As I begin to launch my book, Revelation on the Sea Island, I’m taking time today to reflect on why I wrote this book, why it’s important to me and why I hope it will be important to you. Since I began my writing career over twenty-five years ago, I’ve been writing in Springfield, Ohio, the hometown of John Legend, a place where artists grow. I started because my friends told me, “Nancy, you’re a writer.” I began by exploring this idea by using Julia Cameron’s book, the Artist’s Way, a practice I continue to this day. I began to write essays, then I one morning, I decided to write a novel with God.
I first wrote Revelation in the Cave for peace. This book introduced the Magnificent and Marvelous Book Club (the MAMs), a diverse group of Christian ladies, spanning the religious and political spectrum. They read In Search of Paul by John Dominic Crossan, an exploration of the early church in light of new discoveries about the Roman Empire. When they became enamored with Thecla on the cover of the book, they embarked on an archaeological dig in Turkey, which shed new light on the book of Revelation.
The MAMS next adventure, Revelation at the Labyrinth, I wrote for the Earth. After reading about environmental issues, including Al Gore’s book, The Inconvenient Truth, they wanted to take action. They created recovery/re-entry group home cottage industries, including an organic farm and a solar panel business for men and women. Their story unfolded with hope: healing, recovery, and solutions to climate change. There are rarely dull moments with the MAMs.
Next, the MAMs began a round of reading exploring of genealogy. They capped it off with getting their DNA tested, offering this also to their group home members. After discovering diverse roots, they applied for a grant to take their re-entry, recovery group members to the lands of their DNA: Ireland, Gullah land of the Sea Islands, and West Africa. The third MAMs novel, Revelation in the Roots: Emerald Isle unfolded as they flew to Ireland to explore Irish roots, play tourist and grapple with political differences among them.
Next up, the MAMs read about the Gullah people and traveled to explore their West African roots in the American South, in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Hence, I wrote Revelation on the Sea Island as I followed the journey of the MAMs and their group home members. They visited former plantations, learning about life for enslaved Africans, as well as their liberation.
Why did I write this book? In part, because I follow my characters into their stories. This was their adventure. But I join them in believing it’ s important to learn about the history of African Americans in our country. For the hundreds of thousands of Africans who were kidnapped from their native land, forced into servitude to build the American South and develop wealth for the plantation owners, the story is important. As I continue to learn about the many ways the descendants of those West African Gullah people have been mistreated in my country for over four hundred years, I want to speak up.
I wrote this book, as I learned, as I came to respect and honor the Gullah culture. I wrote this book as I traveled in the American South to African American heritage sites. And I wrote this book because I believe we are all connected. Some people have both Irish and African DNA, as do some of the MAMs and group home members. All people have human DNA, which connects us and I believe should bring us together. I wrote this book as I continue to hope for justice and fairness for all people in my country.