Interview and Book Giveaway with Janet Sketchley

by Jeff Reynolds 

AND WE HAVE A WINNER!
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LIBRARY LADY!

 Last year, I had the privilege of interviewing Janet Sketchley about her Redemption's Edge series' debut, Heaven's Prey. Her follow-up, Secrets and Lies, is now off the presses. At the end of the interview, you can have an opportunity to win a print copy of this book if you live in the U.S. or Canada, or an e-book other-wise. Here's her bio:

Janet Sketchley is the author of Heaven's Prey and Secrets and Lies, two novels of suspense and redemption. She also blogs about faith and books. Janet loves adventure stories, worship music, tea and Formula 1 racing. Like Carol in Secrets and Lies, she loves music and tea. Unlike Carol, Janet isn't related to a dangerous offender, has a happy home life, and has never been threatened by a drug lord. May those tidbits continue to hold true!

Jeff Reynolds: Welcome back to Sleuths and Suspects. I'll get to your writing in a minute, but anything new going on with you outside of the literary world? Are you prepared for a nice balmy Canadian winter like last year's?

Janet Sketchley: I seem to recall shivering last winter, Jeff! After what the citizens of Buffalo endured in November, whatever we get, I'd better not complain. New outside the literary world: this summer, my husband and I celebrated our 30th anniversary with a European river cruise. Definitely the trip of a lifetime, although we catch ourselves scheming about doing it again someday.

JR:  Congratulations on your anniversary, newlywed! (My wife and I celebrated our 31st this past July.) On to inside the literary world: You've just released Secrets and Lies, the second book of the Redemption's Edge series. Sounds like it could be inspired by Washington (or, since you're Canadian, Ottawa). Would you like to tell us about the novel? And let me be psychic and predict that you'll give the previous question an affirmative answer.

JS: And this is why I enjoy your interviews – you make me smile as well as making me think. I like to write stories with happy (or at least hopeful) endings, and I'm not sure I could pull that off in a political novel. Here's a bit about my version of Secrets and Lies:

A single mother must protect her teenage son—from organized crime and from himself.

Carol Daniels thinks she out-ran her enemies, until a detective arrives at her door with a warning from her convict brother. Minor incidents take on a sinister meaning. An anonymous phone call warns her not to hide again.

Now she must cooperate with a drug lord while the police work to trap him. Carol has always handled crisis alone, but this one might break her. Late-night deejay Joey Hill offers friendship and moral support. Can she trust him? One thing's certain. She can't risk prayer.
JR:  There are great suspense stories I enjoy reading, and there are great suspense stories that make me miserable, being a nervous wreck worrying about the characters as I keep turning pages. Your first installment, Heaven's Prey, was that kind of story. Is the sequel like that as well, or is it a different type of story?
JS:  This one's a much easier read. For one thing, it's a romantic suspense instead of suspense on its own, but the biggest difference is that in this story we're not inside the head of a serial killer.

JR:  I heard once that a person who puts soggy Grape Nuts in a sock, allows it to harden, and uses it as a weapon is a cereal killer, but let's get back to reality. There's a difference between the two stories that has nothing to do with writing. The publisher for Heaven's Prey closed its fiction line. How did you approach getting the sequel out?

JS:  Because I was blessed to know other indie writers who could answer my questions, I decided to take the independent publishing route. Working with the same editor and cover artist from Heaven's Prey helped me match the quality, and I practiced for releasing book two by reacquiring the rights to book one and republishing it myself over the summer. Releasing Secrets and Lies this November went surprisingly smoothly.

JR: Helpful advice. I had a publisher I wanted to target my novel for, and that publisher also closed their fiction line. With that in mind, I'll ask the same question two different ways:

1. What do you think is the future for Christian fiction, or is there much of one?
2. What advice would you give to a young aspiring Christian novelist?

JS:  I think there's a great future for Christian fiction, and the genre is widening to include something for nearly everyone who enjoys a clean read from a Christian perspective. People who haven't darkened a Christian bookstore's doorway for years would be pleasantly surprised. I think we'll see more independent publishing, because it looks like the traditional publishers are dealing with the changing dynamics by concentrating on trusted names and topics. Unknowns, especially with stories that break new ground, may have to publish independently (but it doesn't hurt to try to land an agent or a publishing contract with a reputable house).

