Prince of Egypt

Someone decided to do a Broadway version of the cartoon, PRINCE OF EGYPT. I’ve heard the soundtrack and thought it lovely. Have a listen if you’re interested:

There’s one thing.

One little thing.

THEY GOT IT WRONG AGAIN. Someone has to stop promoting the idea that Moses parted the Red Sea by himself. He didn’t. By the time the Israelites got to the shores of the sea, God was kind of pissed with his prophet. He’d done some major side moves. Moses stood and cried out for the waters to part.

Nothing happened.

He told the men to join him. And again, nothing happened. It took his sister Miriam standing beside him and having the WOMEN join in to reach God’s ears. So in the name and sanity for women and sisters everywhere, someone please set the record straight?

God Remains

An extremely brief glimpse of my 2019 release, God Remains. Raffe goes on his own adventure, and is forced to bring Gabriel and his nemesis, Destiny, with him. Will the two accomplish their goals or tear each other to pieces in the process?

When all else fails, and you feel there’s nothing left, only God Remains.

I hope you like it!

God Remains, coming soon:

Raffe made a choking sound as if he fought exploding into hysterical laughter. All three companions looked at him, irritated, and he held up his hands defensively. “Oh come on … ‘I’m humbled by your notice’? Kid, if you’re flirting, you’re truly going to have to work on your game.”

“I would never,” the boy vowed.

Gabriel snapped in frustration. “Let’s try to stay focused.”

Seeing that they were all gazing at her, Destiny shrugged and approached the ladder. Why was it always women’s job to go first, especially black women? If they wished to stand up here and discuss the plan for hours, they were going to lose the concealment of the night and the comforting glow of the stick in the hole. Unfortunately, this thought did little to bolster her confidence. Destiny had not been aware until now that she was frightened of caves. She was also not aware of a problem with the darkness until that moment.

Of course, she doubted that many women would be eager to climb into a pitch-black hole in the middle of the night.

It’s not pitch-black, she reminded herself sternly. The nice boy tossed in a glow stick to give some reprieve from the feeling of being swallowed by the earth. Though at the moment the thought of actually reaching out and touching the ladder made her shake, and she started to hyperventilate.

Raffe stopped her from grasping the rung. He swung onto the ladder and gave her an impudent grin. “I’ll go first.”

“Good. That way if I fall you can break my descent.”

“Feel free to make use of my humble body … however, you wish.”

“Some of us will still be waiting up here by morning at this rate,” Gabriel grumbled.

“What’s wrong with him?” Raffe asked Destiny.

“He misses his wife.”

“Nah.” Raffe cast Gabriel a speculative look. “He’s just horny.”

“That’s what I said.” Destiny joined Raffe on the rungs.

#WednesdayWIP

The chemistry between Destiny and Raffe wrote itself from the moment they introduced themselves. Getting a chance to explore these two dynamic characters has been an absolute blast. Enjoy a scene from GOD REMAINS, when Destiny gets a chance to finally explain women to Raffe.

“What is it you wish?”

“I wish to be cherished,” she asserted. “I wish my man to accept me as I am without condition. I would have a man who would rejoice in the person I am and the life I have been forced to live. What I want is what every woman wants.”

“Here I thought you wanted to be a queen.” Raffe tried to joke to lighten the moment that was becoming fraught with emotional landmines for them both.

Destiny turned from him to return to their stealthy walk up the stairs. “I’d be the queen of my man’s heart,” she whispered loudly enough for him to understand. “That is the secret between men and women. Women wish to be queen of their man’s heart, and men wish to be king of their own harem.”

“You’re a pessimist.” He scowled, joining her in the climb.

“And you’re a fool.”

#ThrowbackThursday

As I get God Remains, third book in the series, ready for publication, I thought I’d revisit the wonderful world of the renegade Ethiopian priest that is Father Josephus. Here’s a piece from Journey of Josephus.

