Welcome to Christian
Bookshelf Reviews, Janet!! Will you tell us a little about yourself?
I live in Nova
Scotia, on Canada's east coast, with my husband and three
soon-to-leave-the-nest sons who add warmth, encouragement and laughter to my life. I'm
a writer-homemaker, learning to set boundaries between work-at-home and free
time. The tenacity of God is one of my themes in writing,
because it's something I've experienced in my own life.
What is your
novel, Heaven's Prey, about?
A
grieving woman is abducted by a serial killer—and it may be the answer to her
prayers.
Despite
her husband’s objections, 40-something Ruth Warner finds healing through prayer
for Harry Silver, the serial killer who brutally raped and murdered her niece.
When a kidnapping-gone-wrong pegs her as his next victim, Harry claims that by
destroying the one person who’d pray for him, he proves God can’t—or won’t—look
after His own. Can Ruth’s faith sustain her to the end—whatever the cost?
Heaven’s Prey is
about a villain’s last chance at redemption and a vulnerable woman’s obedience
to pray for her enemy—not the gentle inspirational read many associate with the
Christian genre.
When did you
first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was a child, I turned part of my closet into a
"writing office" and wrote some admittedly awful stuff that has not survived.
University papers cured me of writing until I became an at-home mom without
enough time to read. I started making up stories to amuse myself, and when the
seeds of Heaven's Prey came along I
didn't want to daydream them, so I started writing the story. Once I
rediscovered how much fun it is to write fiction, I didn't want to stop.
What would you
say is your most interesting writing quirk?
Each March I
bake a cake to celebrate my imaginary friends. There's so much uncertainty in
the publishing world, I think my family and I need a treat we can enjoy along
the way.
Where do you like
to write?
I'll write
anywhere I can be alone with my laptop. Instrumental music can help, but lyrics
distract me.
What do you like
to do when you're not writing?
I love reading,
music, knitting and cross-stitch... and tea. I get to the gym a few times a
week, and I sing in our church worship team.
What is your
favorite genre to read and why?
Action,
suspense, mystery, science fiction and fantasy are my top picks, and if they
have twist endings it's a bonus. I like stories that entertain and give hope,
and I try to avoid anything with brutality or sex or profanity. Those ones make
me uncomfortable.
What is
your least favorite genre to read?
Horror. My
imagination's too vivid!
Is there a place
you'd like to visit, but haven’t yet?
I'm enough of a
science fiction fan that my biggest dream is to get into space. Here on earth,
Australia and New Zealand top my wish list.
Do you have a
favorite Bible verse?
Proverbs
3:5-6 may be my life verses (perhaps because it'll take me a lifetime to apply
them). "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on
your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your
paths straight." (NIV)
The
older I get, the more I think the Christian life is summed up in the phrase
"trust and obey." Very simple. Very hard.
Do you have a
favorite song and/or movie?
I love too many
songs to pick just one! My favorite movie is either The Scarlet Pimpernel or the Lord
of the Rings trilogy. I'm also very fond of Casablanca.
What is your
favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving,
which Canadians celebrate on a different date than our US friends. I love
Christmas and Easter, but the commercialism and social pressures make them a
bit harder. With Thanksgiving, I can relax and be grateful for so many
blessings.
What is your
favorite season and why is it your fav?
I love them all, but autumn is my favourite. I live in Eastern Canada,
and the maple leaves turn these brilliant shades of orange and red. We also get
yellows and browns from other trees. When the leaves fall, it's a treat for me
to walk in the woods and scuff my feet through every pile of leaves I can find. Plus, cooler weather means
cozy sweaters and socks, fresh apples and homemade soup.
Some
this-or-that questions:
