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.
A whimsical town, a host of quirky
characters, and events that seem to conspire to keep Matthew Sadler from
leaving once he arrives by “happenstance.”
Fleeing painful memories, Matt and his
motorcycle are roaring along the highway when a near-accident forces him onto a
hidden side road. On the far side of a covered bridge, he discovers the town of
Happenstance.
He’ll leave as soon as he gases up. Or
after a night’s rest in the charming Happenstance Hotel. Or after he helps the
elderly sisters who run the hotel. Or after…
As well as the sisters, he meets Bear, a
local mechanic with some unusual turns of phrase, and Veronica, who bears a
startling resemblance to his dead wife.
The longer he stays, the more he suspects
a mystery behind the hotel’s troubles.
This gently-paced novel will bring smiles—and
maybe a wistful longing to find a place like Happenstance in the real world.
Favourite lines:
The road was scarcely wide enough for two cars to pass, a dirt path with a scattering of gravel on top as a sort of apology. [Kindle location 30]
We got whatcha want, unless you want what we don’t got, and then you prob’ly don’t need it. [Bear, describing the town; Kindle location 50]
They came with their offerings of food to their gods of guild and duty and pity, but he would rather have been alone. [Matt remembering the visitors after his wife’s death; Kindle location 1788]
Author Janice L. Dick is known for her
faith-filled historical fiction. Although The Road to Happenstance is a
contemporary novel, the town’s nostalgic feel lends an impression of stepping
back in time, and Matthew’s personal struggles are affected by his faith. For
more about the author and her work, visit janicedick.wordpress.com.
[Advance review copy provided by the publisher. My opinions are my own.]
Homing pigeons are less dangerous than the wolves she had as a previous assignment, but Belinda Blake still finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation—this time in her hometown of Larches Corner in Upstate New York. And is there a connection between the present investigation and the previous death of a young college student?
Along with the mystery, Belinda is still trying
to choose between her rich landlord Stone Carrington the fifth, and her childhood
neighbour, rock-solid farmer Jonas Hawthorne.
Appealing characters, intriguing mysteries, and exotic pets. What’s not to like? I’ve enjoyed each book in the series, but this one gets my vote for most unexpected solution.
The study
springs from James 1:2-4, which says, “Count it all joy, my
brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know
that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing” (ESV).
Each entry includes an excerpt from a novel, a scripture,
and an inspirational thought with room to journal in response.
On Day 1, the author asks readers to record their personal
battle.
Sure, I get in a funk every once in a while. But, hey, my
life is pretty darn good. What personal battle am I facing?
And then it
struck me. My heart is heavy because I see the hurt, misunderstanding, and
disrespect happening all around me—in the church.
And hard on
the heels of that revelation, I ask, “What can I do about it?”
Ever had
one of those instantaneous D’uh Moments?
You’re a
writer, Stephanie. So, write!
And here I
am.
Am I
writing to rag on the church? No, they’re my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Am I here
to say I’m on the hunt for the perfect local fellowship, where we all love one
another and get along 100 percent of the time? I’m almost 60 years old. I know
such a place doesn’t exist.
But am I
intent on doing my part to identify the type of community I want to belong
to—and then doing what I can to bring about change as I have the opportunity?
Absolutely.
Now, you
may be a mover and shaker, intent on following the path you feel has been laid
out before you, eyes focused straight ahead, blinders firmly in place.
Don’t get
me wrong, we need people who keep us moving on a God-honouring trajectory. But
we also need people who will identify obstacles in the road and come up with a
creative way to deal with the obstacles. Sometimes barreling right through them
is not the best course of action.
Even more
importantly, we need people who recognize that there are men and women, young
people, and children among us who may have ideas that are far better than our
own. We need decision-makers who are humble enough to learn from those without
as much experience as they have. (The Bible has a lot to say about humility and
pride.)
We also
need people who will recognize the giftings in others and nurture those
giftings, setting individuals free to minister in ways that give their
uniqueness an opportunity to flourish.
And,
without a doubt, we need people who recognize the wounded. Sure, some are obvious,
but some people have developed great skill at withdrawing into themselves
because they’ve been hurt over and over and over.
Where do
you fit?
