About Author

MJ Krause-Chivers

MJ Krause-Chivers
BIOGRAPHY

Multi-genre author: Historical and literary fiction (MJ Krause-Chivers), Christian non-fiction (Miranda J. Chivers) and historical fiction.
I've always been fascinated by history and culture. I began writing as soon as I could hold a pen. As a former social worker and tourism operator, my world revolves around words. Like me, my characters are pragmatic, introspective, and sometimes overly cerebral. I'm encouraged by positive reviews and constructive criticism.
I love hiking in the woods — in the spring when the forest wakes from its winter sleep, and in the autumn when the leaves crunch underfoot. I love nature in its rawest form. In the summer, you'll find me snapping photos of flowers, trees and natural formations.
I prefer silence and solitude instead of noisy crowds and busy places. I actually enjoyed the Covid season.
If you can relate, follow me as I tell the story of my grandparents' era in Ukraine during the Russian civil war in the 1920's. What was it like to live as a privileged young woman in the days before the civil uprising and communism? Why were the German communities cleansed from the land?
Book one: Katarina's Dark Shadow sets the stage for the series, providing cultural and political backdrop. Book two: Katarina's Dark Journey takes us on a wild ride through the lawless steppes of Ukraine, then throws us head-first into the conflict zone. Don't miss this exciting series.

MJ Krause-Chivers's Books

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Popular Publish Date Series
Book
Katarina's Dark Journey
Featured
(3) $3.99 kindle Free with KUeBook, Paperback,
Katarina's Dark Journeyby MJ Krause-ChiversPublish: Sep 03, 2023Series: Russian Mennonite ChroniclesHistorical Mystery Historical Fiction Christian Fiction
Katarina's Dark Shadow
Featured
(4) $2.99 kindle Free with KUeBook, Paperback,
Katarina's Dark Shadowby MJ Krause-ChiversPublish: Sep 06, 2021Series: Russian Mennonite ChroniclesHistorical Mystery Historical Fiction Christian Fiction
Children of War: an anthology to support the children of Ukraine
(1) $4.99 kindleeBook,
Children of War: an anthology to support the children of Ukraineby Astrid V.J.Publish: Aug 24, 2022Teen & Young Adult
Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse
(1) $7.99 kindle Free with KUeBook,
Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouseby Miranda J. ChiversPublish: Jan 14, 2018Advice & How To Christian Nonfiction
Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse: Study Guide with Journal
$4.99 kindle Free with KUeBook, Paperback,
Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse: Study Guide with Journalby Miranda J. ChiversPublish: Sep 06, 2023Series: Unequally YokedChristian Nonfiction
Christian Marriage: Devotionals From Both Perspectives (Christian Devotional Collaborations)
$2.99 kindleeBook,
Christian Marriage: Devotionals From Both Perspectives (Christian Devotional Collaborations)by Michael LaceyPublish: Feb 14, 2023Series: Christian Devotional CollaborationChristian Nonfiction
Hope When it Hurts: The Scars that Shape Us (Christian Devotional Collaborations)
$3.99 kindleeBook,
Hope When it Hurts: The Scars that Shape Us (Christian Devotional Collaborations)by Michael LaceyPublish: Dec 14, 2020Series: Christian Devotional CollaborationChristian Nonfiction
Holy Resilience: Finding the Way Forward (Christian Devotional Collaborations)
$2.99 kindle Free with KUeBook,
Holy Resilience: Finding the Way Forward (Christian Devotional Collaborations)by Devotional CollaborationsPublish: Feb 14, 2021Series: Christian Devotional CollaborationChristian Nonfiction
The Favor of Forgiveness: Find Yourself Again (Christian Devotional Collaborations)
$2.99 kindle Free with KUeBook,
The Favor of Forgiveness: Find Yourself Again (Christian Devotional Collaborations)by Devotional CollaborationsPublish: Nov 21, 2021Series: Christian Devotional CollaborationChristian Nonfiction
Peace in the Presence of God: Devotionals for Women with Anxiety (Christian Devotional Collaborations)
$2.99 kindle Free with KUeBook,
Peace in the Presence of God: Devotionals for Women with Anxiety (Christian Devotional Collaborations)by Devotional CollaborationsPublish: Apr 25, 2021Series: Christian Devotional CollaborationChristian Nonfiction
Worship in the Wilderness: Let Praise Lead the Way (Christian Devotional Collaborations)
$2.99 kindle Free with KUeBook,
Worship in the Wilderness: Let Praise Lead the Way (Christian Devotional Collaborations)by Devotional CollaborationsPublish: Dec 12, 2021Series: Christian Devotional CollaborationChristian Nonfiction

MJ Krause-Chivers's Series in Order

It's exciting to find a book series to follow! Discover the whole new world of book series created by MJ Krause-Chivers.
** Also, there might be other book series by MJ Krause-Chivers not listed on AllAuthor.