In some ways the advice is the same as ever: write a quality novel that people will want to read; establish a network so readers can hear about the novel; make contacts within the industry. But I'd add this: consider writing your first three novels and polishing them well, before seeking publication. If they're a series, you may want to adjust the beginning once you reach the end. And when it's publishing time, editing and promoting book one won't leave much time for writing book two. If you choose self-publishing, don't do it until you can invest in quality editing, formatting and cover design. Many people can do some of this themselves, but we always need fresh eyes on our writing.

JR: How's your blog going? If you had a top ten list of books you've read this year, what would be on it? (BTW, I'll be posting my list on this blog in a couple of days.)

JS:  I look forward to your list, Jeff. Off the top of my head and in no particular order, these books stood out to me this year: 

• Words of Radiance, Brandon Sanderson 
• Blind Trust, Sandra Orchard 
• Fatal Exchange, Lisa Harris
• Ithaca, Susan Fish
• Consider the Sunflowers, Elma Schemenauer
• Soulminder, Timothy Zahn
• When God Interrupts, M. Craig Barnes
• The Patmos Deception, Davis Bunn
• Veiled at Midnight, Christine Lindsay
• Miranda Warning, Heather Day Gilbert

My blog's still active, with reviews on Mondays, devotionals on Wednesdays, and a variety of posts on Fridays.

JR: What's next on the horizon? I noticed that there's a part 3 to Redemption's Edge. Do you have any other plans after this?

JS:  I'm discovering book three now, and this is my favourite part of the process. After that, the ideas are pretty vague, although there may be something set in a seaside inn, with an author as a guest. I do want to branch into science fiction, but I'd like to write a few more suspense novels first.

JR: Thank you for your time, Janet. Can you remind us how we can keep up with your latest goings on?

JS: I'm most active on my blog, at janetsketchley.ca, and I invite Christian suspense fans to sign up for my monthly newsletter: http://bit.ly/JanetSketchleyNews. Newsletter subscribers often hear things first. Also:
Secrets and Lies page: http://janetsketchley.ca/books/secrets-and-lies
Sample Chapter: http://janetsketchley.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Secrets-and-Lies-Chapter-1.pdf 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JanetSketchley
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JanetSketchley
Amazon Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/author/janetsketchley
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/janetsketchley

Jeff Reynolds to reader: As promised, we'll be giving away a copy of Secrets and Lies. Three steps:

1. Leave a comment. 
2. Include info on how to contact you should you win, like e-mail. 
3. A question for you to answer: If you were running from bad guys, what would be the place you hide in and what occupation would you take up? If you want, you could also let me know if you'd change your hair color (I've thought about making mine indigo).

Interview with Donna Benson

by Jeff Reynolds

I'm in a small critique group. We had a point when we had lost a member and Donna Benson contacted us. She's the author of the Sanctuary Series.

Jeff Reynolds:  Welcome, Donna. Let's start with how you came to Christ.

Donna Benson: Hello. I can’t remember a time Jesus wasn’t there. He’s always been in my life from my earliest memories. I went forward at Easter when I was ten and was baptized. I have been learning and growing in faith and understanding since.

JR:  Am I correct that you're a truck driver? What's that like? How does it influence your writing? And any truck-driving stories you'd like to share?

DB: Yes, my husband and I are what the industry calls a team. We’ve been driving for over 15 years. It’s a job traveling around the country, picking up and delivery freight. At first I struggled being gone weeks at a time. I would much rather be home. But we make a good living and my husband likes it so here I am.

Everything we do influences our life. Traveling has given me a love for home, the people of this country, and knowledge we are more alike than different. I recently posted a story on my blog about an experience while on the road. Here's the link to it: http://fleetothemountains.com/just-enough-just-in-time

JR: What led you to get interested in writing in general and your Sanctuary Ranch Series in particular?

