Janette Oke Books

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Janette Oke is a Canadian author that writes inspirational stories. She has sold millions of copies of her novels. Her books have also been translated into dozens of languages. She receives letters from fans from all over the world, and she personally responds to each one.

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Born in 1953 in Champion, Alberta during a time of considerable financial strife, The Great Depression forced the family to abandon their home for a farm in Hoadley. However, for the most part, Oke had an ordinary childhood.

Her seven siblings kept her occupied. They would chase gophers, paint dollhouses, play in the dirt, and tell stories. It was during those early years that the seeds of Oke’s fascination with the Pioneers were planted.

A sickness in the family prevented Oke from finishing high school. She worked at a local bank for a time before finally joining Mountain View Bible College (Didsbury) at the age of 19. She met her husband, Edward, during her college years, eventually marrying him in 1957.

They tried starting a family early on. But a miscarriage brought Oke’s first pregnancy to a grinding halt. She gave birth to a baby boy later on. Though, he died hours later. The author survived the tragedies by leaning on her faith.

Oke was a dedicated Christian who started attending Sunday school at an early age. She believes that God finally heard their prayers and blessed the couple with four children. As far as her writing career is concerned, Oke remembers writing a poem about her mother when the woman was hospitalized.

Oke wrote the poem because she was miserable and writing allowed her to express her emotions. Not only was her mother impressed by the poem but she showed it to every person that visited their home. The experience surprised Oke because it showed her that her words could induce joy in other people.

But she did not want to pursue writing as a career, at least not immediately. Oke had decided early on that she would wait until her family was older. She also wanted to fine-tune her abilities by acquiring specialized training.

Even though she couldn’t write, Oke took every opportunity she got to read. By the time her children entered their teens, Janette Oke was restless. She was anxious to start writing. She set her sights on the romance genre because it was popular.

She had also concluded that the genre lacked inspirational novels that Christian women could enjoy without being tainted by the secular ideas that had become quite prominent in the romance genre.

Oke wanted to share her faith through her stories. But she had a full-time job and a family that required her attention. She persevered because she saw her first novel as a ministry tool. She refused to abandon it. By writing at lunch, in the evening, and before she left work, Oke finished her first draft in three weeks.

After revising and editing the manuscript, she sent it to Bantam Books but they rejected it. Six months later, she entered into talks with Bethany Fellowship Inc. They gave Oke her first publishing contract.

Janette Oke Awards

Oke’s collection of accolades includes the President’s Award (Evangelical Christian Publisher’s Association), CBA Life Impact Award, and the Gold Medallion Award.

Best Janette Oke Books

The author’s childhood experiences inspired her to write stories set in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Oke’s best novels include:

Love Comes Softly: Marty was excited. She had great hopes for the Pioneer West when she started the journey with Clem. But shortly after Clem identified the perfect spot for their new home, he died. Marty was all alone.

When Clark Davis asked her to marry him, she wasn’t interested, not really. But she was also pregnant and her options were limited. Additionally, Clark was simply looking for a mother for his daughter, nothing more. When Marty accepted the proposal, she did not expect Clark to introduce so much love into her life.

When Calls The Heart: Elizabeth had a cultured upbringing. As such, the Canadian Frontier was the last place she wanted to be. But that is where the teacher was needed. Fortunately, she loved children. She had also caught the eye of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.

When Does The Next Janette Oke book come out?

The next book by Janette Oke is The Pharisee's Wife and will be released on March, 11th 2025.

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