Author Archives: Janet Sketchley

About Janet Sketchley

Janet Sketchley is an Atlantic Canadian writer whose Redemption’s Edge Christian suspense novels have each been finalists in The Word Awards. She's also the author of the devotional collection, A Year of Tenacity. Janet blogs about faith and books. She loves Jesus and her family, and enjoys reading, worship music, and tea. Fans of Christian suspense are invited to join her writing journey through her monthly newsletter: bit.ly/JanetSketchleyNews.

Advice I’d Give a Newbie Writer

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Following the biweekly series of writing-related posts on Ruth L. Snyder’s blog hop, here are my thoughts for new writers:

You

You are a writer. Don’t wait until you have something published to call yourself one. We tend to be afraid others will laugh at us or think we’re being pretentious, but the truth is, if you write, you’re a writer. Owning that facet of your identity, and giving yourself permission to be that part of who you are, is a step forward, and if you don’t take your writing seriously, no one else will.

You’re not just a writer, though. Don’t neglect the other areas of your life, even if this one’s the most fun.

Write

Take regular time to write. Little bits will add up. If you want to stick with this long-term, learn to write when the muse is silent and when you’d rather be doing anything else. Writing is work.

Keep writing. When you finish a project to the best of your ability, write something else. Don’t tie your hopes to one thing.

Remember the difference between writing for personal expression and writing for readers. They’re both valuable, but if you want others to read your work you need to revise with their interests in mind.

If you decide to self-publish, do the research first. And hold yourself accountable to produce a quality product, including cover art and editing. Don’t sabotage what you’ve written by packaging it poorly.

Connect

Get to know other writers online or in person. Learn from their experiences and their mistakes. These are the people who will encourage and understand you, and you’ll do the same for them. Help other writers, with no agenda. Some of it will come back to you anyway. My favourite online writers’ organizations: The Word Guild, InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship, American Christian Fiction Writers.

Connect with other writers, attend conferences if you can. Be teachable, and don’t turn getting published into an idol. Enjoy the journey, and remember that anything worth doing will take time and practice. If you’re good today, imagine how much better your writing will be after you’ve put in your “apprenticeship”.

On conferences: don’t wait until you’ve “earned” the right to be there. The sooner you go, the less bad habits you’ll have to un-learn later. And the more writing friendships and contacts you’ll develop. My favourite conference: Write Canada. Choose a conference based on location but also based on faculty and course options. If you can’t get to one, there are online offerings like WANA International, and many conferences offer mp3s or CDs of their teaching sessions.

Learn

As well as conferences, check out books and blogs on writing. A few books I’ve reviewed and recommend: You Are A Writer by Jeff Goins; The Art and Craft of Writing Christian Fiction by Jeff Gerke; Unleash the Writer Within by Cecil Murphey. Blogs I find helpful: How to Write a Story by Valerie Comer; Write With Excellence by N.J. Lindquist; The Seekers (group blog). There are, of course, many more resources. Feel free to leave your favourites in the comments!

Quality

Do your very best. Don’t let fear of imperfection keep you from sharing your work, but remember to make that work shine as brightly as you can. Serve the art. Don’t be careless with it. This goes double if you’re a Christian. Yes, God may have given you the idea. But He gave you the task of presenting it well. He can use poor writing, but good writing gets into the hands of many more people who He may want to touch with it.

The only way to know you won’t succeed is to quit, so persevere.

Follow

I mention this last, but if you’re a Christian it actually needs to come first: pray. If God has gifted you to write, He will make a way to use what you write. It may not be what you have in mind, nor on your timetable, but His way is best. Follow His leading, even if it’s into areas of writing that aren’t your top choice. He knows where this will go, long-term.

To read what other writers are saying about this, follow the blog hop: Just click on the image below.

Learn to Live

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In this way you will learn to live in deep reverence before God, your God, as long as you live.
Deuteronomy 14:23b, MSG*

The Book of Deuteronomy contains Moses’ parting instructions to the people of Israel: how to live clean lives and worship God.

The laws, the schedule of sacrifices… some of the details don’t make a lot of sense to me, some (sea scallops are not kosher food) make me glad I’m a Gentile.

But here’s the point: Moses says this is how they’ll learn to live in deep reverence before God.

Isn’t that what we, as Christians, want?

Rigidity and legalism are not healthy.

Deep reverence for God is.

What I take from these chapters is the importance of intentional living. Within the flexibility of being led by God’s agenda and not my own, I need to practice certain habits:

daily time with God in prayer
reading His Word – the manual
asking His leading and guidance in the day
relying on His grace and presence
living with Him in the moment instead of racing ahead

Mighty and majestic God, You are worthy of our worship, honour and adoration. You could demand those things, but instead You invite them. Help us draw near to You. Open our eyes and hearts to be intentional in living with you—living for You. Then we will truly learn how to live.

