Janelle Marie - Gripping Tale of Heartbreak, Betrayal, and Resilience

Janelle Marie is a distinguished voice in the realm of thriller-suspense fiction. Residing amidst the towering evergreens and cascading mountains of the Pacific Northwest, she infuses her stories with the essence of her surroundings, creating a unique and immersive experience for her readers. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, Eternal Ashes.  

Please give us a short introduction to what Eternal Ashes is about.

Eternal Ashes is the story of Sofie Collins, a woman who had built a good life for herself and her daughter—until one devastating moment shatters everything. As Sofie struggles with betrayal, loss, and the urge for justice, she’s forced to decide how far she’s willing to go to reclaim her life. It’s a story about heartbreak, resilience, and the dangerous edge between survival and revenge.

Your bio mentions that you reside amidst the towering evergreens and cascading mountains of the Pacific Northwest. How has this environment influenced the atmospheric elements in Eternal Ashes?

Living in the Pacific Northwest has had a huge influence on the atmosphere of Eternal Ashes. The towering evergreens, the snow-dusted mountains, and the small towns tucked between them create this feeling of beauty, isolation, and quiet tension—all of which mirror Sofie’s emotional journey.

I often drive to my son’s house in Washington, and those trips down winding back roads and through hidden-away towns sparked so many ideas. There’s just something about those places—beautiful, a little lonely, and you can almost feel the stories they’re keeping—that shaped the mood of the book. In Eternal Ashes, the setting isn’t just scenery—it’s a living, breathing part of the story, adding mystery, suspense, and sometimes even a surprising sense of comfort.

What inspired your journey into thriller-suspense fiction, and how did your personal experiences shape the narrative of Eternal Ashes?​

I’ve always had stories inside me, waiting for the right time. It wasn’t until later in life that I could finally slow down and give them the attention they deserved. Writing thriller-suspense felt like such a natural fit for me—I’ve always been drawn to the raw emotions that come with loss, betrayal, and resilience.

When I wrote Eternal Ashes, I pulled from real emotions and experiences—times when life felt broken or uncertain. Those moments helped me shape Sofie’s journey with honesty and heart. I didn’t just want readers to feel the tension of the suspense; I wanted them to feel the heartbreak, the fight, and the fierce strength it takes to keep moving forward. Writing this story wasn’t just about crafting twists and turns—it was about giving a voice to the parts of life we often survive in silence.

Sofie Collins undergoes a profound transformation throughout the novel. How did you approach writing her character arc to authentically portray her resilience amidst heartbreak and betrayal?

​When I wrote Sofie’s character arc, I knew I didn’t want her resilience to feel sudden—or easy. Real strength, especially after heartbreak and betrayal, usually shows up in quiet, painful steps—not big, cinematic moments. I wanted to honor that truth.

I let Sofie feel everything—the loss, the anger, the uncertainty—and I didn’t rush her through it. She stumbles. She questions herself. Sometimes she makes choices purely out of survival instinct. But through all of it, little by little, she finds a deeper kind of strength—not the loud, unbreakable kind, but the battered, scarred, still-standing kind.

By staying true to her emotional honesty, even when it hurt, I hoped to make her journey feel as raw and real as it would for anyone walking through that kind of darkness.

The themes of guilt and blame are central to the story. What motivated you to explore these complex emotions, and how do they drive the narrative forward?​

I wanted to explore guilt and blame because they’re emotions that don’t just disappear once the initial pain fades. They linger. They shape how we see ourselves, how we connect with others, and how we make decisions—especially when we’re hurting.

In Eternal Ashes, guilt and blame are powerful forces for Sofie. They push her forward, but they also threaten to tear her apart. She carries guilt for what she couldn’t prevent, and she wrestles with blame—both the blame she puts on herself and the blame others try to lay at her feet. Those emotions create tension inside her and between her and the people around her, driving the choices she makes and the risks she’s willing to take.

For me, writing about guilt and blame wasn’t just about adding drama. It was about showing how messy, painful, and real healing really is. Working through those tangled emotions is where Sofie’s true strength is born—not in forgetting or pretending, but in surviving and finding her way through it.

Eternal Ashes has been described as a psychological slow-burn that keeps readers engaged. How did you balance the pacing to maintain suspense while delving deep into character development?​

Finding that balance was really important to me. I didn’t want Eternal Ashes to feel like just a rush from one event to the next. I wanted it to feel real—a deep emotional experience. Life doesn’t move in perfect beats, and neither does healing or unraveling after trauma.

I let the tension build naturally, through Sofie’s internal struggles and the shifts in her relationships, not just through external action. Every quiet moment, every small choice she makes, adds to the suspense, because you can feel something bigger building underneath it all.

That slow-burn style gave me the space to really dig into Sofie’s character, letting her grow in a way that felt true. It also kept the readers right there with her, feeling the pressure rise. When things finally snap, the impact hits even harder—not just because of what happens, but because of everything you’ve felt alongside her on the way there.

The novel contains unexpected twists that challenge readers' assumptions. Without revealing spoilers, how did you craft these plot developments to enhance the story's impact?​

When I was crafting the twists in Eternal Ashes, I didn’t want them to feel like tricks. I wanted them to feel inevitable—the kind of twists that, once you see the full picture, make you think, Of course.

I spent a lot of time layering in small clues—details that might seem ordinary at first, but later snap into focus with a whole new meaning. My goal wasn’t just to surprise readers, but to make them question what they thought they knew—not just about the plot, but about the characters themselves.

