Peter, Paul, Pereptua and Josephine

What do they have in common?

They are all saints, and they all feature in my new book -

(yes, done it again. Publishers choose when to publish, not me.) New titles are coming all together, like buses. So I have another new title and it's

Stories of the Saints. It's published by Lion, who also did 'Women of the Bible', and again it's illustrated by Alida Massari with her sweeping lines and gorgeous use of colour. Mrs Editor and I had to do a lot of thinking to get the right blend of saints for this book.

Certain old favourites had to be in, so we have Peter, Paul, Bernadette of Lourdes, St Francis. Looking for a variety of times and places we chose Perpetua and Felicity, who were thrown to wild beasts by the Romans. And we liked Martin de Porres, a mixed race South American monk. St Perpetua was so composed about dying that after being hurled to the ground by a mad heifer she got up and rearranged her hair. St Martin de Porres and his sister served the poor and needy and ran an animal hospital on the side. When mice invaded the monastic kitchens he explained to them that this was really not a good thing to do and rehomed them at the bottom of the garden, where they stayed on the understanding that he'd provide the catering.

There was one saint I'd never heard of until Mrs Editor put me on to her. She was born in Sudan and known as Bakhita, but she couldn't remember her real name. I suppose that's what's happens when a little girl is kidnapped by slave traders, beaten, sold, monstrously ill-treated, and sold over and over again. All this was early in the twentieth century. But her story finally led to Italy, a convent, freedom, and a life lived out in awe-inspiring love, joy wisdom and gentleness. She took the name Josephine, and she shone. Josephine Bakhita. Respect, ladies and gentlemen.