zeekie: take two.

I've gotten plenty of strange cover letters since I started interning at Tor, but I really don't think they come much stranger than this:

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Dear Editor:

I am seeking publication for my novel, Crossroads, a biography of Mary, the mother of Jesus, containing 30 chapters, 102,397 words. I am enclosing a synopsis and the first three chapters for your consideration.

Mary lifts the veil that has shrouded her in mystery for 2,000 years. Undaunted by present church doctrines, she depicts her life with the Essenes in a heart stopping narrative that reveals her innermost thoughts and fears from the birth of Jesus to his crucifixion. Crossroads may be classified as a work of historical fiction; however, the original manuscript was channeled in its entirety from Mary in 1993. The events though vastly different than the stories told in the New Testament, are, I believe, true.

I can take no credit for the story. I simply edited the work with the help of my writer's group. I am not a psychic or a medium. My life's work has been devoted to education beginning as a high school history teacher and later becoming the first certified vocational guidance counselor in the state of North Carolina. My last career challenge was to serve as a college admissions advisor for a nationally recognized technical university. I retired in 2005 and began editing the manuscript enclosed.

I was raised as an Episcopalian and at the age of 17 aspired to be a nun. My library overflows with works of various authors pertaining to religion. My mother was a Christian; my father, a learned Jew. When I was 13, my father insisted I choose a religion; however, before choosing one, he required I study each denomination except Judaism. When I was 40, I decided to become a Jew. My father said, "So, you finally found the cornerstone." I believe the story that flowed from Mary was given into my hands because of my own personal journey. I look forward to your reply.

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Okay, WHAT? The thing is, it's not a bad story, and the person writes fairly capably. But I can't imagine what the press tours and interviews will be like if the manuscript really gets published.

I also can't decide whether I want it to be an elaborate hoax or God's honest truth.