Vale Janga

Anne here, writing on behalf of all the word wenches in a special Sunday post, a tribute to Janga Rholetter — one of our long time wenchly readers and a friend to many of us here, readers as well as writers. Janga passed away suddenly last week — we knew she was desperately ill, but the speed of her passing took us all by surprise. 

Janga loved words; she loved stories and poetry and romance and writing. She was an intelligent and insightful reviewer — I suspect many of us here became addicted to her reviews and have added to our TBR piles because of Janga. She was very active in the romance community; she was a wenchly reader from the very first — enter Janga into the search bar and you'll see so many comments over the years. She was also very active on the Eloisa James boards, she blogged and reviewed on The Romance Dish and also on her own blog.

I felt very privileged to know her. She wrote to me about my very first book, and that began a correspondence between us that lasted almost 20 years. We talked about books, about poetry, about writing, about teaching, and about life. She was a wonderful critic, perceptive and articulate and encouraging. She saw things in my work that I wasn't aware of. She made me feel a better writer than I am.

I am sad, though, that her own fiction never saw the light of day. She was, I suspect, her own toughest critic. She was a private person—there are no photos of her on her sites—and very modest. But though her fiction might not be out there, Janga left behind a rich legacy of her writing, in reviews, interviews, essays and blogs. 

Her good friend PJ Ausdenmore wrote a wonderful tribute to Janga on The Romance Dish. You will also get a lovely sense of the person Janga was by reading this blog that she wrote back in 2012, her gratitude list for Thanksgiving. 

I might be the one writing this post, but Janga was beloved of all the wenches. Goodbye, dear Janga, thank you for sharing your thoughts, your books and your wisdom, from Mary Jo Putney, Pat Rice, Susan King, Andrea Pickens, Nicola Cornick, Joanna Bourne, Susanna Kearsley and Anne Gracie. Rest in peace.

Comments

[theo]

I was so very shocked and saddened to read this first in your newsletter, Anne. And so sorry. I always enjoyed Janga's comments here and read several of her posts. She will be sorely missed. :(

[PJ Ausdenmore]

Thank you, Anne for this lovely tribute to our good friend, Janga. Like you, I miss her terribly but I'm so very grateful for the years during which I was blessed with her friendship. She was a voracious reader and possessed a mind that stored and organized data from the books she'd read with startling accuracy and recall. Who needed Google when we had Janga? She admired and respected the Wenches greatly and so enjoyed the intelligent discourse found here at your site. One of the first books we bonded over was Mary Jo's The Rake and the Reformer (now known as The Rake) and, of course, I will always be grateful to her for introducing me to your books, Anne, almost 15 years ago. She was so excited about Andrea's new Regency mysteries, giving Murder on Black Swan Lane a 5-star review, and she grieved deeply the passing of Jo Beverley, one of her romance fiction idols. Janga may be gone but she will never be forgotten by those whose lives she touched. RIP, my friend.

[Teresa Broderick]

My condolences to you all on your loss. She sounds like she was a wonderful person.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks, Anne, for so eloquently expressing the sorrow of all of us at Janga's passing. She was a dear friend, and wonderful supporter of reading and romance.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Anne, thanks so much for this tribute to a special woman who was so much a part of our romance community. I never met her in person, but her warmth and wit were visible in every word she wrote. She will be much missed, but she left her gifts with her students and all those who read her insightful reviews.

[alisha woods]

Thank you, for writing this beautiful tribute. I never got to meet her in person but I considered her a dear friend. P

[Anne Gracie]

Theo, you were another person who wrote to me about my first books, and thus always in my "special" category of people. Thanks.

[Anne Gracie]

PJ, she was a real touchstone of quality, wasn't she? And as you say, will be deeply missed. Thank you for all the support and love you gave her (and her friends) in the time leading up to her death.

[Anne Gracie]

Alisha, it's a testament to the power of words, that Janga's friendship was treasured by so many who never met her in person, but connected in spirit.

[Janice]

God rest her soul. I hear there are wonderful libraries in Heaven.

[Mary T]

Wonderful tribute Anne. Rest in peace Janga.

[Lillian Marek]

Thank you for the tribute, Anne. Alas, once upon a time I thought the Internet would be an escape from the woes of the real world, but connections—and friends—I make here are as vulnerable as those down the street. It's always hard to lose someone.

[LindaB]

So sad.

Today I saw on facebook that historical fiction author Ann Swinfen died yesterday.

They say these things come in threes. I hope there aren't any more deaths of the near and dear any time soon.

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks, Teresa

[Anne Gracie]

A lovely idea, Janice.

[Binnie Syril Braunstein]

Anne -

What a lovely tribute. Janga will long be remembered for her insightful reviews, and for the friends she made, even via long distance. Janice mentioned libraries in heaven. For Janga, I'd add that in my concept of heaven, there are unlimited bookshelves everywhere, and no one lurking to say, "It's time to weed those shelves." RIP, Janga.

[Anne Gracie]

And a special section of that library would have all the newest books available before they were actually published. Thanks, Binnie.

[Karin]

I was very sad to hear this news. Condolences to all of you who lost a friend.

[Annette N]

Anne, Thanks for letting others know what a treasure Janga was. I knew her from The Romance Dish as well as here. Every time she wrote, she was insightful, entertaining and intelligent.

I did not know her personally, but isn't it strange that with the internet, I felt as though I knew her as a person. Just as I feel as though I know each of the Wenches as people not just authors.

Thanks again for your terrific tribute. I am so sorry for the loss that each of you have felt.

[Kareni]

What sad news to see here. I enjoyed Janga's comments and will miss them in the future. My condolences to those who counted her as a friend.

[Sue McCormick]

I add my condolences. I have always treasured her posts here. I shall miss her.

[Vicki L.]

Ditto Kareni and Sue - I always enjoyed what she had to say. She was always adding another idea or point to ponder.

My condolences to all her friends and family.

[Susiefelber]

I was so sad to see the news on Twitter. I really loved her writing. It was always on point, and went above and beyond. Thank you for paying tribute. <3