Oberg Mountain

A photo can't do justice to the sharp tang of pine in the air, the cool breeze, the rays of light baking my face, and the sun spotlighting trees in every autumn color you could dream of. The cliffs on the left side are part of Oberg Mountain, near Lutsen, Minnesota.

I know my Colorado friends (Hi, Patti) will laugh at what we in Minnesota call a mountain, but what we lack in height, we make up for in sheer beauty. Ted and I hiked this trail last Sunday and it was truly one of those special treats from God.

Now that I've started looking for them, I'm finding His unique and amazing blessings all over. Lord, open our eyes!

I'm always blessed when I stumble across a blog or website with a review of THE SECRET LIFE OF BECKY MILLER. I just found this new site, and she did a better job describing the book than I was able to in my interview on Monday.

Be sure to pop by the "Sing Like Myself" blog and scroll down to the review. Thank you, Suzanne!

And thank YOU, dear reader, for dropping by my blog. If you want the convenience of my blog posts being delivered to your email, just leave your email in the box at the right side of the page, and FeedBlitz will send you my entries each time I write a new one. I've been using FeedBlitz to send me updates from all my best friend's blogs, and it is a great way for me to stay in touch with what's new, without surfing the net for too many hours. :-)

Have a BLESSED day!
Sharon Hinck

Duluth Radio

This is the kind of sunny, inviting path I'd always like to see ahead of me. This weekend my husband and I spent time hiking in northern Minnesota, and I promise lots more glorious photos of the Fall color in the coming days.

There were times that walking under sunlit birch and aspen leaves felt like being inside the tube of a surfer's wave--but on an ocean of pure liquid gold.

This morning I did a live interview with WWJC Radio Duluth, with Ted Elm on the Northland Notebook. The great news is, they archive all their shows, so you don't have to live in Duluth to listen in! I had hoped to sound profound and spiritual, but Ted managed to coax me into telling some pretty goofy stories on myself. I hope listeners giggle as much as I did. It was really a lot of fun, and I'm so grateful that they featured me.

To hear the broadcast, go to WWJC website, click on "Northland Notebook" and then click on "Archived Shows." Click on September 25, and it will play for you. The show is an hour long, and my interview was the last half hour. Enjoy!

Now I'm off to do the laundry. My hiking pants are covered with clay and mud from a day of hiking in the rain. More soon!

Blessings,
Sharon Hinck
author of THE SECRET LIFE OF BECKY MILLER

Continuing the Theme of God's Treats

For those who read my blog posts about Edenstar, you can see how much Cheryl and Bill Bader have been "God's Treats" in my life.

Here was another fun surprise. Two weeks ago when I was buzzing from bookstore to bookstore doing signings, a woman came in to introduce herself . . . Marie Albrecht Hinck, my husband's cousin-in-law.

A proud member of the Hinck clan, she was delighted to see one of the Hincks in publication. I was so touched by her support. My poor husband has to deal with so many challenges because of being married to a neurotic author. (My angst attacks late at night, grumpiness when he reads a new chapter of mine and points out what wasn't working, creative spurts where I'm so lost in work that he'd have dance a jig to get my attention). It warmed my heart to think that I could bring a bit of honor to his family name.

Readers in the Duluth, Minnesota area, I'll be doing an interview on WWJC Northland Notebook on Monday, September 25, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. I hope you can tune in!

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck
The Secret Life of Becky Miller

Edenstar - Interview with Bill Bader

Today, I'm pleased to welcome Bill Bader. One secret about him that others may not know: Bill is notorious in our writer's group for bad puns.

However, he's also a wealth of information.

Sharon asks: What are some of your top recommendations in CSFF?


Bill: These are a few of my favorite things:
"Portal" by Brian Reaves. "Joseph Turner's life was irrevocably altered by a mistake he made fifteen years ago. As a result, the girl he loved died while he was powerless to save her. He never forgave himself. Now he has a chance to change the past.... One of the absolutely best time-travel stories I've ever read, and I've read a lot. I've enjoyed this one three times so far.

