Speculative Fatih

There's a wonderful group blog, made up of Christian writers and readers with a heart for beautiful, skilled, artistic fiction. It's called "Speculative Faith," because they particularly blog about "speculative" fiction that explores themes of faith - meaning the kind of stories that imaginatively ask, "What if?" These may be fantasy tales of amazing creatures and foreign worlds, or science fiction novels set in far off planets or the distant future. I know several of the bloggers personally, and they are faith-filled and thoughtful folk.

On Friday, I visited the blog to talk about The Restorer-Expanded Edition.

I even shared a secret about one character in the comments section.

Please stop by and feel free to post your thoughts, too!

Blessings,
Sharon Hinck

A Challenging Question

I love chatting with various bloggers about the writing life. Blogger Annette Irby just posted a new interview she did with me at her site.

You can find a question no one has asked me before, that I found very challenging . . . and see how I answered it by visiting her post.

Thanks for letting me visit, Annette!

Blessings,
Sharon Hinck

Article in St. Paul Pioneer Press

Newspaper reviews are rare and precious gifts for a novelist, so I was delighted when a friend told me that the St. Paul Pioneer Press had featured an article about Stepping Into Sunlight, as well as Julie Klassen's book The Apothecary's Daughter.

I appreciated the integrity of the reviewer who admitted that in the past she avoided fiction from Christian publishers because of her assumptions of what it would be. And of course, I was delighted that our stories rang true for her.

I continue to marvel at God's kindness. This was a wonderful treat on a cold winter morning.

I've had some challenges in my life in recent months, and it has been a season that has made me especially grateful of tender gifts from God that come like sips of water in a desert.

Stepping Into Sunlight has gone into its third printing and received some truly affirming reviews. But even better, I've been so moved by the letters I've received - from a reader with PTSD, a young wife whose husband is on his first deployment, a woman battling anxiety who was never able to put words to the experience before and read scenes to her husband.

It reminds me again that God can work His grace through us, even when we feel the most "useless." :-)

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Cherry Street Books - Sharon on the Road

Saturday, December 13, 2008, I'll be at
Cherry Street Books
503 Broadway
Alexandria, MN
from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.


I'll be doing a "book talk" at 11:00 a.m., sharing about the writing journey and doing Q&A, then visiting and signing books the rest of the time.

Please come on out! It's a GREAT time to do a little Christmas shopping.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

A Little Too Busy

Saturday I did a book signing at the Twin Cities Christian Community Fair. I had a ball meeting people, chatting, talking about books. I helped one fellow with info on where to find armor when he saw my sword on the table next to the Restorer books. And I got to visit with Susie May Warren whom I admire and always learn from. And I met the owners of ShoutLife and have a great chat with all they are doing to build the Christian online community. It was a fun event at the end of a string of events that have been spooling out since . . . well, probably July.

Preparing for the release of Stepping Into Sunlight, I began doing more speaking events, more store visits, more interviews, more teaching . . . so many events I had no time to update the events page of my website or blog about them all.

For someone who is a blend of extrovert/introvert like me, years of writing alone in my office take a toll, and I truly treasure the opportunities to spend time with real people instead of fictional characters. On the other hand, I always underestimate how much energy and time each event takes to prepare for and recover from. And how difficult it is to get back into the fictional world and actually WRITE during these too-busy stretches.

This Thursday I'm doing a workshop at the Minnesota Library conference, but that is the last in my long string of events. (Well, except for a December signing, some radio and blog interviews, and writing retreats that I host at my home . . . but those are spread out with plenty of open days between). I'm determined to be better about keeping margins in my life. I loved the book of that title (Margins) and have a whole library of books on simplicity, balance, rest. Yet somehow I've just gone through several months that got a little too busy.

It sneaks up on me. What about you? Are you a little too busy? Besides the problem of exhaustion, when I'm too busy plowing through my "to do" list, it's harder for me to hear God's gentle prompts to serve in an unexpected way that wasn't on my list. I'm not as patient with people who need me. I don't have time to NOTICE the needs of others, much less meet them.

Lord, teach us to order our days. And thank you for today. If it's okay with You, I'll start my tasks--but I'm listening for You to steer me if there are new directions where You want me to go. Amen.

Blessings!
Sharon

Christian Community Fair Signing

For anyone in the Twin Cities, MN area, I'll be at the Christian Community Fair
at RiverCentre in St. Paul on Saturday November 15th, 2008.
Sounds like a fun event, and admission is free!

I'll be signing books at the Northwestern Bookstore booth from 2-4 p.m.

Please stop by to chat! I'd love to see you!

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Twitterpated

I own the music book from Bambi, which includes the song "Everything is Twitterpated in the Spring."

