About the Author

Hi, my name is Jana.

No, it is not pronouced as J, but rather as a Y. Yanna... For more information about the name and more detail abut it's and my origin, check out "My Story in My Own Words" down below.

But, here is the quick version.... (Which you must realize is agony for an author.) I have had stories rumbling around in my head from my earliest memory. Stories that were first ignited by my grandmother’s bedtime tales and later nurtured by my active (or overactive) imagination.

My love of God’s word and interest in Biblical End times theology and prophecy has led me to write a series of fictional stories dealing with this subject.

The Children of Light, is a six book series, positioned at a future time, following the rapture and before the start of the Tribulation.

Prior to my retirement I worked in medical research and have a BSc and a Master’s degree in leadership. Now, I focus much of my time on writing.

When I am not writing, I love to take pictures and am an avid amateur photographer. However, my greatest joy is e to spend time with our grandchildren.

My husband and I recenlty moved to Calgary, AB, from South-Western Ontario. We lived for a period of time in the home my father built. It was a place of peace and serenity, a place of reflection and contemplation. A place where my stories were born and released to a life of their own.

Blessings,

Jana

My Story in My Own Words

I am a child of imagination and my story begins, as most do, with my birth. I was born and raised in Czechoslovakia (AKA Czech Republic and now Czechia – what an awful name). From my younger days, I have always had a vivid imagination. Because of that stories have been rumbling around in my brain since I was a child.

Some of my stories stayed with me and evolved and grew as I grew. For one of my stories, I created a toy doll from beads and wire. She was about 2 inches tall and lived in a matchbox, complete with a pillow and blanket. She was my treasure and the star of my childhood stories.

Russian Invasion

When I was ten years old, Russia invaded Czechoslovakia. After four months, my parents packed us up, and we left. We took a midnight train to Vienna, where we were granted passage to Canada. We weren’t refugees but immigrants. Within a few weeks of our arrival, my Dad, who spoke some English, got a job in a factory. He had two degrees, one of which was in economics, but he worked as a tool and die maker. Shortly after, my mom, who was a cartographer, got a job in a restaurant washing dishes. It was what they had to do to support us and make a life for us in a new country.

World Ending… and beginning.

When we left, much of my world had ended. All that I loved, except for my parents and even my brother, remained behind. Therefore, the life I had known and loved was gone. We were in a country where I couldn’t speak a word except to count to ten and say, ‘I don’t speak English.’

But a new world opened up before me as well. A friend came alongside and made things bearable. She introduced me to Christ and set me on the right path, for which I am eternally grateful.

Pursued by God

Because of her, I became a Christian at fifteen. Then ran away from God at eighteen (yes, there is a story there, but for another time). However, God is a loving God who has pursued me for most of my life.

As a child, I decided that God was a feared figure and wanted nothing to do with him. (Yup, that is another story.) However, because of that, God decided to show me his true self—that He is a God of love, mercy, and grace. So, at thirty-one, He brought me back to Himself.

God Has A Plan

Through these life experiences, I believe God has a plan and a purpose for each of us, His children. We may be too stubborn, blind, or simply in denial to see the truth; some see it but reject it. But He is a God of love who pursues us. I am grateful He didn’t give up on me. He rescued our family from the Communist regime. A regime where I would not have had the opportunity to get to know him, at least not at such an early age. He brought us to a country full of promise and potential. He provided and protected us (Yup, more stories).

Share the Truth

Through all this, I am a first-hand witness to God’s unending mercy and grace, provision and protection, guiding wisdom, eternal love, and the gift of salvation. Because of that, I have a deep desire to share these truths.

I’ve written stories and books for years, but none hit the mark. They fell flat and still collect dust, tucked away in a cupboard. But, my desire to write and share the truth has persisted. I’ve written hundreds of ‘devotional’ style notes, which I think people now call blogs, except mine, which rest in notebooks under more dust. Some will find the light of day, but that is to come.

Story of Children of Light

Finally, in 2017 a story came to mind (yes, there is a story behind how that came to be), that I could not help but write. So, I wrote and wrote, and after about 18 months, I started thinking I had a book… a single book. I kept writing, and three years later, when I came up for air, I realized what I wrote was too long, and maybe I should make it two books. Well, long story short, the Children of Light series is now a set of 6, yes, six books. All of which are now published and available on Amazon.

All I can say is thank you, LORD! Thank you for giving me the desire of my heart to write. Being retired, I have the time to devote to writing and, more importantly, learning how to write, which I suspect will be an ongoing learning curve. I am also an amateur photographer and draw great inspiration from God’s creation for photography and writing.

Rest, Restoration, and Relaxation

My husband and I lived in Southwestern Ontario for ten years following our retirement in the house my father built. It was a place of rest, restoration, and relaxation. Since our children and grandchildren live in Alberta, we traveled there to visit with them, or they came to Ontario. It was wonderful to have the fourth generation come to this house. I wish my parents would have also been there to experience it.

So, God has restored all I lost as a child and given me so much more! (Just like for Job.) I am sure he has a purpose for me, and I hope it is in what I am doing. My books encourage my readers that God has a purpose for each of his children. We must be open and willing to follow His path for us, illuminated by His Light.

Blessings,

Jana