Blogger Reflection Award

Today, my blogging friend, Deena, told me she'd picked me for a Blogger Reflection award. I'm so honored! You can read about it at her site.

Do You Live Near...

... Nashville, TN
Oak Ridge, TN
Knoxville, TN
Asheville, NC
Raleigh, NC
Washington DC
Alexandria, VA
Newark, DE
Brooklyn or Manhattan, NY?

I'm coming for a visit!

I'm looking for a grassroots volunteer promoter in each of these cities - someone to gather friends, tell the community/church/neighbors, and come out to see the group of Fantasy Fiction Authors who are on tour in July.

I've found folks in the other cities we are visiting, but the ones listed above are still up for grabs. :-)

Of course the tour organizers, our four publishers, and the venue managers are all working to professionally promote the events. But it always helps to have a few buddies in each town, too. Please email me if you're interested!

More tour info coming soon!

Blessings!
Sharon

Fantasy Four Tour Trailer

As I've mentioned before, I've been invited to be part of an East-coast book tour this July. One of the tour authors, Christopher Hopper, created this video trailer about our trip. Enjoy!

Becky Miller on your iPod

My son told me about audible.com, where you can get downloads of lots of books. I tried a trial membership (with a couple free downloads) and while exploring discovered the audio book of Renovating Becky Miller! So fun! The narrator, Johanna Parker, has also narrated books by NY Times bestseller Meg Cabot (of Princess Diaries fame) so I'm blessed to have that talent applied to the performance of the book.

My picks for downloads? Since I already have a Bible on my iPod, I picked Richard Foster's book on Prayer and Phillip Yancy's Rumors of Another World. Anyone else like listening to books? I'm not a very auditory learner, so I'm interested to see how well I stay focused as I listen to these books. How about you? What are your favorite books to listen to?

A Visit from Maureen Lang

The Oak Leaves
Maureen Lang

One writer’s take on the “book of her heart.”
Maureen Lang thought she’d write about her experience with Fragile X Syndrome (a genetic form of mental retardation) “someday.” After all, having a child who requires round-the-clock care doesn’t make for the upbeat, escapist reading most romance novelists prefer to write about. Still, Lang wanted to include Fragile X in a story because so few people have heard of the disorder that affects her 12-year-old son. So she put the tale in the middle of a love story.

The Victorian romance of Cosima Escott is interspersed between the pages of a glimpse into the contemporary life of Talie Ingram as her world is forever altered by her son’s diagnosis of Fragile X Syndrome.

From the back cover:

Talie Ingram has an ideal life: a successful, devoted husband; a beautiful one-year-old son; and another on the way. But her world is shattered when she discovers a shocking family secret in the nineteenth-century journal belonging to her ancestor Cosima Escott. Only in reading Cosima’s words can Talie make peace with the legacy she’s inherited and the one she’s passed on to her son.

“…A lush and moving tapestry of love, fear and faith…spellbinding… Flawlessly plotted, filled with flesh-and-blood characters and a radiant faith…Very highly recommended.”
Christian Book Previews

If there’s one thing Maureen Lang would like readers to take away, it’s that God loves us all, even through the trials He allows into our lives. And one more thing…the next time you happen to see a family with a disabled child…send a smile their way!

A Concert in the Park

Last night my husband and I settled into creaky lawn chairs on a grassy hill at a local park and enjoyed hours of amazing Celtic music and dance. The backdrop included trees in so many dappled greens they looked like an Impressionist painting. The lake behind the bandshell held enough water lilies to do Monet proud. Children joined hands and skipped in free form choreography in an open space near the stage. Young men rested back on their elbows and studied the clouds. Mother's unpacked snacks for their broods, while elderly couples held hands, nodded, and smiled. Father's bounced toddlers on their shoulders. Musicians gifted us with pipes and flutes, guitars and voice. Reels, jigs, and plaintive song.

Was this what is was like when communities were smaller? When clans gathered at twilight to lift the burdens of the day with a story and a song? When music filled the open air and birds flitted overhead in time to the tin whistle?

And why is it that live music has so much more breath than even the best of recordings? Happy, happy sigh.

Thank you, Lord, for music.
And for the men and women who give so much time to hone their skills and offer the beauty of music in ways that feed the soul.

===

In addition to the concert, I had another treat yesterday. Bob Crittenden of the radio show "The Meeting Place" interviewed me about The Restorer and asked wonderful questions about God-stuff, and about faith and culture. You can download the interview from his website (the menu of guests is in alphabetically order).

