The Apocryphal of Lazarus follows Lazarus, who, after rising from the dead, travels the world, plies different trades, and falls in love over and over again while trying to find purpose in life as he awaits the return of...

The Apocryphal of Lazarus follows Lazarus, who, after rising from the dead, travels the world, plies different trades, and falls in love over and over again while trying to find purpose in life as he awaits the return of Christ. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

There are many legends indicating where Lazarus of Bethany was buried, including Cyprus or Kilton. In Jewish tradition and in the writings of Maimonides in his Mishneh, Torah spoke of the resurrection at the end of times where the souls of those who had died inhabit other bodies, a Jewish acceptance of reincarnation. Reform Judaism rejected the idea of the resurrection in the Pittsburg Platform of 1885. I believe that resurrection means that you, like Christ, cannot die and that Lazarus is walking the earth, waiting for the second coming. What does this affect a human being? How do you cope with seeing loved ones grow old and die? How do you deal with changing your looks to disguise perpetual youthful looks? Is this a blessing or a curse? The Apocryphal of Lazarus involved my exploration into this character and how circumstances molded him and helped him to cope with the grief of loss. To see a wife, a son, a daughter, and grandchildren grow and change, then finally wither and die must have been overwhelmingly sad, yet his faith kept him moving forward.

When you sit down to write a book, what comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?

The plot stems from the characters involved in the story. Once I know who is speaking to me, the plot writes itself. Once I know who my protagonist is, how he deals with the bumps in the road and how he struggles and overcomes difficulties in life, where he goes next is easy.

What is a significant way your book has changed since the first draft?

After I put a manuscript down for a while and then go back and reread it, I find the need to add more description of what I see in my mind’s eye. How do the desert, the ocean, and other places smell and look? The background music of the time helps me to feel that I am actually there. I want the readers to feel that they are there, walking with the characters and seeing what they see, think, smell, and desire.

What do the words “literary success” mean to you? How do you picture it?

Literary success, to some, means how many copies they sell, but for me, it’s more about how many people have read the book and enjoyed it. Many of the world’s great writers realized no significant book sales in their lifetime, but we remember them as great authors because their words still resonate and inspire us. They teach us that we are not alone and that others have gone through similar struggles. There is always hope.

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Lazarus, risen from the dead, faces the dilemma of finding purpose in life until Christ returns. In his quest for peace and solace from the loss of loved ones along the way, he finds great satisfaction in shipbuilding, vineyards, and other enterprises in Cyprus, France, Spain, the New World, New Orleans, Boston, and England.

Over his long life, Lazarus marries, has children, watches them grow to adulthood and give him his first grandchildren. They age and die, leaving Lazarus alone, traveling and plying his trades, until he marries again and the story repeats—children, grandchildren, and the deaths of more loved ones.

He travels with Cortez, fights in the conquest of the Aztecs, and struggles to protect native peoples against the Spaniards in California and New Mexico. He journeys east to New Orleans where he works to establish the first healthcare system. In the midst of the Battle of New Orleans, he tends to the wounded. He moves to New England and participates in building the hospital system in Boston.

Compounded with personal tragedies, Lazarus faces another dilemma because he does not age. He is forced to devise disguises to protect his ageless state or leave and start life anew where no one knows him.

Between the lines, Lazarus never loses his true mission, spreading the good word about Jesus and His life as Lazarus knew him in childhood.

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