I first met Jill Marie Stengl through the most awesome fiction writers group, ACFW – better known as American Christian Fiction Writers. But it was my kids’ sitcom, What The Muffins? that brought us together as friends.

Jill Stengl has been writing fiction for fourteen years and has thirteen published books and novellas. She is a native Southern California girl who now lives in the Northwoods of Wisconsin with her husband, Dean, their two younger children, Jim and Peter, and three cats. Oldest son, Tom, is a senior cadet at the US Air Force Academy, and daughter, Anne Elisabeth, is a sophomore at Grace College, IN. Aside from writing, Jill enjoys home schooling Peter, playing guitar for the worship team at church, reading, canoeing, and sometimes quilting.

Jill’s book Faithful Traitor published by Heartsong Presents won first place in the short historical category in the 2005 Book of the Year Contest put on by ACFW. It also won first place in its category in the 2005 Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest hosted by the Faith, Hope, and Love chapter of Romance Writers of America.

Faithful Traitor is a marvelous tale of love and betrayal set in pre-Revolutionary War New York. Heroine Georgette Talbot longs for love and marriage with a man who will be faithful to her and share her faith. But her parents want her to marry Mr. La Tourney, a man of wealth and position. Love, if it is to be found, will come later.

Mr. La Tourney, though respected, is a man whose reputation worries Georgette. While she contemplates a relationship she cannot abide, a mysterious stranger enters her life, who speaks of faithful love, the kind Georgette craves.

Will Georgette be able to forget her mysterious admirer and marry a man she cannot trust? Worse, when evidence surfaces that threatens her masked stranger, can she bring herself to turn him in to save her own reputation? Who then will carry such faithful love to the end?

Faithful Traitor swept me away, not only because it is a delightful romance, but because of the rich history and attention to detail. This is one romance you won’t want to miss!

You can find Faithful Traitor at Amazon or CBD (Christian Book Distributors). So hurry on over to one of those sites and

buy this book!

I asked Jill to give us some insight into the calling behind her writing ~ (for the sake of clarity, since we share the same name and even the same initials, I will refer to Jill Stengl as Jill Marie and myself as Jill Eileen.)

Jill Eileen: When and how did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Jill Marie: I started trying to write down a story in 1991, after my husband bought our first computer, and quickly became addicted. I had tried to write before that, by hand, and only became frustrated. The computer helped me organize my cluttered thoughts. I had so much fun with it, and my friends actually seemed to enjoy reading my early efforts, so I kept writing until I completed a book.

Jill Eileen: Tell me a bit about what you write now and what you hope to write in the future.

Jill Marie: I write romance books and novellas, mainly historical stories. I would love to write larger historical works, probably set in Great Britain. Another dream would be to write a fantasy story.

Jill Eileen: If and when did you realize your writing was a calling?

Jill Marie: Gradually, as I began searching the Scriptures for truth not only for my own life but also for my imaginary characters, to help them grow and develop along with me. Whatever life lessons I am learning seem to find their way into my books, and God uses these imaginary situations to minister to real people who read the books. I find this fascinating!

Jill Eileen: What means did God use to confirm in your heart that this is exactly what He has prepared for you to do for Him?

Jill Marie: My joy in creating the stories, and my readers’ joy in reading them. Often I am blessed and encouraged by letters from readers who write to tell me how they have been blessed and encouraged by my stories.

Jill Eileen: When and how did you come to realize that writing meant more to you than a means to meet physical monetary needs or fulfill your dreams?

Jill Marie:

Jill Eileen: How would you say that God has used writing to change you – to strengthen your faith and to make you more like Christ?

Jill Marie: Learning to write involves lessons in discipline, and the responsibility involved in sharing God’s message through the written word pushes me to study and learn so that, ideally, I don’t write anything dishonoring to the Lord. I take this responsibility seriously—even fiction works can make an impact on impressionable teenagers or hurting women.

As a fellow writer, I heartily agree. And as a reader of Jill’s books, I can attest to the fact that she does her best with each work, big or small. I have come away blessed by each of her stories.

For a list of Jill’s books you can visit her website here. You can also keep up with Jill’s frequent happenings and general musings on her blog.

Jill’s newest release:
Masquerade, Barbour Publishing, Dec. 2005. Jill’s story, Liberty, Fidelity, Eternity is a tale of romance, adventure, and sacrificial love set during the early days of the French Revolution. I had the privilege of critiquing this book, and I can assure you the tale is wonderful!

If you haven’t read any of Jill’s books yet, don’t wait! These short romances are not always what they appear. They will fool you by their depth and by their stirring characters. This is one author I will definitely keep reading!