All posts by Sharon Hinck

What Can I Give?

If you subscribe to Christian Research Journal, be sure to read the News Watch section in this month’s issue. In an interview with Douglas LeBlanc, The Restorer is discussed, and my thoughts on my readership, Christian fiction, and our art not needing to be reactive (either by riding on coattails of fads or by creating art in opposition to what others are doing). I remember feeling intimidated doing the interview, because it’s been many years since grad school and I wondered if I had anything to add to the discussion with the intellectual level that the journal merits. But the reporter was very gracious in his choice of quotes so I don’t sound as ditzy as I thought I did.

AND one more fun visit. My podcast interview with Jill Hart of Christian Work at Home Moms is now up. We had a chat full of giggles, insights, and fun, and you can hear all about the secrets behind the new release, Symphony of Secrets, if you stop by to listen.

Blessings!
Sharon

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Featured – Novel Inspirations & FIRST Day

I’m honored to be featured all March at the website, “Novel Inspirations.”
Follow this link for an interview about The Restorer’s Journey, a review, and a chance to win a free copy of the book. If you have time, be sure to explore the other pages of the Novel Inspirations website. I enjoyed reading the home page and what Lacy Williams shared about her first forays into “spec fic.”

The Restorer’s Journey is also being featured by the FIRST Day Blog Tour, and you can visit various bloggers who are posting the first chapter and highlighting the book. I’m so grateful they are helping spread the word about this new release. A great way to thank them for their volunteer efforts is to visit their blogs and leave a comment.

Happy March, everyone!
His,
Sharon

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A Visit from Deb Raney

Leaving November is the second novel in the Clayburn Novels series from Howard/Simon & Schuster.

Daughter of the town drunk, Vienne Kenney has escaped Clayburn for law school in California. But after failing the bar exam—twice—she’s back home with her tail between her legs, managing Latte-dah, the Clayburn café turned upscale coffee shop. Jackson Linder runs the art gallery across the street and Vienne has had her eye on him since she was a skinny seventh grader and he was the hunky high school lifeguard who didn’t know she existed. Now it’s his turn to fall for her and suddenly Clayburn seems like a pretty nice place to be…until Vienne discovers that Jack is fresh out of rehab and still struggling with the same addiction that ultimately killed her father.

DEBORAH RANEY is at work on her seventeenth novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, the HOLT Medallion, National Readers’ Choice Award and Silver Angel from Excellence in Media. Deborah’s first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Deb serves on the advisory board of American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband, Ken Raney, have four children and enjoy small-town life in Kansas. Visit Deb on the web at www.deborahraney.com.

Q&A

Q. What was your inspiration for Leaving November?

A. When I was writing the first book in the series, Remember to Forget, Jackson Linder, a secondary character in the book, really intrigued me. Jack has struggled with something that is my greatest fear: being responsible for the death of another person. I wanted to explore how someone in his shoes could find forgiveness, redemption, and even happiness.

Q. What are you working on now?

A. I’ve just finished the first draft for the third book in the Clayburn series, Yesterday’s Embers. I have a new contract for another three-book series, and a couple of stand-alone novels to write, but there are other characters from the Clayburn novels begging to have their stories told! I don’t know if I’ll get to write any more Clayburn books, but I’ve loved my time in this little fictional Kansas town!

Q. What do you enjoy most about writing? Least?

A. Most: Having written! Because that means I’m getting reader feedback on my novel—the reward for all the hours of solitude! I also love that I get to be at home and make my own hours.
Least: First-drafting! I love rewriting—taking my editors’ comments and applying them to make my book the best it can be. But the blank page terrifies me! For me, it’s far easier to fix a horrible manuscript than to try to come up with something out of thin air.

Q. What do you do when you’re not reading or writing?

A. I love working in the beautiful garden my husband, Ken, designed in our back yard and I love decorating our home. It’s such fun to comb antique shops and flea markets for a great object from the past that I can use on my desk or in my kitchen, or a great piece of furniture to paint or refinish. I’m not much for pretty stuff just for the sake of having it on display, but I love “repurposing” antiques—like the old chamber pot I use for deadheading in the garden, or the antique bank mail sorter that serves as my filing “cabinet.”

As much as I enjoy my career, I’ve always believed that my most precious calling is wife to Ken, my husband of 33 years; mom to four great kids; and now mom-in-law, and “Mimi” to two darling little grandsons. In addition, I have some of the most amazing friends in the world, including a group of women who share my name. We affectionately call ourselves Club Deb. I think being in the solitary profession of writing helps you really appreciate the people you have eye-to-eye contact with!