The golden gleam from the Dome of the Rock shone over the despair surrounding it, like the spring sun after a long hard winter. It did not matter if it were day or night, good weather or bad, war or peace. The Dome was a constant reminder of the power of faith. It was the hope of a better tomorrow, and a gift from a long gone cherished yesterday. Built by Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, he had intended the structure to be used as a shrine for pilgrims. The narrow lane leading to the holy place was lined with lush and leafy trees, a present from a long ago king.

Between the gifts of the caliph and a king, were the armed guards and tanks that kept the peace – or maintained the war, depending on the side of the Jordan you were born into. It was a pitiful statement of the human race that one family could cause so much pain in the pursuit of glory for ostensibly the same God.

And that is what they are. Islam, Christian, and Jew … distant cousins all.

Father Josephus was standing by one of those trees, watching as the men returned from their final prayers for the day. He held the girl in his arms, in her disguise designed by Mrs. Shapiro. He hid his smile; he was a priest, holding a girl of unknown origins, disguised by a Jew, about to enter one of the holiest Islamic sites in the world.

Who said missions of faith were boring?

#WednesdayWIP

The third book in my Ethiopian Chronicles has been a challenge, to say the least, but the relationship between Destiny and Raffe makes it worth it. Check out a passage from God Remains …

Destiny approached Setur’s side. “If he fails, you will not k

ill him.”

“It is of no concern.”

“You will not kill him,” she ordered again.

“If he fails, he is not worthy of you.”

“Then you will send him on his way and I shall stay.” When he turned to her in surprise, she stared deeply into his eyes to be sure he fully understood what she was offering him. “I will stay as whatever you wish.”

“You know I would only accept your eternal presence. You would bargain your life, even eternity, for him?”

“I would give far more than my life.”

“You are my Sheban,” he murmured.

“I am Destiny.”

“Did I neglect to mention?” When Destiny turned to him, bemused, he gave her a wolf-like smile of triumph. “‘Sheban’ means Destiny.”

#ThrowbackThursday

Both men winced when she snapped. Gabriel tried to smile at her. “Jazz, Raffe’s family are the descendants of the man who housed the Ark for King David. They have kept their rich history alive throughout the centuries by sheer force of will. It’s their belief that God chose their bloodline to be the guardians of the Ark.”

“So if we found the Ark …”

“I would take it away from you.”

Jasmine ignored Raffe’s comment as she continued to stare at Gabriel. “You would condone this? Even if it means Keda’s life?”

“I would,” he answered. Though his face was stoic, his eyes were teeming with his desire for her acceptance. “I gave Raffe’s family my word,” he tried to explain. “I will not go back on that.”

“We’re talking about a child,” she implored them both.

Raffe drew himself up straight. “And I’m talking about a task given to my family from God.”

#TBThursday

“The Ark had definite opinions on when the Israelites did things, where they went, and what they did. There was a cloud of fire that would cover the tent where the Ark resided. When the cloud was there, the Israelites would stay camped; when it dissipated they would march again. The priests spoke to the Ark and received all forms of counsel. Moses would speak with the cloud and pass out edicts to the freed slaves.”

“You would think that the rabbis would want to get the Ark back.”

“I found an interview with the head Ashkenazi rabbi, who feared the Ark being discovered. You see, the current children of Israel are not pure from the viewpoint of the Ark, and if it were found, they would have to be forbidden from seeing or touching it. Also, finding the Ark means that they have to rebuild Solomon’s temple.”

Gabriel groaned at this news. “Well, so much for them helping us.”

“The building of the third temple is tied into the end of the world and the book of Revelations. No one is going to be looking forward to those events coming to pass. Well, no one sane at least.”

“Did you get anything about the Ethiopian church?”

“I stuck with the Ark. Why?”

#wednesdaywip

“Destiny.” Raffe’s eyes conveyed the importance of his question even though she could only see him through the small strip of gauze allowed in the ritual garment. “Tell me.”

“I have other priorities right now.”

“Answer. Do you wish to be loved?”

