Wrestling the Bear

Some days finding the right words is wrestling with a bear.

A cranky grizzly with sharp claws and rotten-salmon breath.

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

The Care and Feeding of Blogs

I love to chat . . .
long rambling conversations on the phone with friends
brief exchanges in line at the store
heart-to-hearts over cups of tea

So when many authors started blogging a few years back, it felt like an easy addition to my list of "things authors do that support their readers and their books;" book launch parties, tours, signings, websites, newsletters, speaking engagements, teaching at conferences and . . .

. . . blogging.

I quickly learned from the collective wisdom of the sages that a good blog should have a theme, serve a unique felt need, be updated frequently, not focus on personal details that no one is interested in . . .

The list went on and on.

I also learned that it was important to build blog traffic, which meant lots of links, participating in blogrolls and events and blog tours, using various techniques to measure and build that traffic.

Hmmm....

If I did everything the right way, my fun side venture would become a full-time job.

So I'm making a public confession. I'm a half-baked blogger. And I'm not going to change.

Sometimes I have included book reviews and "toured" new novels of my friends - although there are so many other blogs that do that (much better than I) that I'd rather not do that very much.

Sometimes I write heartfelt devotions - which I'd love to do more of (but often don't have time to do).

Sometimes I forget to post an upcoming event until the night before, and folks don't get the info in time (by the way, I'm going to be part of a multi-author signing this Friday, November 7th, at 7pm at the Northwestern Bookstore in Maple Grove, MN).

Sometimes I go for weeks without posting. Sometimes I post three in one day.

I've accepted that it's not my priority (or my calling) to build up a large blog following.
God has (for now) asked me to focus on writing novels. I get quite a few visitors here. Sometimes I get a lot of comments. Often I don't - and that's okay.

I like having some things in my life that I recognize I'm not doing the right way. I'm a sloppy tennis player. My guitar playing is basic and inexpert. I'm an improvisational, forgetful, and sometimes disastrous cook.

As much as I agree with the heart-cry to create work of excellence for God, I have too often been caught in the bondage of accomplishment and perfectionism. So maybe it's good for me to strive for excellence in a few things and let the rest be a little half-baked.

What do you think? Have you been trying to "get it all right" in EVERY area of life, and feeling exhausted and inadequate? Do you joyfully celebrate a few things that you don't do well?

Oh - and the photo is from the TBN studio in Seattle, right before shooting a brief T.V. interview about The Restorer books. It was part of the Motiv8 tour in October. I get a kick out of the combo of blue jeans with baldric, sword, and cloak. :-)

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

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

A Little Fun

Amazing blogger Becky Miller (no, not my character...the living breathing woman behind A Christian Worldview of Fiction) tagged me for a meme. I don't usually make time for them, but this one looked fun.

What is your favorite word?

compassion (I love the word "passion" and I love the tenderness of coming along someone else evoked in this word)

What is your least favorite word?

bitterness (scares me - one of my fears is letting hurts and wounds turn into this)

What inspires you (creatively, spiritually or emotionally)?

nature, music, dance, great conversations, praying with someone

What dampens your enthusiasm (creatively, spiritually or emotionally)?

sneering responses, apathy from others, loneliness (and ironically also too much interaction with others - I'm SO conflicted! LOL!)

What sound or noise do you love?

the near silent breath of a sleeping baby, my husband's heart beating beneath my ear, my children's laughter

What sound or noise do you hate?
certain kinds of angry-toned rap music full of harsh language

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Being a midwife

What profession would you not like to do?
Taxi-driver (I have no sense of direction and HATE driving)

What one book, other than the Bible, do you read again and again for inspiration?
I've re-read books by Philip Yancy, John Eldrege, C.S.Lewis, Madeline L'Engle, Calvin Miller, Richard Foster...to name a few

What would you like to hear God say when you arrive in Heaven?
Welcome home, dear one.

Now I'm tagging some other friends to play:

Camy Tang, Jonathan Friesen, Amy Wallace

If I Were In the Olympics

I love the Olympics.

