The Wanderer Scorned: Q&A with Natasha Woodcraft + Enter to Win

 

 

About the Book

Book: The Wanderer Scorned

Author: Natasha Woodcraft

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release date: March, 2024

“It all started with the banishment. As soon as the truth was known about their disobedience, my parents were driven from the Garden planted for them by the LORD God, Yahweh Elohim. A garden pleasing to the eye and filled with every kind of food. Yet for them, it had not been enough.”

Kayin lives in the shadow of his parent’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden and its lingering cloud of shame. He believes in the Creator but struggles for affirmation. When suffering comes and sibling rivalry threatens, Kayin wrestles with God, grasping at shards of faith. But his cries drown in the noise of his own doubts and fears, until his youthful faith lies shattered, replaced by a twisted dance of pride and jealousy.

As Kayin spirals further, misunderstandings within the family dynamic dominate, and whispers of temptation slither through the cracks. Then a chance at redemption presents itself. With flames of forbidden love still raging hot, Kayin and his brother bring sacrifices to Yahweh.

No one foresees the resulting tragedy.

The Wanderer Scorned is the first instalment in The Wanderer Biblical fiction series, immersing readers in the world of Genesis 4. This exploration of the first murder brings the Bible to life in a fresh way, delving into the character of the Creator God and His earliest interactions with humankind.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Natasha Woodcraft lives in a slightly crumbling farmhouse in the UK with her family of boys and menagerie of animals. She holds an honours degree in Theology and believes stories have power to communicate deep truth and transform lives. Also a songwriter, Natasha peppers her emotional prose with poetry and song.

 

 

 

More from Natasha

Q & A with Natasha Woodcraft

• You’re an Author from the UK. Tell me more about that.

That’s right. I’m a Brit, which is great but has its challenges, like negotiating single quotation marks! There’s a massive lack of Christian fiction here. It’s not stocked in secular bookstores, there are few Christian bookstores left, and there aren’t many big conventions or publishers. I’m part of a team passionate about changing the landscape. We offer support services to authors and publishing services. Please pray for us and our country, and support British writers if you can.

• Who do you share your home with?

My husband, Ben, and four sons ranging from 15 to 7. Plus a dog, 2 cats, 3 goats, 9 chickens and 16 quail (though they don’t all live in the house.) It can get a little crazy…

• Sounds like it. How do you find time to write?

Good question. My mornings are usually taken up with feeding/cleaning kids and animals. My afternoons with working for the family business or publishing house. Before tea, I’ll be out picking vegetables and pulling weeds – we try to grow as much as we can ourselves. Writing gets squeezed into late nights, early mornings and quieter days. It’s my downtime and my favorite time spent with Jesus.

• You write Bible-based fiction. What specifically?

The Wanderer Series is based on the story of Cain & Abel in Genesis 4. It came about because I woke up one morning wondering what prompted the first murder (no kidding; my brain is weird.) I’d been pondering Jesus’ words about murder and anger in the Sermon on the Mount and praying about what I should write for a while. Suddenly, I knew it had to be a reimagining of Cain’s story – from his perspective.

• Hang on. From Cain’s perspective?

Yeah. Though there’s certainly a place for them, I personally dislike stories that are too simplistic. Where bad guys are really bad and good guys are really good – that kind of thing. The Bible teaches us that we all need grace (especially me), and as regards Cain – I don’t think he was much different to any of us. Writing from his perspective gave me opportunity to spend a lot of time in the Word of God, exploring Cain’s slide into sin in a way that challenged me to examine my own heart.

• That’s some heavy stuff. Did you have any background that helped you tackle this story?

Sure. I have a degree in Theology, and I’ve also studied English Literature and Creative writing. Mostly though, it was a case of leaning heavily into what God wanted to teach me through this book and hoping some of that resonated with my readers. The reviews so far say it has!

• What would you say to those questioning whether Bible-based fiction is right for them?

I totally understand the fear surrounding this genre. I felt it myself when I started writing and that was something I had to take to God and trust Him with. “Is it even ok to write these stories?” I asked.

Essentially though, it isn’t much different to a sermon. It’s exegesis and expansion of the scripture, just presented differently: in fiction rather than non-fiction. I’ve researched, covered my writing in prayer, and had pastors check my work. I’m super careful about handling scripture faithfully but state where the story comes from my imagination. It isn’t intended to replace the Bible. Quite the opposite – I hope it will inspire people to pick the Bible up. I even include an appendix that explains decisions I made, and study questions, at the back.

My hope and prayer is that Jesus will be glorified as lives are touched by this ancient story reimagined. If you’re still not sure, why not give The Wanderer Scorned a go? You don’t know until you try…

Author Interview

Can you tell us a little bit about what readers can expect from your books? 

The stories are Bible-based, offering a deep dive into the early chapters of Genesis, drawing out background, context and biblical truths and bringing them to life. It’s a bit like hearing a sermon, except way more fun because it’s in story J My prose is quite descriptive, but there’s also lots of action, big questions asked, and even some songs woven in. 

What was the inspiration behind the book? 

I’m a mum of four boys and when they were all little, I didn’t read for ages. My brain was way too sleepy to engage with non-fiction texts. I realized that I remember stories better, and that Jesus used stories to convey deep truth and transform lives. So, although I trained in theology and assumed I would write non-fiction, God challenged me to consider writing fiction. 

I prayed about what to write for a while before I woke up one morning convinced that I should tackle Cain & Abel, from Cain’s perspective. I think my initial response was, “Really, God? He’s the bad guy!” but what God laid on my heart was that Cain was representative of the human condition, and “There but for the grace of God, go I.” That’s what this book is all about.  

What is the greatest advice you have ever been given about writing?  

Allow your work to rest. Many writers throw books out super quickly, but giving your manuscript time to rest after drafting allows God to speak into it. Although it’s hard to wait, His timing is always perfect. 

What book made you fall in love with reading? 

The Lord of The Rings! Though it’s not my genre, the scope of this work transported me to a different world. I love the way Tolkien paints his characters (who are so real and flawed, not picture-perfect) and also weaves poetry and song into the story. I’ve done this too – my books contain songs I’ve written, which can be listened to on Youtube as you read! 

What was the most challenging part of bringing this book to life?  

Presenting Kayin (Cain) as a character that people could relate to and engage with, even though we know the outcome of his story. It was hard to write, and it’s been even harder to convince people they want to read it, but everyone who does comes away challenged and inspired, which is amazing. It was worth the battle! 

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Before you go, where can readers keep up with what’s next? 

Book 2, The Wanderer Reborn is already out, and is a hope-filled redemption story that takes place after the first murder. Book 3 is releasing soon. You can keep up with my news, and receive a free novelette called “The Wanderer’s Sister”, when you subscribe to my newsletter https://natashawoodcraft.com/subscribe 

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Natasha is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

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