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J.M. Kirkley

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

https://www.jmkirkley.com/

Genre

Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance

Member Since

October 2023

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/jmkirkley

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J.M. Kirkley is an Artisan Book Reviews Book Excellence Award Winner and a faith-based grief and trauma counselor. Her debut novel, A Writing Upon the Sand, was awarded Best Christian Historical Romance in 2024.

By trade, she's a storykeeper, listening to clients tell of loss, faith, and reslience. By night, she researches and writes historical fiction with emotional depth, merging page-turning true historical events with inspiring faith and clean romance.

For two decades she researched the Galveston 1900 Storm, which remains the deadliest natural disaster in US history. Combining painstaking research with clinical experience, she brought authenticity to a Texas historical tragedy and explored healing and coming to peace with the past in wa ...more

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J.M. Kirkley’s books

Average rating: 4.48 · 211 ratings · 31 reviews · 1 distinct work • Similar authors

A Writing Upon the Sand

4.48 avg rating — 211 ratings — 3 editions

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J.M. Kirkley's Blog

Goodreads GIVEAWAY Winners!

Congratulations to the 100 winners of my Goodreads Giveaway! I’m delighted that you won an e-book of A Writing Upon the Sand! E-books are automatically delivered to the winner’s linked Amazon account.

I'm excited to share my novel with you. Here’s what readers are saying: “I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” “With its richly drawn characters, immersive setting, and gripping storyline, it is a m Read more of this blog post »

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Published on October 02, 2026 11:23 • Tags: giveaway

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J.M.’s Recent Updates

J.M. Kirkley rated a book it was amazing A Grave Matter (Lady Darby Mystery, #3) by Anna Lee Huber (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed book 3 in the Lady Darby Mystery series, and I'm determined to wait and read them in order as the books come available in my libraries. Great for readers who enjoy clean romance and an engaging mystery series. ...more
Oct 29, 2026 04:11PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.M. Kirkley rated a book it was amazing The Red Cottage by Hannah Linder (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I've always been drawn to stories where the main character is stripped of memories and experiences amnesia. Hannah Linder's historical romance fiction promises mystery and suspence as Meg awakens from being attacked feeling disoriented and not knowin ...more
Oct 28, 2026 09:44AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Red Cottage by Hannah Linder. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Red Cottage by Hannah Linder <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.M. Kirkley liked IRMA S LEWIS's review of A Writing Upon the Sand:
Oct 25, 2026 09:20AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Writing Upon the Sand by J.M. Kirkley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Writing Upon the Sand by J.M. Kirkley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.M. Kirkley rated a book it was amazing The Vanished Days (Slains, #3) by Susanna Kearsley (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
After I turned the last page, I went back and reread parts, taking in what I missed on the first read. I can become so engrossed in the narrative that I don't always see the big plot twist coming. This proved true with The Vanished Days. Loved it! ...more
Oct 13, 2026 07:07PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.M. Kirkley rated a book it was amazing The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Rarely am I as enamored with an author's historical notes as I am an historical novel, but such was the case with The King's Messenger. I loved the author's deep dive into research and the way it enriched this wonderful story. I've read other books b ...more
Oct 13, 2026 06:58PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.M. Kirkley rated a book it was amazing The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Rarely am I as enamored with an author's historical notes as I am an historical novel, but such was the case with The King's Messenger. I loved the author's deep dive into research and the way it enriched this wonderful story. I've read other books b ...more
Oct 13, 2026 06:54PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.M. Kirkley is currently reading The Vanished Days (Slains, #3) by Susanna Kearsley (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 12, 2026 04:00PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.M. Kirkley has read Mortal Arts (Lady Darby Mystery, #2) by Anna Lee Huber (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I enjoy revisiting main characters in a series so I looked forward to more from Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage. Again, they teamed up to solve a disappearance of a young girl who had been murdered. The story had a slower moving plot that picked up in ...more
Oct 02, 2026 01:21PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.M. Kirkley and 1 other person liked J.M. Kirkley's blog post: Goodreads GIVEAWAY Winners! "Congratulations to the 100 winners of my Goodreads Giveaway! I’m delighted that you won an e-book of A Writing Upon the Sand! E-books are automatically delivered to the winner’s linked Amazon account. I'm excited to share my novel with you. Here’..." Read more of this blog post »
Oct 02, 2026 11:24AM
J.M. Kirkley rated a book really liked it The Anatomist's Wife (Lady Darby Mystery, #1) by Anna Lee Huber (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This riveting, atmospheric novel by Anna Lee Huber hooked me from the opening scene where a gruesome murder is discovered. The setting is a gothic Scottish castle where a prestigious house party has assembled. Lady Kiera Darby, an artist and the widow ...more
Sep 20, 2026 11:58AM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by J.M. Kirkley (?)

“Like all things counterfeit, attraction proved a heady assault. It twisted me inside out, wringing the very life from all objectivity….Beware of the lure of counterfeit treasure, for it can rob you of what is most priceless.”
― J.M. Kirkley, A Writing Upon the Sand

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“For with God, nothiing was ever wasted.”
― J.M. Kirkley, A Writing Upon the Sand

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“Only fools and those desperate for peace returned to the place that spawned their nightmares.”
― J.M. Kirkley, A Writing Upon the Sand

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J.M.’s Quotes

“Grace is free only because the giver himself has borne the cost.”
― Philip Yancey, What's So Amazing About Grace?

50 likes

“We grow up hungry for love, and in ways so deep as to remain unexpressed we long for our Maker to love us.”
― Philip Yancey, What's So Amazing About Grace?

22 likes

“Jesus did not give the parables to teach us how to live. He gave them, I believe, to correct our notions about who God is and who God loves.”
― Philip Yancey, What's So Amazing About Grace?

12 likes

“As a writer, I play with words all day long. I toy with them, listen for their overtones, crack them open, and try to stuff my thoughts inside.”
― Philip Yancey, What's So Amazing About Grace?

7 likes

“Grace is shockingly personal. As Henri Nouwen points out, 'God rejoices. Not because the problems of the world have been solved, not because all human pain and suffering have come to an end, nor because thousands of people have been converted and are now praising him for his goodness. No, God rejoices because one of his children who was lost has been found.”
― Philip Yancey, What's So Amazing About Grace?