Tuesday, May 22, 2007

When I Was Just a Kid...Sharon Hinck

When I Was Just a Kid...


SHARON HINCK






Sharon Hinck is no ordinary woman. She writes "stories for the hero in all of us." Makes you almost wonder where her telephone booth is kept (that's for all of you oldies who remember Superman changing in telephone booths from Clark Kent...or for that matter, remember telephone booths!) But Sharon's adventures are for those who think they are just ordinary people. She helps us to realize we all can be heroes.

Sharon tells us: When the minutia of modern life wears me down, I write to remind myself of the bigger picture: We have an amazing God who made us, loves us, and invites us to be part of His story. And He is an expert at taking ordinary people and empowering them to make a difference by sharing His grace with others.






So, what was it in Sharon's childhood that put together a woman who writes stories to send a reader on his own adventures? Let's find out!

Childhood Ambition:To be a secret agent


Fondest Memory (then):Being the princess in “The Frog Prince” in the second grade musical


Proudest Moment (now):Holding each child at birth


Biggest Challenge as a Child or Teen:My very intense emotions and finding ways to express them. I danced. I played guitar and wrote sad songs. I walked in the woods and prayed.


My First Job:I made decoupage plaques and walked around the neighborhood pulling a wagon full of them and trying to sell them door to door.


Childhood Indulgence: Toy horses. I loved my collection of tiny plastic Palaminos and Pintos and Arabians and Thoroughbreds and acted out stories with them. I also had a few beautiful larger toy horses with real hair.


Favorite Outfit as a Child:My grandma sewed me a new “first day back to school” dress each year. One year she made a German dirndle dress – with embroidery and an apron.


Crystal Editor's Note: (Wouldn't we have loved to see these dresses! I love Sharon's Grandmother for doing that, don't you?)


Favorite Childhood Movie:Peter Pan


Favorite Childhood Book:The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis


Childhood Hero:Nellie Bly. I read a child’s book about her groundbreaking undercover journalism and longed to be like her.


Favorite Childhood Activity:Acting out plays, musical reviews, etc. I talked neighbors into joining in, classmates at school into rehearsing skits at recess. I was relentless. The original “Let’s find a barn and put on a show” mentality.


(Secret Agent) Sharon once rappelled down the outside of a five-story building, so maybe there is more to this story. (She has a whole page on her web site dedicated to "where she gets her crazy ideas.")

Sharon says:
Books were my mentors, friends, companions and teachers. I always revered the mythic people called “authors.” Getting to be one now is truly a fulfillment of a dream I wouldn’t have dared voice as a child.


Sharon is a wife and mom to four who has had many adventures, though none have involved an alternate universe (thus far). She has an M.A. in Communication from Regent University and has spent her life working in the arts (music, theatre, dance, and writing).Ten years were spent as the artistic director of a Christian performing arts group, CrossCurrent. That ministry included three short-term mission trips to Hong Kong.




She has been a church youth worker, a choreographer and ballet teacher, a home-school mom, a church organist, and a freelance writer. One day she’ll figure out what to be when she grows up, but in the meantime she’s pouring her imagination into writing novels. Her novels include The Secret Life of Becky Miller (Bethany House, 2006), Renovating Becky Miller (Bethany House, 2007),
The Restorer (NavPress, 2007,)The Restorer's Son (NavPress, 2007.)



and if you go here, you can purchase those books SIGNED by Sharon.




You can keep up with her amazing adventures on her blog(check out her events.) Not long ago a group bid and won Sharon and a tea party at a fundraiser auction (an English tea with an author.) So who knows where Sharon will be next? Don't forget to check out her web site to sign up for her newsletter Book Buddies!


(Sharon is the one in the middle of the first row at the English tea party with an author.)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great peek into Sharon's life. I'm guessing Sharon is too shy to mention this but I do believe she was named Writer of the Year at Mount Hermon last month. Right, Sharon?

Sharon Hinck said...

Wendy, i'm totally blushing (again).
Yes, and it was a SUPER affirming and meaningful blessing to me.

I have such HUGE respect for the faculty at Mount Hermon, who vote on this award, and I was deeply encouraged by their loving support of me and my work.

Anonymous said...

This is so cool to learn about Sharon. I enjoy coming here! Thanks so much. Love that nostalgic header, btw. Congrats to Sharon on her writing awards. Hope to meet you both some day.

Trish Perry said...

Crystal, I seldom have time to read everyone's blogs, but I keep getting drawn to yours. I love reading about fellow authors when they were kids, getting inspired way back when.

Sharon, you and I haven't had a chance to talk much, but it was a pleasure meeting you in Dallas this year. Your smile is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen--absolutely genuine, even in a crazy, crowded social environment.

And I remember those shiny plastic horses! My sister had a collection that I coveted, coveted, coveted!

I'm looking forward to reading all of your books. Terrific imagination!

Trish

Jill said...

So cool to catch a glimpse of Sharon as a child--easy to see how she turned into such a delightful adult. Hey, Sharon, I loved toy horses as a kid, too. For several months we had a bigger-than-life-size wood and papermache black stallion (the gender of the animal is my imaginary contribution) in our garage. We kids could sit on it and pretend anything we wanted involving equine adventures. Sadly, we moved and had to leave the magnificent creature behind. Sigh.