Heather Kaufman is a former editor turned writer. She spent eight years in the publishing industry while earning her master’s degree and spinning tales late into the night. When she fell in love with studying the Bible through a cultural lens, the words of Scripture came springing to life, and Jesus became even more astoundingly beautiful. Now she crafts stories that imaginatively enter the lives of biblical characters and compel readers deeper into the Bible. When not reading, writing, or accumulating mounds of books, Heather can be found exploring new parks with her husband and three children near their home in St. Louis, Missouri.
Visit Heather Kaufman online
Before the King: Joanna’s Story
Joanna's wealthy family aspires to Herod's inner circle, but when her father's esteemed position in the Sepphoris Sanhedrin is threatened, her family harbors a dark secret. Entangled in the complexities of aristocratic life and an impending arranged marriage, Joanna is caught between her own desires and maintaining appearances. When tragedy strikes, Joanna grapples with a new future that challenges her sense of duty and hope for love. Years later, Joanna is forever changed when a rabbi comes preaching a new kingdom and healing the sick. As she contributes to his ministry, Joanna treads a perilous path between a court that mocks Jesus of Nazareth, disciples who view her with suspicion, and a husband who guards his own secrets. With pressure increasing on all sides, Joanna must decide where her allegiances lie and protect her relationship to the Christ, whose message is as compelling as it is dangerous.
- ISBN: 1540903575
- Publisher: Bethany House
Interview with Heather Kaufman 2025
When did you feel called to become an author?
I distinctly recall sitting in my room, rearranging books on my shelf as a twelve-year-old girl and thinking, “I could do this. I could write books. I think I want to try!” From then on, I applied myself to trying. I wrote a full-length novel in high school and studied writing in college. There were seasons where the desire was a banked fire as other pursuits sprang up, but that initial tug I felt as a twelve-year-old girl has never gone away.
What did you learn while writing this book?
I learned more about Herod Antipas than I ever thought I’d care to know! The research for this book plunged me into fascinating areas of Jewish society that I’d never before considered. I also learned that the stories that scare us are the ones most worth telling. When we feel out of our depth, God shows up in big ways.
What is the toughest part of writing in your genre?
A particular challenge for biblical fiction is to remain staunchly true to Scripture while imaginatively entering the spaces where Scripture is silent. There’s a juggling of the wild, creative, playfulness of story and the seriousness that we are touching upon events and people from the very Word of God. It’s a hard balance to strike and one that requires quite a bit of prayer and intentionality.
If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?
The color of acacia wood; demon possession in first century Judea; luxury dishes in Bible times; biblical wildflowers and their blooming seasons; Jewish criminal law and procedures; and a whole lot of searches for images of Sepphoris, the Fortress of Machaerus, and the Hasmonean Palace!
If you could have coffee with an author, dead or alive, whose work you admire, who would that be? What would you ask him or her?
I’ve had the joy of meeting Tosca Lee but would love to sit down with her, just the two of us, and pick her brain. She’s so bold with her writing, and I would love to know how she gets her ideas and balances thorough research with creativity.
What’s your go-to drink while writing?
Dark roast coffee in the morning with oat milk caramel creamer. Tea with honey in the afternoon. Rooibos is a favorite!
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Heather, a lot of your worry stems from over-thinking which stems from a desire to control which stems from pride. Jesus is exactly who he says he is which means he can handle your life. There’s no safer and better place to be than openhanded before him. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. He’s done all the heavy-lifting for you.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
I love experimenting in the kitchen. At some point, I’d like to put together a family cookbook of tried-and-true recipes. A few years ago, I discovered Pilates, and it’s my absolute favorite way to get my body moving! I also enjoy home improvement projects with my husband, although with three kids in the mix such projects tend to take triple as long as they used to!
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
So many books and so little time! Isn’t that every bookworm’s lament? Here’s a few on my list. As Sure as the Sea by Jamie Ogle, The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz, The Atlas of Untold Stories by Sara Brunsvold, The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox, Dysfunction Junction by Robin Pearson, The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano, and The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt. Although there’s more. There’s always more!
What can we look forward to next?
Book 3 in the Women of the Way series releases Spring of 2026. The heroine is Salome, the mother of the Sons of Thunder, James and John. In this story, we’ll get to behold the ministry of Jesus through the eyes of a mother who is watching her sons be formed into pillars of the church. It’s a destiny she never could have imagined and it requires a level of surrender she’s not sure she can give. Prepare to be whisked away to the Sea of Galilee with Salome as she finds her place and purpose in the most unexpected person.
I can't wait! Thanks for taking the time to chat with me today!
I distinctly recall sitting in my room, rearranging books on my shelf as a twelve-year-old girl and thinking, “I could do this. I could write books. I think I want to try!” From then on, I applied myself to trying. I wrote a full-length novel in high school and studied writing in college. There were seasons where the desire was a banked fire as other pursuits sprang up, but that initial tug I felt as a twelve-year-old girl has never gone away.
What did you learn while writing this book?
I learned more about Herod Antipas than I ever thought I’d care to know! The research for this book plunged me into fascinating areas of Jewish society that I’d never before considered. I also learned that the stories that scare us are the ones most worth telling. When we feel out of our depth, God shows up in big ways.
What is the toughest part of writing in your genre?
A particular challenge for biblical fiction is to remain staunchly true to Scripture while imaginatively entering the spaces where Scripture is silent. There’s a juggling of the wild, creative, playfulness of story and the seriousness that we are touching upon events and people from the very Word of God. It’s a hard balance to strike and one that requires quite a bit of prayer and intentionality.
If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?
The color of acacia wood; demon possession in first century Judea; luxury dishes in Bible times; biblical wildflowers and their blooming seasons; Jewish criminal law and procedures; and a whole lot of searches for images of Sepphoris, the Fortress of Machaerus, and the Hasmonean Palace!
If you could have coffee with an author, dead or alive, whose work you admire, who would that be? What would you ask him or her?
I’ve had the joy of meeting Tosca Lee but would love to sit down with her, just the two of us, and pick her brain. She’s so bold with her writing, and I would love to know how she gets her ideas and balances thorough research with creativity.
What’s your go-to drink while writing?
Dark roast coffee in the morning with oat milk caramel creamer. Tea with honey in the afternoon. Rooibos is a favorite!
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Heather, a lot of your worry stems from over-thinking which stems from a desire to control which stems from pride. Jesus is exactly who he says he is which means he can handle your life. There’s no safer and better place to be than openhanded before him. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. He’s done all the heavy-lifting for you.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
I love experimenting in the kitchen. At some point, I’d like to put together a family cookbook of tried-and-true recipes. A few years ago, I discovered Pilates, and it’s my absolute favorite way to get my body moving! I also enjoy home improvement projects with my husband, although with three kids in the mix such projects tend to take triple as long as they used to!
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
So many books and so little time! Isn’t that every bookworm’s lament? Here’s a few on my list. As Sure as the Sea by Jamie Ogle, The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz, The Atlas of Untold Stories by Sara Brunsvold, The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox, Dysfunction Junction by Robin Pearson, The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano, and The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt. Although there’s more. There’s always more!
What can we look forward to next?
Book 3 in the Women of the Way series releases Spring of 2026. The heroine is Salome, the mother of the Sons of Thunder, James and John. In this story, we’ll get to behold the ministry of Jesus through the eyes of a mother who is watching her sons be formed into pillars of the church. It’s a destiny she never could have imagined and it requires a level of surrender she’s not sure she can give. Prepare to be whisked away to the Sea of Galilee with Salome as she finds her place and purpose in the most unexpected person.
I can't wait! Thanks for taking the time to chat with me today!
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