Do you
clearly see the path ahead? Cast that vision in a way that enables others to
see what you see. Be patient with those who don’t quite get it. Don’t rush out
too far ahead. And be humble enough to consider others’ ideas and input.
Are you
motoring along, keeping your head down and doing your own thing? While we need
diligent, hardworking peacemakers who keep things moving forward, we also need
them to speak up when things aren’t moving in the right direction. Just this
past year, I learned there is a way to respectfully address concerns about the
direction our churches are going without being prideful and argumentative,
without seeking to cause descension and division. And when we see issues that
need to be addressed, it just may be our job to bring them to light.
Finally,
there are those who are so hurt and wounded that they do their very best to
blend into the shadows. Some are “so done” with church. Do we provide a place
for them to be open and honest? Do we really listen to what they have to say?
Do we consider if there is something we should change, both individually and as
a fellowship? Do we truly weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who
rejoice?
Church, there is a place for every believer in Jesus. He has made each one unique, with specific gifts and talents He has called us to develop and use. Let’s make a place for everyone at the table. (click to tweet this)
And let’s do what James said in James 1:9, “Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (ESV).
Steph Beth Nickel
Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
Jessica Kate’s second novel delivers the
love/hate romance, snappy banter, and deeply-crafted characters readers expect
from her, plus a bonus. This one’s largely set in Australia. Since it’s new
territory for the American heroine, Kimberley, readers enjoy a virtual tour
with her.
This is a novel where the setting is key
to the story. Kimberley’s time on the remote ranch belonging to her nemesis, Samuel
Payton, and other settings like the Gold Coast, aren’t just backdrops.
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback follows after Love and Other Mistakes, so readers who remember the first book will recognize some familiar people. Readers starting with this book will have no trouble, because the love interests in this book were secondary characters in the first one.
As well as romance, A Girl’s Guide to
the Outback is a story of misunderstood motives and the way past pain can
keep even Christians back from their full potential.
Favourite lines:
She’d just blasted the good-looking HR manager of a company looking to recruit her. While wearing a potato costume. [Kindle location 53]
Jules’s brow cinched together like an invisible hand had pulled a loose thread. [Kindle location 2333]
“Sweetheart, when God closes a door, He closes it. Best not to hold on too long and get your fingers jammed in the process.” [Kindle location 3104]
For more about Jessica Kate and her books
(and her StoryNerds podcast) visit jessicakatewriting.com.
[I received a complimentary copy of this book from #Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
With End Game, Rachel Dylan
delivers a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller that still finds room for romance.
The book’s back cover sums it up better
than I can:
When elite members of the military are murdered on the streets of Washington, DC, FBI Special Agent Bailey Ryan and NCIS Special Agent Marco Agostini must work together to bring the perpetrator to justice. Unfortunately, all evidence points to a Navy SEAL sniper whom Bailey refuses to believe is guilty.
A novel like this could be gritty,
violent, and scary. Instead, it’s gripping but non-traumatic to timid readers
like me. What I most appreciated, though, was a secondary factor: Bailey and her
two best friends, Viv and Layla, have a fantastic, strong friendship. They have
one another’s backs professionally as well as emotionally, and it’s a fantastic
example. Since End Game is book 1 in the Capital Intrigue series, I’m
hoping we’ll see the other two women as main characters in books 2 and 3.
A surprising number of the key characters
are Christians—perhaps more than one would find thrown together on a case like
this in real life. Their struggles to process why bad things happen, past hurts,
and fear of loss are one thread in the fabric of this story. Nothing’s preachy
or glib, just honest wrestling such as many Christians do in real life.
Rachel Dylan is an award-winning,
bestselling author of Christian suspense and legal thrillers. For more about
the author and her work, visit racheldylan.com.