I'm not a huge sports fan, but when the Olympics roll around, I'm riveted.

As a former choreographer, the gymnastics thrill me . . . and rhythmic gymnastics. Oh, and the diving and its artistry . . . and for that matter the grace of pole vaulting and the beautiful strides of the runners.

But I also have bitten down my fingernails in the past days of viewing. The tension drives me crazy. The years and years of sacrifice and training that come down to, in some cases, a few SECONDS of performance. The danger as athletes crash from the high bar or slip on the balance beam. The pressure.

Gets to me every time.

I decided that if I were ever an Olympian, I couldn't be in any sport where a hair-breadth mistake means ruin. The track and field dashes, the swimming sprints. I'd want to know that if I were a bit slow off the block, I could still make it up somehow.

I also couldn't work with props. No relay batons for me. Way too fickle. And apparatus like uneven bars or rings? Not for me. Hurdles? I just know they'd jump up and bite me.

Team sports have always been a problem for me, because I'm terrified of letting others down--which always tended to paralyze me when the kickball was heading my way in third grade recess.

Come to think of it, I'm not good with anything flying toward me - so that leaves out basketball, volleyball, soccer, even ping pong. I tend to duck and close my eyes.

Rowing looks tranquil in the midst of the grueling hard work - but I'd worry about tipping the boat over or dropping my scull.

I also wouldn't want my fate in the hands of subjective judging. Someone on a panel blinks while I'm sticking my landing after a tumbling pass, or doesn't notice my competitor's bent knee in her lay-out back handspring, and I miss the bronze by a tenth of a point. Too heartbreaking.

I suppose if I were in the Olympics, I'd want to run the marathon . . . just me and the road and plenty of time to overcome mistakes. But since I can barely jog around the block, it's not going to happen.

So instead, I'll say a thank you to the gifted men and women who give me a jolt of inspiration each time the Olympics roll around.

I'm in awe of all the athletes willing to take those risks and show us what dedication and sacrifice can bring to innate talent.

And I'll breathe in the lesson they teach me as I ponder Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

If you were in the Olympics, what event would you compete in?

Blessings,
Sharon Hinck

Recognizing Variety

When I was working on my Master's thesis, I struggled to articulate a core belief that has shaped many of my life choices and my desire to work in the arts.

I believe that God is so awesome and multifaceted, that we need a variety of means to communicate with Him and about Him.

I love that He's given us a variety of art forms, music, drama, dance, poetry, sculpture, paintings etc., and even when we use them all, we only are able to convey tiny glimpses of His amazing love and glory. We constantly strive to utter the unutterable.

Within the art form of storytelling, I also believe we need variety.

Christianbook.com is highlighting the 2008 Book of the Year finalists, and as I browsed the collection of authors and titles, I thanked God for the wide range of genres and styles. Check it out! And consider trying a new author, or a new genre. You might see an new aspect of God's nature in a new way.

Book of the Year 2008 Finalists


Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

The Imaginative Mind of the Writer

While at ICRS, I was reminded that we writers inhabit a world of "normal" people, but we often view it from a slightly off-center location.

When my dear roommate and I went over to the convention center to pick up our badges the day before the event, we were dropped off at a back door. We walked into a deserted lobby and I said, "I wonder where we are in the convention center?"

Immediately a gentleman's voice from the ceiling answered, "You're in the west concourse."

Of course I looked skyward and called, "Thank you!"

Then he said, as we rode escalators up, "Welcome to the convention center. Remember you entered via the west entrance."

"Thanks, I will!"

By then my roomie was shaking her head at me. I later explained to her children that there was a very kind man in the ceiling who answered questions, and he was probably sad at how often he was ignored. I encouraged them to speak with him when they visited the next day.

Meanwhile, we reached a long corridor. There was a truly interesting sign over the entrance...worthy of a fantasy novel's "Beware ye who dare enter."

The fuzzy photo (I'm not great with my camera) shows what it said: "Stand clear. The door may roll down at any time."

