All posts by Sharon Hinck

Author of the Month

Interviews, Stepping Into Sunlight, The Writing Life

One of the highlights of the Fantasy Fiction Tour was getting to meet Deena. She’s had a long-running blog that actively and fervently promotes Christian fiction, posts reviews, and supports Christian authors.

The photo shows our meeting in Sacramento.

Deena has begun a new feature on her blog – highlighting one author, in depth, each month. The month of October she’s been posting about me – including a new interview, a review of Stepping Into Sunlight, and several contests. You can see the menu of features here.

Be sure to stop by and thank her for all she does to help get the word out about novels by Christian authors!

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

The Secret Life of Becky Miller (2007 ACFW Book of the Year – 2nd place, Lit category)
Renovating Becky Miller (2008 Audie Award Finalist, ACFW BOTY finalist)
The Restorer (2008 Christy Award Finalist, ACFW BOTY finalist)
The Restorer’s Son (ACFW Book of the Year Winner, Romantic Times 4.5 stars, Reviewer’s Choice Award – Road to Romance)
New Releases:
The Restorer’s Journey
Symphony of Secrets
Now Available:
Stepping Into Sunlight

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Starting From Scratch

Visiting Authors

For several years, I’ve been a member of the Minnesota Christian Writer’s Guild – and during many of those years, Sharon Knudson has led the group with grace and encouragement, and Mary Heitzman has also served as a board member and generously served other writers, and is now stepping into leadership.

One year, I had breakfast with them both at Mt. Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. I shared some difficult challenges I was facing in the writing journey, and Sharon said, “Could I pray with you?”

She took my hand and poured blessings over me. Her words literally gave me strength that year.

I have also enjoyed speaking to the MCWG, and always felt tremendous support from Sharon and Mary. (Not to mention that great lunch at Cheesecake Factory!) šŸ˜‰

So it is no surprise to me that Sharon and Mary have created a touching and encouraging book for people facing difficult change–often unwanted and unexpected. You can learn more at their website.

——-
Q: Mary, as you talked with women, what did you find helped them cope with their situation?

Mary: Many of the women we visited with often spoke of turning to Scripture. While some had a strong faith that allowed them to draw comfort from great passages in the Bible, others questioned God at first, or had feisty conversations with Him.

All were needy of, and appreciated, kind words and gestures from friends and family. But I was struck at how they all found comfort when their supporters were not available. Many of the women we visited with mentioned a devotional, a workbook, or some special story that encouraged them. Some started blogs or began a ministry. Many swallowed their pride and accepted help from others, including the government, recognizing that this was just for a season.

For most of these women, dependency on God Himself seemed to be the key ingredient when tragedy first struck. After that they allowed others to minister to them. And then eventually they took that one small step necessary to move forward and accept change.

Q: Sharon K., the first story in the book is from your personal experience and is titled, ā€œTelling.ā€ Why is talking to othersā€”even friendsā€”about your situation so hard?

Sharon Knudson: When I suddenly got divorced, no one knew what to think or say. It was a complete shock to everyone (including me), and it felt like a bomb had gone off in the night. People want an explanation, and if one is not readily apparent, they make their own guesses as to what probably happened. Some gossip and take sides. Some get very angry and feel betrayed: in a way, their own security is threatened and they wonder, ā€œIf that could happen to her, could it happen to me?ā€

ā€œTellingā€came right out of my journal. It was written as I grappled with how to tell people what had happened just a few months after the divorce. We have included this as a book excerpt on our blog.
——-
Thanks so much, Sharon and Mary! I know many women will be blessed by these stories.

And I’m giving away a free copy – drawing from names of everyone who comments to this post and leaves a working email where I can contact them if they win.

Have you ever had to “start from scratch”?

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

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Sunday in San Diego

Devotional Musings, The Restorer, The Restorer's Journey, The Restorer's Son, The Writing Life

My last post was a week ago – hard to believe!
And it feels like that was a month ago. So much has happened on the road. But blogging didn’t. In spite of my best intentions I didn’t find many opportunities for internet access or time in our full days.

This morning I’m going to church with my friend Susie Meissner who opened her home for me to stay and then is taking me to the airport (in spite of the fact that she has a book launch today, for her wonderful new title, The Shape of Mercy).

When I get home, I’ll have many days of catch-up. Catching up on family time, sleep, emails, laundry, all the revisions I wanted to work on while on the road. So blogging may continue to be sparse.

So I’m grabbing this moment to share a little about the tour.

God was present.

We had some convocations with hundreds of students and teachers and parents. We had some bookstore signings with huge turn-out, where I was chatting with people and signing non-stop. And we had other events with tiny groups and various unexpected challenges.

