From all the people who entered the “Search for the Restorer” contest, five names were randomly drawn.

The winners are:

* Shannon
* Deborah
* John
* Katie C.
* Chawna

Congratulations!
Your Restorer Book Bag filled with books by other Christian authors is on the way

Happy summer reading!
Thanks for helping celebrate the release of The Restorer!
Sharon

This morning I got lost in the sky.

I went for my morning jog – and I use that term loosely, because I jog for about a half mile and walk the rest of the way – and instead of a quick glance to see if rain was due, I looked at each section of sky.

To the east, the rising sun seared and warned that I was too small and too imperfect to look long in that direction, even with the haze that tried to soften the glare. To the south, the palest shade of blue held gentle wisps of trailing white. To the north, broad cloudy towers rose in vertical swoops. To the west a hint of heaviness darkened the grey above the tree line. Overhead, wisps of white played tag with barely visible shades of rose against a blue that grew more vibrant with each minute.

The heavens declare . . .

How many mornings do I glance up and feel I know the sky? One quick look is all I spare. Today it’s cloudy. Today it’s clear. All I care about is if it’s going to rain on my parade.

How many mornings to I glance in God’s direction, and miss seeing Him?

The holiness that burns my eyes and heart. The gentleness that reveals itself in beauty with soft edges. The power that stretches from earth to eternity. Even the dark tones that threaten on the horizon reminding me that time is short and judgment is real.

The heavens declare . . .

This morning I got lost in the sky.
This morning,
every morning,
I want to get lost in God.

Rend the heavens and come down.
Let me see each facet of Your nature. Purity, compassion, might and relentless grace. Let me celebrate each shade, each portion You choose to reveal.

Amen.

I recently learned that a devotion about my favorite verse will be in a new Tyndale LifeVerse devotional. The book releases in September, but is already available to pre-order. That reminded me of the fun of pre-ordering. I generally suggest folks order my books through my website (clicking on the book you want takes you the christianbook.com, which I enjoy supporting). HOWEVER, I’ve watched something interesting on amazon. Book prices fluctuate like corn and wheat futures for the books that aren’t out yet.

Today, The Restorer’s Son (releasing in September and a $14.99 book) can be pre-ordered at amazon for $10.19. WOW! Those prices will go up as we get closer to the release date – but people who order at this price are “locked in” at the discount. Since I’m a bargain-hunter, I figured I’d mention this deal – so you can grab it before it changes. (I ordered some copies of The Restorer at the pre-order price last spring, and a day later it had gone up several dollars).

BLESSINGS!
Sharon Hinck

Today, I’m taking a moment to let you know about a new release from author Robin Lee Hatcher:

RETURN TO ME
Zondervan, June 2007
About the book:

Discouraged and destitute, her dreams shattered, Roxy Burke is going home. But what lies beyond the front door? Rejection … or a brighter future?

A lot has changed since Roxy escaped small town life to become a Nashville star. Her former boyfriend Wyatt has found Christ and plans to become a minister. Her sister Elena, who comforted Wyatt when Roxy ran away, is now his fiancée. Her father Jonathan, a successful businessman, is heartbroken over the estrangement of Roxy from the family.

Now Roxy—her inheritance from her grandmother squandered, her hopes of stardom dashed—finds her way home … not by choice but because it’s her only option. Her father’s love and forgiveness surprise her, but her very presence throws the contented Burke family into turmoil, filling Roxy with guilt and shame.

Elena is shocked to discover doubt and resentment in her heart after her father’s easy acceptance of Roxy into the family circle. Wyatt wrestles with doubts about marrying Elena. And Roxy struggles to accept forgiveness. Isn’t she more deserving of rejection? As the story of the prodigal plays out, each member of the Burke family must search for and accept God’s grace.

AUTHOR BIO:

Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. However, she’s certain there are better plots and fewer calories in her books than in puffed rice and hamburgers.

The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, two RITA Awards for Best Inspirational Romance, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 50 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home in Idaho, which she shares with Poppet the Papillon.
————————————————————————
AN INTERVIEW QUESTION:

SO, DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE A WRITER?

No, I didn’t, although I loved books and stories even before I could read. In fact, I went to my first day of first grade with only one goal in mind — learn to read. When they didn’t teach me how that very first day, I told my mom there was no point in going back. Fortunately, my mom knew who was boss, and I did go back to school.

