The Judah and Tamar Trilogy

Author Joy Sikorski

Judah and Tamar Book Journey

As I look back at the journey I have been on with my co-writer, Michael Silversher, it amazes me how the Judah and Tamar Trilogy got started, how it survived many roadblocks and how the two of us have managed to get as far as we have.

You see, we are both primarily composers, singer-songwriters, performers. You know, that sort of thing. And although I am a published author (you can see more about both of us on the authors’ page), this is the first novel I have worked on and the first book writing collaboration I have worked on.

Together, Michael and I have written the music and lyrics for Gathering Blue the Musical—an adaptation of Newbery Award winning author Lois Lowry’s book by the same title—but the book or script part of that musical was written by the brilliant playwright, Richard Hellesen (look him up in Wikipedia).

And so it was that when the inspiration for the Judah and Tamar Trilogy came racing into the room where Michael and I sat reading the Biblical account of Judah and Tamar in Genesis (Bereishis) 38, we were blown away by the depth of the story that is contained in one short chapter. We also realized that the surrounding chapters played heavily into the story too and began to talk about writing a book about it all.

Writing Judah and Tamar, a Daunting Task

Little did we realize what daunting a task it would be for us to write a novel together, nor did we realize how much research would go into “getting things right” and how the telling of the tale would so powerfully impact our own individual lives as story tellers through music. We have both been changed by what we have discovered and humbled by the many fits and starts that have happened along the journey.

There were times when we thought we couldn’t write another word. There were times when we wanted to throw things at one another. There were times when we laughed and cried at the power contained in the story itself. And now, as we work hard to release the first book in the trilogy and wade through the difficult decisions that must be made in order to bring the book to you, the reader, we know that it has been worth it all.

The power of the Judah and Tamar story is that it changes people. It changed us and I believe it will change you as you identify with the struggles of the characters and the families whose lives have made such an impact on the history of the world.

In the end of all there is, life is simply life and people are simply people. Michael and I know that what we are doing is bringing Judah and Tamar to life for you so that you can learn from their struggles and mistakes and their ultimate triumphs.