Restorer Sightings!

Click here for the links to reviews, interviews, and chats about the Restorer.
(new posts added frequently, so check back often)
Click here for info on free bookmarks.
Five winners announced in the "Search for the Restorer" contest.
. . . Scroll down for my recent blog posts.

Wednesday - Last day of Blog Tour

As I said on the first day, I've been a member of the CSFF Blog Tour group for about a year, and have enjoyed the discussions each month, and loved interviewing authors, discovering new websites, and learning about new books of speculative fiction -- in a wide variety of styles -- by Christian authors. Uniting to bring attention and support to authors who are publishing in this genre is a huge gift, and I'm honored and humbled to be the recipient of that gift this month.

Thank you to everyone who participated. My prayer is that the efforts of the CSFF Blog Tour will help open doors for more and more Christian authors to publish in this genre, and stimulate greater readership for those who do. The founders of this group epitomize Philippians 2:4.

There's been so much activity, it's hard to keep up on highlighting everything. But I need to mention Grace. She emailed me the weekend she read The Restorer and didn't know some very hard things I was facing at the time. Her words of appreciation were a direct blessing from God at a crucial time. When you visit her, be sure to congratulate her on her new release! Jason had some great questions for me, so be sure to visit him. (By the way, I did a number of interviews in person, on the phone, or via email ahead of time for the tour, and enjoyed each conversation a TON! What a bunch of cool people!) I also have special gratitude for Merrie, who worked to coax all the spec-fic folk together at Mount Hermon and encouraged prayer for each other.

For those of you so led, please keep me in prayer as I head to ICRS soon, and then embark on the adventure of the east-coast book tour with three other CBA fantasy authors. Please also pray that The Restorer gets into the hands of those that would be blessed by it.

Blessings!
Sharon

More Blog Highlights

The Restorer tour continues! Be sure to drop by Speculative Faith and Rebecca Miller's blog, and check out author Wayne Batson's place for an interesting male perspective. I think Hanna's post wins for most succinct and uplifting at the same time. :-) Tina is doing drawings for free books, as is Jill Hart. and if you visit Heather's review, be sure to post a comment from a future date to mess with her head (I'm making her crazy because I use future dates to keep my ongoing blogpost on the top - hee hee!) Eve asked about how long the series is, but for some strange computery reason I wasn't able to leave a comment/answer at her site. Three have been contracted, so far. The second book releases in September.

Happy exploring!
Have a blessed day!
Sharon

Monday Blog Tour Highlights

I've been a member of the CSFF Blog Tour group for about a year, and have enjoyed the discussions each month, and loved interviewing authors, discovering new websites, and learning about new books of speculative fiction -- in a wide variety of styles -- by Christian authors. Uniting to bring attention and support to authors who are publishing in this genre is a huge gift, and I'm honored and humbled to be the recipient of that gift this month. My prayer is that the efforts of the CSFF Blog Tour will help open doors for more and more Christian authors to publish in this genre, and stimulate greater readership for those who do.

I've taken the time today to pop in to some of the sights on this first day of the tour.

Shannon made me cry, as she shared how a spiritual-truth nugget of one of the characters reached out and grabbed her.

Pastor John wrote an early review and promises "something exciting" in the coming three days.

Karri Compton posted her review early before going out of town. She's bummed to be missing the tour days, but we can all still post comments for her to find when she returns. :-)

Jill Hart did a radio/podcast interview that you can listen to on her site (I just hope she edited it to make me sound less goofy!).

Karenee wrote about the "perils and joys of faith" in the story, in a way that warmed my heart.

Just a few of the places to explore! I hope you'll have time to visit these sites and leave comments to the bloggers know you appreciate their work on behalf of this genre. I'll visit and highlight more tomorrow!

Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Wayne Batson
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
Lisa Cromwell
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Merrie Destefano
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Russell Griffith
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Daniel I. Weaver

Blog Tour for The Restorer!

First, an interesting note for those who have read The Restorer.
C.J.Darlington wrote to say, "Did you see that Susan Mitchell won the Jeopardy game show a couple days ago? Um, a little surreal ... ha ha."

I love it! Where else will Susan show up this week?

