About the Book

Book: The Stranger

Author: Joy Margetts

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release date: November 22, 2024

What do you do when your life’s work lies in ashes at your feet? When your heart and body are broken and your faith shattered?

Disillusioned, grief-stricken and feeling abandoned by the God he once trusted, Brother Silas runs. He sets out on a lonely journey, not knowing where the path will take him, determined to distance himself from his painful past.

But Silas cannot escape the Love that will not let him go. Through the unexpected kindness of strangers, and a series of inexplicable events, Silas’ heart begins to heal. Then an unlikely reunion puts him back on the path to rediscovering who he really is.

Will Silas find where he truly belongs or will he remain a stranger forever?

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Author Interview

Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
I am probably a hybrid. I do research the historical background for my stories, and I do
jot down a rough story plan. I don’t plot in detail, but generally know where the story
starts and is going to end, and a few features in between. The main reason for this is
that I like to write in partnership with the Holy Spirit. I pray before I start to write and wait
for the ideas and the words to flow. I often end up writing in storylines and characters
that were not in my original plan!

What is your writing space like?
I am so privileged to live in a house that has panoramic views of the sea and the
mountains. My writing space is currently a comfy chair in my dining room looking out at
that view. We are in the process of house renovation and I will eventually have an office
to work from. That will probably be better for my posture, but won’t have the same
distracting view!

When did you become a writer?
I have always loved writing, and I written for work, for church, and for my own devotional
reasons for years, but I came to writing for publication late in life ( I was well into my 50’s
and a new grandmother). It was as much a surprise to me as to anyone when my first
attempt at a full length fiction story was accepted for publication by the first publisher that
saw it. That was in 2020, right in the middle of the Covid pandemic. Now 4 years and 5
books later, I suppose I can officially call myself a writer!

How long does it usually take you to write a book?
My first novel, The Healing, was written extra-ordinarily quickly. In a matter of 8 weeks or
so. It was during the pandemic and I was stuck at home. The story had been mulling
around in my mind for a while, and now I had the time and space to write it. It just poured
out of me – I believe that was God’s grace. The subsequent books haven’t been as easy
to write. I guess each one has taken between 4 and 6 months to write. That is partly
because I am more conscious of the mistakes I made the first time around and want to
give the editors less work to do!

Where do you get your ideas for your books?
All of my books are inspired by my own life experiences, particularly the things God has
taught me on my own faith journey. Although they are set in another period, and told
through other characters, there is a lot of my own story in my books. The first book, The
Healing, was particularly based on my own healing journey, but told through the
friendship between a world weary wounded knight and his monk friend. Certain
characters from that first book have stayed with me and the subsequent books feature
their stories. I come up with a spiritual truth I want them to learn and grow in and wind
the story around that. The second book, The Pilgrim, explored themes of forgiveness
particularly self forgiveness. The third book, The Bride, was about God’s father heart and
love for His own. The latest, The Stranger, considers what happens when we begin to
question God and run from Him.

About the Author

Joy combines a life- long love of history and a deep passion for the Word of God to write stories, inspired by her own faith journey. She lives on the beautiful North Wales coast, amidst abbey ruins and ancient pilgrim paths.

More from Joy

I live in a most beautiful area of the UK, on the coast of Wales, surrounded by a stunning landscape of mountains, forests and sea. This is an area that is not only stunning in its natural beauty but also rich with history; castles, abbeys, old churches, and ancient pilgrimage routes. These things inspire my writing, which is why my books are set in medieval Wales, and feature abbeys, monks, knights and maidens. No dragons though! And no murders!

Some years ago now my life was forever changed when I became unexpectedly ill, from what was later diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue. Months of being able to do very little turned into years. Years where I lost much including my job and career, experiences with my children which I will never get back, and my role in ministry. Through this time I questioned all that I had known of God. I had followed Jesus all my life but when things got really tough it felt like He had abandoned me. I didn’t know if I could trust Him any more, if He really cared, if all that I had once believed was actually true. Over time God pursued me, revealing His love for me in unexpected ways, using others to display Himself, helping me to rediscover my faith and choose to trust Him again.

In writing my books I wanted to tell my own story, but through the fictional lives of characters living centuries ago. The Healing, my first novel, told my story of healing and redemption, and no-one was more surprised than I when the book was published. But God had given me a gift to write and He wasn’t finished with one book. The Stranger is actually my fourth novel and the most personal in many ways. The central character has to navigate what it feels like to question his faith in the face of devastating disappointment. I think this is something that many Christians can equate with. The story follows him as he tries to turn his back on his God, and discovers that God does not give up the pursuit of those He loves. It is my story. God pursued me and would not let me go. He is the lover of my soul and has proved faithful. I want my books to carry hope, and to glorify Him.

I love the Word of God. It has been my place of comfort and strength through tough times. My books are littered with scriptural truth, and I make no apologies for that. It is the truth, and believing in the truth, that sets us free.