DB: I have enjoyed writing for years. I started with articles for my church blog. Six or seven years ago I had a dream. It was about a ranch in the mountains where Christians fled when violence against them began to spiral out of control. Our country was in turmoil everywhere. It was interesting…my husband also had a similar vision around the same time. We wanted a way to warm people of difficult times ahead. From there the fictional story was born. I finished the book five years ago and simply put it away because we felt it wasn’t time to do anything with it yet. Then last year we just knew it was time to publish.


JR: Could you tell us about Flee To The Mountain, and your thoughts as far as follow-up books in the series? 

DB: The story is about the Hamilton family, led by God to establish a small mountain community they call the sanctuary. They set out to prepare their hearts for hard times. Large numbers of supplies, food, and other necessary items are purchased knowing they will have to help others. When the world falls into chaos and persecution runs rampant, the Hamiltons open their community to displaced believers.

I have three other books in mind to follow Flee to the Mountain. The second is nearly completed. Rescue God’s Children deals with those who come under fierce persecution, detainment, or fall into the hands of evil people. God puts together a group of ex-military men to rescue some young people from places like a brothel and a school where the kids are forced to work in a community garden as slave labor. The entire series will deal with those people called by God to help others, traveling toward a refuge, or dealing with the evil around them.

My entire focus in this series is to get Christians to prepare for hard times ahead. It is my belief God is warning His people to prepare and band together in order to survive. That's not to say He won't help us, but we need to do our part. We must prepare spiritually to deal with the escalation of evil around the world and begin to stockpile supplies of all kinds.

JR: Your book is published by a self-publishing company which is linked with a major Christian publisher, one I had considered using. Could you tell us about how you selected them and the pluses and minuses of being self-published?

DB: Since Flee to the Mountains is a Christian book, I felt a Christian publisher would best fit my needs. To be honest, I don’t think I would use them again. They are very nice people, but I feel it’s all about money for them. They don’t really care about the books or the authors…at least that is my impression. I have found if you plan to self-publish, it’s best to find the least expensive with the best quality. I’m not sure there are any pluses to self-publishing. The minuses are promotion and marketing, though it’s my understanding regular publishers don’t do as much as they used to. Many bookstores will not carry self-published books. That’s a huge minus. You may have the best written book on the planet, but chances are slim most people will see it. In my case, my book is a ministry. So it’s never been about making money. I give them to people who I believe will benefit from them. But people can buy them online at Amazon or Barnes and Nobles.

JR: You're a member of the ACFW, and also a member of my small critique group. How has your involvement with the ACFW and the group helped you as a writer?

DB: Any time we open ourselves up to others we can grow...at least when those people have a heart for God and try to help you. It was hard for me at first to receive from them. My books are my babies and I tend to hover over them. But I believe the groups are helping me. My only hesitation is changing my writing to the point it is just like everyone else’s. God made us individuals and unique. The same is true for our writing styles. I want to incorporate some of the techniques I am learning from my critique partners, but I want to maintain my uniqueness as well.

JR: What influences have you had both as an author and otherwise which have shown up in your writing?

DB: I used to read in all my spare time...now I write. I enjoy a great many authors. Dee Henderson, JD Robb come to mind first, but I have a huge library of both Christian and secular books. (I like to actually hold the book I read.) Funny thing is before I started writing I never paid much attention to how it was written. Now I notice things I never saw before.

To be honest, I'm not sure how much any one of them has influenced me though. I am a believer in Jesus to the foundation of my soul and I incorporate that into my writing. If my work does not challenge others to live a Godly life and share the message of the cross, I am a failure. On the flip side, if even one person reads my work and it helps them in their personal walk with the Lord…I am a success.

JR: What advice would you give a young Christian interested in writing?

DB: Start writing from your heart. Join a writing group, take some classes on writing and read, read, read different kinds of books. It will help you establish your own style and find your area of interest. And don’t give up. God give each of us gifts. If one of yours is writing, you must use it.

JR: Thank you for your time. Is there a webpage people can keep up with you on?

DB: Thank you     http://fleetothemountains.com/