∞

May we take the Sidewalk Prophets‘ lead and “Live Like That.”

Review: Shadows of the Past, by Patricia Bradley

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Shadows of the Past, by Patricia Bradley (Revell, 2014)

Taylor Martin’s criminal profiling skills have solved some high-profile crimes. Now someone is stalking her: sending photos and gifts. She suspects a former student, Scott Sinclair, who has dropped out of sight.

Suspense novelist Nick Sinclair, Scott’s brother, hasn’t seen him in years. He’s hoping the local police can help find Scott so they can reconcile. Nick and Taylor both want to find Scott, but can they work together when one believes him innocent and the other guilty?

There’s so much going on in this story, but nothing gets in the way. It flows like real life, with the information we need trickling in as needed. No information dumping, no slowing the pace to explain. Patricia Bradley weaves every nuance and detail together into a delightful read.

Taylor and Nick have fully-developed personalities and histories, each with a lot of pain. Taylor’s fiancé dumped her for another woman. Nick’s wife was murdered. Nick’s mother walked out when he was a child. So did Taylor’s dad, except he didn’t say goodbye.

In the midst of trying to find her stalker before the danger escalates, Taylor is dealing with nightmares from her father’s desertion. Her family refuses to talk about it, but she’s determined this time to find some answers.

Even the secondary characters are lifelike. Taylor dreads going home to her family in Logan Point because of the undercurrents and barriers, yet when she has to go, we discover they’re not the stereotypical dysfunctional family we expect. They’re individuals with hurts and attitudes, but they’re a family who care for one another.

My favourite line: Taylor phones her friend, Livy, to say she’s meeting Nick to discuss the case—at a blues restaurant. Livy’s response?

“Very romantic.” Taylor could imagine Livy’s eyebrows doing a Groucho Marx. (p. 151)

Shadows of the Past is book 1 in the Logan Point series, and I’m happy to know there are more to come. Book 2, A Promise to Protect, releases November 2014. Suspense lovers will want to be in on this series from the beginning.

For more about author Patricia Bradley, visit her website, “where love and faith cross paths with murder” and also check out her guest post on surviving the long road to publication at The Over 50 Writer. (Leave a comment there, and you might win a copy of the novel.) Or if you’ve already read the book, check out her discussion questions for Shadows of the Past.

[Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.]

Seeing The Leader Within

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I’m thrilled to welcome Jill Hart to share a guest post with us today. Jill is the author of Do Life Different, which I reviewed earlier this week (click to read the review). Here’s your chance to sample Jill’s writing, maybe pick up a bit of wisdom, and get to know her a bit.

Seeing The Leader Within
by Jill Hart

if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:8b NIV

I ran my website, www.CWAHM.com, for many years before I saw myself as a leader. In my mind, I was just a mommy blogger trying to work from home. After I’d been in business for nearly ten years, a good friend and mentor sat me down and challenged me to begin acting like a leader. She told me that women were looking to me not only for help in working from home, but for advice on parenting, spiritual growth, and other areas of life.

I tried to deny I was leader because the title scared me. It still does. When I think of a leader, I think of my pastor or government officials. Leadership comes with responsibility, and I wasn’t sure I was willing to take that on. As I prayed about this idea of being a leader, God showed me He’d already put me a in a place of leadership. I could step into that role or step back into the comfort of a normal life.

Many of us don’t want to accept when God calls us into ministry or leadership. Realize, however, that you’re likely already a leader in some form. If you’re a mom, you’re a leader. If you help with the children at church, you’re a leader. If you’re a Christian, you’re a leader. People are watching you live and represent Christ. If you don’t believe me, ask God to show you who you might be leading.

Stepping out of our comfort zone can be scary and sometimes painful. Moving from an unintentional leader to an intentional (or diligent) leader may feel like a big jump, but the rewards are eternal.

Once you begin to see yourself as a leader, you will begin to act like a leader so you don’t end up incompetent. No one sets out to be a bad leader, but if you aren’t being intentional, then you’ve set yourself up for failure.

