Veteran novelist and screenwriter Roger Simon said his upcoming novel EMET represents both a new literary series and a deeper purpose in his writing career.
During an appearance Friday on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, Simon described the book as a thriller that tackles profound spiritual questions while unfolding through a dramatic storyline set partly in Nashville and later in Israel.
The story follows a rabbi whose wavering faith is tested after a murder and a mysterious discovery connected to an ancient Jewish legend. Simon said the narrative ultimately explores a central theological question.
“The book asks the question, to what extent is God involved in human affairs, which is probably the major question of the Jewish and Christian religions,” he said. “[I]t investigates this question, which we all investigate.”
Simon said the novel updates the ancient Jewish legend of the golem while weaving in contemporary global tensions.
“This is an attempt to be a real serious writer,” he said. “It’s very entertaining – it is a thriller – but it is not anything that I did in a casual way.”
Simon also reflected on how his understanding of his work has evolved over decades of writing.
“This book might be a little bit deeper than my previous 14 books because I have slowly discovered why it is I’ve spent these many years as a writer,” Simon said. “God gave me a gift that I’m supposed to use… What we have to do is discover what our purpose is, not try to evade it, but honor it.”
At the heart of that realization, he added, is a sense of service beyond personal ambition.
“Let’s be honest, it is in the service of God,” Simon said.
EMET, Simon’s 15th book, is scheduled for release March 17, with preorders already available online. The novel is intended as the first entry in a new series that the author says will continue exploring faith, myth, and modern geopolitical conflict.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Roger Simon” by Roger Simon.
