Sep 30, 2021

Implied Faith From Janette Jones' Cloudy Witness

Out of the countless written texts in the world, the top must-read must be the Bible. Has there been a book that leads you to that notion? What does a book of fiction had offered to your life and make you realized?

"As the written word is brought to life more tangibly, a casual reader would somehow become an avid reader of the Bible." That is what author Janette Jones wants readers to come away with after reading her work, 'Cloudy Witness: Blessedly Assured.' She hopes for readers to obtain a more personable viewpoint of selected iconic biblical personalities to increase one's knowledge of the Bible.

Cloudy Witness: Blessedly Assured is a book that paves its way on merging both paranormal invasions of the biblical-kind and the sanity of seven mortals in ways never deemed feasible. It's a craft that enables readers to consider that the matriarchs and patriarchs of the Bible were actual human beings possessing feelings. Feelings of love, hate, anger, sorrow, and even disillusionment. It is a work inspired by Janette's series stage production titled 'Sistah Girl.' She aims to formalize and continue the coveted saga into book form. With that in mind, a book came into fruition in 2012, with its long-awaited sequel Finding A Happy Medium following in 2018.

"The gamut of emotions experienced after reading these awe-inspiring Christian fictions are endless!"

As reviewed by Omaha NE's St. John AME Church Book Club, "The conversations among the characters whenever they took place sounded believable, just like actual people were talking. “Biblical references became more than just characters in a book" because "The descriptions of the main characters and their histories reminded us of who they are." Even the resolution appeals to readers: "Leaving the couples' stories open-ended for us to speculate on their future," plus, "The discussion questions in the back of the book lead to some interesting conversations."

Such a masterpiece is made possible by Janette Jones ̶ a North Carolina-based author. She is an accomplished playwright, director, and producer who debuted in 2002 with a first stage production titled 'Sistah Girl,' and follow up plays in 2005 (Sistah Girl Revisited) and 2008 (Sistah Girl Now & Again) at the Witherspoon Concert Hall (Joslyn Art Museum).

In 2009, she was a featured personality in the Emmy Award-winning documentary, ('An Inaugural Ride to Freedom: The Legacy of a People, a Movement, and a Mission) that depicts a cross-country bus trip made by college students and members of the Omaha community to the inauguration of President Barak Obama. And in 2010, a cast in Omawale's 2010 film 'Wigger' featuring Anna Marie Horsford and Meshach Taylor.

Janette is a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and an associate minister at the Allen Chapel AME Church. As a Sunday School Superintendent, she adapted and produced the Passion of the Christ during the Easter Season performed by the church's youth and has choreographed the Twelve Stations of the Cross through mime. She's also passionate about sketching and drawing and features herself, family members, and notable personalities as the subject of her art.