Destiny hissed at him. He slowly withdrew his sheltering embrace. She couldn’t keep her beliefs on this subject to herself. “Love is something people use like Kleenex. People love their cars, a specific type of food, the warmth of a day.”

“What is it you wish?”

“I wish to be cherished,” she asserted. “I wish my man to accept me as I am without condition. I would have a man who would rejoice in the person I am and the life I have been forced to live. What I want is what every woman wants.”

“Here I thought you wanted to be a queen.” Raffe tried to joke to lighten the moment that was becoming fraught with emotional landmines for them both.

Destiny turned from him to return to their stealthy walk up the stairs. “I’d be the queen of my man’s heart,” she whispered loudly enough for him to understand. “That is the secret between men and women. Women wish to be queen of their man’s heart, and men wish to be king of their own harem.”

“You’re a pessimist.” He scowled, joining her in the climb.

“And you’re a fool.”

#ThrowbackThursday

Gabriel and Raffe found Jasmine sitting in the middle of the columns, her head thrown up to the sky, tears streaming down her face. They were panting from the exertion of chasing her through the streets. At first the song seemed strangely discordant, but soon Jasmine’s hands adapted to the tones of the harp and made the melody flow.

The clouds moved slightly, and a beam of sunlight pierced the gloom to bathe Jasmine in a warm light.

Raffe fell to his knees. “I have never heard the begegna played so beautifully,” he whispered.

Gabriel began to approach her, but Raffe pulled him to his knees as well. His friend acted as if they were witnessing a holy moment. The two men watched as Jasmine’s hands continued to move over the strings of the wooden instrument, the tune calling to them.

“This is the first time I have seen her truly cry,” Gabriel whispered. “She told me she vowed she wouldn’t touch another instrument until she found Keda.”

#WednesdayWIP

“How could you tell what that said?” Raffe asked.

“I recognize the name Benjamin of Tudela.”

Destiny shook her head at the wonder of it all. “You can’t read anything else?”

“Not a thing,” Gabriel said.

“So,” Raffe prompted impatiently, “tell us about your friend Benjamin.”

“To do that we shall have to return to the story of the Tomb of the Patriarchs.”

“Most problems do stem from the father.”

Destiny gave a ladylike snort into her tea at Raffe’s joke. “You should know.”

#ThrowbackThursday

Gabriel pulled Jasmine up from the floor and into his arms. He held her head tightly to his chest, smiling over the top of her hair at Destiny. “It’s not like that, Destiny. I’m like her older brother.”

“You do not act like an older brother, my friend; and I do not like being made a fool.” Destiny walked through a nearby doorway to a beautifully appointed living room and reclined on a chaise set in front of a group of plants. She knew the lighting there made her gown appear to shimmer and her skin glow like satin. Destiny was still angry that her former lover had used her connections to seduce a new bedmate, but she would be dammed if she wouldn’t remind him of all he was missing.

Her men ushered in the two Americans and made them kneel before her. Chase rolled his eyes at the drama she was conducting and said in a bored tone, “Get to the point, Destiny. What do you want?”

God Remains

The next installment in the thrilling Ethiopian Chronicles series from G. J. Phoenix …

Raffe Mariam is an Ethiopian priest, oldest son in a powerful clan, with unlimited possibilities on the horizon. But standing at that moment on a holy mountain, he feels like little more than a beggar. His sister is offering him a path, and all he sees down it is loneliness. Then, with a flash of light, and a heavenly message, he’s set on a new course. Involving his oldest friend and the guidance of the reborn Ark maiden, Raffe is frustrated by one thing, their insistence that the only woman to ever spur his interest, Destiny, be included.

Born in the gutter, she created her own kingdom only to give it all up for the one thing no one can buy. Together, they must solve an ancient riddle, finding the rarest sacred artifact he’s ever pursued. He may have to take down a lost God in the process, but nothing is going to keep Raffe from his goal.

Destiny and Raffe must both remember that when all else has failed, when there’s no other choice, no matter what … God Remains.