Bio: Janet K. Brown lives in Wichita Falls , Texas
with her husband, Charles. Worth Forgiving, an inspirational
women’s fiction, is the second in her Wharton Rock series. Her only non-fiction
is Divine Dining: 365 Devotions to
Guide You to Healthier Weight and Abundant Wellness.
Worth Forgiving marks Brown’s fourth book. Who knew she had a
penchant for teens and ghosts? She released her debut novel, an inspirational
young adult, Victoria and the Ghost, in
July, 2012.
Janet and her husband love to travel with their RV, work in
their church, and visit their three daughters, two sons-in-law and three
perfect grandchildren.
Janet teaches workshops on writing, weight loss, and the
historical settings of her teen books. The author uses her platform of
recovering compulsive overeater to weave stories of hope for addiction,
compulsion, or impossible situations.
Welcome back, Janet. Why do you write the
kind of books you do?
My writing motto is “Writing God’s Message of Hope.” All my
books address impossible situations, times with no hope. But God . . . He gave me hope. I must send the message to
others, so I must write.
Besides when you came
to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
That’s a hard question. What a day when I married my high
school sweetheart? God blessed me at the birth of each daughter and each
grandchild. Besides these special times,
I guess I would say it was the day I got my first book contract. I was “over
the moon.” Ha!
How has being
published changed your life?
It made me a lot busier.
When I retired from my medical bookkeeping job, I went into writing as a
second career. I studied I went to conferences and workshops, as well as took
courses online. I submitted and was rejected over and over. All my work,
besides studying, evolved around writing, editing, rewriting, and writing
again. I received my first contract in 2011. The YA released in 2012.
Immediately, I added book promotion to my resume and suddenly had a hard time
finding time to write because of the “third” career.
What are you reading
right now?
The Destruction of the
Books by Mel Odom. I don’t usually read fantasy, but a dear writing friend
recommended his books. She was right. He is an excellent writer.
What is your current
work in progress?
I’m working on book 3 of the Wharton Rock series. All of
this series deals with addictions and despair healed by the Lord. The first
book was about food addiction and depression. The book that released on Sept. 1
focuses on drug addiction and prejudice of an ex-con. Book 3 will deal with
pornography. It will release in 2017.
What would be your
dream vacation?
I would love to visit Alaska .
So many beautiful pictures and praise from friends makes me want to see it for
myself. I will say I’ve already enjoyed
several “dream vacations.”
How do you choose
your settings for each book?
Most of my finished novels, and all of my published ones,
take place in North Texas near where I live.
It’s what I know. The only few I’ve written that don’t happen here is set in
places I’ve visited. The personal viewpoint gives it more reality.
With my YA ghost series, I use real settings that are known
because of a ghost legend. The first one was Clara, 20 miles from my house. The
second was Collin
County about 150 miles
away.
My Wharton Rock series happens in a fictional North Texas
town called Wharton Rock, but it resembles a real town about twenty miles from
me. I write what I know.
If you could spend an
evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
I’d love to sit and pick the mind of Margaret Daley. She’s
been a fantastic mentor in the past. My second wish would be to actually visit
in person with some precious writers I’ve “met” online. Friends and mentors are
an extra blessing to a writing ministry. We talk the same language.
What are your
hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I do line dancing at our 50 plus zone in Wichita Falls twice a week. I love it, and
it’s good exercise. My all time favorite pastime is to travel with my hubby and
our RV and camp out in God’s majesty. Oh, and I collect dolls and salt and
pepper shakers.
What is your most
difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
As I alluded to before, I struggle with balancing writing
and promoting. My husband is semi-retired and I try to be semi-retired. I want
to freely travel with our RV. That’s my most difficult writing obstacle.
How I overcome it is constantly setting priorities and
goals. When I get too much on my plate, I back off and think about what’s most
important. The biggest answer to overload is to never forget my daily quiet
time with the Lord.
I also battle not putting in enough setting to situate my
readers and failing to power-up the emotion, but I keep working at it. Edit,
and edit again.
What advice would you
give to a beginning author?
Study, Join groups. Go to conferences and workshops.
Network. Write every day, and read every day. Never give up.
Tell us about the
featured book.
Worth Forgiving
Prejudice and mistrust hinders an ex-con, drug addict’s new
beginning.
The state of Texas
releases from prison Katie Smith. Full of optimism, she sets out to get a job,
rent her own place, and make a home for her eight-year-old daughter, but Katie
gave away her daughter three years ago. She could use a friend, but her past
choices threaten to doom her to continued failure.
Larry Pullman graduated from seminary with high marks, but
the fact that he has no wife makes finding a preaching job almost impossible.
It doesn’t help that running from God as a teenager gave him a past that he
can’t undo. All he needs is an ex-con, drug addict messing up his life, but
then why did God lead him to her? Or did He?
Isn’t it enough that Lacey Chandler gave her sister’s
daughter a home? Does that mean she has to clean up Katie’s messes forever?
Could it be that Katie is not Worth Forgiving?
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Twin doors swung open to the outside world, and Katie Smith
stepped out. Thunk! The heavy doors slammed. Sweet honeysuckle along the
outside wall smelled like freedom. The sounds of passing traffic were foreign to
her ears.
She smiled and glanced up at the sign giving the bus
schedule. Two hours. Dropping on the park bench to the right of the exit, she
prepared to wait, twisting the coins for bus fare in her hands.
A dove sang a mournful melody. A cold wind howled. If only
she had asked Mom to send her a jacket. Three years ago when she went into
prison, it had been hot Texas
summertime. Add that to lessons learned the hard way.
She reached into her pocket and retrieved a now wrinkled
picture of a girl with two front teeth missing. Katie blinked back tears,
jutted her chin, and sat taller. All she had to do was stay clean, get her own
place, and move her daughter back in with her.
A red Hyundai Santa Fe pulled to the curb. A tall, shapely
brunette climbed out of the driver’s seat. “Care for a ride?”
Katie blinked. She barely recognized her older sister,
Lacey, since she’d lost so much weight.
“Mom said she couldn’t pick me up?”
“She couldn’t, but Toby agreed that I should.”
“Humph.” Katie should’ve known Mr. Police Chief would keep
tabs on her. “Thanks, but I’ll wait for the bus.”
“Your choice.” Lacey shrugged but waited.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
Find me at http:/ /www.janetkbrown.com
on Twitter at https://twitter.com/janetkbrowntx
E-mail: Janet.hope@att.net
Thank you for sharing this book with us. My copy just came, and I'll start reading it later today.
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Comment Starting Questions: Have you ever wondered if some was worth forgiving? Have you ever wondered if you were worth forgiving?
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would love to win. Angela in KY
ReplyDeleteI always remember that if I was worthy of God's grace then everyone else is also. Thanks for sharing Janet's thoughts and this first page.
ReplyDeleteConnie from KY
cps1950(at)gmail (dot)com
God is a forgiving God and forgives me of all my short comings. Thank you God! Melanie Backus, TX
ReplyDeleteGod is a forgiving God and forgives me of all my short comings. Thank you God! Melanie Backus, TX
ReplyDeleteThanks for your insights, Connie & Melanie. God is so good. Good luck on you all for winning.
ReplyDeleteLine dancing always looks like fun. I enjoyed the first page thank you.
ReplyDeleteMary P
QLD AUSTRALIA
Thank you, Mary. Yes, with line dancing, I get in an hour of exercise while just having fun & visiting with friends.
ReplyDeleteI've read Janet's new release and enjoyed the story's focus on the down-on-their-luck side of our weary old world. I'm cheering for whoever wins a copy here.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comment, Gail.
ReplyDelete