"Relentless" by Robin Parrish. Starts with Grant Borrows discovering he isn't who he always thought he is, and gets more engrossing from there. Impossible to put down. Impossible to put down.

"Wilderking Trilogy" by Jonathan Rogers. Excellent juvenile trilogy that adults can enjoy. Contains elements of the story of King David with a Huck Finn second progagonist added for good measure. Many laugh-out-loud moments, but very thought provoking as well.
"Arena" by Karen Hancock. Callie Hayes volunteers for a psychology experiment that thrusts her into a parallel world, and a fight between good and evil. Intense.

"Transgression" by Randall Ingermanson. Dr. Damien West invents a time machine so he can travel into the past to assassinate the Apostle Paul. Ali Kazan and Rivka Myers follow him to prevent this. Followups ("Premonition" and "Retribution") are equally good, with all three providing in-depth views of the culture of Israel 2,000 years ago.

These are off the top of my head. I could really get carried away here :-D

Sharon: As a librarian, what have you observed about interest in Sci-fi and fantasy?

Bill: I've seen first-hand that the interest is stronger than libraries may be aware. I worked in a branch library which included a good number of CSFF titles in its general sci fi collection, and the entire SF collection circulated so well it was impossible to weed the cramped section. It took literally years of lobbying to add another 15 feet of shelf space, and that's not enough.

If books are well written, libraries are reasonbaly likely to carry them, especially if the author is local or if the book has been reviewed favorably. Science fiction fans are passionately devoted to their genre, and I suspect that very few will complain about the Christian content (none kvetched to me, at any rate).


Sharon: Any ideas for how Christian authors of sci-fi and fantasy can market their books to develop wider readership?



I'd suggest that authors be prepared to persist, persist, and then persist some more.

The most helpful step is to get them on http://www.amazon.com and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ ! Try to get them reviewed, whether in print or on line, even if it's in your local newspaper. This may prompt their readers to buy them. It often encourages libraries to order them since patrons ask for them. Allegedly, library ownership of a book can increase sales.

Two of the best review resources are "Library Journal" and "BookList" (both of which are in virtually all library systems so you can see what their review policies are). They both review Christian fiction and CSFF and take a strong interest in new authors, but competition is probably serious.

I can immediately think of three potentially helpful online resources: Christian Fiction Review ( http://www.christianfictionreview.com/index.html ) includes a lot of CSFF, and the reviewer is usually perceptive. Christian Fandom ( http://www.swcp.com/christian-fandom/ ) and ChristSF ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christsf/ ) have discussion / mailing lists with members who may be able to help. All of these will get the word out, but I don't know how many are involved with each, so results may be smaller than you hope. Searching the Internet via Google may lead to websites that discuss marketing strategies.

Libraries will have books about marketing books. Subjects include "Books -- Marketing" and "Authorship -- Marketing" or variations on these. If nothing turns up, try asking a librarian for help. We thrive on questions!

These are a few ideas that came to me quickly. I hope they help. Marketing is a tough business, especially in CSFF, which is a niche within a niche (science fiction in general). But there are books out there, and they sell, so there's hope.

Sharon: Bill, thanks so much for visiting my blog! I'm delighted that more people are finding out about Edenstar and all the great resources you have on that site.

I hope those of you who visited this week have enjoyed getting to know Cheryl, Bill, and Edenstar Books and Games!

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Edenstar's Cheryl Bader - An Interview

SH: This photo shows the smiling faces of Bill and Cheryl Bader, the creators of Edenstar. Cheryl has gracious stopped by for a visit today.

Hi, Cheryl! Thanks for visiting my blog for a chat.
Edenstar features a wonderful assortment of Christian speculative fiction. Who are some of your favorite authors, and why?

CB: Well, you can probably tell from the site that I'm partial to Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. The Narnia books and Lewis' concept of a "supposal" (as in "Suppose God had created the world with different creatures than those we're familiar with," etc. - as opposed to a strict allegory) have inspired my own writing in many ways. I also find fascinating Tolkien's idea of writing as an act of "sub-creation": Creating and populating fantasy worlds is something that flows naturally out of our being made in the image of God.

