The Other Shakespeare - Paperback

by Lea Rachel (Author)

Judith is talented, creative, and driven to accomplish great things. But, alas, she has one "shortcoming" that stands in her way-she's a woman.

Set in sixteenth-century England, The Other Shakespeare tells the tale of Judith Shakespeare, older sister to the famous William, as she struggles to develop her talent and gain acceptance in a world that won't recognize her because of her gender. Consistently denied her independence, she's forced to engage in extreme measures to get what she wants out of life-and to make difficult decisions that will shock and surprise you.

Written in the vein of character transplant novels like Grendel, Ahab's Wife, and What Happened to Anna K, Lea Rachel's novel brings new life to a character that first appeared in another publication. Judith Shakespeare was originally introduced in acclaimed author Virginia Woolf's masterpiece A Room of One's Own-and now Judith's full story is told in this speculative piece, which answers the ultimate question, "What if Shakespeare had been born a woman?"

A must-read for Woolf and Shakespeare fans alike, The Other Shakespeare combines history, social issues, and drama in a compelling story that will thoroughly entertain and enlighten.

Author Biography

Lea Rachel possesses a strong literary background firmly planted in her roots, education, and experiences. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, she hails from a bloodline of writers, including her grandmother Beki Bahar, an internationally published Turkish author and poet, and her uncle Anthony Kosnik, coauthor of a well-respected liturgical book that circulated circa the 1970s.

Rachel attended the University of Michigan, where she had two short stories published in the competitive literary publications Prism and The Write Stuff. She has attended writing workshops at the University of Michigan, University of California, and University of Iowa-and placed fifth, out of 18,000 entries, in the personal essay category of the 72nd Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition.

Rachel makes her home in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband and son. The Other Shakespeare is her first novel, released subsequent to her debut work, a personal memoir entitled I Promise.