This month I am chatting with Janet Sketchley, author of Heaven’s Prey.

Welcome Janet! I’m honored to have you visit my home on the internet.

To start off, please tell us a little about yourself.
Thanks for hosting me, Deborah. I live in Nova Scotia, on Canada's east coast. I'm a writer-homemaker, learning to set boundaries between work-at-home and free time. The tenacity of God is one of my themes in writing, because it's something I've experienced in my own life. I have a husband and three sons, wonderful men who add warmth, encouragement and laughter to my life. Everyone's still at home, but our sons may all leave the nest within the next year. Major adjustment!

How long have you been writing?
I played at writing as a child and teen, but I came back to it about 22 years ago now, first with personal experience articles and then moving into fiction.

Please tell us about your debut novel, Heaven’s Prey.
A grieving woman is abducted by a serial killer—and it may be the answer to her prayers.
Despite her husband’s objections, 40-something Ruth Warner finds healing through prayer for Harry Silver, the serial killer who brutally raped and murdered her niece. When a kidnapping-gone-wrong pegs her as his next victim, Harry claims that by destroying the one person who’d pray for him, he proves God can’t—or won’t—look after His own. Can Ruth’s faith sustain her to the end—whatever the cost?

The novel is about a villain’s last chance at redemption and a vulnerable woman’s obedience to pray for her enemy—not the gentle inspirational read many associate with the Christian genre.

What inspired this story?
It all started with this question: it's one thing to pray for an offender locked away in jail, but what would you do if you met the person face to face?
The idea wouldn't go away, and the characters of Ruth and Harry took up residence in my imagination. Essentially, I started writing their story to get them out of my head. They're not based on any real individuals, but they're "real" to me.

Do you have a favorite character in this book? If so, which one would that be?
That's a bit like asking a parent to choose a favorite child! I'm very attached to them all, but I do have a special soft spot for Ruth's pastor, John Linton, and for racing boss Aaron Delaney. Before Harry Silver turns to violence, he's a race car driver. Mr. Delaney is his initial sponsor and his mentor. 

What is your favorite part of the book? Least favorite?
I loved the racing scenes, and my least favorite part was definitely the violence. My friends are amazed that a story like this could come out of my head.

Janet, as a new author, do you find the marketing aspect as hard or complicated as you expected? Or are you one of those marketing geniuses?
Oh, Deborah, I don't fit the "marketing genius" category at all. I've been very blessed to work closely with my publisher's marketing specialist and am learning a lot from her and from some excellent books and online groups. Still, what I'm discovering is that we do our best but we can't obsess over it. There's always more to do or a new thing to try. Bottom line, I need to prayerfully do what I can and keep writing the next book.

From May through mid-July, Heaven's Prey is enrolled in the KDP Select program and my publisher is promoting through strategic free and sale days for the Kindle version. (Psst, for your print readers in the US, the paperback is a steal at $8.99. With shipping, my author copies cost me more than that!)

Please share where readers can find you on the internet.
I'd love to have readers visit my website (http://janetsketchley.ca/). The Heaven's Prey bonus features page has interviews with the characters, a link to read chapter 1 for free, and the recipe for Ruth's blueberry pie.

My blog, Tenacity, is part of the site, and I post weekly reviews, devotionals and features. I also have a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JanetSketchley), you can find me on Twitter (@JanetSketchley) and I'm on Goodreads
(http://www.goodreads.com/janetsketchley).

Is there anything else you’d like people to know?
Suspense fans who'd like a free copy of the prologue to Heaven's Prey (it's not in the novel) can get it by subscribing to my newsletter at http://bit.ly/JanetSketchleyNews. Thanks again for hosting me!
Thank you so much, Janet, for taking the time to visit with us today. It’s been a pleasure.

If you’d like to win a copy of Janet’s novel, Heaven’s Prey, just use my Contact page, and type “drawing” in the comments box. The deadline to enter the giveaway is June 24th.