About the Book

Book: The Wanderer Scorned

Author: Natasha Woodcraft

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release date: March, 2024

“It all started with the banishment. As soon as the truth was known about their disobedience, my parents were driven from the Garden planted for them by the LORD God, Yahweh Elohim. A garden pleasing to the eye and filled with every kind of food. Yet for them, it had not been enough.”

Kayin lives in the shadow of his parent’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden and its lingering cloud of shame. He believes in the Creator but struggles for affirmation. When suffering comes and sibling rivalry threatens, Kayin wrestles with God, grasping at shards of faith. But his cries drown in the noise of his own doubts and fears, until his youthful faith lies shattered, replaced by a twisted dance of pride and jealousy.

As Kayin spirals further, misunderstandings within the family dynamic dominate, and whispers of temptation slither through the cracks. Then a chance at redemption presents itself. With flames of forbidden love still raging hot, Kayin and his brother bring sacrifices to Yahweh.

No one foresees the resulting tragedy.

The Wanderer Scorned is the first instalment in The Wanderer Biblical fiction series, immersing readers in the world of Genesis 4. This exploration of the first murder brings the Bible to life in a fresh way, delving into the character of the Creator God and His earliest interactions with humankind.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own and not an endorsement of all author’s opinions.

Author Interview

● What was your process to align your book with your target audience?

I sort of failed at this! Ha ha. I wrote about Cain & Abel because I felt the Lord prompting me to write it, only to realize it’s really tough to find an audience for. It’s technically Biblical fiction, but it goes far beyond that, as an exploration of God’s character and His interactions with the very first humans. Because the maincharacter is an anti-hero figure, it’s also unique! I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to write to market. Those who love it, love it, but not everyone will, and that’s ok.

● What was the most challenging part of writing your book?

Presenting Kayin (Cain) as a character that people could relate to and engage with, even though he’s the “bad guy” and we know the outcome of his story. We know the what, but we don’t know the why. A lot of scripture is like this: we’re told such and such happened, and God leaves it up to us to figure out why and how, and what lessons we’re to draw from that. This requires a closeness to Him that study alone can’t produce, a dwelling with the Holy Spirit. That excites me, but also challenges me.

● What was the most enjoyable part of writing your book?

I love delving deep into the Bible and asking those big questions. Writing a whole series based on Genesis 4 has given me opportunity to spend five years in one chapter of the Bible – reading, praying, researching and repeat. It’s hugely impactedme and drawn me into a greater understanding of the Scriptures and a closer relationship with Jesus, the living Word. My prayer’s that it will do so for you, too.

● Are any of your characters based off of yourself or those close to you?

They’re based off my understanding of the text and the name meanings. Biblical names often reveal something about the character, and I weave this into the story. For example, Abel means “breath”. This alludes to his short life but also, another word for breath is “Ruach,” which is the Hebrew word for the Spirit of God, suggesting Abel was imbued with God’s Spirit, and that’s why he knew what to sacrifice. I love transporting my readers back in time by using the Hebrew rather than English names (hence Kayin rather than Cain), but the characters themselves definitely bear relation to people I know. I’m not going to reveal who though. That would be telling!

● Do you have a favorite time of day you are most productive in your writing?

I’m a morning girl! However, I rarely get the chance to write early anymore because I have 4 kids to get to school and loads of animals to feed. So, it has to fit around them all. I am constantly needing God’s grace in this, as I’d far rather be writing than anything else ;-)

● What is your next big goal as an author?

The Wanderer’s Legacy is releasing in the spring. It’s based on the end of Genesis 4, about Lamech and his two wives. Imagine being the first woman whose husband takes a second wife? I’m exploring that from Adah’s point of view, and how patriarchy and polygamy first crept into the world. It has so many lessons for today. I’d love many people to engage with it and explore the scriptures with me.At

About the Author

Natasha Woodcraft lives in a slightly crumbling farmhouse in the UK with her family of boys and menagerie of animals. She holds an honours degree in Theology and believes stories have power to communicate deep truth and transform lives. Also a songwriter, Natasha peppers her emotional prose with poetry and song.

More from Natasha

Q & A with Natasha Woodcraft

You’re an Author from the UK. Tell me more about that.

That’s right. I’m a Brit, which is great but has its challenges, like negotiating single quotation marks! There’s a massive lack of Christian fiction here. It’s not stocked in secular bookstores, there are few Christian bookstores left, and there aren’t many big conventions or publishers. I’m part of a team passionate about changing the landscape. We offer support services to authors and publishing services. Please pray for us and our country, and support British writers if you can.

Who do you share your home with?

My husband, Ben, and four sons ranging from 15 to 7. Plus a dog, 2 cats, 3 goats, 9 chickens and 16 quail (though they don’t all live in the house.) It can get a little crazy…

Sounds like it. How do you find time to write?

Good question. My mornings are usually taken up with feeding/cleaning kids and animals. My afternoons with working for the family business or publishing house. Before tea, I’ll be out picking vegetables and pulling weeds – we try to grow as much as we can ourselves. Writing gets squeezed into late nights, early mornings and quieter days. It’s my downtime and my favorite time spent with Jesus.

You write Bible-based fiction. What specifically?

The Wanderer Series is based on the story of Cain & Abel in Genesis 4. It came about because I woke up one morning wondering what prompted the first murder (no kidding; my brain is weird.) I’d been pondering Jesus’ words about murder and anger in the Sermon on the Mount and praying about what I should write for a while. Suddenly, I knew it had to be a reimagining of Cain’s story – from his perspective.

Hang on. From Cain’s perspective?

Yeah. Though there’s certainly a place for them, I personally dislike stories that are too simplistic. Where bad guys are really bad and good guys are really good – that kind of thing. The Bible teaches us that we all need grace (especially me), and as regards Cain – I don’t think he was much different to any of us. Writing from his perspective gave me opportunity to spend a lot of time in the Word of God, exploring Cain’s slide into sin in a way that challenged me to examine my own heart.

That’s some heavy stuff. Did you have any background that helped you tackle this story?

Sure. I have a degree in Theology, and I’ve also studied English Literature and Creative writing. Mostly though, it was a case of leaning heavily into what God wanted to teach me through this book and hoping some of that resonated with my readers. The reviews so far say it has!

What would you say to those questioning whether Bible-based fiction is right for them?

I totally understand the fear surrounding this genre. I felt it myself when I started writing and that was something I had to take to God and trust Him with. “Is it even ok to write these stories?” I asked.

Essentially though, it isn’t much different to a sermon. It’s exegesis and expansion of the scripture, just presented differently: in fiction rather than non-fiction. I’ve researched, covered my writing in prayer, and had pastors check my work. I’m super careful about handling scripture faithfully but state where the story comes from my imagination. It isn’t intended to replace the Bible. Quite the opposite – I hope it will inspire people to pick the Bible up. I even include an appendix that explains decisions I made, and study questions, at the back.

My hope and prayer is that Jesus will be glorified as lives are touched by this ancient story reimagined. If you’re still not sure, why not give The Wanderer Scorned a go? You don’t know until you try…