Or course I made my roommate stand under it while I took a picture (that photo didn't turn out). I'm not sure why that sign struck me as funny. It was kind of the convention center to warn us that a door could randomly drop at any moment. But it made me feel like I was in some sort of Tron game.

Life is never dull when you have an over-active imagination.

It might be hard to find roommates to put up with you, though.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

White Water Rafting

One more picture from the family reunion in Colorado. My hubby,
two daughters and I are in the boat along with other relatives. I'm the one holding up a yellow paddle on the right side of the photo (wearing a baseball cap).

We did category three rapids - which I guess is fairly mild, but it was exciting enough for me. :-)

Now I'm off to a writing retreat in Orlando, the Christy Awards dinner, and the ICRS conference.

I'll blog about it all when I return home.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Wordle on Restorer's Journey

Click here for a better view.

I recently learned about Wordle
a place where you can create word clouds.

I had fun throwing a bunch of text from The Restorer's Journey into the program and seeing what it created. If you've read the book, you'll probably agree that this computer-generated bit of art captures an amazing essence!



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, Inspirational Fiction category)
The Restorer (2008 Christy Award Finalist, Visionary category)
The Restorer's Son (Romantic Times 4.5 stars, Reviewer's Choice Award - Road to Romance reviewers)
New Releases:
The Restorer's Journey
Symphony of Secrets
Coming Soon:
Stepping Into Sunlight

27 Dresses

No, not the movie.
My recent weeks.

Here's the thing.
I have a special event to attend in July, and decided it warranted a dress.

This led to great stress (Since I was a ballet teacher in the 80's and 90's, the “Flashdance” look – torn sweatshirt and leggings – was my idea of high fashion – my daughters shake their heads in dismay at me).

So I went to the local thrift store and found a beautiful floor-length dress that made me feel like Cinderella – boned bodice, embroidery, satin, tulle under-skirt...
But when I saw photos of the event, most of the people wore “going-to-church” clothes rather than gala clothes, and I didn’t want to overdo.

So I have a dress I wore to my eldest son's wedding – but it wasn't my color (it was lavender to go with the wedding colors). I got the bright idea to dye it...which resulted in an afternoon of Lucile-Ball proportions as I Rit Dyed my laundry room. It actually came out okay, but in the process of dying it a lovely blue shade in the washing machine, the little sequins basted to a few spots on the bodice fell off and left little tufts of thread everywhere. I trimmed the threads but the dress still looked rather shabby-chic and no longer a “dress-up” sort of dress.

SOOOO I ordered a dress off of E-bay which was a “Celtic-inspired” long dress with satin inset panels in the skirt, and from the photo looked perfect – plus it was only $19. HA! It arrived and was a little cotton SUNDRESS! No satin inset...just some shiny thread... It’ll be great to wear on the book tour in the fall with a tee-shirt under it...but is NOT at all dressy.

SOOO I went out hunting some more. My biggest problem (besides being ultra-frugal) was that everything was either dowdy or sleezy – nothing in between. What’s up with that?? I didn’t want something so skimpy I had to tape it to me to be sure no one saw anything they shouldn’t. And I didn’t want to look like Queen Elizabeth in some floral monstrosity.

Yesterday I found a little black dress with a draped neckline, capped sleeves, and a bit of sparkle on the shoulders. That will have to do. Fashion is SO not my area. :-)

Then came the issue of shoes.
I don’t own high heels except for some tap shoes. My feet went through so much in my years in dance, I always go for comfort these days. I have some black flats, but they looked rather blah with the dress.

SOOOOooo, my dear husband took the taps off my shoes last night.
I might be tempted to launch into a time step or two, but I'll look formal and understated while doing so.

Problem solved. Now I'm off to enjoy my garden where the irises are blooming and reminding me of Jesus' words in Matthew 6. "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of teh field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."

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, Inspirational Fiction category)
The Restorer (2008 Christy Award Finalist, Visionary category)
The Restorer's Son (Romantic Times 4.5 stars, Reviewer's Choice Award - Road to Romance reviewers)
New Releases:
The Restorer's Journey
Symphony of Secrets
Coming Soon:
Stepping Into Sunlight