Janette Oke#Canadian West series

{{short description|Canadian author of inspirational fiction (born 1935)}}

{{Infobox writer

| image =

| imagesize =

| name = Janette Oke

| caption =

| birth_name = Janette Steeves

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1935|2|18|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Champion, Alberta, Canada

| occupation = Novelist

| genre = inspirational fiction

| notableworks =

| website = {{URL|www.janetteoke.com}}

}}

Janette Oke (née Steeves; born February 18, 1935) (pronounced "oak"){{Cite web|url=https://www.fantasticfiction.com/o/janette-oke/|title=Janette Oke|website=www.fantasticfiction.com|access-date=2019-06-02}} is a Canadian author of inspirational fiction. Her books are often set in a pioneer era and centered on female protagonists. Her first novel, Love Comes Softly, was published by Bethany House in 1979.{{Cite web|url=https://www.canadianchristianleaders.org/leader/janette-oke/|title=Janette Oke|language=en|access-date=2019-06-02}} {{as of|September 2016}}, more than 75 others have followed. The first novel of her Canadian West series, When Calls the Heart (1983), became the basis of the current television series of the same name.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/when-calls-the-heart/janette-oke|title=Janette Oke {{!}} When Calls the Heart|website=Hallmark Channel|date=23 September 2014 |access-date=2019-06-02}}

Biography

Janette Steeves was born in Champion, Alberta,{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1031745/|title=Janette Oke|website=IMDb|access-date=2019-06-02}} to Canadian prairie farmers Fred and Amy (née Ruggles{{Cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Amy-nee-Ruggles-Steeves/6000000000503350654|title=Amy (nee Ruggles) Steeves|website=geni_family_tree|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-02}}) Steeves, during the Great Depression years.{{Cite web|url=https://dove.org/janette-oke-an-interview-with-the-writer-who-could-not-write-just-one-book/|title=Janette Oke: An interview with the writer who could not write just one book|date=2008-06-24|website=Dove.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-02}}

Oke graduated from Mountain View Bible College in Didsbury, Alberta, where she met her future husband, Edward Oke, who later became the president of that college.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rACsmanc1GoC&q=oke|title=In Her Steps: Women of Courage and Valor|last=Siino|first=Denise Marie|date=2005|publisher=B&H Publishing Group|isbn=9780805431650|language=en}} The Okes have four children, 3 sons and 1 daughter.{{cite book | last = Siino | first = Denise Marie | title = In Her Steps: Women of Courage and Valor | location = Nashville, TN | publisher = Broadman & Holman | year = 2004 | isbn = 0-8054-3165-9 | pages = 133–136 | url = https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0805431659 | access-date = 14 September 2016}} Oke's daughter has written several books alongside her mother.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fantasticfiction.com/o/laurel-oke-logan/|title=Laurel Oke Logan|website=www.fantasticfiction.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

Oke is a committed Evangelical Christian.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/evangelical-history/theology-true-life-tragedy-behind-hallmarks-hit-show-calls-heart/|title=The Theology and True-Life Tragedy behind Hallmark's Hit Show, 'When Calls the Heart'|last=Taylor|first={{!}} Justin|website=The Gospel Coalition|date=20 April 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-02}} She has written many books about her faith.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-02-02-0102020282-story.html|title=CHRISTIAN AUTHORS KEEPING THE FAITH IN ROMANCE NOVELS|last=Service|first=Douglas Todd, Religion News|website=chicagotribune.com|date=2 February 2001 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-02}}

Awards

Oke received the 1992 President's Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for her significant contribution to Christian fiction, as well as the 1999 CBA Life Impact Award, and the Gold Medallion Award for fiction.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fantasticfiction.com/o/janette-oke/|title=Janette Oke|website=www.fantasticfiction.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

List of books by Janette Oke

Source:{{Cite web|url=https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/janette-oke/|title=Janette Oke|date=2015-12-07|website=Book Series in Order|access-date=2019-06-02}}

=Love Comes Softly series=

This series is published by Bethany House.{{Cite web|url=http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/search?terms=Janette+oke|title=Search results {{!}} Baker Publishing Group|website=bakerpublishinggroup.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

Love Comes Softly, 1979
Love's Enduring Promise, 1980
Love's Long Journey, 1982
Love's Abiding Joy, 1983
Love's Unending Legacy, 1984
Love's Unfolding Dream, 1987
Love Takes Wing, 1988
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 "Love 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.{{Citation|title=Love Comes Softly|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345591/|access-date=2019-06-02}}

There are also three prequels titled Love Begins (2011), Love's Everlasting Courage (2011) and Love's Christmas Journey (2012).