When I was young, what I wanted to be most in all the world was a movie star. My closest friends all nod their heads, I’m sure, when I say this, knowing my theatrical nature. I took ballet for seven years, and I was in various theater productions, both in school and as a young adult.

My storytelling career began in grade school when I told my fifth grade friends that my mother was born in a covered wagon while coming west on the Oregon Trail. It seemed plausible. My mother was, after all, 47 years old at the time. My word! Had they even invented the wheel when she was born? [Sorry, Mom.]

Fast forward to high school. I was a compulsive writer, scribbling stories and poetry in notebooks and on binders. This wasn’t work. This was fun! Writing could transport me to any place, any time. How cool. I also was a lover of horses and spent many years riding and competing and raising them.

Marriage and family filled the next decade. I read voraciously. I daydreamed. In my mind, I reworked the endings of both movies and books any time they didn’t suit me. I performed with a Christian theater troupe. We raised a few horses. Then I got an idea for a story, a Gone With The Wind type saga. I talked about it with others for about six months. Finally, I sat down and began to write. I wrote long hand on yellow legal pads and typed the pages on the office Selectric typewriter during lunch hours and coffee breaks. Nine months later, I had a book, and two years after that, it was published.

The rest, as they say, is history. These days, the nest is empty. My daughters are grown with families of their own, and I am the ridiculously young grandmother of six. My mother (past her 93rd birthday — who was not born in a covered wagon) lives with me, as does Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon.

The Christian Suspense Zone recently posted an interview I did with them, and while I was in the neighborhood, I checked out a review they posted of The Restorer.

I wanted to highlight something that made me cheer (No, not the part about liking the book. That was lovely. 🙂 But this is something else).

Karri Compton wrote:

“It’s hard to compare this novel to any others out on the market, although several fiction titles dealing with parallel universes or time travel may coincide in some manner. The only book series I can think of that even remotely parallels this one concerning modern life vs. a medieval-type alternate world is Ted Dekker’s Circle Trilogy. But that’s a very sketchy comparison. The Restorer starts out with a “mom-lit” feeling, but quickly changes into pure fantasy. As such, it proved to be one of the best novels I’ve read all year.”

“Hard to compare.” That is such a daunting challenge for writers. We are encouraged to have concise elevator pitches. Editors like quick and apt comparisons to share with the sales and marketing folk. “It’s like Erma Bombeck meets Braveheart.” The bookstore buyers want a quick answer to “who is it like? Karen Kingsbury? Ted Dekker?”

But some of the most interesting novels I’ve read don’t quite fit any clear category, and are difficult to compare to others. I’ve loved Jasper Fforde‘s “Thursday Next” books and can only imagine how his agent pitched them to editors. LOL!

My teens recently performed in “High School Musical.” I was struck by the theme of “status quo” – and how much safer that culture felt when everyone had a proper label and fit a category.

I’m not a mad rebel. If I felt called to write books that fit snugly into a clear, popular genre, I would do so gladly. But my brain takes weird twists and so do my stories. Trying something that isn’t “status quo” causes extra challenges. That’s why I appreciated that the reviewer commented on the uniqueness of the story.

Today I’m cheering for all the writers who are trying new things–blending genres in new ways. And another cheer for the brave publishers and hard-working marketing teams who are trying to find ways to describe these works. And my biggest cheer of all – for readers who come along for the ride.

Oh – and speaking of unique? Wanna hear a great joke?
How do you catch a unique rabbit?
U-nique up on him.
How do you catch a tame rabbit?
Tame way.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

I posted today over at “Faithchicks” but thought I’d also share the thoughts here.

In a recent interview I was asked for “writing tips.” All the standard answers jumped to mind. But the stark awareness of my inadequacies stopped me from spouting off my thoughts. Instead, here’s what I offered:

The most valuable advice I can share is to seek Him first.
If stories burn in your bones and you wrestle the words onto paper and that’s part of how you know Him and make Him known – then it will be time well-spent.

Recognize that Christ’s redemptive sacrifice, the Father’s creativity and compassion, and the Holy Spirit’s empowering are all far beyond the ability of our writing to express – so we will always face the frustration of seeking to “utter the unutterable.”

