Friday, January 23, 2009

The 1st Most Entertaining Books of 2008 are...


The 1st Most Entertaining Books of 2008 are...
"The Restorer's Son" & "The Restorer's Journey"
by Sharon Hinck




Last year Sharon's first book "The Restorer" won in the Most Life Changing category and I did an interview with Sharon then, you can read that
here. I have rarely been as excited about a sequel in a series as I was when Restorer's Journey arrived in the mail - I was like, "Everybody leave me alone! I'm reading Restorer's Journey!" It's always bittersweet of course when you read a book that you know might be the last, you have to savor every word, so I did. My biggest concern is that a lot of you out there haven't read these books yet. That dismays me.

So enter with me into Susan's world... she is a soccer mom, married to a wonderful man with great kids and just a desire to maintain her sanity and try to walk a little closer with God. (Seems pretty usual so far, right?) Her precious husband turns part of the attic into a little haven for her where she can retreat to read the Bible and have her quiet time... wait... what is that in the corner of the attic... why is there a magnetic pull... where am I?!?! And thus Susan is sucked out of her own world into the world of Lyric. Now she must learn how to survive in an unfamiliar and most times unwelcoming place all while trying to figure out why she is "The Restorer" and what exactly she is supposed to restore so she can go home to her family. Moving on into The Restorer's Son we find a new Restorer has taken up the reins since Susan has left. Now there is a different enemy to deal with and this Restorer is even more reluctant than the last one!

I'm trying not to spoil anything here... In the Restorer's Journey we have another Restorer and yet another enemy - though some enemies never seem to really go away. We see most of the same characters in each book which I love and the overall setting stays the same - but situations and circumstances sure change. In every book Sharon packs the storys full of amazing allegorial pictures (the people of Lyric have the Verses (a version of our Psalms), the Rhusicans use mind poisoning to torment and kill people (our negative thought life) and much more). These books will make you think, let you escape, and thouroughly entertain you! They are too good not to read -
Now let's meet Sharon...

1. I picked The Restorer as one of the Most Life Changing Books of 2007 and while The Restorer's Son and The Restorer's Journey could have easily garnered the same title this year I decided that they should instead receive the title of Most Entertaining because above all else this entire series is designed to sweep you away to a different world and into a place where you wish you were but would be kind of freaked out to be. Is Susan based on you?


I think every character has some shadings of myself. There are elements of Susan that I identify with. I’m a wife and mom who struggles with the journey of serving Christ being more painful than anticipated, and also has felt the joy of surrendering to His purposes. But I haven’t ventured through any portals into alternate universes.


2) In books 2 & 3 Susan is no longer The Restorer, the mantle is passed on. How did you pick the next 2 Restorers? Was it obvious to you or did you have to think it through first?

I’m a “discovery” writer. I have a sense of where the story is going, but it often surprises me. I didn’t see either of those Restorer’s coming until it happened. It was one of those fun novel-writing moments, where I lifted my hands off the keyboard, read what I’d just typed, and said, “Wow!” And even though it surprised me, it felt like it had been meant to be all along.


3) In The Restorer series you make parallels between Susan and the Old Testament judge, Deborah and Kiernan and the judge Gideon. Did you model Jake after a judge ( a young, handsome, 18 year old judge)?

I was inspired by young David. He was the one voice ready to stand up to the Philistines when the seasoned warriors were afraid, he was a poet with a tender heart for God, and he had a difficult relationship with King Saul.


4) There are different enemies in the books (Rhusicans, Kahlareans, etc...) are they modeled after anything (or anyone) in particular?

When I was developing the Rhusicans (Rhus is the Latin botantical name for poison), I had been pondering the modern marketing industry. It targets people’s insecurities and seeks to exploit them to create a need. I wondered what it would be like if an enemy used that technique on a very personal level – probing, twisting, and literally poisoning people’s minds.


5) Is the Sword of Lyric series over or will we get to see what happens next in the land of Lyric?

For me, the adventures continue. I have more stories in me set in that world. I’m praying that if God wills it, I might one day have an opportunity to write more stories in the series.


6) What do you have in the works right now - so I know what to be looking forward to?

I’ve been busy the last few months with the release of “Stepping Into Sunlight” - a new contemporary novel about a Navy chaplain’s wife and her journey toward healing from PTSD.

****Readers, I recently read "Stepping Into Sunlight" and it would not surprise me to see it on the 2009 Most Life Changing list. It is a wonderful book that will increase your empathy towards others, open your eyes to those hurting and give you insight into the minds of those that have dealt with painful things. It's a wonderful story that is full of moments that will make you stop and think and be grateful for what God has given you. *****

7) How can readers find you online?