I'm humming it this morning, because I'm feeling twitterpated.

I follow quite a few blogs, especially those related to the Christian publishing industry, writing craft, or lives of friends. My hubby tends to avoid blogs. But there is one he really enjoys: Michael Hyatt, President and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

He'll often mention a topic that Michael blogged about.

So when my hubby said that Michael encouraged authors to Twitter, I finally stopped digging in my heels and signed up. I enjoy Facebook, and try to stop by ShoutLife from time to time. I've recently blogged about my decision to continue "half-baked blogging." So why yet another internet "connection tool"?

I'm not entirely sure. I like that I could connect my Twitter with my Facebook. (I also am figuring out how to upload my blog posts to Facebook.) And Twitter forces me to be brief (a useful skill I still haven't mastered). And PERHAPS Twitter will be a bit more immediate and helpful if I'm doing an event and want to let friends know about it, or if I plan to run a contest at my website. We'll see.

So, if you are also twitterpated, you are welcome to "follow" me . . . (my oh-so-creative code name at Twitter is SharonHinck) although I have no idea where I'm going. I may yet decide to swing back toward my Luddite tendencies and unplug everything. But for now, Twitter is another part of the world of cyber-connection I'm willing to explore. I'll let you know how it goes.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

TitleTrakk

As an author, I deeply appreciate sites that showcase art depicting themes of faith. Movies and music seem to get a lot of "air time" but when a site includes novels alongside other forms of art and entertainment, that site gets cyber-hugs from me!

TitleTrakk is a fun site that has posted reviews of several of my books, as well as an in-depth interview.

TitleTrakk also has frequent contests, fun features, and enough content to keep you happily exploring for hours.

They are currently running a terrific contest - so pop over there to enter!

Blessings!
Sharon

A Special Visit with the Motiv8 Authors

This week, my cohorts from the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour (October 2008) are blogging about me. I hope you'll have time to visit their blogs and leave comments. It's great fun!

Bryan Davis
L.B.Graham
Donita K. Paul
Eric Reinhold

have their posts up already, (with some great questions or inside info you don't want to miss - hee hee!) and I'll let you know as others appear.

But Wayne Batson's blog is extra special.

He's featuring an in-depth discussion that we hope will offer help for the hurting. It's a lengthy post - and more about life than about our books. So pour a cup of tea, put your feet up, and click on over to Wayne's blog.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Kind Words for Stepping Into Sunlight

I recently blogged about being okay with my half-baked blogging skills.

However, the casual approach doesn't extend to my work as a novelist. I've always had a passion for pursuing excellence in working at my art - whether that was in theatre, music, choreography, or writing.

Trying to capture an artistic vision sharpens the critical eye. That's good. It pushes me to keep working, honing, trying to get closer to conveying something with power and beauty.

The pursuit can also be discouraging, because I never quite reach it, and often grow hyper-critical and see my work falling far short of where I'd like it to be.

That's why I'm grateful when God sends encouraging words my way . . . when someone else applies their critical eye to the work and believes it captures something of value, and lets me know that. Today, a reviewer sent me this assessment of my new novel, Stepping Into Sunlight.

By the way, if you haven't yet picked up a copy, you can get one personalized and autographed by me at Signed by the Author.

Now, it's time for me to get back to work on studying, honing, reworking, doubting, and hoping.

His,
Sharon Hinck

A Visit from L.B. Graham

I've always loved books. Growing up, authors were mysterious and amazing gifts to my little world. So once I became a novelist, one of my favorite perks was the opportunity to get to know other authors and spend time with them.

Each week for the next two months, I'll share a little about one of the authors from the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour. I toured with these authors from October 3-12, 2008, all over the West Coast. You get to know a lot about an author when they get up at 4:00 a.m. to hit the road for another long day of events, or you see them sit beside a child in an oncology unit to share a book, or you teach an English class side-by-side with them. I hope whatever genres you read, you'll enjoy hearing about the HEART of each of these authors.



As we prepared for the Motiv8 tour, I was delighted that L.B. Graham was joining the tour. His primary target readership (like mine) is adults. Critics have compared his epic five-book series to Tolkien - a true traditional high fantasy.

What impressed me about L.B. as I got to know him on the tour, was his humble brilliance. We co-taught a high-school class at one of the venues, and his ability to answer questions, draw in examples from classic literature, and EDUCATE blew me away. When he spoke at events, his love for Christ always shone. Yet he was also gracious about taking a back seat (literally - that van was crowded!), and serving in any way that was needed. He was particularly kind to me at one point on the tour that I was feeling pretty yucky physically - in reminding me that if I had to leave the tour and fly home, no one would think less of me. Those compassionate words made a huge difference to me on a rough day.