Thanks for stopping by to tell us about your new book, Deb!

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“Symphony” Gala




Saturday’s Book Launch for Symphony of Secrets was such a blessing.

(Photos show the musicians, the line to get books signed, and me laughing and chatting. If you look hard, you’ll catch a glimpse of my satin tuxedo jacket with tails…a costume from tap dancing I did back in the late 1970s that worked well for the symphony theme – hee hee! )

The events manager, Bev, had created curtains for the stage to match the book cover, and created a beautiful display of books. My nephew Peter (an accomplished flutist) and friend Brian (amazing keyboardist) provided live classical music for the store full of people.

Book Buddy Janelle created amazing music candles for each guest and centerpieces of roses and candles for the tables. Book Buddy Joyce made miniature book cover art to wrap around candy bars for the guests. Others brought treats, handed out bookmarks, prayed for the event, and assisted guests in signing up for the door prizes.

I met a woman from Nigeria, and a woman from Afghanistan, as well as folks who drove a couple hours in for the event. My editor was there with her family. And a dear old friend I haven’t seen in ages was there. As always, I longed for the ability to sit and have long, cozy one-on-one chats with each person, instead of just brief connections. But I enjoyed all the quick snatched bits of conversation.

Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate the new release – and to those who couldn’t make it, I hope you’ll pick up a copy and enjoy the Symphony of Secrets. 🙂


Sharon’s Books

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Stepping Into Sunlight Cover!

My editor just sent me the cover for Stepping Into Sunlight – a new novel releasing in September, 2008. It’s so perfect, it made me cry. The art work captures the character, the struggle, the hope – the type of journey in the story.

Although the story has quirky characters and dry humor in the first-person voice (like my other novels), this novel has a slightly more serious tone. Penny Sullivan witnesses a violent crime right before her husband leaves on his first deployment as a Navy chaplain. She battles post-traumatic stress, feels completely isolated and alone, and needs some tools on her journey toward healing.

She develops “Penny’s Project” – and takes tiny steps forward as she tries to do a kind act for a different person each day. I love the theme of the way God uses wounded people to help and support each other. Like the widow’s mite, this Penny doesn’t come from a place of abundance or power. Yet God is able to make a difference in her and through her.

So, here’s your sneak peek!

But in the meantime, Symphony of Secrets is out now (I’m going to be at the Maple Grove, MN Northwestern Bookstore for a launch party at 1pm Saturday, Feb. 23) and Restorer’s Journey should be showing up in stores anytime now (please let me know when you spot it at your local store – if you don’t find them, ask for them!)

Blessings!
Sharon

Sharon’s Books

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Secrets of “Symphony” Interview


If you want to hear some of the secrets behind the new novel, Symphony of Secrets, pop over to hear my radio/podcast interview with Jill Hart. She’ll be posting it sometime in the near future – but I thought I’d get the link up since I’ll be away from my desk for a few days.

As usual, she asked great questions and we covered a wide range of topics.

Also, if you live in Minnesota, know anyone in Minnesota, or plan to be in Minnesota on February 23rd, please consider yourself invited to a

Symphony of Secrets Book Launch Gala Saturday February 23, 2008 1:00 p.m. Northwestern Bookstore – Maple Grove, MN

Plans include live music, free refreshments, a reading, author Q&A, book signing, tons of prizes AND a cool music-themed gift for each person who RSVPs.

So be sure to drop me an email to reserve your gift! One of my favorite things at past book launches has been the networking and fellowship that goes on. You’ll meet some cool people as you mingle – writers, editors, avid readers, musicians, church workers, moms, dads, kids, librarians and more! I can’t wait to see you there!

Blessings!
Sharon

Sharon’s Books

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Irony

I enjoy irony.

I’ve been having some trouble sleeping (middle-of-the-night insomnia) recently. So last night I set up my iPod on the station, cued to “Sleep Sound in Jesus” (a wonderful album by Michael Card) and at a gentle volume, ready to go if I woke up and needed some soothing music to help me back to sleep.

True to form, I woke up about 2:30, reached over to tap “play”…

and BLASTED my hubby and me a foot off the mattress.

Something had gotten messed up with the volume control, and believe me, no lullaby is soothing at full volume.

Then, of course, I couldn’t find the button to turn it off or even down, and had to turn on the light to finally get it shut off, leaving me thoroughly awake.

Maybe I need to return to low-tech solutions like counting sheep.
🙂

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