Janette Oke

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Janette Oke
Born (1935-02-18) February 18, 1935
Champion, Alberta, Canada
Occupation Novelist
Nationality Canadian
Genres inspirational fiction
www.janetteoke.com

Janette Oke (born 18 February 1935) is a Canadian author and pioneer of inspirational fiction. Her books are often set in a pioneer time period and centered around female protagonists. She is a committed Evangelical Christian.

Janette Steeves was born in the Depression years in Champion, Alberta, to a Canadian prairie farmer and his wife, Fred Steeves and Amy (née: Ruggles) Steeves.

She graduated from Mountain View Bible College in Didsbury, Alberta. Janette met her husband Edward Oke (pronounced "oak") while they both attended college. They were married in 1957 and have pastored churches in Indiana, and Calgary and Edmonton, Canada. He later became the president of the college. Janette and Edward had 4 children, including a set of twins.[1] Her daughter, Laurel Oke Logan, has co-written books with Janette.

Her first novel, titled Love Comes Softly, was published by Bethany House in 1979. This book was followed by more than 75 others.

She received the 1992 President's Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for her significant contribution to Christian fiction, the 1999 CBA Life Impact Award and has been awarded the Gold Medallion Award for fiction.

List of books by Janette Oke

Love Comes Softly series

Published by Bethany House, it "follows the lives of one family through three generations—beginning with a hated "marriage of convenience," through hardships common to life on the prairie in an earlier time, leading at last to an abiding love."

  1. Love Comes Softly, 1979
  2. Love's Enduring Promise, 1980
  3. Love's Long Journey, 1982
  4. Love's Abiding Joy, 1983
  5. Love's Unending Legacy, 1984
  6. Love's Unfolding Dream, 1987
  7. Love Takes Wing, 1988
  8. Love Finds a Home, 1989

This series has also been published into two boxsets, Volume 1–4 and Volume 5–8. New revisions with updated covers were published in 2003 and 2004, including the boxsets.

The Fox Faith film versions of the "Loves Comes Softly" series, which aired on the Hallmark Channel, do not completely follow the books. They starred Katherine Heigl, Dale Midkiff, Corbin Bernsen, Erin Cottrell and others. Directors of the films included Michael Landon Jr. and Lou Diamond Phillips.

There are also three prequels titled Love's Christmas Journey (2012), Love Begins (2011) and Love's Everlasting Courage (2011). These are not based on any Janette Oke books.

Seasons of the Heart series

Published by Bethany House: "compelling characters who experience the fears common to every woman's heart, and through the magic homespun fiction leads the reader into an awareness of faith that transcends the darkest fear." This book follows the up's and downs of a boy growing up to become a man.

  1. Once Upon a Summer, 1981
  2. The Winds of Autumn, 1987
  3. Winter Is Not Forever, 1988
  4. Spring's Gentle Promise, 1989

This series was republished in 2002 with updated covers. The series has also been published as omnibus (all four books in one volume). This book is called "Seasons of the Heart".

Canadian West series

Published by Bethany House: "this series follows a man and a woman as they stumble through foolish mistakes and misunderstandings, yet find a depth of character and courage within themselves as their love deepens." The last two books came much later and focus on the children in the series rather than the main characters of the first four books.

  1. When Calls the Heart, 1983
  2. When Comes the Spring, 1985
  3. When Breaks the Dawn, 1985
  4. When Hope Springs New, 1986
  5. Beyond the Gathering Storm, 1999
  6. When Tomorrow Comes, 2000

This series was republished in 2005 with updated covers.

A Prairie Legacy series

Published by Bethany House: "picking up twenty years after Belinda's story from Love Finds a Home, A Prairie Legacy series follows Marty and Clark's grandchildren as they grow in faith and maturity."

  1. The Tender Years, 1997
  2. A Searching Heart, 1998
  3. A Quiet Strength, 1999
  4. Like Gold Refined, 2000

This is a follow-up to the Love Comes Softly series. A box set of all 4 books is also available. A republished edition is now available.

Song of Acadia series

Co-written with T. Davis Bunn and published by Bethany House: "two young women, their lives shadowed by nations in conflict, begin a friendship that will propel them on a journey from which they can never turn back."

  1. The Meeting Place, 1999
  2. The Sacred Shore, 2000
  3. The Birthright, 2001
  4. The Distant Beacon, 2002
  5. The Beloved Land, 2002

This series is continued on by T. Davis Bunn and Isabella Bunn in the follow-up series, Heirs of Arcadia.

Acts of Faith series

Co-written with T. Davis Bunn and published by Bethany House:

  • The Centurion's Wife, 2009
  • The Hidden Flame, January 2010
  • The Damascus Way, 2011

Standalone books

  • Return to Harmony, co-written with T. Davis Bunn
  • Another Homecoming, co-written with T. Davis Bunn
  • Tomorrow's Dream, co-written with T. Davis Bunn
  • Dana's Valley, co-written with Laurel Oke Logan

Women of the West books

Note: These books are standalone novels about different women of the west, and do not need to be read in order.

  • The Calling of Emily Evans, 1990
  • Julia's Last Hope, 1990
  • Roses for Mama, 1990
  • A Woman Named Damaris, 1991
  • They Called Her Mrs. Doc, 1992
  • The Measure of a Heart, 1992
  • A Bride for Donnigan, 1993
  • Heart of the Wilderness, 1993
  • Too Long a Stranger, 1994
  • The Bluebird and the Sparrow, 1995
  • A Gown of Spanish Lace, 1995
  • Drums of Change, 1995

Youth books

  • I Wonder… Did Jesus Have a Pet Lamb? (picture book)

Janette Oke Classics for Girls series

  1. Roses for Mama
  2. Heart of the Wilderness
  3. A Gown of Spanish Lace
  4. The Bluebird and the Sparrow
  5. The Calling of Emily Evans
  6. Drums of Change

Janette Oke's Animal Friends series

  1. The Impatient Turtle
  2. The Prodigal Cat
  3. Spunky's Diary
  4. This Little Pig
  5. New Kid in Town
  6. Ducktails
  7. Prairie Dog Town
  8. Trouble in a Fur Coat
  9. Maury Had a Little Lamb
  10. Pordy's Prickly Problem
  11. A Cote of Many Colors
  12. Who's New at the Zoo?
  • Janette Oke's Animal Friends Pack, vols. 1–6
  • Janette Oke's Animal Friends Pack, vols. 7–12

Other Items by Janette Oke

  • Celebrating the Inner Beauty of Women Dec 1997
  • Father Who Calls: Devotional insights for Daily Meditations
  • Hunger of Your Heart: Finding Fulfillment Through a Closer Walk With God
  • Janette Oke Engagement Diary
  • Janette Oke 2001 Engagement Diary (Calendar)
  • Janette Oke's Reflections on the Christmas Story
  • Making Memories by Janette Oke and Cheri Bladholm
  • My favorite recipes: Featuring devotional & selected recipes
  • My Favorite Verse
  • The Father of Love
  • The Loving Heart-Calendar
  • What Does Love Look Like by Janette Oke and Cheri Bladholm

References

  1. ↑ Siino, Denise Marie (2004). In Her Steps: Women of Courage and Valor. Broadman & Holman Publishing Group. p. 228. ISBN 0-8054-3165-9. 

External links

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