Barbara Britton and Free Books!

To keep her orphaned sisters together, Mahlah must seek what has never been granted to girls, an inheritance of God’s promised land.

Before we visit today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the free Kindle copy of Lynne Tagawa's historical novel, The Heart of Courage: A Novel of the French and Indian War, is:

jarning67@...

Congratulations! We'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to learn about new releases! U.S. subscribers are entered in the drawings a second time when they comment.

And now let's chat with Barbara Britton, author of Biblical novel, Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey (Pelican Book Group, October 2019).

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. Barb brings little-known Bible stories to light in her Tribes of Israel series. 

Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

I love driving a minivan. I joke that it’s because I’m an e-van-gelical. My kids are grown, and my husband keeps nudging me to get something sportier, but I love the way a van drives. And there’s always someone who needs help moving.

Yes, it does sound as if this is your calling, Barbara. I don't have that particular calling.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Lioness.

When one of my friends mentioned the daughters of Zelophehad at Bible Study, I was dumbfounded. How had I missed them on my read through the Bible challenge? The girls are buried in the book of Numbers, but there is a lot of Scripture devoted to these 5 orphaned sisters. I knew I had to write about their big “ask” for land. 

After their father dies, the girls go to Moses and ask to inherit their deceased father’s land. Moses goes to God and God says the girls are correct. If a man dies without a son, his daughters can inherit his land. 

I follow the girls through the book of Joshua in two subsequent books, but the girls’ big ask for land is in Lioness.

That really is fascinating. I've lost count of how many times I've read through the Bible, and I've missed the daughters of Zelophehad every time. I love that you've written this series.

What is it about Mahlah that will make your readers care about her?

Women in Bible times are under a lot of social constraints. I’m amazed at the bravery of many women in the Bible who risk their life and livelihood for the continuation of the Gospel and God’s people. Mahlah and her sisters change history by claiming God’s promises that God is the father of the orphan and the weak (Exodus 22:22-23, Deut. 24:17-22, Psalm 68:5). 

Mahlah not only goes against social norms in her ask for land, but she watches over four sisters who are very different. Mahlah is always listed first in the Bible and is likely the oldest sister. The role of being a firstborn child rests heavy on Mahlah’s shoulders.

Consider the characters you’ve created. You know how characters can evolve as we write their stories? What was one way a character changed from how you initially imagined him or her, either in this book or some other story you’ve written?

In Lioness, you meet all five of the daughters of Zelophehad. I wrote Milcah as the quiet, cerebral sister. Milcah takes prominence in the last book of the series. How could I make her bold enough to carry a story? The girls are in a new part of Canaan, and Milcah must stake her own future with a man who is her opposite. She must put her faith to the test in a land inhabited by idol-worshipers. With God’s help, we can do things that we don’t think we are qualified to do. As Joshua says to the people of Israel, “Be strong and courageous.”

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

I recently enjoyed T.I Lowe’s series on three high school friends who find love. Beach Haven

begins the series, but my favorite book was the last one, Sea Glass Castle, because the characters’ wounds were deep and hard to overcome. 

I also enjoyed Season of Hope by Carol James. My son is a single pastor, so I like stories about ministers. Since I’m a mom of boys, I liked the little boy in Carol’s story.

What are you working on now?

I recently sent a manuscript to my publisher that is about another little-known Bible character during King David’s reign. I’m working on Bible Study questions for that novel. I have a contemporary Christmas romance floating around in my head. That story would be a departure from my historical stories.

Where else can readers find you online?

I have a website and you can sign up for my monthly newsletter on it. I am active on Twitter and Facebook. You can find out about my books on Goodreads and BookBub, too.

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



Readers, you can read a sample of the books HERE by clicking on Look Inside.

Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

Thank you for reading my interview. Are there Bible characters that you are curious about?

You can find the daughters of Zelophehad in Numbers 26:33, 27:1-11, 36:1-12, Joshua 17:3-6 and I Chronicles 7:15)

Thank you, Barbara, for visiting and telling us about yourself and your book. Readers, Barbara has offered to give away a free copy of her book. To enter, click on the word "comments" below to reach the comments page, and leave your answer and your email in answer to Barbara's above question. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Remember that U.S. subscribers are entered an additional time in each drawing. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

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