Lorne Oke, former head men’s and women’s golf coach at Taylor University, used to type his mother’s manuscripts to help her prepare them for submission to a publisher. His mother began her writing career later in life and continues to create novels for her loyal and widespread fan base at age 90. Lorne once told his mother, Janette Oke, that he wouldn’t be reading the “drivel” she wrote, to which she replied, “I didn’t write it for you,” and walked away.
Most prolific authors have a target audience in mind. Janette Oke writes stories appeal to Christian women. She has stated that, when she began her writing career, she wanted to create novels that featured stories of love, challenged by hardship and tested in faith. The idea seems to be a popular and captivating theme for avid readers of Christian fiction, made evident by the fact that Oke’s books have sold more than 30 million copies to date.
Janette Oke grew up in poverty
Janette Oke has told of her life on a farm in her youth; she was one of eight kids living in a 3-bedroom house, who quit school to help her widowed uncle care for his children. Her son says that his mother often described herself as having lived two lives, one of poverty (in childhood) and one of plenty (in adulthood). As time went on, Lorne came to believe that his mother’s childhood experiences and faith in God shaped her into the woman she is today and gave her the confidence to pursue a writing career in the historical fiction niche.
Lorne Oke says that the central theme of his mother’s books is the idea that, although life and relationships are challenged by trials and hardship, Christians can trust that God will “walk through it all” with them. Janette Oke is typically considered the “grandmother of Christian fiction,” paving the way for others to write novels about romance, history, family life and faith, a genre basically unheard of prior to her first top-selling series, “Love Comes Softly,” in 1979.
What readers desire in a Christian novel
Authors who wish to delve into the Christian fiction niche will want to make sure their stories include the elements and themes their readers desire. Such novels should feature relatable characters and events, provide wholesome entertainment and inspiration and encouragement for those who encounter suffering and a testing of faith in their lives. Janette Oke says she has always wanted her stories to compel readers to ask how their faith will be when they face serious trials in life. Christian fiction is a growing market worth considering if you’re a budding author with stories to tell that are based on belief in Jesus Christ and trust in God’s promises.