= A Prairie Legacy series =

This series is published by Bethany House.

The Tender Years, 1997
A Searching Heart, 1998
A Quiet Strength, 1999
Like Gold Refined, 2000

This is a follow-up to the Love Comes Softly series.{{Cite web|url=http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/the-tender-years-repackaged-edition/243674|title=The Tender Years, Repackaged Edition {{!}} Baker Publishing Group|website=bakerpublishinggroup.com|access-date=2019-06-02}} A republished edition is now available.{{Cite web|url=http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/the-tender-years-repackaged-edition/243675|title=The Tender Years, Repackaged Edition {{!}} Baker Publishing Group|website=bakerpublishinggroup.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

=Seasons of the Heart series=

This series is published by Bethany House.

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

This series was republished in 2002 with updated covers. It is about a young boy, Josh Jones, who is trying to find himself with his atypical family.{{Cite web|url=http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/once-upon-a-summer-repackaged-edition/253163|title=Once Upon a Summer, Repackaged Edition {{!}} Baker Publishing Group|website=bakerpublishinggroup.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

=Canadian West series=

This series is published by Bethany House. 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. In 2015 all six books were released as a single ebook.{{Cite web|url=http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/canadian-west-collection/378500|title=Canadian West Collection {{!}} Baker Publishing Group|website=bakerpublishinggroup.com|access-date=2019-06-02|archive-date=2019-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602082031/http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/canadian-west-collection/378500|url-status=dead}}

When Calls the Heart, 1983
When Comes the Spring, 1985
When Breaks the Dawn, 1985
When Hope Springs New, 1986
Beyond the Gathering Storm, 1999
When Tomorrow Comes, 2000

=Return to the Canadian West series=

This series is published by Bethany House. The series is co-written by Janette Oke and her daughter, Laurel Oke Logan.

Where Courage Calls, 2014
Where Trust Lies, 2015
Where Hope Prevails, 2016

=When Hope Calls series=

Co-written with Laurel Oke Logan

Unyielding Hope, 2020
Sustaining Faith, 2021
Unfailing Love, 2022

=Song of Acadia series=

Co-written with T. Davis Bunn and published by Bethany House.{{Cite web|url=http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/search?terms=Song+of+Acadia|title=Search results {{!}} Baker Publishing Group|website=bakerpublishinggroup.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

The Meeting Place, 1999
The Sacred Shore, 2000
The Birthright, 2001
The Distant Beacon, 2002
The Beloved Land, 2002

This series is continued on by T. Davis Bunn and Isabella Bunn in the follow-up series, Heirs of Acadia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.orderofbooks.com/characters/heirs-of-acadia/|title=Order of Heirs Of Acadia Books - OrderOfBooks.com|website=www.orderofbooks.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

=Acts of Faith series=

Co-written with T. Davis Bunn and published by Bethany House.{{Cite web|url=http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/acts-of-faith-3-in-1-edition/380861|title=Acts of Faith, 3 in 1 Edition {{!}} Baker Publishing Group|website=bakerpublishinggroup.com|access-date=2019-06-02|archive-date=2019-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602082031/http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/acts-of-faith-3-in-1-edition/380861|url-status=dead}}

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 ==

These books are standalone novels about different women of the West, where the author's intention is that they do not need to be read in order.{{Cite web|url=https://www.orderofbooks.com/characters/women-of-the-west/|title=Order of Women Of The West Books - OrderOfBooks.com|website=www.orderofbooks.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

The Calling of Emily Evans, 1990
Julia's Last Hope, 1990
Roses for Mama, 1990
A Woman Named Dâmaris, 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){{Cite web|url=https://www.newreleasetoday.com/bookdetail.php?book_id=3567|title=I Wonder ... Did Jesus Have a Pet Lamb?, by Janette Oke {{!}} Christian Book Reviews And Information {{!}} NewReleaseToday|website=www.newreleasetoday.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}

=Janette Oke's Animal Friends series=

Source:{{Cite web|url=https://www.orderofbooks.com/characters/janette-okes-animal-friends/|title=Order of Janette Oke's Animal Friends Books - OrderOfBooks.com|website=www.orderofbooks.com|access-date=2019-06-02}}