By By LYDIA GRIMES – Features writer
It is a little bit unusual to find someone local on the list of writers at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. That is just what has happened to Deborah Wilson, who lives in our area.
Wilson has written her second novel concerning the life and times of Barabbas, the zealot whose life was saved when Jesus was put to death.
The first book, &#8220Book of Barabbas: Searching for the Messiah,” was published in 2005. The second book, &#8220The Book of Barabbas,” which was published in 2007, takes over where the first one left off and continues the story of Barabbas and his connection with Jesus and the effect of that connection on his life.
These two books began as one, but were divided when Wilson was told that the original was too long to be published. Together the books contain over 600 pages.
Wilson admits that some people had some doubts when her first book came out, but that seems to have settled down.
The books are about the zealot who lived at the time of Jesus and, in fact, was scheduled to die on the cross that fateful Friday. But, when given a choice of who would be crucified, the crowd chose Barabbas instead of Jesus.
It is a good read. Wilson is quick to point out that it is a novel and does not pretend to be anything else.
Wilson said that she knows no more about the Bible than most people.
The books are on sale now and can be bought at www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com.
They both sell for around $25 each.
Wilson is planning a few book signings around town as soon as she has received more copies of the second volume.
She was born in Buffalo, N.Y. and grew up in the small village of Gowanda, N.Y. She graduated from Gowanda Central High School in 1968. She got married and moved to Phoenix, Ariz. for a while. She got an associates degree in legal studies and worked as a paralegal for about six months.
The family lived in Phoenix for about 10 years.
Wilson has seven children. Matthew, Michelle, T.J., Melissa, Rebecca, Shawn and Tiffany. She also had 14 grandchildren, including three who have died.
It was one of those grandchildren that brought her to Brewton. Her granddaughter, Catlynn, was born with a heart defect and has had several surgeries in her short life.
She is now busy thinking about her next book.
She extends her faith to include a collection of angels. She began her collection some years ago by purchasing some at a local pawnshop. Since that time she has continued to add to her collection.
She has even found a cane, which she uses for assistance, which has an angel on the top.