Set against the turmoil of first-century Israel, the novel follows two men whose very different pursuits lead them toward a pivotal encounter with Jesus of Nazareth.
MAGNOLIA, TX, November 10, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In Last Breath, First Day, author Linda Ward brings readers into the turbulent world of first-century Israel, where Roman oppression, religious expectations, and longing for the promised Messiah shape the lives of two men searching for answers. Through their intersecting stories, Ward explores how grief, ambition, and the desire for freedom can carry people far from their beginnings and toward encounters they never anticipated.
Menashe, the son of shepherds who raise lambs for Temple sacrifice, becomes consumed with vengeance after a brutal attack on his village claims the lives of its infant boys, including his baby brother. His pursuit of retribution draws him into the ranks of the Zealots, where his longing for justice becomes entangled with violence, even as he repeatedly crosses paths with a man some believe is the Messiah.
Sethur, the son of a respected Pharisee, longs to escape the religious demands that have defined his upbringing. Drawn by wealth, pleasure, and independence, he enters the politically charged world of Herod Antipas's court, only to find himself implicated in the murder of a prophet and forced to confront the consequences of his choices.
"My research has given me the opportunity to learn and write about people who intersected the life and times of Jesus, some we know very little about and some who are well known and have left their own mark on history," Ward says.
As whispers about Jesus of Nazareth spread throughout Judea, Menashe and Sethur move toward a final encounter that brings their stories together at a consequential moment in biblical history. Ward develops the fictional lives of two unnamed scriptural figures, inviting readers to consider the experiences, motivations, and struggles of people whose stories receive little attention.
"The two main characters of this story, Menashe and Sethur, come from very different backgrounds and have lived very different lives," Ward says.
Through those contrasting perspectives, Last Breath, First Day invites readers to examine the difference between the freedom people pursue and the forces that ultimately govern their choices. Menashe's grief clouds his judgment, while Sethur's rejection of religious constraints leads him into another world of manipulation and moral compromise, creating questions about justice, hypocrisy, responsibility, and redemption.
Ward's passion for storytelling grew alongside her 23-year career as an elementary school teacher in private Christian and public schools in El Paso, Texas. Helping children discover reading and develop their own voices encouraged her to pursue the creativity she had recognized in herself since childhood.
"As I grew and matured as a teacher, teaching students to read and understand the power of words became my passion," Ward says. "They inspired me to spend more time on my own desire to write more and be as creative as they were."
Following her children's books, Jesus in the Manger and I Spy With My Boxer Eye, Ward's move into historical fiction fulfills a lifelong writing dream. Drawing inspiration from the Bible and historical novelists including Francine Rivers and Kristin Hannah, she hopes her work encourages readers to explore the people and circumstances surrounding familiar biblical events.
"When they read or re-read their Bibles, they will want to dig deeper also into the people, places, times and events that surround the life of our Savior," Ward says.
Published by Lucid Books, Last Breath, First Day combines Ward's love of history with her interest in the choices that shape individual lives. Through Menashe and Sethur, she invites readers to look beyond familiar names and consider how an encounter with Jesus might challenge everything a person believes about justice, freedom, and hope.
ABOUT LUCID BOOKS
Lucid Books is an independent, hybrid publisher in the Houston area. As a partnership publisher, Lucid Books offers the connections and expertise of a traditional publisher with the author involvement of a self-publisher. We exist to help authors inspire, inform, and enrich the lives of their readers. For more information on Lucid Books, visit lucidbookspublishing.com.
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