But each place, I met at least one person who had been a long-distance friend, or met a reader who had been blessed by one of my books, or heard stories of people’s lives and was able to pray with them. Those encounters were a joy.

I also got to hear seven other amazing Christian authors share about their journey, their faith, their passion for the written word, and see their travel-weary silliness–a blessing that will live with me during my next year of solitary writing work.

I also have to share that I experienced a true, gentle miracle. The first couple days, I was so sick that friends and team-mates were giving me the option to fly home. I remember one teammate kindly saying, “no guilt. no one will think less of you.” I knew I should be home. Yet I still felt that God wanted me on the tour and determined to try to make it one more day. And then one more.

I believe it was Portland where I hit my lowest physically and emotionally, and didn’t know how to go on. I knew my friends at home were praying for my strength. I had prayed over and over for healing and grace for the work. Then one of the tour mates offered to pray with me and BOY HOWDY did he pray.

I dried my eyes, and got back in the van for the next drive, the next event…
no woosh of sudden peace or healing…
BUT over the course of the next few days I had more stretches of feeling “like me.” I was getting LESS rest, working more and more, but God was strengthening me.

Friday night, we spoke at Calvary Chapel in Huntington Beach – and I got to share about the way God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. And my devotion had new resonance. I SO longed to go out in strength on this tour, sharing with energy and enthusiasm, engaging people, encouraging and speaking with lively faith. Instead God called me to go out in weakness and lean into Him. I confess I was often weak and whiney, fearful and frustrated.

Isn’t it amazing that we serve a God who can use us even like that? And I continue to pray for His transforming power to reshape me. It’s just a LOOOOOOONG process.

I’ll try to blog about some of the highlights of the tour soon!
You can see video clips at www.fantasyfictiontour.com
Blessed Sunday!
Sharon Hinck

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If It’s Sunday, it must be Medford

I hesitate to blog after a few days of the West Coast Tour, and a head full of amazing and varied impressions. I can’t imagine I’ll get everything straight, or spell things correctly.

I do believe it’s Sunday night, and I know we’re in Medford.

So far we had a great time visiting classrooms to speak, conducting mentoring groups, and doing a program and then book signing for a middle-school in Abbotsford, Canada. Then we returned to our gathering point in Seattle and did a television interview for TBN, then an afternoon book signing at Harvest Logos bookstore in Seattle – they were able to borrow space from the ministry offices next to the bookstore and had a whole wonderful maze of author tables and enthusiastic readers who came out to meet us. We hurried from there to the Salt Shaker bookstore in Enumclaw for an evening event. They had decorated the walls with medieval castle backdrops, and Wayne and Christopher entertained with a sword fight, and several authors read scenes.

We hit the road early and made it to Portland by 11am to meet in an outdoor gazebo with readers (some of whom traveled four hours to meet a favorite author or two). After a long afternoon driving south, we reached Medford, where we were warmly welcomed to the Bridgeport Mall’s Evangel bookstore – and were blessed by a huge group of readers who kept thanking us for the books we write and for coming to visit.

We have been humbled, honored, exhausted, delighted, and amazed at God’s provision.

Those of you who’ve been praying for my health and strength on this tour . . . thank you. Tonight I felt close to normal after a couple days of really struggling. That was such a huge gift, I can hardly express it.

Now I’m off to grab a few hours of sleep. We hit the road early tomorrow.
I must at least mention that:

Jonathan Rogers has claimed ownership of the subgenre of swamp fiction within fantasy,

Amanda explained that she used kitten milk to feed baby squirrels and the guys asked, “How do you milk a kitten?”

The Miller brothers told me gullible isn’t in the dictionary…and I believed them.

When crossing the border into Canada, Bryan handed the border guard all our USA passports and was asked where we were from. “All over the country,” he answered.
“What country?” the guard asked.

Wayne said (about Seattle), “So this is where the sun goes down in the east.” (Um, Wayne. The sun sets in the WEST).

The amazing writers on the tour are not only a bit silly… they are amazingly talented and unceasingly kind – which has helped carry me through feeling a bit weaker than I’d like to be while undertaking this adventure.

More soon!

His on the road,
Sharon

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Two Tours

As I’ve shared recently, I’m preparing for a book tour of the west coast with seven other Christian authors. You can find out more about the Motiv8 tour here.

But I’m also releasing my new women’s fiction novel in October, and various friends are blogging about it.

So I invite you to have fun following both tours – visiting blogs that are chatting about Stepping Into Sunlight, and watching live video feed from the in-person Motiv8 events in Canada, Washington, Oregon, and California where I’ll be highlighting The Restorer books. Better yet, if you live near any of the cities I’m visiting – please come out and visit with me in person!