It was also fun to discover that L.B.'s wife is from Australia, since I was "visiting" an Australian book group on my return from the tour. His heritage of faith (and how it ties in with Australia and his books) is truly inspiring.

Visit his blog to learn more about him, and if you enjoy epic fantasy, grab the Binding of the Blade series. I have the first book on my To-Be-Read pile right now.

Blessings!
Sharon

I'm Coming to Alexandria, Minnesota!

Saturday, December 13, 2008, I'll be at

Cherry Street Books
503 Broadway
Alexandria, MN
from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

I think I'll be doing a "book talk" at 11:00 a.m., sharing about the writing journey and doing Q&A, then visiting and signing books the rest of the time.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Please come on out! It's a GREAT time to do a little Christmas shopping.

A Quiet Moment from the Tour

One of the activities on the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction West Coast Tour was a community service event to support literacy. We donated books and spent time with children at a housing project.

The photo shows me chatting with one little girl. We shared a love for Dr. Seuss.

And yes, you can just make out that I'm wearing my baldric and sword. It's been odd since being home to get up in the morning and NOT strap on my sword.

I hope I can keep looking for the person sitting alone who needs someone to come sit beside her. I hope I can strap on the sword of the Spirit each day.
I hope today will provide a quiet moment of fellowship.

I pray your day will include a quiet moment, the blessing of a new friend, and the joy of shared interests.

His,
Sharon Hinck

Creative Writers at Crown College Rock!

Last night I had the privilege of hanging out with a college class and chatting about the writing journey, answering questions, etc. It was my first time visiting Crown College (St. Bonifacius, MN).

I had an incredibly uplifting and inspiring time.

The students were earnest, engaged, bright, fun, and asked terrific questions. Their faith and mission-minded hearts were obvious. They didn't only care about "How do I get published?" sorts of questions - but also the "How do I serve God as a writer? What does it mean to be a Christian who writes novels?" issues. I sensed that they really cared about communicating effectively for God's kingdom, and serving Him with excellence.

Their professor, Casie Szalapski, is a treasure, and I'm so grateful she invited me to visit.

If you are ever feeling a little blue about the world, find a Christian college's writing class to visit. You'll be smiling for days.

His,
Sharon Hinck

Author of the Month

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

Sunday in San Diego

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

My Schedule

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

Northwestern Bookstore Signings

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!

A Favorite Store

Today I visited several bookstores in the Twin Cities. I wanted to let them know about my new release, Stepping Into Sunlight, and also help spread the word about the HUGE Mall of America book signing with over 100 Christian fiction authors on Sept. 20, 1-3 p.m.

Some stores had a few of my books.

Some stores had none.

But one store had almost all of my titles, multiple copies, and the entire set of Sword of Lyric books!

On top of that, Margaret, the supervisor, was so warm and gracious, and the two young sales clerks who also chatted with me were delightful.

So if you are anywhere near Ridgedale, in the Twin Cities, please stop in at the Minnetonka Northwestern bookstore at Ridge Square North and do some shopping! And thank them for carrying a great selection of Christian fiction!

Blessings,
Sharon Hinck

Books for a Penny!

There was a Gamble Folk song I loved in high school, based on the scripture, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing . . . "

I've been thinking lately about the way God values things differently than our society does. One lost sheep, tiny birds, lilies of the field -- they are offered as metaphors for things that sometimes are considered of little value, or not productive. And He reassures us that even when we feel of little value, He treasures us.

Lately I've noticed several of my books are selling for one penny at amazon.

Initially it can be demoralizing. Years of effort - long days of writing all day, then rewriting, studying the craft, traveling to writing conferences, critiquing other manuscripts for writers in trade as they critique mine, working with editors, honing again. Rewriting again. Weeks, months, years of saying "no" to other activities in order to dedicate full time effort to creating a book. Then comes the joy of holding it in published form and hoping people will find it, enjoy it, be blessed by it.

And in only a year, stores pull it off the shelves. It didn't become a best seller, so, like a sparrow, it's sold for a farthing.

At first, it's a depressing feeling. But I take to heart God's reassurance. "Not one falls to the ground without the Father knowing."

He knows where each copy of my books are. He can still steer them into the hands of those who might need a giggle, an encouragement, a bit of inspiration and courage.

So now I'm joyful and excited. I want to tell the world. Books for a penny!!! What a great deal!

Go to amazon.com and type in Sharon Hinck. It will list all my books. Find some that are selling for a penny and buy a few. Use them as door prizes at church events. Get some for friends (if you want them autographed, just email me and I"ll mail you an autographed bookplate).

And if you feel like your efforts are valued at a penny's worth, celebrate the truth that in God's kingdom, you are priceless and treasured. It's the world that gets it upside down.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck