Justice, Not Forgiveness: Why I Write About the Cost of Revenge

By Janelle Marie

Somewhere along the way, I stopped believing that forgiveness is always the answer. Maybe you have, too. Maybe you’ve looked at the world—at the headlines that make no sense, at the way justice often feels like a privilege rather than a right—and you’ve thought: What if I were in their shoes? What if I lost everything? What if the system failed me?

That’s the space where my writing belongs.

I came to fiction later in life. I spent years carrying stories inside me, but I didn’t start writing them down until I turned sixty. By then, I had lived long enough to understand how easily the world can turn cruel, how quickly everything can be taken from you. And I had met people—real people—who didn’t have the luxury or ability to “move on.”

That’s why I wrote Eternal Ashes, the first in my five-book thriller series about justice, vengeance, and what both can cost.

The Making of an Avenger

At the heart of my series is Sofie. She isn’t a detective, a lawyer, or a vigilante with years of training. She’s a mother, a woman who built a life she loved—until it was stolen from her. And when the system offers her nothing but hollow words and legal dead ends, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

Sofie’s story isn’t just about revenge; it’s about survival. It’s about the choices we make when there are no good ones left. It’s about what justice looks like when the law fails to provide it, and you feel like you must build your own justice.

I’ve always been drawn to stories about people who refuse to be victims. Crime fiction is full of brilliant detectives and relentless prosecutors, but I’m fascinated by the ones who don’t have a badge or a rulebook—just a fire burning in their chest that they can't ignore, and a line they’re willing to cross.

But there’s always a cost.

The Thin Line Between Justice and Vengeance

As I write this series, I find myself asking uncomfortable questions. How far would I go for justice? When does revenge stop being righteous and start being something else—something darker? How do you tell the difference? 

Those are the questions Sofie faces throughout the Ash & Rage series. Her journey doesn’t end with a single act of vengeance. That’s why this is a five-book series, not a standalone. Each installment digs deeper into the consequences of her choices. Each book pushes her further into the shadows, forcing her to confront the person she’s becoming.

Because justice isn’t clean. And sometimes, once you step into the fire, there’s no coming back.

Why I Write About This

There’s a reason stories about revenge resonate with so many of us. We live in a world where justice often feels out of reach. Where the guilty sometimes walk free and the innocent can suffer. Where grief builds when there’s no resolution, no accountability.

Fiction lets us explore what real life so often denies us: the chance to do something. To see someone fight back. To make the guilty pay.

But revenge isn’t a fairytale. It’s messy. It changes people. And that’s what I want to explore in this series—not just the satisfaction of retribution, but what it really costs.

I write for those who have ever felt powerless. For those who have ever wondered what they would do if they had nothing left to lose. And for those who, like me, don’t always believe that forgiveness is the only path forward.

Justice doesn’t always come wrapped in a neat little package. Sometimes, it has sharp, sharp teeth.

And sometimes, that’s the only kind that matters.

You can learn more about Janelle Marie and buy her book at:

Website: www.janelle-marie.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223500016-eternal-ashes

Book link: https://books2read.com/u/mKkdr5