The members of the Christian Sci-Fi/Fantasy Blog Tour will be chatting about The Restorer Monday June 18 - Wednesday June 20. In preparation for the tour, I've enjoyed being interviewed by several of the tour members. Great questions. Great insights. Lots of cool people who enjoy exploring faith themes in speculative fiction.

Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Wayne Batson
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
Lisa Cromwell
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Russell Griffith
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Daniel I. Weaver

Father's Day Article

The folk over at TitleTrakk just posted an article with "My Dad's Best Advice" from 31 different Christian authors. I was honored to be included.

My dad (who went to heaven 25 years ago this summer) battled some tough things. Alcoholism, workaholism, immigrating to the U.S.A. as a young man in total poverty, fighting in the Korean war, two different cancers, and depression. Sometimes my teen angst coincided with his bouts of insomnia, and we’’d both be prowling the quiet house late at night. He’d often say to me, “If you can’t sleep –– stay awake.” He said it with a smirk and a shrug –– acknowledging the humor in the advice. Yet those words continue to speak to me in a broader way. They remind me to stop fighting too hard against things I can’t control –– to be willing to change course –– to adapt and make the best of a situation. Something he often lived out during his quest for sobriety.

Stop by TitleTrakk to read more tributes to fathers - and you can also take a peek at their hot-off-the-press in depth review of The Restorer. :-)

Blessed Father's Day!
Sharon

A Visit from Angela Hunt

I met Angela at Mount Hermon a few months ago. Her warmth, humor and insights blessed me - both about writing craft AND living the writing life. She's written an amazing number of books in a variety of genres (see why I like her?) I'm pleased to welcome her to my blog today as she announces the release of her latest contemporary novel, THE ELEVATOR (Steeple Hill). Furthermore, she has just signed paperwork that sets it well on its way to becoming a Lifetime TV movie! Be sure to read her suggestions of things to do in a elevator. :-)

The Elevator

THREE WOMEN . . . ONE MAN . . . A GATHERING STORM

In the path of a devastating hurricane, three very different women find themselves trapped in the elevator of a high-rise office building. All three conceal shattering secrets —unaware that their secrets center on the same man.
The betrayed wife, eager to confront her faithless husband, with rage in her heart and a gun in her pocket . . .
The determined mistress, finally ready to tell her lover she wants marriage and a family . . .
The fugitive cleaning woman, tormented by the darkest secret of all . . .
As the storm rages ever closer, these three must unite to fight for their lives in the greatest test of courage — and faith —any woman could ever face.

Q: Where’d the idea come from?

A: Easy—the cover of Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down. I had picked up that book for my book club to read, and I found myself staring at the cover, which featured the shoes of four different people against a background of sky. Then I naturally began to think about people trapped in a crucible . . . like an elevator. And though that’d be tense, what would make the situation worse? Maybe the arrival of a hurricane? Next thing I knew, I pretty much had the plot synopsis in my head. All that remained was working it out . . . and finding a way to keep a reader’s attention (a bit of a challenge when most of the book is set in an elevator!)

And now I’d like to offer you fifteen fun things to do the next time you’re caught in an elevator!

1. Grin at another passenger for a while, then announce, “I’m wearing new socks!”
2. Make race car noises when anyone gets on or off.
3. Whistle the first seven notes of “It’s a Small World” over and over and over . . .
4. Open your purse, peer inside, and ask, “Got enough air in there?”
5. Stand silent and motionless against the back, facing the wall, until everyone else gets off.
6. Greet everyone getting on with a warm handshake and ask them to call you Queen of the Universe.
7. Meow.
8. Start a sing-along. “Kum by yah” works well.
9. Say “DING!” at each floor.
10. Listen to the elevator walls with a stethoscope.
11. Push the buttons and pretend they give you a shock. Smile, and then go back for more.
12. Pretend you are a flight attendant and review emergency procedures and exits with the passengers (you’ll know all about these after reading THE ELEVATOR!).
13. Take pictures of everyone aboard with your cell phone—even if it doesn’t have a camera.
14. When there’s only one other person aboard, tap them on the shoulder and pretend it wasn’t you.
15. Hold a copy of THE ELEVATOR, read it, and keep moaning, “Why didn’t I take the escalator?”

Angela, thanks for visiting - and for giving us lots of ways to be weird in an elevator!

Five Winners!

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

Lost in the Sky

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.

Pre-ordering Perks

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

Visit from Robin Lee Hatcher

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.

Being Unique

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

Trustees...

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.

A Real Live Tour

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