Everything

by Katja H. Labonté

Everything seemed against her that day.
Sitting on the porch beside her grandmother, all she could think about was why God had allowed this to happen to her. Mémère said that the Lord turned everything to good, but she didn’t believe it. It was just one of those phrases everyone repeated…
Can the story of an old car, a long-ago war, and young people of yesteryears change her perspective?
Previously published in the “Everything” anthology by the King’s Daughters’ Writing Camp.

Genres: Short Stories

30 pages, ebook

First published March 1, 2023

About the author

Katja H. Labonté is a Christian, an extreme bibliophile who devours over 365 books in a year, and an exuberant writer with a talent for starting short stories that explode into book series. She is a bilingual French-Canadian and has about a dozen topics she’s excessively passionate about (hint: that’s why she writes). Katja writes both contemporary and historical fiction, as well as non-magical historical and contemporary kingdom fiction, and covers themes of worth, love, peace, and Christian growth. She spends her days enjoying little things, growing in faith, learning life, and loving people. You can follow her life journey, find free books, browse her services, and more on her website and blog.

Reviews

[Katja Labonté]

*Now available on Amazon for 99¢ or as a free download on my blog: https://littleblossomsforjesus.wordpr.... Published in the Everything anthology.*

I wrote this story on a whim for two contests at once. It has strong Alcott feels for me (I may or may not accidentally have drawn inspiration from EIGHT COUSINS) but most of all it is my first story set in my home province, and it’s full of Québécois allusions, even being set, unofficially, in what will soon be my new home town! I’m pretty happy with it 😊⚜️

[Lydia Willcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow... I loved this story. I have yet to meet anything by this author that I don't love... This one, I especially loved the characters - Lester and Jane Etta together were so sweet. The setting, the story, the humour and the sweetness... everything.

[Angie Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story, and I really liked the message. Loved the wraparound story and the flavor of the bits of French scattered in (even though I know 0 French), and I adored Lester especially. <3 I was a little confused with some of the backstory--there was a lot that had gone on in Jane Etta's life, and I couldn't always put the timelines together or figure out exactly what part of her past she was running from--but I think some of that was just the length constraints, and I very much enjoyed the story overall.

[Hannah Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a very short story, it was still lovely. I love Labonté's writing style. Very easy to read, but vintage and classical.

Just like all her stories, this one had a good and encouraging message, one that my heart needed to by reminded of.

Lester was wonderful and the sweetest. However, Jane Etta was somewhat annoying with her grumpiness.

[Rhys-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impeccably written story. I liked the setting–I don’t think I’ve ever read a story set in French Canada before.

I read this in the Everything collection.