We’re all like Isaiah, saying, “Woe is me. I’m a man of unclean lips.” Our words are so limited and flawed in the face of God’s glory. Yet when God calls us and touches that coal to us, like Isaiah, we can cry out, “Send me!”

And He will. He’ll give you unique stories to tell about the human condition, and about His grace. Calvin Miller said, “We are the trustees of our glorious individuality.” No one else can write the stories God has given you to write. Treasure that calling. Make yourself available. And trust that He uses the broken, the wounded, and the flawed in bewildering and unexpected ways.

For both The Secret Life of Becky Miller, and Renovating Becky Miller, I went on a “virtual book tour” visiting blogs around the world.

But for the release of The Restorer, I’m also doing a real live tour, along with three other gifted and Christ-following fantasy authors.

I would LOVE to meet you if you live anywhere near the cities we’ll be visiting in July. You can find the itinerary here. Post a comment if I’m coming to your town! Oh, and if you want some house guests, we’re still looking for a place to rest our weary heads a few nights along the way.

In the meantime, you can play “Search for the Restorer” for some great prizes, and visit the websites and blogs that are buzzing about The Restorer.

What a joy it’s been to begin getting reader mail about The Restorer as people get their hands on copies. I love that people have been entertained, but also have found encouragement through the story. In fact, some people have drawn meaning from the story that I didn’t even know was in there. Isn’t that just like God? Gives me happy goosebumps.

May you have a wonderful weekend of celebrating God’s improbable and undeserved blessings!

Sharon

Today, I’d like to celebrate with a fellow Bethany House author as her new book releases.

REMEMBERED
Though loss is often marked in a single moment, letting go of someone you love can take a lifetime…
The threat of war—and a final request—send Véronique Girard from France to a distant and uninviting country. In the Colorado Territory, she searches for the man who has held her heart since childhood—her father. Pierre Girard left Paris for the Americas to seek his fortune in fur trading, vowing to send for his wife and daughter. But twenty-five years have passed and his vow remains unfulfilled. Sifting through shards of broken promises, Véronique embarks on a dangerous search for a man she scarcely remembers.
His grief finally healed, Jack Brennan is moving on with life. After years of guiding families west, he is now working as a freighter to the mining towns surrounding Willow Springs. What he doesn’t count on is an unexpected traveling companion on his trips up into the mountains, and how one woman’s search will cause havoc with his plans… and his life.

A few questions:

Q: Hi, Tammy! Thanks for visiting today.
Do you consider writing a calling or more of a season of your life for right now?

A: I’ve have to say a bit of both. I’m certain God invited me to write fiction for now and yet I’m not certain how long he plans for me to do that. Right now I’m contracted for three more books with Bethany House (another historical series) but who knows beyond that. One thing I’ve learned in my walk with God is that there’s nothing better than being centered in the middle of his will for my life—whatever that brings—and nothing more miserable than being outside of it.

Q: What do you do when you find yourself overwhelmed with all the stuff that goes along with publishing?

A: I have a background in marketing and management so I actually love the business side of writing. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t get overwhelmed. I most certainly do at times. Learning to say no to ‘really good things’ has been freeing, although not without an occasional twinge guilt.

I’ve led women’s ministry for the past fifteen years but recently stepped down. My juggling skills just aren’t what they used to be and my writing time was suffering. My last book was turned in horribly late and that about killed me. It wounded my pride, which in the long run, was a very good thing personally (sure didn’t feel good though). I’ve always “prided myself” on being on time, on having everything organized and “slotted.” I don’t think God wants me to take pride in myself about anything, so that was a good lesson for me.

Writing this last book also came during a time when I had some personal challenges, and I hit the wall creatively speaking. Wasn’t pretty. But God brought me through it. His faithfulness constantly amazes me. He’s so lavish with his grace! My editors at Bethany were wonderful and understanding about the delay (and I kept them abreast of my progress each step of the way so that it wasn’t a surprise to them—HUGELY important to do if you’re ever going to be late).

Q: Do you have a life verse or a mission statement that guides your writing? If so, will you share it with us?

A: A verse that God is etching on my heart these days is found in II Corinthians 4:7 – But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

God has given us this treasure—a relationship with him, a promise of an eternity with him—in jars of clay, in broken, marred vessels in order to show that the transcendent power comes from him. It may flow through us, praise his name!, but it originates in the heart of the Giver. Not in the one gifted.

