Contact: Noelle Buss, 952-829-2765
MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 31 /Christian Newswire/ -- In a richly researched account, bestselling author Janette Oke teams with Davis Bunn on a new series, examining the effects of Christ's death and resurrection on the early church. Interested in not only these events' spiritual significance, they also explore how the rulers and Roman and Jewish citizens of the day would have reacted to the disappearance of Christ's body.
To ensure accuracy, Bunn traveled to the Holy Land and enrolled in a rigorous program of one-on-one instruction with a Messianic Jew (formerly an Orthodox rabbi). They studied the early chapters of Acts for nearly six hours everyday before hiking to various religious sites for first-hand experiences.
"The Rabbi's intention was to help me see the region through the eyes of a Jew, and if possible through the eyes of a Jew living under Roman occupation," said Bunn. Everything was intensified by day-time temperatures of 110 degrees.
Portions of the information Bunn gathered can be found on the book's Web site, www.TheCenturionsWife.com.
The Centurion's Wife, the first book in this new collaboration by Oke and Bunn, tells the story of Leah, a servant of Pilate's wife, and Alban, a Roman Centurion, who are separately employed to discover what happened to the body of Christ. Oke's gentle style weaves seamlessly with Bunn's research, resulting in an epic tale exploring the divine power of God.
Said Publishers Weekly, "Fans of these popular authors will love their joint effort imagining and animating the context of Christianity's birth."
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Davis Bunn is an award-winning novelist whose audience spans reading genres from high drama and action thrillers to heartwarming relationship stories, with contemporary and historical settings. He and his wife, Isabella, split their year between their home in Florida and Oxford, England, where they each teach and write. Visit Davis' Web site at www.DavisBunn.com for more information.
Janette Oke (pronounced "oak") pioneered inspirational fiction, and her first novel, Love Comes Softly, has sold over one million copies. The bestselling author of over 70 books, with nearly 26 million copies sold, Janette has had 32 novels translated into fourteen languages. She has received the 1992 President's Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for her significant contribution to Christian fiction, the 1999 CBA Life Impact Award, the Christy Award, and the Gold Medallion Award for fiction. Janette and her husband, Edward, make their home in Canada, where they enjoy their four grown children.
