Janet Sketchley's Blog: Tenacity, page 16

Is Balance a Bad Word? (Guest Post)

Image by Wokandapix from PixabayIs Balance a Bad Word?by Steph Beth Nickel

How do you feel about the word balance?

When I was in Bible College (approximately a million years ago), I thought the word was synonymous with compromise.

If you ���balanced��� your spiritual life with your other responsibilities, weren���t you denying the scriptural mandate to do everything as if doing it for the Lord?

It took time, but I realized balance is not a bad word. It doesn���t necessarily m...

Interviewed at Fiction Finder!

I missed sharing this interview back in May. Pop by and have a read. Fellow Canadian writer Pearl Fredericksen asked some fun questions, including “If I were not an author, I would be __).”

Click here to read the interview The post Interviewed at Fiction Finder! first appeared on Janet Sketchley.

Did Bobby McFerrin Have It Right? (Guest Post)

Image by Sirpa P from PixabayDid Bobby McFerrin Have It Right?by Steph Beth Nickel

Whether it���s cancer, COVID, or corruption, it seems everywhere we look there is something threatening to steal our peace.

And in the writer���s world there are contacts, conferences, and contracts to consider as well. While these may be exciting, they can still cause stress.

So, what are we to do?

Should we simply do our best to follow Bobby McFerrin���s advice: Don���t worry; be happy. (Yes,...

Review: The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, by Sara Brunsvold

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, by Sara Brunsvold (Revell, 2022)

Life-affirming, inspiring, and heartwarming, this novel pairs a young female reporter with an elderly woman at the end of her days. Clara Kip may be dying, and she may claim to be ordinary, but the ���simple��� acts of love and friendship that unfold from her past have changed hearts, impacted her city���s history, and saved lives. All because she dared to hold onto her Saviour and love those He allowed to cross her p...

Review: The Last Piece, by Terrie Todd

The Last Piece, by Terrie Todd (2021)

If you love stories with interconnected threads drawing characters��� lives together at the end, this one���s for you. Especially if you love strong, evocative description and characters with heart.

The Last Piece begins in 1937 with a talented young artist forced to sell the portrait of his dead sweetheart to a jigsaw puzzle company. He does so with a prayer of sorts that the one-of-a-kind puzzle not be completed until he���s reunited with her.

...

New Releases in Christian Fiction (August 2022)

August 2022 New Releases from Members of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW):

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

��

Action/Adventure/Biblical:

��

The Wanderer Scorned by Natasha Woodcraft — The Wanderer is a man shrouded in legend. Moving from place to place in the land of Nod, he is known primarily for the curse that hangs over his life. When that curse is invoked during the celebration of a murderous rampage, The Wanderer is summone...

Excuses vs. Reasons (Guest Post)

Image by Pete Linforth from PixabayExcuses vs. ReasonsBy Steph Beth Nickel

Do you scold yourself when you don���t get everything done on your daily To-Do List or when you don���t achieve everything you���d hoped to achieve?

Beating yourself up about it rarely, if ever, gets the job done.

However, we all must be honest with ourselves and evaluate if we���re making excuses or have legitimate reasons for failing to cross everything off our list.

Excuses include the following (ju...

New Releases in Christian Fiction (July 2022)

July 2022 New Releases from Members of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW):

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance:

Leaving the Past Behind by Sandra Ardoin — The joy Danni Barnett found in her job as a travel writer and photographer faded around the same time her husband walked out on her. When her late sister-in-law���s will brings the couple together to care for her children, Danni must face her fear of motherhood ...

Review: Joy that Renews, by Steve Akerson

Joy that Renews, by Steve Akerson (River Birch Press, 2021)

These devotions brim with infectious joy and confident trust in our Lord.

Taking one verse from each of the Bible���s 150 psalms, Joy that Renews invites readers to grow deeper in their relationship with God. The daily devotionals focus on God���s goodness and love and on themes like living in freedom, thankfulness, and listening to God. Although the Psalms were written many years before Christ, they contain much that points ...

Fiction and Fencing Lessons

The Canadian magazine Faith Today did a quick Q&A with me recently, just three questions about my mystery/suspense fiction and about those fencing lessons I mention on my “about” page. Pop over for a 2-minute read!

Here’s the interview link: Faith Today Q&A. If you click the link at the start of this post it’ll take you to the magazine homepage… where Canadians can subscribe for free!

The post Fiction and Fencing Lessons first appeared on Janet Sketchley.