A Divine Romance: Author Guest Post + Enter to Win

 

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Divine Romance by Ifueko Ogbomo, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Divine Romance 

Author: Ifueko Ogbomo 

Publisher: InspiroLogos Publishing 

Release Date: February 14, 2023 

Genre: Historical Romance Biblical Fiction 

Hers is the flawless face no man has seen—except her father. 

His is the foreign face everyone reveres—save his family. 

The royal decree that couples this unlikely pair will make or break the history of an ancient empire.

Considered a gift from the sun god due to her arresting eyes, Asenath was veiled in childhood and destined to marry Egyptian royalty. The 17-year-old is resigned to a loveless future in the royal harem, when Pharaoh’s shocking declaration forces her to marry the new vizier of Egypt—a mystical foreigner with powers of divination. 

Known as Zaphnath-Paaneah, her husband turns out to be handsome, charming, and possibly insane since he worships an invisible god and expects her—the daughter of a high priest—to do the same. Facing a fate seemingly worse than that she grew up dreading, she desperately searches for a way out of the arranged marriage. The secrets she uncovers usher her into a world of intrigue and treachery that questions all her beliefs about men, gods, and love. Will theirs be the most monumental mismatch made in Egyptian history, or will her daring demand for a sign from his god make all her childhood fantasies come true? 

Combining original poetry with well-researched history, A Divine Romance is an Own Voices retelling of a beloved Biblical tale that takes readers on a riveting journey through Ancient Egypt and introduces them to a fresh, poetic voice in Christian fiction.

“In a writing style reminiscent of Tessa Afshar, Ifueko Ogbomo spins a breathtaking tale readers won’t be able to put down!”

~ Heidi Chiavaroli, Carol Award-winning author of The Orchard House and Hope Beyond the Waves 

“A Divine Romance that will resonate in our hearts well past the last page.” ~ Toni Shiloh, Christy Award-winning author of In Search of a Prince 

“Gifted storytelling brings an intricate cast of characters to life and portrays the greatest kind of love there is . . ." ~ Jenna Van Mourik, author of Jerusalem’s Daughter 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound | BookBub

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About the Author

Ifueko Fex Ogbomo is a prize-winning Nigerian poet, storyteller, voice artist, and sickle cell activist whose life’s motto is ‘to inspire with words.’ Under her alias ‘Lady InspiroLogos,’ she is best known for her custom spoken word and song performances, which have graced global stages. For her internationally-acclaimed work in the performing arts, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services classified her as an Alien of Extraordinary Ability in the Arts and awarded her permanent US residency (2017).

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writer’s association, Ifueko is passionate about using spoken word artistry and storytelling to share the gospel, and to raise awareness on both autism and sickle cell anemia. Her first book, Yellow Eyes Gone White!, is a faith-inspiring memoir that details her personal struggles with the genetic blood disorder. Ifueko’s poem, My Utmost Delight, is the opening chapter of Revell’s 2022 publication, Voices of Lament, a collection of essays, poems, liturgies, and prayers by 29 BIPOC Christian women contributors exploring issues of injustice, heartache, and deep suffering. 

A classically-trained vocalist, Ifueko graduated summa cum laude, with a B.A. Honors (Music with a minor in Computer Science) from Texas Lutheran University. The last of three children born to a military father and a fashion designer mother, Ifueko has visited four of the seven continents and known many “homes," but she currently resides in Orlando, Florida. Proudly neurodivergent, and INFJ on the Myers-Briggs scale, she enjoys creative expression, African fashion, gluten-free dining, and exotic destinations. But nothing beats a quiet day at home, flying through the pages of a Christian romance while snacking on plantain chips! 

Connect with Ifueko by visiting ifuekoogbomo.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Guest Post

A Divine Romance: The Writing Journey

by IFUEKO OGBOMO

“Write Joseph’s memoirs.” These three little words dropped in my spirit during a time of quiet devotion on April 6th, 2019, while I was staying at an Airbnb in Los Angeles. I wrote them down in my prayer journal, listing titles of possible entries that Joseph’s hypothetical journals might contain, and thought nothing more of it. It wasn’t until I received an unexpected prophecy about my writing five weeks later, during a TV-show taping of Praise on TBN, that I took action on what I truly believe to be a divine assignment, and started writing my debut novel. I knew absolutely nothing about writing novels then, and I had no idea how long and tumultuous the journey from idea to publication would be. Suffice it to say, one pandemic, two continents, three and three-quarter years, four versions, fourteen residences, and several personal traumas later, A Divine Romance was born.

Surprising to me, is that as I thought about how to write Joseph’s story, I was drawn more to the perspective of the Egyptian woman that became his wife, thanks to Pharaoh’s decree.

Thinking about what Asenath’s life must have been like before she was suddenly forced into an arranged marriage to a mystical foreigner, who was not only from a people group despised by hers, but was an ex-prisoner, and a heretic in the eyes of her Egyptian priestly parentage, I sympathized with her. Knowing that she too was someone beloved of God, as scripture tells us God so loved the world—which means everyone—I decided to explore not just their romance as a couple but Asenath’s individual journey with God. Because He is forever the Lord that leaves ninety-nine in the fold to chase after one outside it. That’s why I call Him my Eternal Lover; the One to whom I dedicated A Divine Romance.

The birth of my fiction debut, has inadvertently evidenced my unique writing style: poetic storytelling. Ironically, I never studied literature. A classically-trained vocalist, I earned my B.A. Honors in Music. But poetry has always been my therapy, love language, and favorite form of creative expression—even as a child I would design original birthday cards for family and friends featuring my own rhyming poems. Hence when it came to writing A Divine Romance, having poetry feature in my characters’ expression of emotion was only natural. However, after I completed the manuscript, I felt compelled to study the various short poetry forms, like Haikus, Cinquains, etc., after which I wrote thirty-seven short poems in three days—one to open each chapter. I deliberately scripted them as poetic clues that hint either at that chapter’s happenings or the character’s current feelings. This is because I wanted my novel to bring something unique to the Biblical fiction table, rather than imitate the popular style of opening chapters with direct scriptural quotes. And I love the end result, because it enabled me to remain true to my poetic voice in the new territory of fiction.

Looking back, I see the Lord had much bigger plans than I ever imagined when I set out to obey His three-word instruction. Not only has A Divine Romance made me a novelist, it has made me a publisher. Long before I became a prize-winning performance poet, I felt called to use my multiple creative talents with one goal: inspiring with words— hence ‘InspiroLogos,’ my performance alias turned publishing imprint. Ultimately, my life’s mission remains ‘to inspire with words’ whether I do so via spoken words, songs, sonnets, or scripture-inspired stories.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of A Divine Romance and Voices of Lament!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 7, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 14, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!