Our gifts, however imperfect and weak, are given to reflect his glory and are made “perfect” when we give ourselves and those gifts over to him. There’s no end to what God can do with someone who makes themselves totally available to him—something that’s easier written than done.

Sharon adds: I LOVE that verse. It’s been my theme verse, as well. I do believe God calls us to be available and authentic (instead of shiny and perfect in our own strength or power). Thanks again for sharing, and blessings as your new book releases!

Author bio:
TAMERA ALEXANDER is the bestselling author of Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered, the three-part Fountain Creek Chronicles historical series with Bethany House Publishers. Rekindled, a CBA bestseller, has won critical acclaim and was chosen as one of Library Journal’s Top 5 Picks for Christian Fiction 2006. Rekindled and Revealed triple-finaled in the 2007 RITA® Awards sponsored by Romance Writers of America-Rekindled and Revealed for Best Inspirational Novel, and Rekindled for Best First Novel.

Tamera frequently speaks to women’s groups, sings on the praise team, enjoys mentoring other writers, and also served as the conference coordinator for the 2004 American Christian Romance Writers National Conference in Denver, Colorado. She and her husband, Joe Alexander, make their home in Colorado with their two college-age children, and a seven-pound Silky named Jack. Tamera is currently working on her fourth novel, part of another three-book historical series with Bethany House which is set in the Colorado Territory.
Visit Tamera’s website at www.tameraalexander.com
And her blog at www.tameraalexander.blogspot.com

The photo shows Uncle Roland after he was the first to ride the zipline at the high-ropes course at a family reunion a few summers ago. In his eighties, he continued to scuba dive all over the world, including cave diving. A sparkle-eyed man of great spirit.

He went to heaven yesterday. A cousin said,”It was so
hard to watch, I can’t begin to tell you. He fought so hard and so
long, but when he finally died I know he burst into heaven.”

Oh, Lord, may we all burst into heaven when it is our time. May we charge forward to embrace you with joy and fulfillment.

And Lord, help me also burst into life each day with the same passion as Uncle Roland did.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:1-2a

Jack Bauer isn’t the only one who has intense 24 hour days.

Saturday afternoon, one of my daughter’s friends was married. I started crying even BEFORE the processional (my daughter was a bridesmaid). The couple had chosen an international theme, and the guests were dressed in costumes representing nations from around the world. They are Bible translators and plan to give their lives to service internationally, as well as in love to each other. Their service was a celebration of God’s love to every nation.

Young cousins sang “In Christ Alone” – and the words vibrated in my bones. “No guilt in life, no fear in death–This is the power of Christ in me; From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.”

Especially poignant because my next stop was a funeral.

The news of this friend’s death had been a surprise. She often came to my rubber-stamping workshops, and made oodles of handmade cards that blessed others. I had first met her at the young mom’s Bible study at our church. Her laughter and warmth lifted me often. She had asked that instead of a funeral service, our church celebrate Jesus with a powerful time of worship. “Thy Strong Word Did Cleave the Darkness,” we sang. And God met us in our sadness.

After quick hugs, we hit the road for the four-hour drive to Sioux Falls, checked in to a motel, and tumbled into bed. The next morning we joined hundreds of other families for the Baccalaureate Service of the Augustana College graduates (including our daughter). A wonderful sermon spoke of how we all live in the place between. The place of wanting to stay and wanting to go. (Although I think there should be a law against speakers at graduations talking about “only moments ago, you brought them to their first day of kindergarten.” Yep. More tears. Ted just sighed and handed me more Kleenex from his jacket pocket).

Amazing how all those themes blended in my heart. Love and commitment. Going forth. Graduating to heaven. Graduating from college. The next step. And how all the steps are protected, nurtured, and accompanied by Christ Himself – because He loves us that much.

A short time ago, I blogged about how brief and fragile life is, in a post called Lilac Day. My 24 hours of commemorating milestones of all sorts reminded me that change is scary. A marriage commitment, the step from this world to the next, the launching into the world after college. Yet none of those changes needs to hold terror for us, since we aren’t moving forward alone.

In the words of the hymn (by Suart Townend and Keith Getty, copyright 2001)

“In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all–
Here in the love of Christ I stand.”

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck