BOOKS
Elaine R Kelly Author brings healing and hope to those who are sidelined or silenced by the church.
She writes historical fiction and blogs about women in the Bible and church history, gender and religion, and biblical studies.
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📖Forgotten Follower from Broken to Bold, a historical fiction empowering women, shows women in the Bible overcoming trauma, abuse, and racism (based on the Gospels).
📖Because She Was Called: from Broken to Bold Book 2, A Novel of the Early Church (based on Acts 2-11) shows Christians overcoming divisions, adopting all believers into the faith family, affirming LGBTQ+, women in ministry, and mutuality in marriage.
📖 Finding Her Voice: from Broken to Bold Book 3, Acts of Early Female Apostles: A Novel (set in Acts 11-15).
📖Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey: 21 Steps to Emotional Resilience. It's a spiritual self-care and self-help book, including psychology, theology, and examples from the author's fictional excerpts and personal experiences.
📖The Sword: A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on What the Bible says about a Woman’s Role contains 104 flashcards and 180 end notes showing an objective rationale for diverse views on gender roles.
For Release October 28, 2025
Finding Her Voice
from Broken to Bold book 3
Acts of Early Female Apostles: A Novel
Two women called to speak. The world told them to stay silent.
After being forced to move to Syria, hide her Hebrew heritage, and live under her Latin name, Junia must convince the church to end segregation, or her son will never belong. As Junia explores diverse self-identity and cultures, she teaches, leads, makes trouble, makes friends, and founds new churches. While focused on her calling, will she find a second-chance romance?
Susannah has been evangelizing with her husband, Philip, but as unrest shakes the streets and new life grows within her, she wonders if it is possible to raise a family and still raise her voice.
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The elders told Mariamne that to be an apostle, she must shed her femininity. While she enjoys the same authority as male apostles, what will she give up for a woman named Nicanora?
Experience the struggles of early Christians as they try to unite Greek and Jew, male and female, gay and straight, into one body of Christ. Framed by the biblical narrative and historical events, this empowering and inspirational novel explores the courage it takes to stand and speak when others demand your silence. Can the women proclaim Jesus’s message of equality before church leaders silence them forever?
Read it as a standalone or as the powerful conclusion to the biblical fiction trilogy: From Broken to Bold.
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"An immersive and deeply affecting novel that bridges antiquity and the modern age... Kelly restores voice and agency to those relegated to the margins of scripture. The result is a stirring blend of theology and drama." The Prairies Book Review
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This powerful ancient historical fiction illuminates today's religious divisions over gender and sexuality. It has won several awards:
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The 2025 Next Generaltion Indie Book Awards named it as a finalist in two categories: LGBTQ+ fiction and ebook fiction.
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Book Excellence honoured this novel as the 2024 Finalist in Female Empowerment.
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Because She Was Called is a finalist in three categories of the 2024 Literary Global Independent Author Awards: historical fiction, LGBTQIA fiction, and Women's fiction
Released April 2024
Because She Was Called
from Broken to Bold book 2
A Novel of the Early Church
After Susannah is imprisoned, she flees. Susannah takes off to Caesarea and lands in the arms of a deacon. But will he limit her freedoms? Will she choose romance over obeying God's call? Torn by grief and anger, where will Joanna turn for shelter? Will she testify before powerful men? Will loyalty to Jesus cost her the loss of her son?
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“A remarkable tale affirming Christian egalitarianism that will captivate, provoke, and inspire readers on an unforgettable journey through the origins of Christianity.” -Prairies Book Review
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Because She Was Called: from Broken to Bold, Book 2, A Novel of the Early Church, features Joanna, torn by grief, and Susannah, pulled between romance and her call to preach. The novel, based on Acts 2-11, shows women, Palestinians, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized people adopted as full members of the family of faith.
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While this novel continues character development from Forgotten Followers From Broken to Bold, Book 1, each can be read as a stand-alone novel. Forgotten Followers is set in the Gospels; Because She Was Called is set in Acts 2-11. If you are a spiritual wanderer or ex-vangelical, take a sip of fresh, living water with this story of how the early church overcame divisions and changed the world. This is a Christian egalitarian and affirming fiction.
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You may buy directly from the publisher, FriesenPress, toggling between US$/CDN$, or click for Links to shop at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Nook, AppleBooks, Google Play Books, Kobo, or ChaptersIndigo.
Released September 2022
Forgotten Followers
from Broken to Bold book 1
AFTER YEARS OF SUBMISSION, Mara is afraid and unsure about everything—especially her nephew, Jesus. When her neighbours chase him off a cliff, they force Mara (based on Mary of Clopas) into the unknown. After being told she is unlovable, can she learn to love herself? Can she recover from trauma and break the walls of worry that isolate her? Can she accept her son as he is, even though it is not what she expected?
