Jayna Baas > Recent Status Updates

Thank you to everyone who’s become a part of the Kickstarter campaign for Preacher on the Run and Patriot at the River! The campaign funded in just over 5 hours, which blew me away. Plus we’ve already unlocked two very cool stretch rewards: a colonial banknote bookmark and a short story bundle. Check it out at booksbyjayna.com/kickstarter !

The Kickstarter campaign for Preacher on the Run & Patriot at the River is live! Join the adventure and help bring beautiful new editions of these books to life in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The early-bird bonus is available only until midnight EDT on January 14, so back the campaign now to get your bonus: https://booksbyjayna.com/kickstarter

Really loving this, especially after getting to see some of the locations in the story. Will is such a gentleman, and I love that the secrecy of the spy ring hasn't gone in the direction of everyone misunderstanding everyone else.

What are your favorite Christian novels set in the Civil War? Must be written within the last ten years, and any romance must be mild.

I’m looking for your favorite Christian historical novels, by modern authors, set between 1700–1776. Squeaky clean, not too heavy on the romance, good faith themes. Any recommendations? (Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Shannon McNear, and Lynne Tagawa are already on my list.)

“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”

The things we do for research. They were so much smarter in the 1600s…

“[W]hen complaints are freely heard, deeply considered and speedily reformed, then is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look for.”

Stock your bookshelf for 2024 with six Christian historical novels! Enter for your chance to win six novels highlighting five centuries of faith and courage: Heretics of Piedmont, Elinor, Preacher on the Run, Trouble in Dry Springs, No Ocean Too Wide, Whose Waves These Are. Giveaway runs from 01/08/24 through 01/22/24. Enter here.

Second time reading, and this quote struck me. He’s discussing the expectation that a prominent journalist be active on social media:

“So why is [she] urged to regularly interrupt this necessarily deep work to provide, for free, shallow content to a service run by an unrelated media company based out of Silicon Valley?”

As an author, I get this. Why do some things seem so normal until they’re put in blunt terms?

The Black Friday Book Sale is back, with hundreds of clean or Christian e-books $0.99 or less. Preacher on the Run (e-book) is $0.99, and Not for a Million Dollars is free! My paperbacks are also on sale on my website. Check out the sale and spread the word!

Does anyone have recommendations for high-quality Christian indie novels set in the early-to-mid 1800s? Or recommendations for other Christian novelists who write about this era?

The inauguralBack to School Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt is here! Start at stop #1 and collect “clues” from 27 authors for a chance to win $200 and 27 new books. First and second place will also be awarded. The hunt runs from noon EST on 8/30/23 to midnight EST on 9/4/23.

Just a heads-up: Today is the last day of the Prelude to Freedom: Independence Day Giveaway. Enter to win signed Christian historical novels from Lynne Basham Tagawa, Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, and yours truly! Winner announced July 4. US entrants only. Entrants will receive author newsletters and a list of historical fiction recommendations. Enter Here

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share the Prelude to Freedom: Independence Day Giveaway, which I’m thrilled to be part of. Enter to win 4 Christian historical novels! Winner announced on July 4. US entrants only. Entrants will receive emails from participating authors and a list of historical fiction recommendations. Enter Here

Looking for recommendations:

Christian historical fiction set in colonial America before 1776, not romance (a light romantic thread or two is okay, but squeaky clean).

If it features real historical events, especially highlighting the role of faith in America’s founding, so much the better.

Any suggestions?

“Antony could never resist another person’s bookshelves. As soon as he went into the room, he found himself wandering round it to see what books the owner read, or (more likely) did not read, but kept for the air which they lent to the house.”

I knew I liked Antony.

I’m researching ways to reach more Christian readers, and I’m curious—where do you like to talk about books? (Other than here, of course!) I would really appreciate it if you’d take a minute to fill out this simple form and let me know your thoughts. Thank you so much!

(If you’re one of my newsletter subscribers, you’ve probably been there, done that—many thanks!)

This is the only novel I’ve ever read that has a prologue beginning at the Creation. It’s a beautiful way to start the book, and Amanda Dykes pulls it off to perfection.

Sir Percy finally makes an appearance at page 81. I love seeing him in conference with Ffoulkes and Lord Tony and all the rest. But really, Armand. Don’t be un imbécile, s’il vous plaît.

Has it not occurred to Chauvelin that no matter how much the public might fall for his mud-slinging campaign against the Scarlet Pimpernel, a few loyal souls certainly won’t? Can one really imagine Sir Andrew and Lord Tony accepting that Sir Percy has been a rat all along? But that’s a villain for you.

Also…has it not occurred to these characters…that it’s terribly wearing…to speak in ellipses all the time…?

Rereading. Probably at least the fourth time. I love this book.

“When [Christ] is really precious to our souls, nothing will be too good, nothing too costly for him; everything we have, our dearest, most priceless treasure, we shall pour out upon him, and we shall not count it a shame to have done so.”

“Seemingly everyone else is being blessed and used, while you yourself have been passed by and are losing out. Lie quiet. All is in darkness, but it is only for a night. It must indeed be a full night, but that is all. Afterwards you will find that everything is given back to you in glorious resurrection; and nothing can measure the difference between what was before and what now is!”

Anyone have the slightest idea what a muckle whanger is? Here I am, reading merrily along in this eighteenth-century English, and all of a sudden I come upon this: “The combatants were to discharge each a pocket pistol, and then to fall on with their iron-hilted muckle whangers.”

I assume it’s some sort of sword-like weapon. But just saying it makes me want to laugh.

Research!

“[Some Christians] are trying to look within, to differentiate, to discriminate, to analyze, and in doing so are bringing themselves into deeper bondage. Now this is a situation which is really dangerous to Christian life, for inward knowledge will never be reached along the barren path of self-analysis. … Christ is our light; and he is the living Word. As we read the Scriptures, that life in him brings revelation.”

“We only see history back to the Fall. God sees it from the beginning. There was something in God’s mind before the Fall, and in the ages to come that thing is to be fully realized. … It is the Body of Christ in glory, expressing nothing of fallen man, but only that which is the image of the glorified Son of man.”

I love his explanation of Genesis 2 as the picture of God’s plan to create a Bride for his Son.

I’m reading a different edition, the 1853 edition, to be exact. I love Bunyan’s clear familiarity with Scripture—biblical phrasing and quotes form a natural, integral part of his writing. I would challenge him on the concept of the “unconverted elect” (find me one place in the Bible where “elect” refers to unsaved non-Jews), but his comments on the priesthood of Christ are spot-on.

“[God] is not a retailer dispensing grace to us in packets, measuring out some patience to the impatient, some love to the unloving, some meekness to the proud, in quantities that we take and work on as a kind of capital. He has given only one gift to meet all our need: his Son Christ Jesus. As I look to him to live out his life in me, he will be humble and patient and loving and everything else I need—in my stead.”

“God knows who I am; he knows that from head to foot I am full of sin; he knows that I am weakness incarnate; that I can do nothing. The trouble is that I do not know it. I admit that all men are sinners, and that therefore I am a sinner; but I imagine that I am not such a hopeless sinner as some. God must bring us all to the place where we see that we are utterly weak and helpless.” (Chapter 9)