Amazing blogger Deena is featuring my books all of October on her site, with games, prizes, challenges, interviews, and loads of fun. Be sure to visit her site often.

The effervescent Jill Hart did a radio interview with me about the book that you can listen to here.

And I’ve already posted excerpts from the television interview on The Harvest Show on the media page of my website.

My Down-under buddy, Rel, posted here.

Dear friend Amy Wallace posted a review of Stepping Into Sunlight here.

My friend Susie Meissner is doing a give-away.

Camy Tang had an early post about the book here.

Katrina Wampler and several of her blogging friends are posting about the book, and sharing an ongoing interview with me.

Cara Putman posted about “Penny’s Project” (the interactive way to get involved in the story) here.She’ll be doing more posting soon, so stop back at her site.

My friend Jeanette Hanscome wrote about her adventures with “Penny’s Project” at her blog.

Those are just a few of the corners of the cyberworld where you’ll find me. There are other bloggers who’ve been participating in “Penny’s Project” during September and you can see them all in my list of links there.

You can find all sorts of bonus goodies about Stepping Into Sunlight here.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

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More Photos

Here are a few more fun moments from the ACFW conference in Minnesota last week.

Booksigning at Mall of America:

The jumbo-tron screen at the main rotunda – featuring my new release, Stepping Into Sunlight.

And then a fun moment – seen in the lobby of the hotel. Yes, that is “The Restorer” being read. šŸ™‚

And a friend caught a better picture of my thank you speech after The Restorer’s Son won Book of the Year in Speculative Fiction.

Today I’m doing a lot of the Mary thing – “keeping all these things and pondering them in my heart.” I met so many dear, gifted, amazing, precious people, had so many fantastic conversations, and absorbed so much, I think I’ll be processing it for the next several months.

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ACFW Book of the Year

Saturday night at the national American Christian Fiction Writer’s Conference, my novel The Restorer’s Son was honored with the award for Book of the Year in the Speculative Fiction category. I was so touched and honestly so bewildered as they read the opening line “Hills of Hazor take you . . . ” that I don’t remember much of walking up to the podium or what I said. Ted’s photo didn’t turn out well, but I decided to post it because it’s a good representation of how surreal I felt. I’m so incredibly grateful that I got to spend time with the characters in this book, see the book in print, and get such great feedback about the story.

For a slightly more “in focus” photo, below I’m with my friends Amy Wallace, Vicki Tiede, and Ginny Smith.

The whole conference was a joy — including the wonderful folks who took my class on the Healthy Habits of the Christian Writer (about spiritual, emotional, and professional health). I enjoyed seeing many old friends, and making new ones. The Mall of America booksigning was huge and exciting. I did hear from several friends who never found me (I was with a group tucked down by the Bloomingdale entrance), but I loved seeing those who came, especially for our panel discussion on the fantasy genre.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

The Secret Life of Becky Miller (2007 ACFW Book of the Year – 2nd place, Lit category)
Renovating Becky Miller (2008 Audie Award Finalist, ACFW BOTY finalist)
The Restorer (2008 Christy Award Finalist, ACFW BOTY finalist)
The Restorer’s Son (Romantic Times 4.5 stars, Reviewer’s Choice Award – Road to Romance, ACFW BOTY winner)
New Releases:
The Restorer’s Journey
Symphony of Secrets
Brand New Release:
Stepping Into Sunlight

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My Schedule

The Writing Life

Greetings dear blog readers!

I won’t be posting much during the next month, so I wanted to leave a schedule of where I’ll be. IF I did it correctly, my blog will post the live video feed once we start the Fantasy Fiction tour on October 3rd, and you can check in here to view our book signings and speaking events.

In the meantime, here’s what I’m up to.

