Those six Bible verses that condemn
homosexuality? They have nothing
to do with how we feel. And they have
nothing to do with me.

The Revelations of Jude Connor

Jude Connor’s rural Idaho hometown is a place of strong values and high expectations. For those who fit into the local church’s narrow confines, there’s support and fellowship. For those who don’t, there’s ostracism in this life and certain damnation in the next.

Jude wants desperately to be saved—to believe with the fervor of the charismatic Reverend Amos King, whose sermons are filled with brimstone and righteousness. But every time Jude thinks he’s found the right path, there’s a fork in the road, and Truth seems to be in a different direction. It’s not just the forbidden friendship with his unconventional classmate, Pearl, or the difficulties of being orphaned and in his older brother’s care that challenge him. There are the restrictions governing how congregants should behave, the whispers that follow Gregory Hart, a man who cares for his wheelchair-bound sister and offers guidance Jude sorely needs. And there’s Jude’s burgeoning need to decide for himself how to live, when to question, and whom to love.

When loyalty doesn’t help Jude overcome his own temptations, he must confront the truth behind the church’s façade and his willingness to follow his own path—even if it leads him far from everything he’s known.

News & Events

Many readers have asked why I write what I write. See the answer to this and other questions in the Michele N Jeff interview.

Blogger Elisa Rolle has posted a list of my top ten books. Care to know what they are?

Ramble Redhead episode 290 from June 16, 2009: Fascinating and fun conversation with the illustrious Ramble Redhead himself! Check it out.