I was delighted when Allauthor.com notified me that the cover of my novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders has been nominated for top hundred book covers for this month’s book cover award.
The cover with the most votes wins. So if you could vote for THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders at the following link, I would greatly appreciate it.
The cover was done by the publisher of Adelaide Books (New York/Lisbon) Stevan V. Nikolic — who told me that he had done the painting earlier and was waiting for the right manuscript to come along. The painting on the cover is called “Rosarium.”
To learn more about my novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders (published by Adelaide Books New York/Lisbon), click here.
I’ve long been interested in the origins of religion, particularly with the matrilineal cultures that have come through the Judeo-Christian traditions — if you read between the lines.
This partially comes from research and partly from following my own intuition. For instance, many have observed — and it is obvious to me — that the Virgin Mary and her son, Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) are based on the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis and her son Horus. The goddess underpinnings, no doubt, account for the popularity of the Virgin Mary/Blessed Mother and the cult of the Black Madonna in many different cultures.
I joined a Unitarian Universalist church about five years ago, began learning about religion ( I was raised secular) and started reading the Bible (which was not required). There is some good stuff in there — if you pick and choose. I began to wonder how marginalized people survived in the fierce desert. In particular, I began to wonder how strong women and LGBTQ people (long before labels) survived.
I wondered about people who were born intersex, those who may have identified with a different sex than they were born into, and those who identify as non-binary.
This is the origin of my novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders.
THEY was recently published by Adelaide Books (New York/Lisbon).
My good friend, the poet, Maria Fama (who I have long discussed these issues with), says of THEY:
In her novel THEY, Janet Mason tells a fascinating tale in a bold, iconoclastic style, tinged with humor. She turns the Judeo-Christian biblical landscape upside down as she examines patriarchy, gender roles, and the fluidity of sexuality and gender.
–Maria Fama, author, Other Nations: an animal journal
Adelaide Books (New York and Lisbon)/ March 11, 2018/ 0-9995164-3-4
Janet Mason has a storyteller’s gift, weaving rich imagery with provocative twists to create a world where gender is as complex and fluid as the emotional bond between twins. With its Biblical, Pagan, fantastical and modernist roots, THEY is not easily categorized – and even harder to put down.
Susan Gore, PhD, Editor, Coming Out in Faith: Voices of LGBTQ Unitarian Universalists
“Whoever heard of a divine conception?”
Tamar rolled her eyes. She looked skeptically at her twin.
THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders is a novel written by Pushcart nominee Janet Mason. It is now available on Amazon and will be available in bookstores soon.
In THEY, we met Tamar from the Hebrew Bible. Tamar lives as a hermit in the desert, is content with her life and is happily barren. She is attached to her pet camel. Her aversion to goat sacrifices becomes so strong that it prompts her to become a vegetarian. Tamar has a twin sister Tabitha who becomes pregnant after seducing a young muscular shepherd. Tamar plots with Tabitha to trick Judah (a patriarch from the Bible) into believing that the baby is his so that she can have status in society rather than being burnt at the stake. Tabitha gives birth to twins. Tamar becomes attached to the children (born intersex), who call her auntie, and follows their line of intersex twins.
THEY is written for both the reader with and without a biblical background. The reader without a background will have an interesting romp through the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. THEY is also influenced by other spiritual traditions and laced with humor. The reader who is versed in biblical history will have an entertaining read and a new spin on an old story. The novel is strongly influenced by the Gnostic Gospels and by the teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism.
THEY is a groundbreaking work that will prove to be lifesaving for those in the LGBTQ community and enlightening and liberating to others.
Janet Mason is an award-winning creative writer, teacher, radio commentator, and blogger for The Huffington Post. She records commentary for This Way Out, the internationally-aired LGBTQ radio syndicate based in Los Angeles. Her book, Tea Leaves, a memoir of mothers and daughters, published by Bella Books in 2012, was chosen by the American Library Association for its 2013 Over the Rainbow List. Tea Leaves also received a Goldie Award. She is the author of three poetry books.
THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders, is now available on Amazon
The Philadelphia launch of THEY will be held at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore in the Mt. Airy neighborhood. Stay tuned for more details.
Following is an excerpt of THEY — The Descent of Ishtar with Asushunamir the two spirited, intersexed, trickster — performed at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration on Stenton Avenue in Philadelphia.
Click here for more YouTube videos and text excerpts of THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders.
I’ve long been interested in the origins of religion, particularly with the matrilineal cultures that have come through the Judeo-Christian traditions — if you read between the lines.
Janet Mason, author 