Author Heather Kaufman joined me on the blog in March 2024 for a discussion of her debut novel, Up From Dust: Martha’s Story. She returns again to discuss the next book in her Woman of The Way series: Before the King: Joanna’s Story. 

The Gospel stories tell us little about Joanna, but we do know she was a wealthy woman who was healed by Jesus and financially supported his ministry. She was married to Chuza—the manager of Herod Antipas’s household—and was one of the women who discovered the empty tomb the morning of Jesus’s resurrection (Luke 8:3; Luke 24:10).  

From these nuggets, Heather Kaufman has given us a full-fledged novel just as intriguing and compelling as Up From Dust. 

But as with all Biblical fiction, always go to the original source—the Word of God—when you’re done reading the novel. 

Blurb for Before the King

Joanna’s wealthy family aspires to Herod’s inner circle, but when her father’s esteemed position in the Sepphoris Sanhedrin is threatened, her family harbors a dark secret. Entangled in the complexities of aristocratic life and an impending arranged marriage, Joanna is caught between her own desires and maintaining appearances. When tragedy strikes, Joanna grapples with a new future that challenges her sense of duty and hope for love.

Years later, Joanna is forever changed when a rabbi comes preaching a new kingdom and healing the sick. As she contributes to his ministry, Joanna treads a perilous path between a court that mocks Jesus of Nazareth, disciples who view her with suspicion, and a husband who guards his own secrets. With pressure increasing on all sides, Joanna must decide where her allegiances lie and protect her relationship to the Christ, whose message is as compelling as it is dangerous.

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My thoughts

This well-researched story explores all the dramatic potential in Herod’s court regarding concerns about John the Baptizer, Jesus of Nazareth, Pontius Pilate, and politics. Reading it was an immersive experience into this vibrant setting with its flesh-and-blood characters. The crucial parts stick to the Gospel stories as we know them, filling in the spaces with what could have been—through the eyes of Joanna.

As a child, Joanna watches her sister’s illness gradually overtake her. The family keeps it hidden so her father can thrive in the court of Herod Antipas. Joanna is the daughter of a Sadduceean family which is at odds with other Jewish factions due to the Sadducees’ lack of belief in a spirit world.

Though living within Herod’s sphere, Joanna never forgets her sister whose illness has kept her from receiving and enjoying all the benefits of Joanna’s life. Yet Dalia seems more content than Joanna ever is.

“What others think of me has no bearing on who I am . . .
What people think changes all the time.
What is true never changes.” ~ Dalia

But Joanna is only beginning to learn that lesson. Meanwhile, she encounters many difficulties, and eventually finds herself in a marriage of convenience, one that prevents her from having a child.

“I am learning that sometimes God gives us things
we cannot understand in order to shake us apart.
To undo things we believe that we shouldn’t.
To make room for the things we must believe.” ~ Joanna’s father

During this time, many of those who follow Jesus of Nazareth are poor and have no earthly treasures to hold onto. Joanna has plenty of earthly treasure, but uses it to support Jesus’s ministry and his kingdom ways. Even though seeking after such heavenly treasure brings huge risk. 

In following Jesus, Joanna interacts with other known Bible characters, such as John the Baptist, the disciples, and Mary of Magdala. Please note that some scenes and dialogues with Jesus are original to the author, not from scripture, but Heather stays true to Jesus’s character. I don’t have a problem with this but I mention it because some readers do. 

A couple other caveats I’ll mention as a heads up–for readers who might be concerned. Joanna sometimes seems to understand more than the disciples even grasped. Also, the marriage of convenience definitely adds great tension to the story, but some of the sexual tension occurs during the discussion of spiritual things. 

But none of these potential concerns is a reason to not read this well-crafted, compelling story. 

Join me for some Q & A with Heather Kaufman.

Questions about Before the King

Why did you choose to write about Joanna? How did you decide on her backstory and character arc?

Heather: Joanna has always intrigued me because she came from a vastly different world than many of Jesus’ followers. She’s named only twice in Scripture, but the few details we get are fascinating! As the wife of Herod Antipas’ steward, she walked in circles close to the throne, making her involvement with Jesus risky. 

The fact that she financially supported Jesus throughout his earthly ministry says a lot about her character. She was willing to run the risk association with Jesus would bring. It’s this bravery that helped me formulate her backstory. I wanted to explore how she came by her courage and what obstacles (both personal and circumstantial) she might have overcome to follow Jesus. 

Research showed me that she most likely came from a Hellenized aristocratic Jewish family. I used this knowledge to create her character arc from a dutiful daughter maintaining appearances to a courageous woman sacrificing everything for the sake of truth. A family secret that Joanna is forced to keep serves as the catalyst for her disillusionment over aristocratic life and her hunger for a deeper, more authentic way to live.

I agree—the few details we know are fascinating! What else is evident from Scripture and which gaps did you have to fill?

Heather: At first, I wondered if we could know anything at all about this remarkable woman given how briefly she’s mentioned in Scripture. I was delighted to discover that there is, in fact, a lot we can know about her just from her husband’s name and position. 

From Luke 8:1–3, we see that Joanna was healed by Jesus of some infirmity. We also learn that her husband’s name is Chuza and that he was the “manager” or “steward” of Herod Antipas’ household. My research showed that Chuza is a Nabatean name. Nabatea was a neighboring nation nestled to the southeast of Israel. There were Nabatean connections within Herod’s own family, for his first wife was Nabatean as well as his grandmother. 

