Interview with Biblical Fiction Author Sharron Lael

 Today I am excited to welcome a good friend of mine to Stitches Thru Time. Sharron has just released her first book, and I think ya'll will find it very interesting.

Sharron Martell was born and raised in the mountainous region of northern Colorado. She has a natural, creative flair for writing stories.
Some of her favorite activities include hiking, reading, drinking tea, and blogging. She has a little rat terrier called Chester, who has a sparkling personality of his own.
Not only does she wish to share her personal experiences through the books that she writes, she hopes that she also conveys Christ's love for you.

Welcome Sharron! We're so glad you could visit us today. Tell us about your book.

 “Zarek ben Nadin – The Chronicles of Nineveh” shadows the Biblical story of Jonah, a prophet of God who was reluctant to deliver the message of repentance to Nineveh, Israel’s enemy. Taken from the perspective of an Assyrian guard, Zarek’s story spans the experience of a lifetime from early childhood to adulthood. Zarek experiences the pain and regret of poor choices, but also experiences the ultimate power of forgiveness.

Where did the inspiration for your story come from?

 The inspiration for my story came from watching a play about Jonah at “Sight & Sound Theater” several years ago. It made wonder: what could have caused the complete repentance of a population of 120,000 (roughly the population of Fort Collins, Colorado) within 40 days? What kind of condition were the people in that made their hearts responsive to the message Jonah brought? Thus, the character of Zarek ben Nadin was born!

Sounds intriguing! How does your faith and spirituality work in with your writing? 

 Forgiveness is crucial to living an empowered life. The Bible says that if you don’t forgive others, God cannot forgive you. Without forgiveness, a person becomes embittered and angry. Working in different ministries, I have found that forgiveness is the key to peace and the foundation of a strong Christian walk. I believe through God’s selfless example of forgiveness and mercy, we can learn and show the same kind of love to others.

Nineveh is an interesting location. Did you have to do a lot of research? Can you share a few tidbits with us?

 Nineveh is a very interesting location and I found myself having to tweak my perspective on the story. Nineveh is an ancient city, but some artifacts have survived. This made research very interesting. I knew Nineveh was large, with numerous gates and portals.

   However, I didn’t know there were two large temples next to the palace, or that a river ran through the middle of the city (which probably made it difficult to cross over since bridges were few and far between, however it made a perfect natural barrier between the wealthy and poorer inhabitants of the city.

Why did you choose this genre?

 I love all the stories in the Bible, and they are not just stories. It is history, a written testament of God’s love and devotion to His children. I loved “Acts of Faith” by Janette Oke & Davis Bunn, and I’m also a fan of Jill Eileen Smith’s various books and series.

What are you working on next? 

I am debating between Priests, Prophets & Kings, Daughters of Israel, or perhaps an allegory. I am also interested in writing a story from a guardian angel’s perspective as he teams together with the main character to fight darkness and evil.

Very interesting. Looks like you have some great stuff going on. Thank you so much for being with us! 
You can find Sharron's books on Amazon and B&N, but the best price is on her website:
https://sharronlaelcoloradoauthor.weebly.com