Writing a novel was fun. Having a publishing house decide to publish it was fun. But the realization that people would soon be reading my book hit me like a John McEnroe serve between the eyes.

So I’m HUGELY relieved and very grateful to have passed the milestone of my first review.

I’ve had authors who are also friends write kind things about my book, but this is someone I’ve never met who recieved my Advanced Reader Copy that goes out to reviewers. So I’m counting this as my first OFFICIAL review. 🙂

You can read the post at

NOVEL REVIEW

I don’t want to give away too much,
but here’s a clue.

I’m Snoopy-dancing around my office.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck
The Secret Life of Becky Miller (Bethany House Publishing, 2006)

Today’s photo shows a book store end cap display.
It’s a cardboard shelf unit that a bookstore has the option to buy. It sits at the end of an aisle and showcases special books.

The idea of an end cap has triggered some interesting emotions for me.

First of all, I’m thrilled. Thrilled that the publishing house cares enough about my book to include me with three other terrific authors. Grateful that they are making this investment . . . along with all the rest of the financial risk they are taking by publishing a brand new author.

Second, I’m scared. Will my book do what it’s supposed to? Will Bethany House Publishing House’s trust in me be justified?

Third, I feel oddly like a can of soup. You know those displays at the end of grocery store aisles? When I wasn’t a published novelist, I could think of writing as pure art. But as an author being paid for her work, the book becomes a commodity. That’s not an evil thing. If the publishing house doesn’t make money, they can’t afford their building, their staff, all the myriad expenses of creating books. But it’s still taking some getting used to. Especially on days like today when I’m not sure I’ll be able to crank out the next batch of soup.

I’m living in the place of tension between art and commerce. A book is a tangible item that can be sold – NEEDS to be sold in order to fulfill its purpose. But the creation of characters and stories is more ephemeral. More personal. More spiritual.

Maybe it’s okay to be a can of soup. Soup can be comforting, nourishing, spicy, fragrant. I hope when people grab my book from the end cap this summer and read it, they’ll think it’s “Mmmm, Mmmm, Good.”

By the way, if you didn’t see it yet, Novel Journey interviewed me yesterday, and I shared openly about my writing neuroses. Feel free to check it out!

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Last week, I had a great chat with Molly Millett from the St. Paul Pioneer Press about the growth and diversity of Christian fiction. Her article appeared in the Sunday paper, and you can read it at

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/13777287.htm

There’s a brief description of THE SECRET LIFE OF BECKY MILLER, and a great quote from my editor, Charlene Patterson. Molly interviewed Carol Johnson (V.P. at Bethany House Publishing) and other Christian authors—particularly those writing chick-lit or mom-lit.

There is also a sidebar of recommended books, including BECKY MILLER, that you can view at

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/13805769.htm

Molly included this quote of mine from our interview: “So many women I know attend church and pray; faith is a normal, integral part of their lives. But in general fiction, it is often ignored or washed out of the story.”

I believe that within all good stories, there is an element of a faith journey. A character grows, changes, confronts challenges, and evaluates what really matters. In my books, I’m open with the ways that the God of the Bible intersects my characters’ lives. My hope is that this aspect of the story will not be didactic and preachy, but will convey the truthful struggles many of us face.

Want to hear more from the variety of Christians writing “lit”? Visit the Faithchicks Blog at

http://www.faithchick.com/

I post there on the first Tuesday of each month. But I enjoy reading the other posts even more. Be sure to look through the archives. Great thoughts from great ladies of faith.

I want to be humble. Self-effacing. Casual about the fact that I have a novel coming out in June.

Instead, I find ways to work it into every conversation.

“That’ll be $7.65 for the chips and pop, Ma’am.”

“Here you go. And speaking of snacks, I need to snack a lot because I’m working on a new novel. I have a book coming out. . . “

Not only that, I’ve begun to obsessively check my standing on amazon.com. As soon as the book was posted I delighted in googling the title over and over.

Then I discovered the scary fact that I could see my book’s ranking among all the books on amazon.com.

Mind you, the book is not available. It comes out in June, 2006. So there are no sales yet.

But I can’t help it. I keep checking in on my ranking. I’ve crashed below one million other books by now.

You’d think the fact that there ARE a million other books listed on amazon would be enough to humble me. Instead I dream of when the book releases and people order it on amazon and I rocket up to 700,000 from the top.

Is there a “Top 700,000 List” for book sales?

Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself.

But self-absorption is no laughing matter. Self-importance is an ugly sin. It’s my twisted tool to convince myself I’m valuable. . . instead of taking my value from the true place–from being a dearly loved child of God.

Lord, change my heart. Let me be absorbed in Your beauty and majesty and forget myself. Let me have Your love for others that values them above myself. Let me have the confidence that comes from knowing that I belong to You, so I don’t have to measure my worth by my “To Do” list. Oh, and Lord . . . have I mentioned I have a book coming out? . . .

Last night I heard author Noel Piper speak. I’m reading her latest book, FAITHFUL WOMEN AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY GOD, a collection of biographies.

One of Mrs. Piper’s comments was a special blessing to me. She said that people are able to see truths in the lives of other people much more readily than they can see it in themselves. She has found that while reading biographies, she notices things about choices, motives, character, mistakes–and after seeing these in the life of the book’s subject, is able to recognize similar issues in her own life.

I realized that is the same reason I love fiction. While I watch a character miss the boat, cause unneccessary pain, suffer from unwise choices, my defenses lower and I’m willing to acknowledge similar problems in my own life. When the character makes a tough decision in the right direction, dares to change, confronts a problem, my heart swells with belief that our choices can make a difference and the daily battles of life are worth the fight.

Some days when I trudge to my computer screen for yet another round of revisions I wonder about the value of my work.
All this word-wrestling. Is there a reason for it? Will it matter to anyone?

Then I remember how other author’s stories have brought truth and insight to my life, and I’m excited by the challenge of writing with enough skill to let the reader experience something new, yet recognize the familiar.