[I received a complimentary copy of this book via #NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
A Rancher to Trust by Laurel Blount — After learning his ex-wife isn’t so ex after all, rebel turned rancher Dan Whitlock is determined to prove he’s a changed man…but Bailey Quinn is just as set on finally ending their marriage. When tragedy makes Dan the guardian of little orphaned twins, he and Bailey are drawn back together. But can she forgive the past and open her heart to the family she’s always wanted? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))
Star Rising by Janet W. Ferguson — Star Youngblood tries to protect her employer, Mrs. Priscilla Kelly, from the woman’s neglectful son, an aspiring flight instructor who has issues with religion, but finds her own heart is at the greatest risk. (Contemporary Romanc, Independently Published)
A Promise to Keep by Melony Teague — Savannah, a widowed research librarian, goes to her twenty year class reunion and gets reacquainted with Michael, a former troublemaker who is now a professional technical rescuer. Before the night is over, a pact between these two old friends will lead them on an adventure into uncharted emotional territory where Michael must confront his past regrets and find the courage to reveal the truth. But can Savannah fly from her sheltered nest and risk her heart on a real-life hero? (Contemporary Romance from Anaiah Press)
General Contemporary:
A Long Time Comin by Robin W. Pearson — To hear Beatrice Agnew tell it, she entered the world with her mouth tightly shut. Just because she finds out she’s dying doesn’t mean she can’t keep it that way. If any of her children have questions about their daddy and the choices she made after he abandoned them, they’d best take it up with Jesus. There’s no room in Granny B’s house for regrets or hand-holding. Or so she thinks. Her granddaughter, Evelyn Lester, shows up on Beatrice’s doorstep anyway, burdened with her own secret baggage. Determined to help her Granny B mend fences with her far-flung brood, Evelyn turns her grandmother’s heart and home inside out. Evelyn’s meddling uncovers a tucked-away box of old letters, forcing the two women to wrestle with their past and present pain as they confront the truth Beatrice has worked a lifetime to hide. (General Contemporary from Tyndale House)
Historical Romance:
Freedom in the Mountain Wind by Misty M. Beller — A young woman faces overwhelming odds to make her father’s dream come true before he dies of lung cancer, but paddling upriver through fierce rapids and fighting hungry grizzlies to follow the Lewis and Clark trail isn’t what terrifies her the most. Beaver Tail endured more than he can stand from the women in his Blackfoot camp, but the last disaster gave him the final shove he needed to join this band of brothers searching for one of their group who’s gone missing. The last thing he expected was to find a white woman and her sick father stranded at the base of a massive waterfall. His plan is to help them carry their oversize canoe and supplies, then leave them to their strange mission. Yet, the more he learns about the pair, the more he realizes his life is about to be derailed—again. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)
Uncharted Promises by Keely Brooke Keith — Sybil Roberts uses the warmth of delicious meals to lift the spirits of road-weary travelers at The Inn at Falls Creek. Her life at the inn would be perfect if she could just get her brothers and mother to move back home. And if she could see Isaac Owens again. He visited the inn once when he interviewed for the farm manager job, and she’s dreamed of his return to Falls Creek ever since. Isaac Owens knows how to run a farm. His family might not have faith in him, but if he succeeds at Falls Creek, he’ll prove them wrong. He arrives at the inn thinking the job is his, but the inn’s senile owner offered the position to another man too. Isaac must spend the winter competing if he wants to win the job… and Sybil’s heart. It will take more than warm meals on cold nights for Sybil and Isaac to find love while working at the isolated inn. (Historical Romance from Edenbrooke Press)
Forever Hidden by Kimberley Woodhouse, Tracie Peterson — Sybil Roberts uses the warmth of delicious meals to lift the spirits of road-weary travelers at The Inn at Falls Creek. Her life at the inn would be perfect if she could just get her brothers and mother to move back home. And if she could see Isaac Owens again. He visited the inn once when he interviewed for the farm manager job, and she’s dreamed of his return to Falls Creek ever since. Isaac Owens knows how to run a farm. His family might not have faith in him, but if he succeeds at Falls Creek, he’ll prove them wrong. He arrives at the inn thinking the job is his, but the inn’s senile owner offered the position to another man too. Isaac must spend the winter competing if he wants to win the job… and Sybil’s heart. It will take more than warm meals on cold nights for Sybil and Isaac to find love while working at the isolated inn. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])
The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock — On Blackwell Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving. With her late father’s fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. Do any of Edyth’s friends care that she disappeared? At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
Romantic Suspense:
Secret Mountain Hideout by Terri Reed — Staying hidden has kept her alive… But now she’s been found. A remote Colorado mountain town and a fake identity have been Ashley Willis’s safe haven since fleeing after she witnessed a murder—but now the killer has found her trail. Desperate and terrified, she’s prepared to run again…but Deputy Sheriff Chase Fredrick won’t let her. With the lawman by her side, can she face danger head-on…and live long enough to bring a murderer to justice? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
Here’s your chance to win a print copy of Hidden Secrets (or an ebook if you prefer them) anywhere in the world. Just pop over to A Christian Writer’s World – Characters Who Grip Your Heart and leave a comment. Click here. Draw ends January 17, 2020.