Chuza’s position is better translated as “procurator,” which indicates a person entrusted with the financial affairs of another, often with administrative power. This is not a lowly position; rather, a procurator carries the authority of the person they represent. Joanna, then, was most likely married to a Gentile high up in Herod’s administration. 

From this information, we can extrapolate some key details. She most likely came from an aristocratic family who would see this union as desirable. With these broad strokes in place, I was able to flesh out her family of origin and backstory. 

I decided to place her in a Sadducean family, since Sadducees were some of the wealthiest members of society in Jesus’ day. I also decided to locate her within Sepphoris, which served as Herod’s capital for many years. I call these choices “educated guesses.” 

How Joanna came to meet Chuza, the details of how she diplomatically straddled her two worlds, and her ailment that Jesus healed are entirely fictional and were fun to imagine!

All of that makes Joanna a very complex character. How much of the story and character development went according to your original plan and how much evolved?

Heather: So much changed throughout this story, making it one of the hardest things I’ve ever written! I’m typically a “pantser,” figuring out the plot as I go, but this story kept slipping through my fingers. Specifically, the nature of Joanna’s relationship to Chuza kept evolving until finally settling into a “marriage of convenience.” 

The family secret Joanna grows up hiding didn’t change, but the way Joanna discovers more information about that secret underwent multiple changes! Even some minor characters shifted throughout the story. Eden’s love interest in part two and Mireya were all later additions to the plot. 

This particular story was tricky. The harder I tried to wrangle it into submission, the more it wriggled about, obstinately refusing to listen to me! I’m so happy with the end product, but it was a journey getting there.

Which scene was particularly challenging to write, and why? (No spoilers, please!)

Heather: Joanna and Chuza are in a marriage of convenience for many nuanced reasons. The scene in which they finally unpack and share their hearts with one another was incredibly hard to write. The story had been building toward this moment for a long time, and I wanted it to be satisfying but also careful in depicting their growing intimacy. 

There’s also a tendency for fiction to romanticize the hero—writing him from an obviously feminine point of view. In writing the scene where Chuza is vulnerable, I tried hard to avoid this pitfall, ensuring his words and actions were things a man might really say and do rather than what a woman would like a man to say or do. I wrote and rewrote this scene numerous times until it felt right and rang true.

That is definitely the challenge of a woman writing from a man’s perspective. How did writing this story and the characters compare to writing Up from Dust: Martha’s Story? Easier, harder, different kinds of challenges?

Heather: This story was harder in just about every way. One big difference is that we have far less of Joanna in Scripture. With Up from Dust, I had multiple big moments to work with. From Jesus in Martha’s home (Luke 10:38-42) to the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:1-44) to the banquet honoring Lazarus and the subsequent plot to kill him (John 12:1-11), there were key passages that helped me shape the story. 

With Before the King, I relied more upon the political climate of the time to help form the story. I knew early on that John the Baptist would be a character and that his death in Herod’s prison would be a part of the story. There are other moments throughout the Gospels in which Jesus either interacts with Sadducees and Herodians or conveys teaching that directly challenges their ideology, and I include many of those moments in the book. 

In Up from Dust, I pulled mainly from Scripture, commentary on Scripture, and research into daily life in Jesus’ time. But in Before the King the stage was larger, and I cast my research net wider in order to better understand the world Joanna came from. The result is a conglomeration of historical research, biblical events, and my imagination that make this book one of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve written to date!

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Back to Laura . . . On a similar note . . . 

If you like dual timeline fiction about family dynamics in a small town Midwest (Wisconsin) setting, try The Broken Weathervane (launched September 2). Two co-workers seek the same information. One wants to publish it; the other has good reasons to keep it hidden. The timeline alternates between 2015 and the 1950s. Check out the reviews and book trailer here.

If you like historical fiction, you might enjoy A Hundred Magical Reasons (launched January 2025). This story spotlights L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, his friendship with a young girl, and his impact through the decades. Set in Holland, Michigan, this dual timeline novel alternates between 1980 and the early 1900s. Read more and watch the book trailer here. 

If you like Southern fiction and small town/rural stories about family dynamics and secrets, you might enjoy my novel All That Is Hidden. Set near North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1968, the story spotlights the bond of family and the connections of a tight-knit community. Northern exploitation threatens as a father’s hidden past catches up to him and tests family ties. Learn more and watch the trailer here.

All That Is Hidden is now an audiobook! 

I invite you to join my monthly newsletter for writing updates, freebies, and giveaways. Sign up and I’ll send you 7 Oz-inspired recipes: A-Taste-Of-Oz-Cookbook-Sampler.com 

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Heather Kaufman bio

Heather Kaufman is the author of multiple books and devotions, praised by Kirkus Reviews for writing “a charming and well-crafted tale” (Loving Isaac). She delights in highlighting the goodness of God through storytelling. When not reading, writing, or accumulating mounds of books, Heather can be found exploring new parks with her husband and three children near their home in St. Louis, Missouri. Learn more on her website.

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Join me next time for a visit with author Lana Christian.

Meanwhile, have you read any of Heather Kaufman’s books? Which Biblical fiction have you read and enjoyed? Answer in the comments below.

Ever reading,

Laura

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and receive the 7 free Oz-inspired recipes: A-Taste-Of-Oz-Cookbook-Sampler.com