SH: Do you think there's hope for more fantasy to be published in the CBA?

CB: I believe that fantasy with Christian themes will continue to be published. Whether the CBA will continue as a market distinct from the general market, I'm beginning to wonder...

SH: A large percentage of the aspiring novelists at my regional Christian writer's guild want to write speculative fiction--time travel, fantasy, sci-fi, alternate history scenarios. If so many people want to read and write speculative fiction in the Christian community, why do you think writers are having a hard time getting this kind of work contracted? What can we do about it?

CB: I guess what we keep hearing from publishers is that speculative fiction doesn't sell well in the CBA. What can we do? For starters, buy the books by today's CSF authors that are available, and support them through blog tours like this, web forums, posting reviews at online booksellers, etc.

But let's not abandon the general market, either. After all, that's where we find Tolkien's and Lewis' books. Can we as a community write books of such quality and vision that we capture the imagination of people from all walks of life? Now there's a holy calling! (and not one for the faint of heart, either)

SH: What is your dream for Edenstar? What interesting experiences and conversations have resulted since the site went live?

CB: My hope for Edenstar is that it provides encouragement for today's Christian authors of speculative fiction, and a resource and connecting point for their readers. I'd like the Edenstar site to represent a community of readers and writers that sends a message to publishers that there is indeed a market for good, clean science fiction and fantasy.

As for interesting experiences... well, one of the more unusual experiences was receiving a letter from a child addressed to C.S. Lewis. We had to break the news gently that Mr. Lewis is no longer receiving mail here on earth.

SH: Anything else you want to share?

CB: I'd like to invite readers to email us with suggestions for books or other materials that would be appropriate for the site. I'm afraid we haven't had time to do reviews and interviews like we used to, but we are trying to keep up with new releases as best we can. Bill is the Keeper of the Database - feel free to email suggestions to him at bill@edenstarbooks.com.

Side note: Another area of interest for me is in games (video, computer, board games, puzzles, whatever) with a Christian speculative fiction theme. I'm interested in adapting and applying Lewis' supposals and Tolkien's sub-creations to the world-building of computer games.

SH: Cheryl, thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I know folks have enjoyed listening in on our chat. And thank you for creating Edenstar!

Don't forget to visit other bloggers who are participating in this tour!

Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Bryan Davis
Beth Goddard
Leathel Grody
Karen Hancock
Elliot Hanowski
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Jason Joyner
Tina Kulesa
Kevin Lucia
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Cheryl Russel
Mirtika Schultz
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith

Blessing!
Sharon Hinck

Edenstar (CSFF Blog Tour)

Four years ago, I joined a local Christian writer's group. I was struggling. I felt a deep call to write, but wasn't sure which direction or which genre to pursue. One talented writer in the group, Cheryl Bader, read chapters each month from her youth fantasy, MAKER'S POOL. I was captivated, and reminded of the kind of stories I love: stories full of creative images, subtle symbol, and character growth. Inspired by her work, I began to write THE RESTORER (which will be coming out with NavPress in May, 2007). She was one of my early readers and a critiquer for all my novels.

Cheryl, and her husband Bill, also introduced me (via their knowledge) to the work of other speculative fiction writers in the Christian community: Kathy Tyers, Karen Hancock, and Randy Ingermanson. When I headed off to my first writing conference, Randy helped guide me through the process of seeking an agent.

I'm thrilled to highlight Bill and Cheryl's wonderful site, Edenstar Books and Games. It has been a labor of love for them both. Not content to merely list titles, they designed a site that is appealing and easy to navigate, full of terrific information and honest reviews.

Check back tomorrow for my interview with Edenstar's designer, Cheryl Bader!

And over the next few days, you can visit these other bloggers who will be featuring Edenstar.

Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Bryan Davis
Beth Goddard
Leathel Grody
Karen Hancock
Elliot Hanowski
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Jason Joyner
Tina Kulesa
Kevin Lucia
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Cheryl Russel
Mirtika Schultz
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck
(speculative fiction writer and fan)

Store Visit

The photo shows me with Bev Snyder (the bubbly family events coordinator at the Maple Grove Northwestern Bookstore) and Jill Elizabeth Nelson (the romantic suspense novelist) during our visit to the store last Saturday. Bev's enthusiasm for our books was a HUGE blessing--another of those "God sightings." Thanks so much, Bev! We had a great time during our visit.

I recently included the following devotional thought in my free e-zine, which I send out on the fifteenth of each month. If you don't already receive it and would like to, just go to my Contact Sharon page and leave your name and email to be a Book Buddy. Book Buddy's get all sorts of fun info in the e-zine.


Blessings, Sharon
www.sharonhinck.com

The Blessing of Community

Novelists spend a lot of time with imaginary characters, so it's good to get out of the house once in a while and interact with REAL people.

Last weekend, author Jill Nelson and I popped in to several bookstores in the Twin Cities area to meet managers and thank them for carrying our books and autograph their shelf copies.

We also did three book signing events at Christian bookstores in the area. Here is Jill (on the left) and myself with Greg Borgen (in the middle), the manager of the Woodbury Northwestern Bookstore.

Jill and I were blessed by getting to know the wonderful men and women who believe in the ministry of books by Christian authors and work hard to provide them to the community. The gracious welcome by the store staff at each place we visited, reminded us that we aren't working in isolation. We're part of a community. Now THAT'S an encouraging God-sighting.

Have you spotted any special gifts from God into your life this week? Please post a comment and tell me about it!

Blessings,
Sharon Hinck

More of God's Treats

Last Thursday, gifted author Susan Meissner was in town and able to stop in to visit with Patti Hill and me. What a treat! We held hands, sang "Come to the Waters" and prayed for each other, for Christian publishers, and for our editors and marketing teams. We mostly laughed and chatted and savored being with friends who love Jesus.

Susan's latest book, A Seahorse in the Thames, is another gem.

I'm so grateful for wonderful novels that ease my journey on difficult days, and also for wonderful friends who make the hike easier just by walking alongside for awhile.

Do you have people in your life who are God's special treats to you? Men or women who make you smile when your paths cross? Feel free to post a comment about someone who touched your life today!

I'll be posting more God Sightings in the coming days. Stay tuned!

Blessings,
Sharon Hinck

God's Special Treats

(The smiling gardener in the photo is my friend, Patti Hill.)

The last few weeks have been rough. Lots of normal life struggles including back-to-school schedules, a sick child, and piles of work on my various writing projects. Honestly, I've been feeling a little beaten down.

And it's during those times that God surprises me with how tender and personal His love is for each of His children.

Over the next few days, I'll share a few "God sightings." Please feel free to leave a comment about your own special treats from God. Sometimes we just have to hold still and open our eyes to see these gifts that He pours out in the midst of our most cranky, weary, miserable days.

The first special treat I want to share was a visit from author Patti Hill. She was in town to meet with her publisher, and was able to stop by for a visit. We took a lovely walk in a wooded park, talked about the writing life with all its ups and downs, and shared God Stuff in the way that only kindred spirits can. She also gave me a hot-off-the-press copy of her new book, IN EVERY FLOWER, and showed me my endorsement on one of the front pages. It was like cradling a new baby, and it had the lovely new-book smell. I love Patti the author, and I love Patti the person, and I know you will, too.

When things are tough in my life, it can sometimes be hard to hear others crowing about the wonderful blessings they are enjoying. So in the coming days, while I list some special treats from God, I'm also sensitive to the fact that many who read this blog face painful struggles that threaten to squeeze the breath from their lungs. I'm not sharing God's Special Treats to flaunt them while others are hurting. I'm hurting, too. Together, let's ask God for a small gift to bring us comfort while we wait for the BIG answers to arrive, and please post a comment to let me know if you stumble across a blessing.

Patti's visit was a blessing that walked up and rang my doorbell. In future blogs, I'll share some other ways that God's Special Treats have arrived in my life.

Hugs,
Sharon Hinck