Already read the book but you like reading author interviews? Click the link above and join the conversation. Host Lena Nelson Dooley always has interesting questions.
Goodreads tells me I’ve read 91 books in 2019. And that’s not counting Bible reading. Here are the books I’ve most enjoyed last year. Some were produced in 2019, some previously. Pop a note into the comments with your own favourites?
Subtitled “A Caregiver’s Journey,” Bring
Each Other Home is a book for everyone. Most, if not all of us, will have
someone in our circle of acquaintance who’ll deal with dementia or Alzheimer’s
Disease.
While Angelina and Joe’s story is their
own, the experiences she shares can make readers more sensitive to the needs of
both caregiver and patient. Let us not be people who add more hurt by
disbelieving, blaming, or judging caregivers if we don’t see in a brief
encounter what they see in 24/7 care. Nor let us add hurt by avoiding the
dementia sufferer.
Readers who are caregivers will find
strength in knowing their struggles are not unique, and will be encouraged to
reach out to support groups and healthcare professionals for much-needed help.
[Note: caregivers new to this role and still dealing with the rawness of it all
may not be ready to read this book just yet.]
Favourite lines:
“This is my child. I love him dearly. He has walked with me a long, long time. I need for you to walk with him the rest of the way.” [The author’s impression of God speaking to her, p. 76]
…gradually we began to see the treasures God always tucks into the dark places He guides us through. [p 110-111]
Angelina Fast-Vlaar writes with honesty
and poignancy of the long, slow loss of her beloved husband, Joe. The narrative
is interspersed with poetry and restful black-and-white photos. It’s a sad
story, but one of love, faith, and persistence.
Why do you do what you do? Complacency, contentment, or
conviction?
An onlooker might not be able to tell the difference.
Sometimes even we can’t tell the difference.
It’s what I’ve always done. That’s complacency.
I believe this is right, and it has been confirmed over
and over again. That’s conviction.
But what about contentment?
It may look like complacency, but then again, it just might
be conviction.
Contentment is my word for 2020.
As you may know, I am eclectically interested and
eclectically involved. Too often I’m distracted by the Oo, Shiny! Books, online
courses, careers …
Do you think it’s time to stop buying books (or at least
slow down) when you have over 1,000 physical and ebooks you haven’t yet read?
Most of mine are accessible on my phone. <sigh>
And what about courses and lifetime access to online
conference sessions, some of which were inexpensive, others … not so much?
I’ll buy this healthy living annual subscription and access
to this library of workouts, and I’ll be healthier by the end of the year … if
I access them and put what I learn into practice that is. (We won’t mention
the fact that I was a personal trainer and know what I need to do to get
healthier.)
Of course I’ll maintain my doula certification while
writing, editing, working as our church admin, and helping my hubby clean the
church each week. Sleep? Who needs it? (That would be me.)
To be honest, my whole life might be a case of FOMO, fear of
missing out.
Does any of this sound familiar to you?
In 2020, I will seek to live by my conviction that I have
been called to contentment.
I will read 24-36 of those books I already have.
I will complete at least 12 of those online courses I’ve
purchased and put into practice those things I learn from my paid
subscriptions.
I will devote myself to writing—and publishing—the
books I’ve begun.
I will maintain my doula certification because this is
something I’m passionate about, but I will pace myself and not leave the
requirements of my recertification to the last month or so.
I will stop becoming distracted by the Oo, Shiny! and look
for the sparkle in the opportunities and possessions I already have.
Plus, I will regularly give thanks for my life as it is in
the Here and Now.
How can you grow more content in the year ahead?
Do you have a word of the year? If so, what is it and why
did you choose it?
All the very best in 2020!
Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
