INTERVIEW WITH SHARON HINCK

Sharon’s books have been recognized with a Christy finalist medal and three Carol awards. Sharon’s undergrad degree is in education, and she earned an M.A. in Communication from Regent University. She has been a church youth worker, a choreographer and ballet teacher, a home-school mom, a church organist, and a bookstore clerk. One day she’ll figure out what to be when she grows up, but in the meantime she’s pouring her imagination into writing.

Information about her novels as well as her devotional writing can be found at her sharonhinck.com website.

INTERVIEW

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I write “stories for the hero in all of us” – unlikely heroines who find that God can use even their weakness to be a blessing to others. My novels tend to blend genres a bit, but they all share a sense of adventure and a theme of God’s grace at work when life gets tough.

I also have been writing for the daily devotional “Mornings with Jesus” for several years.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Skyping with my granddaughter, gardening, singing and playing piano, making homemade cards, hosting a small group Bible study, chatting with my kids, enjoying a cup of tea with a friend, and generating schemes that lead to all sorts of chaos for my patient hubby.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I listened to the advice that I should look at my bookshelves to see what my favorite genre is to read. My bookshelves have multi-personality disorder, with everything from sci-fi, to thrillers, to sweet romance, to historicals, to fantasy, to romantic suspense. So the first novel I wrote, “The Restorer” is an unusual blend of a contemporary fiction from a mom’s perspective, but set in a fantastical adventure. I’ve also written contemporary fiction with a more humorous tone (The Becky Miller books), a light mystery (Symphony of Secrets), and a women’s fiction journey-of-healing story (Stepping into Sunlight).

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

When I toured with the Restorer series, I heard from Christians who believed the fantasy genre was evil (without understanding the care I took with the spiritual truths that my characters embraced) and even heard from some that fiction is a waste of time for Christians (that we should only read the Bible). It hurt my heart to see the arts devalued that way. Jesus demonstrated the power of story-telling in His parables. And I believe God, our Creator, is delighted when we follow in His steps by creating something of beauty through the arts.

My best compliment has been from people who engaged with the journey of one of my characters and wrote to tell me the story changed them. A woman shared coming back to Christ, setting the novel down and praying. Another told me of feeling reassured of God’s love for her in her time of suffering. I cherish those letters.

If you could go back in time and do something differently in your writing career, what would it be?

To build an audience, it’s very wise to pick one genre to write, so people know what to expect from your books. Yet each book I wrote was the one that burned in my heart at the time, so even though my path hasn’t been efficient and business-savy, I wrote stories that aren’t always one clear genre. I wish I could have done this differently, but I’m not sure I could have.

What do you see happening in your career ten years from now?

I’ve had some life challenges that interrupted my writing work. I began The Deliverer seven years ago. It’s been a long road. Ten years ago I couldn’t have foreseen the way the path would bend. I recently completed a contemporary romantic suspense and am well into another one, so I hope to continue working more steadily as God leads.

 

The Deliverer

A lost songkeeper must lead her people to a long awaited Deliverer

Eager to serve the One, a young songkeeper travels to the dark and foreign nation of Hazor, but her confusing, rough-edged companion has lost his Restorer gifts. As danger rises against them both, she loses her freedom, her memories, and her hope. Now even the very music of her soul is threatened.

In our world, Susan Mitchell no longer feels at home in the carpool lane. Burdened by the unhealed scars from her trips through the portal, she fights to suppress her worry about her son, who remains out of contact in Lyric. But when a mysterious message hints Jake is in danger, she and her husband are swept away—to the place they least expect.

Clan rebellions. Lost Restorers. Has the One turned away, or will the face of the Deliverer bring light to the darkness? 

The Deliverer (Book four of The Sword of Lyric series) now available for preorder.

Book One of the series, The Restorer, is available for free on Kindle!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Restorer-Sword-Lyric-Book-ebook/dp/B005VM4XL4