BLOOD OF A STONE

Publication Date: March 17, 2015 Tuscany Press Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle 371 Pages Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 Set in the first century on the edges of the Roman Empire and the Jesus movement, Blood of a Stone is a sweeping story of murder, betrayal, love, and the search for redemption. Faced with the brutality of slavery, Demetrios confronts his master and flees by the blood of a stone. Determined to escape his past, he struggles to create a new life and a new identity with his friend and fellow escaped slave, Elazar. However, freedom has its price. Secrets cannot remain secret forever. A chance for love is lost. Elazar betrays Demetrios to a so-called prophet named Jesus of Nazareth. Fearing the Roman authorities and Jesus, Demetrios risks everything to silence those who would enslave him again. His quest leads him to startling discoveries and dire choices. Demetrios must answer the question we all ask: Can we ever be free of our past?

Praise for Blood of a Stone

"Blood of a Stone takes the reader on an adventure in a fascinating period of history where the Roman Empire and the birth of Christianity converge. An extremely well written historical novel. -Amazon Best Selling Author of The Olivia Series, Yael Politis

"Jeanne Gassman has composed a spiritual journey of one man's heart-rending path to redemption on the fringe of the Jesus movement. Wrapped in polished prose and vivid depictions of life in 1st Century Palestine, Gassman's story transcends genres to offer a rich biblical tale of love, loss, forgiveness, and the restorative power of faith." -Barbara Devlin, Bestselling Author of the Brethren of the Coast series

 "BLOOD OF A STONE by Jeanne Gassman is an enthralling, introspective historical tale that studies the human spirit in all its various forms: the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful. The novel is touching, wonderfully written and has a stunning story line that will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommend!" -Eliza Knight, USA Today Bestselling Author, My Lady Viper

 "Details of 1st-Century Palestine come alive as Jeanne Lyet Gassman weaves a compelling story of unspeakable challenge and the search for redemption. Trapped in a life of desperation, Demetrios will do whatever it takes to escape, even kill those who enslave him. But when his life comes in contact with the man, Jesus, everything that seemed so important begins to shift. The story moves from pulse-pounding action to heart-wrenching honesty, as Demetrios pursues the Peace every heart craves."-Amazon Best-seller Author, Christy M. Bellar, The Lady and the Mountain Man

 "Grace, one of the most challenging journeys of life and literature, is explored in this fine debut novel by Jeanne Lyet Gassman. Set in first century Palestine during the time of Jesus, BLOOD OF A STONE is a moving, well-researched, beautifully turned novel that had me engaged and in tears. Highly recommended!" -Best-selling author Allegra Jordan, The End of Innocence

 "Jeanne Gassman is a remarkable writer who brings a Biblical era stunningly to life in this powerful and fast-moving tale of sin and redemption." -American Fiction Prize Winner, Clint McCown, author of Haints

 "In art man finds a conduit to the divine. Blood of a Stone, Jeanne L. Gassman's artful debut, is a tale of murder, love, betrayal, and redemption in 1st century Judea. Crafted with imagination and superlative style, her story tracks slaves Demetrios and Elazar's arduous climb from sin to forgiveness." -Winner of the Independent Publisher Book Award, David Beckett, The Cana Mystery

 "Jeanne Lyet Gassman's stunning evocation of 1st-century Palestine in all its teeming, multifaceted complexity compelled me, page after page, to follow the fateful pilgrimage to Jerusalem while also walking the rocky path from undeserved suffering and terrible guilt to the possibility--open to all of us--of forgiving and being forgiven." -Diane Lefer, co-author of The Blessing Next to the Wound

 "Blood of a Stone is a gripping story of friendship and betrayal, love against all odds, a brutal Roman Empire, and the threat of a revolt that becomes instead the beginnings of freedom. Jeanne Lyet Gassman tells us what it was like to live in the time of emperors and slavery, a world into which Christ was born." -National Book Award Winner, Gloria Whelan, Homeless Bird

 "A meditative journey on the ways that life cripple us all -- and the choices we make that lead to bitterness and blame or joy and forgiveness -- Gassman's BLOOD OF A STONE is a biblical journey of self-discovery that will strike a chord in every reader." -Michelle Zink, Author of Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy

 "Jeanne Lyet Gassman is an astonishingly good writer. The ancient world of Blood of a Stone feels alive on every page. And if you think there's nothing fresh to say about the fragility of freedom and the difficult road towards redemption, this novelóchock-full of compelling characters and propelled by a polished, downright luminous proseówill provide new and heartfelt insights." -Nance Van Winckel, author of Boneland: Linked Stories

 "In Blood of a Stone, author Jeanne Lyet Gassman leads the reader on a journey of surprise and suspense. Her well-researched work is the story of Demetrios, a slave who sinks to murder to defend his own life. He is a Gentile, in partnership with Elazar, a Jew. They travel Palestine in the midst of the Jesus movement and each in his own way finds his life changed." -Wall Street Journal Top Ten book selection author, Donna Foley Mabrey, Maude

Available at

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About the Author

Jeanne Lyet Gassman lives in Arizona where the desert landscape inspires much of her fiction. She holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has received fellowships from Ragdale and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. In addition to writing, Jeanne teaches creative writing workshops in the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area. Her work has appeared in Hermeneutic Chaos Literary Journal, Red Savina Review, The Museum of Americana, Assisi: An Online Journal of Arts & Letters, Switchback, Literary Mama, and Barrelhouse, among many others. Blood of a Stone is her debut novel.

Author Links

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my thoughts:

Two slaves escaping in an evil Roman master.  Set in the later days of the 'Jesus movement", this book centered on two slaves, Demetrios, a gentile, and Elazar, a Jew.   They travel all around and encounter not only Jesus himself, but his disciples and many he's touched.    The main character is Demetrios, the gentile.  He's committed a terrible crime, and spends his days in an almost paranoid manner.  He becomes a caravan leader.  He's leading the Jews to Jerusalem during Passover.  The story focuses on his feelings of betrayal, paranoia and (spoiler) 

eventual forgiveness after meeting Jesus.   Demetrios is an interesting character. He spent a great deal of time feeling angry.  Angry with himself, angry with Elazar, angry with just about everyone, even Jesus.  

This book is well written.  The author brings us into Jerusalem during the time of Christ.  Jesus himself is a minor character, as are Peter, Mary, John and Judas.  I found myself imagining life at this time. Was it as the author described?  Probably, she did such a fantastic job with her descriptions of the characters and the settings.   


I give this book 4/5 stars for it's concept, originality and ability to hold my interest.

Blood of a Stone Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, May 4Spotlight at Curling Up With A Good Book Tuesday, May 5Excerpt at What Is That Book About Wednesday, May 6Spotlight at Cheryl's Book Nook Thursday, May 7Excerpt & Guest Post at Curling Up With A Good Book Friday, May 8Review at Book Nerd Tuesday, May 12Review at Book Lovers Paradise Wednesday, May 13Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a BookGuest Post at Book Lovers Paradise Thursday, May 14Review at A Book Geek Monday, May 18Spotlight at A Literary Vacation Tuesday, May 19Guest Post & Giveaway at Latte DaExcerpt & Giveaway at Queen of All She Reads Wednesday, May 20Review at Genre Queen Thursday, May 21Spotlight at CelticLady's ReviewsGuest Post & Giveaway at Raven Haired Girl Friday, May 22Blog Tour Wrap-Up at Passages to the Past