Lead your children. Lead at church. You may not know it, but people look up to you. Instead of sticking your head in the sand and telling yourself you could never be a leader, ask God what He has for you. Be willing to step forward and lead the people who look to you.

~~~

Jill Hart is a writer, speaker and coach, showing others how to follow the calling God has placed on their lives. She teaches her clients how to overcome the fear of getting started and helps them discover ways to find success. She is the author of the new devotional book, Do Life Different. Learn more about Jill at www.jillhart.com.

Link for book: http://bit.ly/do-life-different

Therefore We KNOW

Review: Do Life Different, by Jill Hart

Carol Daniels, Heroine

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If you called Carol a hero, she’d laugh. One of her friends calls her a survivor, and she’s not even sure how to take that. Sure, she’s taken a lot of pain and she’s still standing, but for how much longer?

Carol’s a single mom, starting over in Toronto after some anonymous creep threatened her son, Paul. She didn’t tell Paul that’s why they left Calgary—why she dyed her dark hair honey ash and cut it short, why she started wearing glasses with non-corrective lenses. Why she’s so “controlling,” to use his word for it.

Paul is sixteen and pushing the limits she sets. He’s a good kid, does well enough in school, but she can’t stop worrying that he’ll end up like his father: a loser musician who loved the spotlight—and the female fans—more than he loved his wife and sons.

I say “sons” because Carol and Skip had two, after she miscarried a daughter as a teen. Carol would tell you life got easier once Skip died in a car wreck, but losing her other son nearly killed her. Keith was only twelve when he died of a drug overdose. If she hadn’t still had Paul to care for, and Keith’s dog, she’d never have kept her sanity.

No wonder a threat on Paul’s life sent her fleeing half-way across the country.

Why would someone threaten an innocent teen? Technically, the guy threatened them both, but he did suggest that her son was an easier target. As for why? Carol has a brother who’s a dangerous offender: Harry Silver. You may have read about him in Heaven’s Prey. Harry’s enemies can’t touch him directly, but his family are walking around unprotected.

That’s what the note said, and that’s why Carol and Paul relocated with no forwarding address.

These days Carol works at the Sticky Fingers Café, baking desserts and waiting tables. She’s trying to keep anonymous in this new city, and outside of work she hasn’t met many people. Is it sad that speed dial #1 on her phone is the late-night deejay on the local oldies station? And #2 is a friend in Calgary?

Carol loves to bake, especially with chocolate. When the nightmares wake her, she’ll often whip up a pan of brownies or a batch of cookies. She’ll make herself a cup of tea—peppermint is her favourite—and ask for a Billy Joel song on the all-request oldies show. The deejay, Joey, is easy to talk to. And he doesn’t know who—or where—she is, so she’s safe.

What else do I need to tell you about Carol? She’s not as safe as she thinks she is. What’s coming is more than she can handle on her own. And she’s determined not to pray for help, not after what happened the last time she tried prayer.

You can meet Carol, Paul, Joey and a few others this November in Secrets and Lies, Redemption’s Edge Book 2.

Today’s introduction is part of Ruth Snyder‘s biweekly writers’ blog hop series, the assignment being “a character sketch of your hero.” To see the other posts in this thread, click on the blog hop image.

Come Clean. Quick.

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When you are guilty, immediately confess the sin that you’ve committed.
Leviticus 5:5, MSG*

We’re human. For all the good things that means, it also means we’re not perfect. Despite our best intentions, sometimes we mess up. We don’t live up to the righteous living God intends for us.

The early chapters of Leviticus are all about sacrifices to atone for the people’s sin, and God spends a lot of time—and detail—explaining to the people what not to do. Some of it should be pretty obvious, but there you have it.

What interests me about chapters 4 and 5 is that they deal with what happens when someone unintentionally sins. They’ve done something wrong with no malice aforethought.

We do that too. And sometimes we do the premeditated wrongs.

In either case, the remedy is clear: immediately confess it to God. He knows anyway. It’s already put a rift between us. If it’s an ongoing situation, ask for His wisdom in how to get back on target. And remember that He’s faithful to His promises. He will forgive us, clean us up, and restore us.

Immediately. Things won’t get better—won’t go away—if we stall. We’ll just make ourselves increasingly miserable as we widen the gulf between our spirits and the God who wants to hold us close.

God who saves us, Your forgiveness and grace are more than we can comprehend, and they’re beyond our capacity to earn. Thank You for extending mercy again and again. Please grow us to maturity in our faith, into righteousness and holiness, so we can please You. Please forgive us when we fail, and help us cry out to You quickly for restoration.

∞

I love this confession song from Todd Agnew, how it reminds us that despite it all, God loves us: “The One You Want.”

Review: Destination Unknown, by Amy Clipston

Interview: Kimberley Payne on Adam’s Animals

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Kimberley Payne is a prolific non-fiction writer with works ranging from activity books to devotionals to workbooks. She writes to equip women for faithful living.

