August 2021 – Novel PASTimes

Elantia–that’s a beautiful name.

Thank you. It’s from my language, Britonnic. It means “doe.” But you can call me Tia.

Britonnic. I’ve never heard of it. Where do they speak that?

In Britannia. That’s where I lived before, in a village on the coast. It’s a beautiful place, with clean sea air, lots of green grass, and of course lots of family.

Tell me about your family.

I have⸺ sorry, I had⸺ quite a large family. I had cousins, aunts and uncles, and my parents, of course. My tata was the chief of our village and everyone loved and trusted him. He looked out for everyone. I had a younger brother … but he’s gone now.

I’m so sorry. Can I ask how that happened?

It was early one morning, just before dawn, and I was awakened by screaming. I peeked outside and Romans were swarming our village. They were dressed like soldiers but I found later they weren’t. I will never forget the sound their cloaks made as they whipped in the wind. They dragged us, all of us, to the center of the village, and then they set fire to anything they could burn. They separated us ⸺ one group to be taken as slaves, and the others were … Anyway, they shoved my brother and me into a ship and brought us here, to Philippi. They sold us as slaves, and a few weeks later my brother was killed by our master.

That must have affected you deeply.

It colored every thought I had for a very long time. All I wanted before that was to escape and get back home. But after that … I wanted to punish the master.

But everything is different now.

What do you miss the most about Britannia? Besides your family, I mean.

I miss the sea most of all. Pounding waves, the smell of salt, the crisp wind coming off the water. I miss the open space, with rabbits hopping, birds chirping in the trees, flowers everywhere. Everything here is made of stone–stone buildings, stone floors, statues. The grass, the flowers, the trees, the animals … you have to go way outside the city walls to find them. When I first arrived, the place seemed so … joyless. So cold.

Do you still think that?

Well, everything is still covered in stone. Ha! But Philippi is where I learned about Yeshua, and where I met so many lovely people who risked so much to help me⸺ Lydia, Paulos, Epaphroditus, and of course, Quintus.

He’s your tribune?

Ha ha! He’s not exactly mine, but yes.

Last question. What’s your favorite thing about Macedonia?

I love the peaches! I could eat one every day. They don’t grow in Britannia.

About the Author:

Carole is an award-winning author of biblical fiction. An unapologetic Californian, she lives just north of Washington, DC. She loves her husband, her four children, the beach, and tacos, though not always in that order. In addition to writing, she binge watches British crime dramas and does the dishes four times in one day.Sold into Freedom is Carole’s seventh independent book, and she has also written three books for Guideposts Fiction’s “Ordinary Women of the Bible” series.

About the book:

Elantia, a seer, is kidnapped from her home on the coast of Britannia and sold as a slave in Ephesus. Her new owners take her to Philippi, where they put her to work each day in the marketplace telling fortunes. When they take from her the only good thing left in her life, she vows she will take her revenge and find her way home, even if she has to kill to do it.

After a devastating injury and vicious rumors, Tribune Quintus Valerius is forced from the army he loves. Given land in lieu of a cash pension, he settles in Philippi, but a betrayal forces him to become the city’s Keeper of the Prison. At least until the truth comes out.

Everything changes when a simple Jewish preacher visits Philippi. Tia and Quin are both intrigued by Paulos’s message of peace, but it seems too good to be true. Are they willing to leave behind everything they know to experience a freedom like no other?Sold Into Freedom is book 1 of “The Planting Faith Series.” This series will follow the Apostle Paul though his second missionary journey. Each book will focus on two or more little-known biblical characters who came to faith through his ministry.
Website || Facebook || Instagram || AmazonSold into Freedom is available in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook.

Welcome to Novel PASTimes! We are pleased you stopped by today.

Bonjour.

You’re French?

Cajun. My ancestors were French Canadians.

Tell us something about where you live.

It’s a small cabin on Bayou Teche—not the main channel but a little tributary. Our town is called Bernadette, after St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church, which was here before I was. My family has lived in Louisiana for generations. Mamou—my grandmother—used to say the cypress trees were watching over the Teche during Bible times. I don’t know if that’s true. I just know they’re beautiful, especially early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the sunlight is softer. That, mon ami, is a sight that will shake your soul.

Is there anything special about your name? Why do you think you were given that name?

My name is Raphael Broussard. I’m named after my great-grandfather, but only Mamou called me Raphael. To everybody else, I’ve always been Raphe—probably suits me better. I never thought too much about it until she—Juliet—asked me. There are many things I never thought about before Juliet came here.

Do you have an occupation? What do you like or dislike about your work?

I am a fisherman. But it’s hard now to make a living on the water, especially since I took in my nephew. He’s just a child, and children need so many things. I would never want him to do without because I couldn’t provide. My father taught me his skills as a mechanic before—well—before he was taken from us. So I travel to Morgan City to repair the big shrimpers. The money’s good. But it’s lonely work. The docks are loud, and the boats are hot. Can’t smell anything but fuel and fish. Makes me long for the peace and quiet of the bayou.

Who are the special people in your life?

There’s my nephew, Remy. He’s a good boy, but his parents put their selfish desires ahead of their own flesh and blood—the worst kind of betrayal. I worry that Remy will carry those scars with him all through his life. It’s up to me to see that he heals, but sometimes I don’t know if I can. What do I know of fatherhood? My sister Kitty gives me all the help she can, but she’s got a family of her own now, so I try not to call on her unless I’ve got no choice. Kitty and me, we grew up with a houseful of brothers and sisters. Now there’s just the two of us. I have friends here, most of them from the bayou but one who isn’t. His name is Heywood Thornberry and he works the oil rigs. He turned up in Bernadette a while back, looking for somebody to show him the ways of the Teche and the Atchafalaya so he could fish and take his pictures. Heywood loves that camera of his. We’re more like brothers than friends. And then there’s Juliet. But I can’t talk about her.

What is your heart’s deepest desire?

To find my missing piece. To feel whole again. To make a life with—well—I’ve said enough.

What are you most afraid of?

Finding what I’m missing and losing it again.

Do you believe the legend of the white alligator? Is it real?

That’s for you to decide. And it’s for me decide. You either see the alligator or you don’t. But this much I can tell you: Destroy it and you’ll destroy yourself.

Thanks for joining us today!

Valerie Fraser Luesse is the bestselling author of Missing Isaac, Almost Home, and
The Key to Everything, as well as an award-winning magazine writer best known for
her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently senior travel
editor. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, Luesse
received the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society for
her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana. A
graduate of Auburn University and Baylor University, she lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband Dave.