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At the same time, Joanna, a financial patron of Jesus, grapples with racism and imposter syndrome. Should she keep hiding her biracial heritage or risk that the community banish her as they did her father? Can she stop hiding who she is and risk losing it all?
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Strong female friendships build their self-esteem, and they take heart when Jesus empowers them as disciples, patrons, and witnesses. But will Jesus’s opposition to the establishment endanger their lives?
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Forgotten Followers gives voice to woman disciples and healing and hope to readers who feel silenced, alone, or marginalized. The themes of racial and gender inequality in this retelling of the Gospels resonate today. Progressive Christians, exvangelicals, or those deconstructing their faith are likely to experience healing love, seeing these women in the Bible from a feminist and LGBTQ+ affirming lens. Book 1 of the From Broken to Bold series, Forgotten Followers is a CIPA EVVY Silver Award Winner.​
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If you are a woman who has been silenced, an LGBTQ+ who has been sidelined, a deconstructing Christian or exvangelical, this guide is a must-read. Part memoir, part psychology, part theology: all to help readers heal from emotional or spiritual wounds and step boldly into their inheritance of God's abundant life. Don't suffer another day! Step towards emotional healing and transform your shame into confidence, your self-loathing into self-love, and your sores into beautiful scars.
Released August 7, 2024
Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey:
21 Steps to Emotional Resilience
​"A fusion of self-help and devotional." -ReadersFavorite 5* Review
Mara is a fictional character healing after years of submission and abuse left her feeling unsure, anxious, doubting herself and even God. In this stand-alone, self-help guide, the author reveals 21 practical steps Mara takes that will help you on your emotional and spiritual healing journey. Tools from psychology and new, empowering ways of seeing Scripture are illustrated with the author's real-life experiences and stories from her fictional character.
Walk with Mara: take these steps towards healing from the hurts of everyday living and transform your life with the power of emotional resilience. Discover how you can transform your life with the power of emotional resilience.
Benefits of this stand-alone, self-help book:
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release and accept emotions and be who you are
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overcome anxiety, stress, self-doubt, and sadness
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break barriers to improved relationships
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Address doubt and pain caused by church teachings
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Identify and reframe harmful beliefs
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Boost confidence in your worth and equality
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Turn shame and self-loathing into self-love
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Rebuild your self-esteem after adversity
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The Sword
A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on
What the Bible Says About a Woman's Role
Released February 2023
Are you ready to let new understanding of religious beliefs transform your life? Imagine the Bible as a Sword that cuts through the confusion of gender roles at home, church, and society. It introduces diverse views on biblical passages about men and women. The 104 flashcards employ a fencing motif to showcase complementarian (hierarchal) views side-by-side with egalitarian (mutualism) views.
BENEFITS:
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See the biblical rationale for conflicting views
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Spark healthy debate and valuable insights
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Gain deeper understanding of various perspectives
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Equip yourself for pre-marriage or marriage counseling
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Clarify your personal stance on various passages
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Breaking free from the constraints of traditional gender roles
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WHAT'S INCLUDED:
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104 flashcards summarizing views on key biblical passages
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180 endnotes to broaden your understanding
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Instructions for fun educational memorable games
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Useful for adult or teen Christian education; it concludes with 180 end notes for further study. Start today to engage in healthy debates on biblical womanhood, gender, and religion!
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Released on Kindle January 2025
The Centurion at the Tomb:
Did he commit treason?
A Short Story of Ancient Rome
The prophet's body has vanished, leaving the Roman centurion in a precarious position. The Roman court found the prophet guilty of both blasphemy and treason. Longinus was the centurion in charge, and he failed to keep the tomb secure. Betrayed by his own men and accused of treason, Longinus must navigate a treacherous world filled with political intrigue and religious persecution. Will he be able to clear his name? Will he deny his new faith? Will he run? Will Pilate please the Jewish establishment and execute him?
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This riveting short story will transport you back to ancient Rome during the tumultuous reign of Pontius Pilate.Full of suspense, drama, and emotion, this short story will keep you holding your breath.
An incredible value, this eBook includes both the 9-page ancient historical fiction and a 2-page description of history and traditions about Pontius Pilate and the possibly-gay Longinus. This Short Story introduces a pair of military men who appear in Because She Was Called. Only 99 cents on Amazon.com
Coming Soon
What to Do When You Feel Forgotten:
Reconnect with Jesus in 40 Devotions based on a Harmony of the Gospels
​Do you sometimes feel forgotten, alone, sidelined or silenced? Re-encounter Jesus in one chronological narrative harmonizing the four Gospels.