Opportunity for Three Free Books

I was very honored when Janna Ryan named The Restorer's Son and The Restorer's Journey as her Most Entertaining books of 2008. She is currently offering a contest to win a copy of The Restorer's Son. You can read all about it here.

My most recent novel is Stepping Into Sunlight. You can enter a drawing to win a free copy at the Penny's Project blog here. That contest ends February 1st, so stop by to leave a comment before time runs out.

And beginning on Friday, January 30, Cara Putman will post a contest at her blog for The Restorer (the first in the Sword of Lyric series) - so be sure to stop by and leave a comment there, as well.

Curious about any of the books? Just visit my website to read about my

Stand alone women's fiction titles
and
The Becky Miller mom-lit series
and
The Restorer and other Sword of Lyric series books


I hope you have fun with each of these opportunities! Happy reading!
Blessings,
Sharon Hinck

Free Book

Happy 2009!

I'm welcoming in the New Year by giving away a copy of Stepping Into Sunlight . . .

with a twist.

It's a copy for YOU to give away to someone you want to bless!

To enter, visit my Penny's Project blog and read the post "Many Penny's"

Then leave a comment after that post about a small act of kindness AND an accurate email where I can reach you if you win.

Easy, yes?

Oh, and I'm getting ready to mail out my free quarterly ezine. If you aren't already a subscriber, you can sign up in the right-hand column of my website for devotional thoughts, insider info, etc.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

The Lutheran Witness

More fun press. Oh, how I hope it helps people find out about my books!
The January, 2009 issue of The Lutheran Witness includes a blurb about me as part of an article on the various faces of Lutherans today. You can read the article here.

I love my reader mail, and got permission to share this one, because it was so inspiring to me:

Bernadette wrote:
Just wanted to say that I am currently reading (and enjoying) Stepping Into
Sunlight. I just had to stop and let you know that I just read one of the most
potent sentences of this year: "So your theory is that unless you can cure
cancer, you shouldn't bother holding the hand of the woman battling it?" What a wake up call to the Chrisian community. Those words are a powerful clarion call that I believe will combat our resistence to doing things at a grass roots level. Thanks so much! I will be sharing your words with everyone in my circle who uses the inability to do "great" things as an excuse to do nothing.

Thanks so much, Bernadette! We can all be encouraged by the way God uses our small, imperfect efforts to pour out His grace in big ways.

Blessings!
Sharon

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

Blessings in 2009

A dear friend who is already in heaven gave me a special birthday plaque the summer before she died. It says, "When we believe in God's plan for our lives, every age is the perfect age to be."

Seems like a good thought for a new calendar year, as well. God loves me. That means the coming year will hold something precious - even if it's woven among the painful challenges of life.

I'm grateful for the gift of a fresh New Year - and another new day, new hour.

May we all see more of Him in the coming days!

Blessings in 2009!
His,
Sharon