Interview with Mara from A Certain Man by Linda Dindzans
I have been blessed to get to know Linda as a prayer warrior and a fellow author over the last year or so. It’s my honor to introduce you to her and to her heroine of A Certain Man, Mara. Linda is being EXTREMELY generous and is giving away a print copy AND TWO e-book copies of her debut Biblical Fiction novel. Here’s a bit about the book, then check out the interview before entering for your chance to win a copy of A Certain Man.
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A Certain Man by Linda Dindzans
Two lovers torn apart. A world on the brink of divine revolution.
In first-century Samaria, where traditions run deep and tensions run deeper, Mara’s heart belongs to Samuel—but her father has other plans. When he promises her hand to the cruel son of a High Priest, Mara dreams of love crumble. But fate has a darker twist in store: her betrothed’s mysterious death forces Samuel to flee for his life, leaving Mara behind in a world growing more dangerous by the day.
Their love story unfolds against the explosive backdrop of history’s most pivotal moment. Through the opulent courts of King Herod to the scheming chambers of Pontius Pilate, Mara and Samuel navigate a landscape where politics, religion, and power collide with devastating consequences.
But there’s another figure rising in Judea—a mysterious teacher from Nazareth whose radical message is setting hearts ablaze and threatening the very foundations of society. As Mara and Samuel’s paths intersect with destiny, they find themselves pulled into events that will not only transform their lives but will be remembered for millennia to come.
Perfect for fans of “The Red Tent,” “The Chosen,” and Francine Rivers’ “Mark of the Lion” series, this masterfully crafted tale weaves together forbidden love, political intrigue, and spiritual awakening.
Walk the ancient streets. Feel the passion and peril of a love that defied all odds. And witness the moment when divine intervention changed everything.
Purchase Links: Amazon
Now for our interview with Mara.
CC: I am excited to introduce you to my readers –but I was expecting Mara, the heroine of the story. You are a young woman barely past girlhood. Who are you?
Yonah: I am called Yonah which means Dove.
CC: So Yonah is not the name you were given at birth?
Yonah: Yonah is a fitting name since I was sent in secret to Shechem to be the Dovekeeper for the High Priest of Samaria.
CC: You do not carry yourself like a lowly Samaritan woman, even though you are dressed as a commoner. I will speak with you, but I must confess I am disappointed that the heroine has not come.
Yonah: Mara says that the ways of HaShem, our One God, are mysterious and my role was pivotal in her reunion with Samuel after seven years of many trials and separation.
CC: You are Mara’s friend?
Yonah: Yes, though when she first caught sight of me following Samuel with his daughter Lyra in my arms, she thought I was his wife. She had resigned herself to become a humble second wife.
CC: Tell me how you helped Mara and Samuel find one another again. Why were you sent to Shechem?
Yonah: My mad ramblings at court were treasonous and if overheard would have me, my mother, and anyone who harbored us, executed. I can see you look confused. Let me go back to the beginning. My mother lost favor with King Herod who has been known to plot the deaths of relatives, even previous wives. All my mother’s attempts to regain Herod’s attention, failed. Desperate to secure our survival, I danced for her life and mine at King Herod’s birthday celebration. That dance returned my mother to favor but it was both a curse and a blessing.
CC: How was it a curse?
Yonah: Because of that dance, The Baptiser was beheaded. At the horrific sight, Zosi, a beloved slave went into early childbirth of Samuel’s daughter, Lyra. Zosi died there on the throne room floor. Because of that dance, Herod called me to his chambers for one night. From that night forward, my reason left me rambling treasonous foretellings. The only thing that would calm my ranting was caring for Lyra––the baby I now saw as my own.
CC: How could the dance that caused the death of the Baptiser, a prophet from our One God, and the death of a beloved slave ever bring blessings?
Yonah: Because of that dance, my rantings put my mother and I at risk again. The calming effect of Lyra on me sparked my mother’s cunning. She sent Samuel home to Shechem to hide me. Who would ever expect a Jewess from Herod’s court to live as a humble Samaritan? Because of that dance, Samuel and Mara were reunited and married.
CC: You do not rant now, your reason seems to have been restored.
Yonah: Yes. Both Mara and Samuel, each in their own time came face to face with Yeshua of Nazareth and came to believe He was the Promised One. Their testimonies brought many in Shechem to faith. I was one. And my reason returned.
CC: When was this?
Yonah: Before Yeshua set the political, religious, and spiritual landscape on fire. And before all three of us were immortalized in the Gospels.
CC: You are a beautiful young woman. Did you ever marry?
Yonah: I am in love with Ozri an apprentice at Samuel’s woodworking shop. Perhaps he will find the courage to ask my mother for my hand in the next book A Certain Mercy.
CC: Will you share your birth name with us now?
Yonah: It is not safe to reveal. My name is gleaned from historical documents outside the Bible. It is thought that I married Philip the Tetrarch, but I did not. Another one of my mother’s cunning ploys you will discover in A Certain Man. In book 2, A Certain Mercy, my story continues, and the uncovering of my true identity is threatened by another famous Jew hiding as a Samaritan.
CC: Our readers pose no threat. Will you share any other clues?
Yonah: Throughout history down to your time, operas, paintings, literature, and films have been inspired by my story. Perhaps your readers would care to guess my name? They can leave it in the comments below.
Yonah: READERS I HOPE YOU WILL COME TO KNOW MARA AND SAMUEL, THE HEROINE AND HERO OF MY STORY WHEN YOU READ A CERTAIN MAN AND CONTINUE WITH ME, AS I CONTINUE MY ROLE IN THE STORY OF ZERA, A NEW HEROINE IN A CERTAIN MERCY TO BE RELEASED DECEMBER 2025
About Linda Dindzans:
Linda Dindzans, M.D. is a writer with the heart of a healer who offers readers stories of redemption and restoration. Though her compelling characters inhabit the treacherous times of the Bible, Linda believes there is nothing new under the sun. The struggles of her characters still speak to hearts today. Only a profound encounter with the Son transforms her characters from victims to victors.
Connect with Shawna: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | GoodReads
Giveaway
Here’s your chance to win a copy of A Certain Man. Comment on the blog and enter using the Gleam Widget for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/1. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.
Carlene Havel writes Christian-themed romances and historical novels. She has lived in Turkey, Republic of the Philippines, and numerous US states. After a career in human resources and software development, she began writing in 2005. The Havels live in Texas, surrounded by their extended family.
However, the most exotic place was Turkey. We lived at Karamursel Air Station near the village of Yalova, across the Sea of Marmara from Istanbul—one of the world’s most delightful cities.