  • Russian Mennonite Chronicles

    1 Katarina's Dark Shadow - Published on Sep, 20212 Katarina's Dark Journey - Published on Sep, 2023

  • Unequally Yoked

    1 Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse: Study Guide with Journal - Published on Sep, 2023

  • Christian Devotional Collaboration

    1 Hope When it Hurts: The Scars that Shape Us (Christian Devotional Collaborations) - Published on Dec, 20202 Holy Resilience: Finding the Way Forward (Christian Devotional Collaborations) - Published on Feb, 20213 Peace in the Presence of God: Devotionals for Women with Anxiety (Christian Devotional Collaborations) - Published on Apr, 20214 The Favor of Forgiveness: Find Yourself Again (Christian Devotional Collaborations) - Published on Nov, 20215 Worship in the Wilderness: Let Praise Lead the Way (Christian Devotional Collaborations) - Published on Dec, 20216 Christian Marriage: Devotionals From Both Perspectives (Christian Devotional Collaborations) - Published on Feb, 2023

MJ Krause-Chivers's Awards and Achievements

    MJ Krause-Chivers has earned excellence awards over time. Here is the glimpse of the accolades clinched by the author.

  • Book Excellence Awards
    2024

    Katarina's Dark Journey

    award
  • Book Excellence Awards Finalist
    2024

    Katarina's Dark Journey

    award
  • Global Book Awards
    2023

    Katarina's Dark Journey

    award
  • Readers Favorite GOLD MEDAL
    2023

    Children of War: an anthology to support the children of Ukraine

    award
  • Reader Views 5* Editorial Review
    2023

    Katarina's Dark Journey

    achievement
  • Historical Fiction Company 5* Editorial Review
    2023

    Katarina's Dark Journey

    achievement
  • All Author Cover of the Month
    2022

    Children of War: an anthology to support the children of Ukraine

    award
  • Author Shout Top Pick (Finalist)
    2022

    Katarina's Dark Shadow

    award
  • All Author Cover Winner
    2022

    Children of War: an anthology to support the children of Ukraine

    award
  • ReaderViews 5*
    2021

    Katarina's Dark Shadow

    achievement
  • Global Book Award
    2021

    Katarina's Dark Shadow

    award
  • Indie Book AWards Top Shelf Finalist
    2019

    Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse

    award
  • Author Academy Award (Author Elite Academy)
    2019

    Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse

    award
  • Readers Favorite: Christian Biblical Counseling
    2018 award

MJ Krause-Chivers Interview On 18, Jan 2022

"Award-winning author, MJ Krause-Chivers was born in a border town in sunny Manitoba, Canada. She devoured books from the moment she could read. Her earliest favorites were Christian young adult mysteries. Her kryptonite is her attention deficit disorder. She aspires to uncover and share God's messages of love and redemption to others through the art of publishing."
Where were you born? Since how long have you been living in Niagara, Canada?

I was born in a border town in sunny Manitoba, Canada. I moved to Ontario in 1987. I lived in two other towns before moving to Niagara in 2015. Coincidently, I now reside near where my mom worked in a canning factory in the 1940’s during her teen years. There’s considerable family history in this region.

Were you an avid reader as a child? Do you still read books?

We didn’t own a television until I was a teenager. It was considered too worldly in our Mennonite home. That is, until my two older brothers talked my Dad into buying one to watch hockey. Without sisters and no playmates living nearby in our rural area, I learned to entertain myself. I devoured books from the moment I could read. My earliest favorites were Christian young adult mysteries. Then, unbeknownst to my mother, my grandmother slipped me her secret stash of Harlequin Romances.That genre captivated me during my teens.

Yes, I still read a lot. On average, I consume 2-3 books a month.

Who all are a part of your family? How critical are they of your writing?

My parents and their siblings have passed away. I have three brothers, two children, and two step-children — all grown up and scattered across Canada. And an extensive network of cousins. I don’t share my writing with my family or ask for their opinions. (That is, except for one cousin who is also a writer). She’s very supportive, but not critical enough. To be honest, I prefer to get objective and honest reviews from anonymous faces.

