Janet Sketchley's Blog: Tenacity, page 99

Review: Living Beyond My Circumstances, by Deb Willows & Steph Beth Nickel

Living Beyond My Circumstances, by Deborah L. Willows with Steph Beth Nickel (Castle Quay Books, 2014)

Deb Willows is a Canadian athlete who has competed internationally in swimming, slalom, wheelchair soccer and boccia. She’s a Paralympic medal-holder and record-setting swimmer, and a woman of courage and faith.

Her memoir gives readers an inside look at life in a wheelchair (as a child and an adult), at representing Canada on the international sports stage, and at how faith, determination and...

Interview: Co-authors Deb Willows & Steph Beth Nickel

Living Beyond My Circumstances is a story “of hope and inspiration for everyone who has a dream they want to achieve and obstacles to overcome.” I’m excited to have former Paralympian Deb Willows and her co-writer, Steph Beth Nickel, visiting today.

Steph, Deb and Sugar

A little bit about our two guests:

Deb Willows has represented Canada numerous times on the world stage in swimming, slalom, wheelchair soccer and boccia, winning medals and setting world records. She has written several articles...

Living God’s Way

The word of God came to Solomon saying, “About this Temple you are building—what’s important is that you live the wayI’veset out for you and do what I tell you, following myinstructions carefully and obediently. Then I’ll complete in you the promise I made to David your father. I’ll personally take up my residence among the Israelites—I won’t desert my people Israel.”
1 Kings 6:11-13, MSG* (emphasis mine)

Solomon’s Temple was a work of art—a work of worship—the best that humans could do to con...

Review: Imogen’s Chance, by Paula Vince

Imogen’s Chance, by Paula Vince (Even Before Publishing, 2014)

Imogen Browne is a 20-something American with painful memories of Australia—painful because of the hurt she unwittingly caused the Dorazio family. She knows it’s time to try to make amends, and returns to Australia in search of short-term work. Marion Dorazio invites Imogen to board with them for old times’ sake.

Marion’s twins, Asher and Becky, are Imogen’s age, and their brother Seth is a few years older. It looks like the family...

To my subscribers: Sale & Giveaway

This is on my news page too, but blog subscribers don’t receive updates for that page and I don’t want you to miss out.

The Kindle price for Heaven’s Prey has dropped to $2.99 US (comparable in other countries) for a limited time. If you were wondering but not sure, now’s a better time to try it.

And the print version is listed in two giveaways at present:

The Koala Bear Writer(this links to the rules–then you need to click the link to Bonnie’s review ofHeaven’s Prey) — drawing April 11
The Suspe...

Interview: Meet Imogen Browne

Imogen Browne is the main character in the novel Imogen’s Chance, by Paula Vince.

Paula Vince, author of Imogen’s Chance

Janet: Welcome, Imogen. I’m looking forward to chatting with one of the voices in someone else’s head for a change. Please tell us the basics about yourself: age, employment, educational background, the usual “stuff” that helps us place one another in the world.

Imogen: I’m 24 years old. Until recently,I’velived at home in New York City with my family. Myfather is a paediatric...

Spending Our Time

We are merely moving shadows,
and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
not knowing who will spend it.
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.
Psalm 39:6-7, NLT*

Deep in our spirits, if we pause long enough to listen, don’t we know the truth of these verses?

Whether we’re heaping up wealth like the psalmist’s example, stacking up accomplishments, or just trying to keep ahead of the demands of the day, we can be caught in this frenetic cycle of producing...

Review: Death by the Book, by Julianna Deering

Death by the Book, by Julianna Deering (Bethany House, 2014)

In 1930′s England, Drew Farthering is developing a bad habit of encountering dead bodies. This time it’s his solicitor, bludgeoned to death… and sporting a cryptic note in flowing calligraphy, fastened to his body with a fancy Victorian hatpin.

Chief Inspector Birdsong grudgingly allows Drew to participate in the investigation—ostensibly because Birdsong can’t ignore any potential source of assistance, but probably because he knows Dr...

My Current Work-in-Progress

This is the final installment for the Writers’ Blog Hop, and what more appropriate way to end than with a look at the participating writers’ current works-in-progress? (Link to the others at the end.)

This blog is a work in progress, needing a review, devotional and feature post every week. But that’s pretty self-evident.

I’m also working on the next Redemption’s Edge novel, Secrets and Lies. Different characters, different situation, but suspense and danger will ensue. There may even be some r...

Free from Fear

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:4, NLT*

Anointed as the future king of Israel, as a young man David spent years on the run from the current king, Saul. When he first fled from Saul’s palace, leaving behind his wife and his best friend, David went to the enemy Philistines for refuge.

The Philistines recognized him, and David realized his life was still in danger. He pretended to be insane, and the Philistine king sent him away. (You can read the...