Sept. 13- speak to Southwest Christian Church of the Nazarene women’s luncheon
Sept. 16 – 7-8 pm booksigning at Northwestern Bookstore, Edina, MN
Sept. 19 – teach (“Healthy Habits of the Writer – Spiritual/Emotional”) at American Christian Fiction Conference, Bloomington, MN
Sept. 20 – teach (“Healthy Habits of the Writer – Professional”) at ACFW
Sept. 20 – 1-3 pm multi-author book event at Mall of America & panel discussion on fantasy genre
Sept. 20 – 7:30 pm Book of the Year Awards (three of my titles are finalists)
Sept. 23 – speak at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Hopkins, MN
Oct. 3 – 1-3pm Mennonite Education Institute, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
Oct. 3 – 4-6 Meet the author dinner, BC Canada
Oct. 3 6:30-8:30 – speaking event, BC Canada
Oct. 3 8:30-10 – book signing, BC Canada
Oct. 4 noon – TBN interview, Seattle Washington
Oct. 4 3-5 – Harvest Logos Bookstore, Seattle, WA
Oct. 4 6:30-8:30 – Salt Shaker bookstore, Enumclaw, WA
Oct. 5 – lunch with readers, Portland, OR
Oct. 5 – 6-8 pm Evangel Family Bookstore, Medford, OR
Oct. 6 – 1:30-2:30 Trinity Christian School, Sacramento, CA
Oct. 6 – 6pm-8pm Barnes and Noble, Sacramento, CA
Oct. 7 – 11am-noon – Children’s Hospital, Madera, CA
Oct. 7 – 3-4 pm FresnoREAD charity event, Fresno, CA
Oct. 7 – 6-8pm Berean Christian Stores, Fresno, CA
Oct. 8 – 9am -3pm Reedley High School events, Reedley, CA
Oct. 8 – 6-8pm Cultural Arts Night, Reedley, CA
Oct. 9 – 9-11 am St. Genevieve High School, Panorama City, CA
Oct. 9 – 1-2:30 pm Bethany Christian School, Sierra Madre, CA
Oct. 9 – 5-7 pm Valley Book & Bible Bookstore, Van Nuys, CA
Oct. 10 – 8:50am-1pm Village Christian Schools, Sun Valley, CA
Oct. 10 – 2-4pm West Covina Christian School, West Covina, CA
Oct. 10 – 7-9pm Calvary Chapel Church, Huntington Beach, CA
Oct. 11 – 11am-1pm Library Event to be confirmed
Oct. 11 – 2-4 pm Barnes and Noble, San Diego, CA
Oct. 11 – evening event TBA, San Diego, CA
Oct. 20 – Crown College, St. Bonifacius, MN
Nov. 6 – CAN retreat, Bloomington, MN
Nov. 7 – 7pm Northwestern Bookstore Booksigning, Maple Grove, MN
Nov. 8 – 9am – Panel discussion, National Church Library Conference
Nov. 8 – 2:15 – Class on Book Groups for NCLA conference
Nov. 20 – MN Library Association – speaking on “Genres in Christian Fiction”

I hope to see many of you at these various events.

May I humbly ask for some prayer? This schedule would be tough on an Olympian, and I’m still recovering from some serious health issues. I KNOW it looks crazy. All I can say is that when we began planning this west coast book store, God continued to impress on my heart that I should be part of it again. So I know I can trust Him to protect me. But I do value your prayers!

Thank you so much!

Huge blessings to you, in the name of our Lord who is our Shepherd, our Healer, our Sustainer, and our mighty Deliverer!

His, Sharon Hinck

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Northwestern Bookstore Signings

The Writing Life

In addition to the HUGE booksigning at the Mall of America on Saturday,
September 20, from 1-3 p.m. with 125 Christian novelists, there will be
multiple signings at the Northwestern Bookstores in that area next week.
Here are the details:

  • Judy Baer and Jill Elizabeth Nelson will sign books on Saturday,
    September 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Riverdale Crossing, 13040 Riverdale
    Dr., Coon Rapids, MN, and from 2:30-4 p.m. at Ridge Square North, 13029
    Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka
  • Cathy Marie Hake and Julie Klassen will sign on Monday, Sept. 15,
    from 3-5 p.m. at Valley Creek Mall, 1750 Weir Drive, Woodbury, MN; Tuesday
    Sept. 16 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Arbor Lakes Mall, 12985 Elm Creek
    Blvd., Maple Grove, MN; and from 6-8 p.m. at Cobblestone Court, 14150
    Nicollet Ave., S., Burnsville, MN 55337
  • Robin Caroll, Rachel Hauck, Cara Putman, and Susan May Warren will
    sign books Tuesday, September 16 at 7 p.m. at Arbor Lakes Mall, 12985 Elm
    Creek Blvd., Maple Grove, MN
  • Patti Hill and Sharon Hinck will sign
    books Tuesday, September 16 at 7 p.m. at Yorkdale Shoppes, 6819 York Ave.,
    South, Edina
  • Colleen Coble, Gail Gaymer Martin, and Deborah Raney,
    will sign books Wednesday, September 17 from 11 to noon at the Arbor Lakes
    Mall, 12985 Elm Creek Blvd., Maple Grove, MN and from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at
    Yorkdale Shoppes, 6819 York Ave., South, Edina
  • Elizabeth Musser will
    sign books and participate in a bookclub meeting Wednesday, September 17
    beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Arbor Lakes Mall, 12985 Elm Creek Blvd., Maple
    Grove, MN
  • Brandilyn Collins will sign books on Sunday, September 21,
    from 2-4 at Arbor Lakes Mall, 12985 Elm Creek Blvd., Maple Grove,
    MN

If you love Christian fiction, this is the week to be in
Minneapolis for booksignings!

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