Re-imagining the Old Stories, with Jeanne Blasberg

The Resilient Writers Radio Show

In this week’s episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I interview Jeanne Blasberg. Jeanne is a bestselling author known for her novels Eden and The Nine. Her latest novel, Daughter of a Promise, came out in April 2024.

This latest novel is a contemporary retelling of the Biblical story of David and Bathsheba, set in modern-day New York. Jeanne explains that while she kept the essence of the original plot, she made significant changes to reflect contemporary themes, including giving her heroine more agency than Bathsheba had in the Bible.

Our conversation delves into the challenges and rewards of reimagining classic stories in a modern context. Jeanne was inspired to explore the timelessness of themes like consent, attraction, and power dynamics, especially during the #MeToo movement.

By writing from the perspective of Betsy (her modern Bathsheba), Jeanne gives a voice to a character who, in the original story, is largely voiceless.

Towards the end of the interview, we also get into indie publishing vs. traditional publishing – a topic I know a lot of think about!