What do you love the most about writing?

I love the comfort of being in my own space and creating my own worlds. And I love the camaraderie of other writers.

Why did you decide to publish your Christian non-fiction under Miranda J. Chivers?

I started publishing under my married name, never expecting that my first book would become the go-to self-help manual for so many Christians in unequally yoked marriages. Now, with an online FB ministry to this community, I’m clearly known as a Christian NF author.

But I also wanted to write historical fiction and I wanted those readers to connect to my ancestry. My married name didn’t have the right ethnic feel. So I added my birth name. It's common for multi-genre writers to use a pen name to distinguish between genres.

Which was the first actual event your grandparents shared with you about the era in Russia during the Russian Revolution?

I had three grandfathers and three of four grandmothers (not couples — it’s complicated!) who emigrated to Canada as young adults during Russia’s dark chapter. My first husband’s mother was also from this ethnic background but her family fled after WW2. Being more recent and raw, those later sagas were especially vivid and dark. However, all the stories I heard were captivating, regardless of the source.

I remember one tale where my grandfather shed his Red Army uniform and crawled on his belly through the muddy fields to flee the war zone while the bullets zinged overhead. (WW2). Another told of wearing the White uniform during the civil war, being captured by the Reds, then wearing the Red uniform, only to be captured by the Whites again.

Some stories were funny. Others were sad.

The women whispered about being raped and having “female” problems and some had difficulties conceiving children. Their stories focused more on basic survival. I.e. how they ran during the night and hid during the daytime. For food, they stole potatoes from farmers’ fields; sometimes finding only one to share between eight people.

There were so many stories and they’re all muddled in my head.

What inspired the plot of your novel, Katarina's Dark Shadow?

After hearing the gory details of war trauma, KGB arrests, the Russian gulag, and missing and murdered relatives, but not having the mature voice to ask intelligent questions, my young imaginative mind filled in the blank spaces.

When I traveled to Poland and the Ukraine in 2014 (as an older adult), the stories came alive. I put my feet on the ancestral land, touched the gravestones, heard the history from the guides, and visited the villages where my grandparents lived. I wanted to share this truth with the world. But then I thought — who would want to read about the attempted genocide of this tiny German population in Russian Ukraine?

Today, many diaries and personal journals are being published post-mortem by families through the Mennonite Historical Societies and universities. These weren’t available twenty years ago. And the true stories make for gruesome reading.

There are very few fictional novels based on this population and time period. I wanted to create a series that would inspire an interest in my ancestors and their history.

How many books do you plan to write in the "Russian Mennonite Chronicles" series?

I’ve planned five books in this series — if God gives me the strength and eyesight to finish.

What is your writing kryptonite? Inversely, what is something that never fails to inspire you?

My kryptonite is my attention deficit disorder. I’m easily distracted. When there are too many things on my plate, I get confused and my WIP gets set aside. I’m learning to be more scheduled with my time. I now write first thing in the morning before I do anything else.

As for the second part of this question, my writing community never fails to inspire me. I have a tight accountability author group. We encourage each other every day. (We are all on AllAuthor.)

Do you need to know how a novel ends before you begin writing it?

Yes. I always know the ending before I begin. Before I start writing, I draft a skeletal outline one bone at a time. The meat is added while I’m writing. But I maintain a mental picture of the finished product while I’m sculpting.

What is the most ideal ambiance for you to write in?

I need dead silence or the sounds of nature in the background. I like hearing the click of my keyboard. However, if I’m in a particularly emotional scene, I’ll play Bach or the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Which option do you prefer, reading some books or watching movies adapted from them?

I prefer watching the movie before I read the book. I like visualizing the scene and the characters as I read. Movies are like the initial stage setting.

What childhood habit can you never get rid of?

Wandering in the forest alone. Exploring new trails and unknown destinations. I love getting lost.

Are you working on a new book? Is it going to be a series or a standalone?

I have too many plans, but not enough life left to get it all done. First I need to finish this series. Right now, I’m working on Book Two: Katarina’s Dark Journey. Book Three is outlined and it will be a dark romance.

When did you join AllAuthor? What has your experience been like?

I joined Allauthor after I wrote my non-fiction book in 2018. I joined mostly for the cover contests. When I published Katarina’s Dark Shadow, I explored all the bonuses with my membership. I discovered that AllAuthor is a comprehensive site that covers many of my author needs. It’s quickly become my go-to author resource. I especially love their easy-peasy twitter feeds and gif tool.

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