How did you come up with the idea for your screenplay?

Some years ago I read Marcus Aurelius' book Meditations and was very impressed at his profound thought. When I found out he persecuted Christians during his reign as emperor of Rome, I was really intrigued to find out why. He ruled in 160 AD, which was a critical growth period for the Christian faith. All the primitive Christians who had known Jesus were dead by this time, and this new generation had the privilege of carrying on the faith though under some of the most oppressive and brutal emperors in history. Yet they persevered, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for that.

What or who was your inspiration?

While researching the life of Marcus Aurelius, I came upon the writing of Justin the Martyr whom Marcus had beheaded during his reign for refusing to bow down to Roman altars. Then I discovered that Marcus' army and the empire were saved by a rain miracle supposedly brought on through the prayers of Christians in his army. Justin and the rain miracle were my inspirations to tell this story.

How long did it take for you to write your script?

I wrote the script as a stage play first, and only several years later did I turn it into a screenplay. The research took a couple years; the development of the stage play took another couple years; then I wrote the screenplay about five years ago, and it has been in re-write ever since.

What were some of the challenges that you faced during the writing process?

The major challenge in writing a historical drama is in making the decision to remain true to history or to go off on a more dramatic storyline. I've learned to go with the dramatic storyline. This is not a documentary; it's entertainment.

What is your writing background? Do you have formal training as a writer?

I have a masters in creative writing. My father wrote thirty years for the local newspaper, and my mother is a children's book author and illustrator. The ink is in my blood.

Do you have advice for other writers who are dealing with Christian themes?

Listen to the divine inspiration within and follow it.