Janet: Kimberley, welcome back to my blog. We talked last year about your children’s activity book, Trees of the Book—Learning from God’s Creation. Clearly it’s been well-received, because you’re moving ahead with more in the Science and Faith Matters series. Please tell us what’s new.

Kimberley: Yes, Adam’s Animals is the second book in the Science and Faith Matters series. It’s a children’s activity book that features more than 40 animals mentioned in the Bible and little-known facts about each. It’s ideal for 6 to 9 year olds, for home or school use and classroom sharing in grades 1-3 to supplement the Life Sciences Curriculum on Animal Life.

Janet: Some of the facts I’ve picked up from reading other stops on your blog tour have been quite interesting! You’re taking a new approach with this project: crowdfunding. I think that’s a great way to go. Instead of taking a bank loan, you gain early buy-in from the people who are interested in your project, and they get some fun bonuses and a sense of participation in the process. Would you tell us a bit more about crowdfunding, for those who are new to the idea?

Kimberley: A crowd funding campaign is an effort to raise financial support for a creative project. In my case, I am hoping to raise $3500 by the end of February to pay for the illustrations and publication of my book. Depending on the amount of money someone pledges, they can receive an autographed copy of the book, copies of my other children’s book, a beautiful jpg watercolour of a rooster, or other creative gifts.

Janet: That makes it clearer, and there are definitely some appealing options. Why did you decide to take this route?

Kimberley: I had supported a musician and a new magazine this way and enjoyed the process, really feeling like I was helping to bring to life their creative project. Both projects met their goal and I loved that I helped them.

Janet: What are some of the benefits you see for people who back your project? And what’s the deadline to get in on it?

Kimberley: Backers that support my project will get an inside look at the creative process, and help Adam’s Animals come to life. They also get to choose from a variety of unique rewards including an autographed copy of the book, a high definition jpg of a watercolour Rooster, or even lunch with me and the publisher. The deadline for my project is Friday, February 28^th at 6pm (EST).

Janet: I loved the illustrations in Trees of the Book. Will Esther Haug be illustrating Adam’s Animals as well?

Kimberley: Esther did a beautiful job creating the artwork for the first book. Janis Cox, an award-winning children’s author and illustrator, will be creating the illustrations for Adam’s Animals.

Janet: Janis does beautiful artwork as well. So tell me… you’ve written a lot for women, but Trees of the Book and Adam’s Animals are for children. Is this a shift in direction, or will you write for both?

Kimberley: I will continue to write for both, as I have a passion for encouraging women and supporting their desire to raise children in the faith.

Janet: Your own children are older now, so where do you turn for test readers?

Kimberley: My niece and nephews. They are always very helpful in providing feedback.

Janet: Assuming Adam’s Animals gets fully funded, what might we see next in the series?

Kimberley: I plan to write a third book on the five senses as found in the Bible. I also have ideas for a book on weather in the Bible.

Janet: I remember a terrific storm described in one of the psalms. That could be fun. What started you working on Science and Faith Matters? Do you have a personal interest in science?

Kimberley: In school, I focused on math and business subjects but have come to realize my love and appreciation for life sciences as an adult.

Janet: Proof that we don’t finish learning when we leave school! What’s your favourite animal?

Kimberley: There are so many I love! But my favourite is the leopard. This big cat can climb trees, run fast, and swim. He’s powerful and smart. My kind of creature!

Janet: Leopards are so cool. On the topic of biblical animals… what do you think Leviathan was? A sea monster? Dinosaur? Mega crocodile?

Kimberley: That’s a great question. There’s much scholarly debate on what this creature really was. For the purposes of Adam’s Animals, I classified the Leviathan as a crocodile.

Janet: I look forward to the picture. Now, as well as this project, you’re blogging, keeping active, and collecting pet fur. (Readers can check out the bio on your site to find out why.) Tell us about Kimberley Payne, wife, mom, neighbour and friend.

Kimberley: I’ve been married for 12 years and thank God daily for bringing my husband into my life. I live in a beautiful community, near my parents and brothers’ families. Family is very important to me. I am truly blessed.

Janet: Do you have any advice for writers considering the crowdfunding approach?

Kimberley: It’s a lot of work, so start early and expect months in planning.

Janet: And the random question of the day: chocolate or vanilla?

Kimberley: Vanilla with chocolate sauce!

Janet: Brilliant! Thanks so much for stopping by, Kimberley, and I wish you all the best with Adam’s Animals. I’m a great-aunt now, and a certain little guy may get a copy of the book when he’s old enough to not eat crayons.

===

Click here (or on the ant) for more about the Adam’s Animals crowdfunding project, or visit Kimberley J. Payne’s website to learn more about the author and her work. You can also find Kimberley at these places: