Janette Oke (née Steeves; born February 18, 1935) (pronounced "oak") is a Canadian author of inspirational fiction. Her books are often set in a pioneer era and centered on female protagonists. Her first novel, Love Comes Softly, was published by Bethany House in 1979. As of September 2016, more than 75 others have followed. The first novel of her Canadian West series, When Calls the Heart (1983), became the basis of the current television series of the same name.