Today we talk about Judas My Story, a book by Cecilia Castellón Vera published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author, Cecilia Castellón Vera, to get to know her better, the moment that prompted her to the writing of her book Judas My Story, as well as how her passion for Writing started.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What prompted you to the writing of your book?
A sense of justice, the redemption of Judas, a sense of duty… I can keep mentioning a few more reasons but the real one was to comply with something that was being required from me. Although it is all explained in the first pages of the book, I will try to explain this here, briefly; It would be very presumptuous to say ‘Jesus asked me to’. However, after something you could call ‘a revelation’, I was left confused and shocked, I did not know why I was receiving this information and most of all, what I had to do with it. The answer was plain and clear and I am going to say it in my own words; write it down the way you know how to. I was not able to comprehend much at that time but after a few years of so much doubt and moments of being blocked, that sometimes would last weeks and even months, the book is here; it is a reality.
- What is the message you wanted to send out to your readers?
If it is at all possible, I would like to invite the reader to see outside the box, to give a chance to other ideas and possibilities. It is human nature to easily judge. Also, because we are so imbued in polarity which is a strong reality of our world, we need the good and the bad; the good to be very good almost divine and the bad to be evil. Judas was and keeps being in the midst of it playing the role of the exceptionally bad. Maybe, just maybe the story was not as we were told. Some facts were omitted or changed. We are still condemning a man who has been innocent from the beginning. Maybe he was a good and common person and much of what has been said about him is not true. I am aware for some people the challenge may be difficult, but it is always a possibility to find it rewarding.
- How did your passion for Writing start?
I have to go back to my youth. The feelings usually were very strong and one day a thought came to mind; why not write it down? First, they were just feelings and descriptions, then thoughts. I also have to confess that my head was always full of stories that I used to develop on my long school trips. Later, once I was living in Sydney, away from everything I knew, poems were born, it was easy for me to express what I was feeling and make the words rhyme. Then, the time came to confront my fears and insecurities and I dared to start a novel in my native language. It was so easy to live the life of my characters and it was also gratifying. To write in English was another story because I had to surpass another fear so, I decided to prove myself by applying to university, it was going to be my second degree, now in Australia. To me, if I was capable of getting in first and then finalizing a degree, I would be able to achieve it.
- How did it feel to see your work published?
Because this is not my first experience on this matter the feeling is not new; A great sense of accomplishment and an indescribable feeling of happiness does not explain the whole plethora of feelings one has at the end of the production process. However, it is difficult for me to define what I feel to see this particular book published because, to me, this book is an entirely different story, it still feels surreal since when I started it, I was not sure that I was going to finish it let alone publish it! Four years ago, I committed to a project and I blindly kept going just trusting the process. I can certainly assert that this book is the epitome of trust. I do not think I have assimilated the fact that the book is a reality it has not hit me yet, I guess.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
No, I am not writing at the moment because I am concentrating on the aftermath of the publishing phase of Judas My Story. I am also dedicating some time to recover since I gave it all to this book and it left me a little drained. Not even in my wildest dreams did I see myself writing something of the sort. The process was demanding and exhausting but I am glad I was able to get through it and succeed. I have to confess though, that the idea of doing the translation of this book to Spanish has crossed my mind more than once, but I will leave it in Jesus’s hands, He knows and I do not doubt that, if this is the case, He will let me know somehow, the same way He managed to do it with Judas My Story.
Europe B thanks the author, Cecilia Castellón Vera, once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book Judas My Story. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my readers, may this book let you reflect on the provocation launched by the author regarding Judas and how he could potentially and possibly be innocent? In fact, the author asks herself “Are we still condemning an innocent man from the beginning?” I leave you at your own reflections and your opinion on the matter…
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your editor!