It’s time to release a project that is a very different novel that I’ve been quietly working on in the background for many years.
Amber Bay is unique in genre, voice, and setting.
A Different Genre
I’ve been writing epic fantasy with spiritual themes for a few decades now. I’ve also written contemporary fiction. Amber Bay is a historical novel based on a true story. It occurred during the Russian Revolution and World War II. The narrative voice is different from my other stories, and the pacing, scope, and style are all different. Yet this was a story I had to share, so I hope you’ll be inspired by it.
A Different Publisher
I have been blessed to work with wonderful publishing houses in the past, including Bethany House Publishing, NavPress, and now Enclave and Oasis Family Media. But this story is so unique and not part of my “brand,” so my agent agreed with me that doing this independently was a wise choice. I was able to assemble the same team that has worked on all my recent novels – editing, cover design, and typesetting, so I felt supported. Still, this was a unique experience for me.
A Different Setting
I’ve created a variety of settings for my novels. If you’ve read my work, you’ve visited the worship tower of Lyric, the villages of Braide Wood, the floating island of Meriel, and the unique nations of Sabor and Norgard. I’ve also set contemporary novels in more familiar settings of midwestern U.S. or Virginia. This story is set primarily in Latvia, a Baltic nation that many people aren’t familiar with. Recently I’ve seen Latvia mentioned in the news as various politicians and ambassadors have expressed concerns about Russia. They have reason for concern. Latvia survived both a communist and a Nazi occupation in the 1940s. So did my grandmother and father.
I’ve always been fascinated by the history of WWII, reading everything I could find, playing Anne Frank in the play based on her diary, and asking endless questions of my grandma.
Throughout my childhood, sitting at my grandmother’s kitchen table with a teacup of jam stirred into hot water, I often hounded her. In unguarded moments, she could be persuaded to tell her stories. For years I recorded her accounts. My historical research and the format of a novel allowed me to imagine scenes and flesh out the story.
But at its core, my new book, Amber Bay, is based on true events and a true woman who had a profound influence in my life. I’m glad for this opportunity to introduce her to you and to invite you to a very different setting.
Here are the details:
Amber Bay
Two nations battle across her homeland. Two men alter the course of her future.
After fleeing the terrors of Russia’s Bolshevik revolution, Marija Kappel longs for a peaceful life in Latvia. Her beautiful Baltic coast town with its white sand beaches is the perfect place to dream of marriage and children who can hunt for amber on the bay.
But her fragile hopes for stability collapse as powerful governments negotiate treaties that change everything. What starts as an agreement for a naval base soon becomes a full Russian occupation with all its brutality. Daily perils invade even her own home.
While Russia and Germany battle over Latvia like dogs over a bone, Marija fights to hold her family together. Her resilience is further tested by the horrors of the Nazi invasion. Torn by the atrocities of World War II, she grapples with decisions about her future and the two men who have played an important role in her life. As the world around her crumbles, she uses every strategy to protect her family and aid her friends. Will her faith in the God of her parents—preserved like a relic in amber—endure through loss and danger? Will she have the strength to love and trust again?
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As always, if you enjoy the story, please rate or review it so others may find out about it. Thank you so much for your interest in my stories. I appreciate you!
His,
Sharon Hinck
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