth's Book Nook Blog
Interview at Dianne Ascroft's Blog
Monday, May 1
Spotlight at Susan Heim on Writing
Tuesday, May 2
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews
Wednesday, May 3
Review at WS Momma Readers Nook
Thursday, May 4
Review at Just One More Chapter
Friday, May 5
Review at Unabridged Chick
Giveaway
To win a copy of The Fisherman's Bride by Catherine Magia, please enter via the Gleam form below. Two copies are up for grabs!
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on May 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
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– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
The Fisherman's Bride
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