The third book in my Women of the Bible series, Miriam’s Room, is a story not only about Miriam but also about her son, John Mark.

We don’t know much about Miriam, but from Josephus and early church records I found that her home was a gathering place for followers of Jesus. Some sources say that her home was the location of the “upper room” where Jesus and his disciples ate the last supper.

What we know about John Mark is that he was the author of the gospel of Mark “as told to him by the apostle Peter.” Since Simon Peter was a fisherman, it makes sense that he probably didn’t have much education other than what was required by his religion. According to historical sources, John Mark spent some time with Peter and the disciples during Jesus’ ministry, but from what I could gather he would have only been there for some of the later events. In essence, Mark’s gospel tells Peter’s perspective of Jesus.

These were the clues on which I based Miriam’s Room and intertwined the lives of John Mark and his mother with Biblical and historical events. In this book, my main character is from a higher social class than Rebekah or Johanna, the main characters in books one and two of this series. I expanded Miriam’s character well beyond the skimpy reference in scripture to explain and dramatize how Jesus came to use her “upper room” for his last meal with the apostles. Miriam’s relationship with her husband and with John Mark allowed me to add depth to the story and to broaden the appeal to the reader.

Instead of just a women’s story, Miriam’s Room is a young man’s coming of age story, as well. When Jesus reaches Miriam, John Mark feels the touch.