Milwaukee writer Mark Warhus has a diverse biblography, having written non-fiction books about relics of the saints and Native American maps, as well as novels set in the world of opera and, now, in his latest, "Temporary Saints," in the Catholic Church.

We chatted with Warhus about this eclectic resume, and started out, of course, asking about his latest book, "Temporary Saints."

OnMilwaukee.com: Tell us a bit about your new comedic novel, "Temporary Saints."

Mark Warhus: "Temporary Saints," available for all e-readers, incorporates much of my research into the history and meaning of Catholic saints and their relics. It begins with a young woman, Sarah, levitating naked over the altar of St. Catherine's, an inner-city parish in transition from a predominantly European to a majority Hispanic congregation. The pastor, who predates the transition, hopes that everything can be explained away. His housekeeper insists that this is "the work of God," and they must help Sarah bring the message that God has appointed her to bring.

The Archbishop hires a gay secular psychologist to investigate Sarah supposedly miraculous abilities. When word reaches an ambitious fundamentalist preacher that the Archbishop has "hired a homo to sanctify a whore," he raises the issue into a confrontation between fundamentalist homophobia and the Archbishop's prerogative to hire whom he chooses. Meanwhile the psychologist witnesses Sarah perform a miracle, an event that challenges his belief and leaves him struggling to understand that which cannot be understood.

The conflicts continue to grow with the fundamentalists protesting, the Catholic Church demanding that the Archbishop repudiate his acceptance of homosexuals, and the Hispanic congregation adopting Sarah as their "naked Magdalene." When Sarah finally brings the message God has promised justice is served and everyone is graced.

OMC: Some might find it a bit scandalous, do you worry about a backlash?

MW: "Temporary Saints" raises the issue of homophobia among Christian fundamentalists and the Catholic Church's reluctance to condemn the hate and misinformation some of these groups produce. It also raises the question of the Catholic Church's stand on not accepting gay, lesbians and others into the Church.

In the end, the message that Sarah brings is interpreted as God saying that the Church needs to open up and accept those whose behavior they currently condemn, welcome them as equals who are free to practice their faith. If this upsets some people, so be it. The aim of the book is to entertain, inform, and examine current social issues. At the same time it is all done with a light touch and endearing characters that readers will enjoy.

OMC: The book isn't your first on saints, is it? I remember you talking in the 1990s about your research for a book on saints' relics in Italy. Are you still working on that one?

MW: That book was a non-fiction book called "Follow the Bones." Having been raised a Catholic -- though now most grievously lapsed -- I knew about saints and relics. But it wasn't until a trip to Europe, where you are much more likely to find large relics such as complete arms and even the entire bodies of incorrupt saints, that I became impressed with the meaning these objects carried for those who lived with them. Set as a travelogue "Follow the Bones" looked at the historical, social, cultural, religious and even economic context of how the relics of a particular saint, for example St. Catherine of Siena's head on display in the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena, are part of the history of the place where they are preserved.

"Follow the Bones," was considered good enough to attract one of the most respected non-fiction agents in the business. Robert Shepard represented the book for more than a year, getting it read at more than one dozen publishing houses. Alas, one wanted more religion, another more travelogue and another more history, so that in the end we could not find a publisher. The manuscript is still around here and who knows, if "Temporary Saints" does well perhaps "Follow the Bones" may be revived.

OMC: You've written another novel, too, haven't you? That one's got an opera connection, right? Tell us a bit about it.

MW: "Love Among the Arias," also an e-book, began as part of a subplot to another novel. I started the story with a regular joe, Dave, becoming obsessed with opera and opera singers and deciding he wants to meet one up close. He begins hanging around the stage door at the Lyric Opera in Chicago with no luck. Just as he gives up retiring to a nearby bar to drowned his disappointment, a young up and coming soprano comes in and takes a seat in a booth by herself. She looks distressed and David, deciding it's now or never, goes over to introduce himself.

The young singer, Anya Kochotnya, first denies her identity, and then asks David to sit and read the paper she's holding. The newspaper contains a review of Anya's performance the night before. With her limited English she understands it's not good, but she asks David to explain the meaning of the more complex words. This leaves David with having to inform the first opera singer he has meet that she stunk. The critic really pans her performance, and Anya is momentarily dumbstruck. She quickly regains her composure and begins to tell David what she wants him to do. Used to being treated like a diva, Anya orders David to meet her outside and take her to his car. Then she tells him to take her to his home in Wisconsin.

Before he knows it, David is a co-conspirator in Anya's self-kidnapping. Anya explains that she will never return to sing in the cut-throat world of opera. "I will not go back," she claims. "It will be a different life." When they get to David's house she has him put all his cds in the attic even the stereo system must be put in the closet. "I will have no music," she demands. "And you," she adds, "will sleep on the couch. I need a room of my own."

David, awestruck at being in the midst of what has long been a fantasy, doesn't resist. He caters to Anya's every whim, letting her talk about her upbringing and how she began singing and then got carried away into the world of high opera. What she doesn't know is that he is doing his own research, learning about her history, buying copies of her early recordings, secretly plotting to get her to sing again.

As they settle into a routine Anya stays cocooned avoiding even news of music on the tv. After a night out, she invites David into her bed and they begin a new and carnal phase of their relationship. One that Anya tells David not to question.

One afternoon David comes home early from work to hear Anya singing scales in the kitchen. He accuses her of singing and the threat of David's lone witness is enough to scare Anya into tears. She has lost her confidence and David does his best to reassure her that her voice is better than ever. When she works up the courage to ask David to help her sing, they begin a long, languid, and licentious journey rebuilding Anya's voice and confidence that will inevitably result in their ending.

By the way, if anyone is interested in some of the inspiration behind this novella, check Anna Netrebko's 2003 recording "The Woman, The Voice," of this video … make sure you wait for the end. If anyone wants to talk opera please visit my website, markwarhus.com, and make your comments.

OMC: You've got a pretty wide-ranging bibliography. Your first published book, "Another America," was about Native American maps. Do you expect to continue to surprise us with this diversity?

MW: For the last few years I have been working on a historical fiction that is based on the terrible wars that took place in the Balkans, the former Yugoslavia, in the 1990s. The book goes back to the 14th century when many of the grievances that are still being fought over began, and then to the trials at that International Criminal Court where those who participated in the '90s genocides are still being tried.

My approach, however, has proven to be too technical, so I am now on the fourth rewrite emphasizing it as the story of individual's experience rather than the history of events. I plan to get back to it when things calm down with "Temporary Saints."

OMC: What do you do these days when you're not writing books?

MW: I was lucky to be able to retire at the end of 2012 and have spent the last year or more writing full time. Otherwise, I get to do whatever I feel like. That's mostly reading and research and getting out for some fun once in a while.