The Making of Revelations: How it came to
be
The idea was born many years ago. Over
forty, actually. When I was a teenager. Back then, it didn’t have a name, and
it had no real shape. But I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to tell the
story of Judas Iscariot. The trouble was I didn’t know how.
What drew me to Judas, is probably what
you’re asking yourself, and that’s a valid question. Ask anyone else who Judas
is and you’ll get answers that are probably all variations on a theme of
betrayal. I’m not sure exactly when I began to question that, but I do know
that when I saw Jesus Christ Superstar performed live back in 1971 (or
thereabouts), I had an epiphany regarding him. I saw him, not as the bad guy as
often portrayed, but someone who not only believed in Jesus but was willing to
do what he needed him to do. For without Judas’ “betrayal” of Jesus, the story
would not have worked out the way it did. It needed to happen that way. And if
you read the Gospel of Judas, he was the only apostle who trusted Jesus enough
to do that for him. Gives one food for thought, doesn’t it?
Very interesting, but where’s the story, I
wondered. Was I going to take an historical perspective, research the man and
his life? Easier said than done, especially back then. We had no Internet. We
didn’t even have computers. Research was all done through books. Libraries had
card catalogs, a far cry from today when you can log onto your library website
and browse their selection, then request what you want. So I looked and I found
bupkus (nothing). I had the Bible, of course, but it tends to be limited on
information, as well as a bit biased.
So nothing was written, and I let it go, as
my thoughts formulated in the back of my head. In the meantime, I was reading,
watching… and learning. King of Kings was my first Biblical movie, and I loved
it. Jeffrey Hunter’s portrayal of Jesus is very moving, and I was very enamored
of the film. Jesus Christ Superstar – I think I know all the words, I’ve
listened so many times. I liked the stage version, but the first film not so
much.
Besides watching these things and others, I
read. Christopher Moore’s Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s
Childhood Pal. What a fabulous book! I loved it! So much I bought the special
edition. And I read The Gospel of Judas! Forty years ago I’d never heard of
such a thing. Of course I read the DaVinci Code, and watched the movie. And
everything began to percolate inside my head…
Then one day it happened. Judas spoke to me,
for the first time. And I simply began to write it down, not knowing what he
might say, or where his story might lead. It turned out to be quite the story
and took me on quite the journey, and led to places that I didn’t expect it to.
If he’d have spoken forty years ago, I would not have been ready to receive his
message. But my life up until the moment that I first heard him speak prepared
me. And the result is Revelations.
The original title was Kyrie Eleison, a
tribute to the Mister Mr. song, Kyrie. Kyrie eleison means Christ, have mercy
on us. But then fellow author Marie Sexton, who was reading Kyrie for me at the
time, suggested a simpler title. A better title. Revelations. So Revelations it
became.
I know there are people who will not like
Revelations, and by extension, me. People who will not see the message it
carries, only that it does not follow what they believe. But ultimately, no
matter what you believe, Revelations is a story of love. Love is the message,
and love is something that binds us all together.
Revelations is love.
Thank you for having me here, enjoy your
day!
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Blurb:
Judas
has never been very popular, not in any incarnation that he and Jesus and the
others have lived through. But he doesn't care about that. All he cares about
is following the instructions of God as set forth in the script that they
follow. And Jesus. For Judas has secretly loved the son of God for over two
thousand years.
But
now he decides that enough is enough, and he's tired of watching Jesus die far
too early, and for what? This time Judas is determined to see that Jesus lives
a long and happy life, no matter what price he has to pay to accomplish it...no
matter if he has to make a deal with the devil himself.
Revelations
is a story of what could be, told by those who play it out, time after time
after time, unbeknownst to the rest of mankind. They've come back again,
for yet another round. But this time is going to be
different.
Excerpt:
Prologue: God
It's not always
easy to sit on the sidelines and watch what is happening, to resist the urge to
intervene in his best interest. My son's that is. Jesus. But I do so, because I know
it's for his own good. As well
as for the good of mankind. I can't let my concerns as his father override my
vested interest in the fate of man. But sometimes that is easier said than done.
This
morning I am not alone. Someone else is with me, someone with his own agenda,
although we are not as diametrically opposed as some would imagine us to be.
Good and evil aren't the simplistic concepts some would portray them as
being—there are more grey areas there than you might think. And rightly so.
He
smirks. Too much for my taste, I have to admit, but sometimes he does have his
moments, and he too has a part to play in what is happening in the world of
men. Someone needs to fill the role of the villain, after all.
The
stage is being set for the third act, the scripts have been handed round, and
the actors are taking their places. Will this time end any differently than the
others? That depends on my son, on Jesus. I'm thinking this will be the time
when he'll make the change.
"He'll
change nothing," Lucifer interjects, although I've asked him nothing,
certainly not inquired as to his opinion.
I
glance at him. He's dressed to within an inch of his life, and wears the most
ridiculous sunglasses I've ever seen. I decide not to comment on his fashion
sense. "I think he might, this time. I think he's ready for change."
Lucifer
snorts. "It's been two thousand years, and neither one has exactly caught
on yet. Why should this time be any different?"
"Care
to put your money where your mouth is?"
He
eyes me carefully. "I would, but you see you have this whole mystic
omnipotent God thing going on. Personally, I don't care for those odds."
I
arch an eyebrow. "I may be omnipotent, but Jesus does have free will and he does possess the ability to make his
own decisions. You think I'd stack the deck in my son's favor? Just to win a
bet with you?"
"Let's
say I'm taking no chances." He smiles. "Tell you what, though—give me
free rein. Let me do what I
want, and you not say anything or do anything to interfere with me? As far as
they're concerned, that is."
I
open my mouth to object, he hastily interjects. "No killing, I swear to
it."
That's
better. I still have some measure of control over the serpent.
"So
be it." I agree, turning my attention back to where it had been, to my
son. I'm smirking now. Openly.
O
ye of little faith, watch and learn.
Bio:
Julie Lynn
Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always
wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more
than forty years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger
daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which
has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she'd
never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true
love and happiness in one another's arms and is a great believer in the happily
ever after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves
books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. While working a
temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews,
which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a
bit off, but she doesn't mind. Marching to the beat of one's own drummer is a
good thing, after all. Her published
works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, MuseitUp Publishing, and No
Boundaries Press and she has also begun to self-publish at various places on the
Internet.
Links:
My Links:
My blog:
http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.com
My facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=527332074
My Publishers:
Museit Up Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php
Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_222
1 comment:
Thanks for having me here today, Toni, and for letting me talk about Revelations!
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