Fantastic Friday-Janet Lee Barton

Today we welcome author:

Janet Lee Barton

A commenter will win a copy of
Janet's book:

A Nanny For Keeps

Scroll down to see how.

Mary here. I'm so happy to welcome Janet Lee Barton to Let's Talk. Hind sight always seems so good. Today, Janet shares how being kept from her desire for a time actually proved to be a blessing in disguise. I asked Janet: how has God led you on your writing journey? Here is what she said: 

He Saved Me From Publishing Too Early!

When I was asked to write about the journey God has led me on, I was very excited about it. To say that I believe He has guided me in my writing is a huge understatement. I have no doubt that He saved me from publishing too early and pointed me in the right direction over and over again.

At the time I began writing there were few Christian publishers of fiction that I knew of.  And I’d always wanted to write the sweet romances I loved to read. The first story I sent off was rejected, but I was asked if I had anything else they could look at. Well, no, I didn’t. But I quickly began a new book and then, about half way, through true writers block set in and I could go no farther.

You see, during that time those sweet romances I loved were going through changes and had scenes in them that, while I could skim over them in reading, I couldn’t skim while writing. And there seemed to be no place for the kind of stories I wanted to tell. And I couldn’t do it. I knew what was selling at the time wasn’t what God wanted me to write. It wasn’t what I wanted to write or read, and I certainly didn’t want my daughter or any grandchildren I might have in the future to read and say “Mom!” or “Grammy! You wrote this?” So I put it aside and thought my dream of writing romance was dead.

Fast forward around seven years later. My dream might be gone, but still, I found I was a writer. I needed to write.  So I wrote a children’s story and some skits for our church’s VBS. And THEN, my brother brought me a Christian Book Distributor catalogue and I opened it up to find Christian Fiction, and yes—Christian Romance! I felt as if the Lord was telling me that I could write the romances I longed to write—I just had to write them for HIM.

And I did. Oh yes, I wanted to sell, but I felt I was being true to what the Lord had called me to do even if I never did sell and left that in the Lord’s hands. And He did take care of it. It wasn’t long after that I sold to Barbour’s Heartsong Presents line and was able to write the kind of romances I love. Only after awhile, I wanted to write longer stories and the idea for my Boardinghouse Betrothal series for Love Inspired Historicals bubbled in the back of my mind for a long time before the Lord helped me tie it all together in a way that I knew could be an ongoing series.

I’ve been blessed to be able to write a series that I love and hope to continue writing it for a long time to come, along with whatever other ideas the Lord gives me. But the biggest blessing is that I have no doubt at all that HE has been guiding me and will continue to do so as long as I put my trust in Him for the outcome He wants.  I know He’ll do the same with you—just be true to your calling, do the work He’s prepared for you to do and then leave the outcome to Him.

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Bestselling author Janet Lee Barton is a RT Book of the Year award winner and multiple ACFW Carol Award nominee. Born in New Mexico, Janet has lived all over the South. When Janet isn't writing, she loves to cook for family, work in her garden, travel and read. She writes both Historical and Contemporary romance, and loves writing about faith, families, friends and of course, falling in love.

Janet loves to connect with readers. 
You can find her at her:

  

Website

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CLICK HERE TO BUY

A Nanny For Keeps

With no teaching positions open, Georgia Marshall agrees to become the temporary nanny for the two little girls next door. But she soon becomes enamored of the precocious children and their dashing but distant widowed father. Though she's falling for him, she can't help but think that the nobleman is out of her reach. 

After the tragic loss of his wife, Tyler Walker swore he'd never again give his heart away. Until his neighbor brightens his home and brings some much-needed stability to his motherless family. But he refuses to allow this arrangement with the pretty teacher to become permanent…no matter how much he wants Georgia by his side—forever.

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Enter the contest to win Janet's book:
A Nanny For Keeps

US readers invited to enter!!

Here is how:

1. Leave a comment (and email address)

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Thank you, Janet, for joining us this weekend!

We enjoy chatting with you, Reader, and look forward to reading your comments and questions. Or at least your hi, hello, or hey.

Thanks for stopping by!

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