For me, twists hit harder when they’re tied to emotional truth. Every development came from Sofie’s journey—her grief, her trust issues, her hunger for justice. I wanted the twists to deepen the emotional impact, not just deliver shock for shock’s sake.

In the end, the unexpected turns aren’t about tricking the reader—they’re about revealing the deeper, messier truths hiding just beneath the surface.

Many readers have expressed that the book deeply moved them. Were there any particular reactions or feedback that stood out to you and affirmed your storytelling approach?​

Hearing that readers were deeply moved by Eternal Ashes has been the most rewarding part of this whole journey. One message that stayed with me came from a reader who said they felt seen—that the book put words to emotions they had carried silently for years. That meant everything to me.

I wanted Sofie’s story to feel raw and real, not polished or easy, because life after betrayal and loss never is. Knowing that readers connected with that honesty—that they found pieces of their own stories reflected in Sofie’s struggles and strength—affirmed for me that I had stayed true to the kind of storytelling I believe in.

Those messages are a reminder that even through fiction, we can create spaces where people feel understood, less alone, and maybe even a little stronger.

The novel touches on universally relatable themes such as loss, betrayal, and the quest for justice. How do you think these elements contribute to the book's connection with readers?​

I believe themes like loss, betrayal, and the pursuit of justice are deeply personal—and at the same time, universal. Most of us, at some point, have faced heartbreak or been let down by someone we trusted. Those moments leave lasting marks, shaping how we move through the world.

In Eternal Ashes and throughout the Ash & Rage series, Sofie’s journey taps into that raw, emotional space where readers can find pieces of their own struggles reflected back at them. It’s not just about revenge—it’s about survival, resilience, and the hard, brave work of rebuilding when everything you thought was true falls apart.

Because those emotions run so deep, readers don’t just watch Sofie’s story—they feel it right alongside her. That connection, that shared heartbeat between the story and the reader, is what I hope makes this series unforgettable.

Eternal Ashes is the first book in the Ash & Rage series. Can you share any insights into what readers can expect in the upcoming installments?​

Thank you for asking! The Ash & Rage series follows Sofie’s journey as she’s pushed far beyond what anyone should ever have to endure. Each book digs deeper into the emotional cost of betrayal, survival, and the choices we make when forgiveness feels impossible.

In the upcoming installments, the stakes get even higher. Sofie’s world continues to unravel as she uncovers dark truths and faces enemies more dangerous than she ever imagined. Every decision she makes carries heavier consequences—not just for herself, but for the people she loves.

The series will stay true to its heart: raw emotion, fierce resilience, and that complicated, razor-thin line between justice and revenge. If you thought Sofie’s story was intense in Eternal Ashes, just wait—she’s only getting started.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?

The world is my notepad. Seriously—if it’s made of paper, odds are I’ve scribbled something on it. Grocery lists, receipts, old envelopes, the back of takeout menus... no surface is safe. My handwriting usually looks like a caffeine-fueled cryptid scrawled it at 2 a.m. (because, well, it probably was), but somehow, it all works out.

I’m a dyed-in-the-flannel night owl. When the sun goes down and the world finally hushes—minus the necessary background hum of music, a podcast, or a stormy soundscape—that’s when the words start tumbling out. Silence? Way too loud.

As for my writing space... imagine if a paper tornado met a secondhand bookstore and they fell in love. It's absolute chaos, but it’s my chaos. Somewhere under the avalanche of notes and coffee rings, stories are born. And if I can dig out the scraps with the good stuff scribbled on them, it’s a good night.

Beyond the Ash & Rage series, are there other stories or genres you're interested in exploring in your future writing endeavors?​

While Ash & Rage has been an incredible journey, my imagination rarely stays put for long. I’m always scribbling new ideas—some messy, some even coherent!

I’m especially drawn to stories with a deeply personal, emotional core, where characters have to rely on wit, grit, and a little bit of luck to survive. My heart always follows the characters first, and right now, I’m doing everything I can to keep my next lead from storming onto the page and showing the world exactly what she’s made of.

She’s bold. She’s impatient. And let’s just say... when she arrives, she definitely won’t be subtle.

What are you working on right now?

Right now, I’m deep in the trenches—equal parts chaos and caffeine—working on what comes next after Ash & Rage. A new story is taking shape, and while I’m keeping most of it under wraps for now, I can tell you this: it’s got fire in its bones and a lead character who refuses to quietly wait in the wings.

Set against the eerie stillness of lockdown life, this story is about isolation, resilience, and the quiet power of someone who’s been underestimated for far too long. She’s not the kind of hero who seeks the spotlight—but she’s about to prove she never needed it to make an impact.

The world she lives in feels different too—darker, sharper at the edges, with themes that are tugging at me in ways I can’t ignore. I’m still piecing it together, scrap by scrap, but honestly? That’s half the fun.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

I truly love hearing from readers—it’s one of the best parts of this whole journey. You can find more of my work at www.janellemarie.com, and I’m always sharing bits of my writing life across all the socials. If you ever feel like saying hello, asking a question, or just sharing your thoughts, please don’t hesitate—I’d be thrilled to connect with you.

And if you’re part of a book club? Well, you’re officially my kind of people! I love book clubs, and we’ve got some fun goodies waiting just for you at www.janelle-marie.com/book-club.html#/. Swing by and take a peek—you might just find a little something to make your next meeting even better