I LOVE for folks to visit me at www.sharonhinck.com. There is encouragement for writers, for the faith journey, for families. Info on all my books. Fun video interviews. Audio clips of the music from The Restorer books. Lots to explore. :-) Thanks so much for your encouragement on these books that meant so much to me!!!!
Hugs,
Sharon
Sharon won Book Of The Year in the fantasy category at the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Minneapolis this year - this is a picture of Sharon giving her acceptance speech. You can see the picture of the winning book "The Restorer's Son" in the background.
*********************************************
I love these books so much that I am going to give away a copy of "The Restorer's Son" from my own collection since I have two and some of you don't have any. Be prepared though... if you win and don't have the first one, then you must go buy it so that you can read them in order. This is one series where I think it's almost unacceptable to read them out of order *grin*. So you know the rules...
1) Leave a comment telling me where you would go to getaway if you could (obviously as much as I would love to go to Lyric like Susan did, not really a possibility) along with your email address and you get 1 entry

2) Blog about this giveaway yourself and leave another comment here and get 2 entries

3) Tell someone else about this interview with Sharon and when they leave a comment with your name in it you will receive 3 entries

4) Become a blog follower (on the left of my blog you can do that) and receive 1 extra entry

33 comments:

Simply Stacie said...

I would love to just getaway to Paris and experience the sights and the culture.

stacie_vaughan@hotmail.com

Simply Stacie said...

I'm a follower.

stacie_vaughan@hotmail.com

Alyce said...

I would love to get away to Narnia - how fun that would be!

I also follow your blog.
akreese (at) hotmail (dot)com

darbyscloset said...

I am a follower! Yeah!
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com

darbyscloset said...

UGH, now don't scream, yet I am one of "those" people who have not read Sharon's books.....that's why we need you Janna, to introduce us to these great authors!!!
Now where would I escape to....Hawaii, the beach w/o a doubt!
Thanks for the fun interview!
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com

Merry said...

I would love to go to Austria and experience the beauty seen in The Sound of Music.
worthy2bpraised{at}gmail{dot}com

Merry said...

I am a follower. I have book #1, so book #2 in the Restorers series would be great to win. Thanks for the giveaways!
worthy2bpraised{at}gmail{dot}com

Anonymous said...

This series has been on my wishlist for more than a year now, but I haven't managed to read it yet. Where would I like to escape to? So many places. I've been really wanting to escape to Maine recently, though. (I didn't pick any of the countries that popped into my head, since I don't know if that would be an escape; more likely an adventure!)

WordLily AT gmail DOT com

apple blossom said...

dream vacation Hawaii

I'd love to win this book set.

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

KR said...

We have a beach house that we NEVER get to. ( My Mom is not well.)
I would be content with a whole week there!

KR said...

I follow.

Susan Stitch said...

Wow...a retreat sounds fabulous. I think I'd choose a place like Jerusalem where I could learn more about life in Biblical times and actually walk where Jesus walked. But of course the dream part of this includes being there without any hint of violence in the region!

I've heard a lot about Sharon's books, but haven't been able to read them yet. Winning the second book would force me to get the first :o)

Thanks for your contests and most of all for helping us prioritize our To Read lists. I'm already a follower!

likes_to_stamp@sbcglobal(dot)net

Alyce said...

I posted about it here:

http://athomewithbooks.blogspot.com/2009/01/weekly-giveaway-roundup_24.html

Anonymous said...

I would go to my overseas birthplace to get away if I could :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!

lucky[dot]ladybug[at]verizon[dot]net

Anonymous said...

I'm following you on Blogger :)
lucky[dot]ladybug[at]verizon[dot]net

Lora Lease said...

As much as I'd love to travel to a different country for a getaway, if I could go anywhere, it would have to be to Wisconsin. All my family lives there, and it's been 3 years since I've seen any of them... so I would love to be able to spend some time with them all.

asyouwiiiiish@gmail.com

Erika Powell said...

I would go to a warm beach and lay out and read all day if i could. thanks for the giveaway, i am a follower on google reader
sports[dot]erikalynn[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

I would love to get away by walking through the ruins of the Roman forum. It's one of my life's dreams to do that.

I blogged about your contest here:
http://morbid-romantic.net/2009/01/19/book-giveaways-0119-0125

I am also a follower.

Valorie
morbidromantic@gmail.com

Goat Gal said...

I would love to head to Saint Marten in the Caribbean.
please enter me
sarahlscott@gmail.com

Anna Weaver Hurtt said...

I would like to go on a cruise with my family! Thanks for all the giveaways!

Anna
writer_weaver(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anna Weaver Hurtt said...

I'm a blog follower!

Anna
writer_weaver(at)yahoo(dot)com

A Reader said...

I would like to go to Ireland.

Thanks for the giveaway.
kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com

Gin said...

I'd love to get away to Hawaii.

le15307@msn.com

kathy55439 said...

I love to read in a nice bubble bath

Sharon Hinck said...

I love ALL the great ideas for unique places to visit.

I hope those of you who haven't yet journeyed to Lyric and Braide Wood will have a fun and refreshing time when you do. :-)

Janna, thank you SO MUCH for the very encouraging words about my books.

ReadingRobin said...

I would love to get away to Bermuda! I just got The Restorer I think I'll go start reading it right now!!!

I'm a follower!

cmrobin at bellsouth net

Diana Latham said...

I would love to getaway to Ireland!!! For that is where my ancestors came from and where my father met the Lord.

Carolynn said...

I would love to get away to Hawaii...it's a lot warmer there than it is around here these days :)
Or to Austria and visit all the places where my ancestors once lived.
Thanks for the chance to win!
carolynnwald at hotmail dot com

lilac grandma said...

I have always wanted to go to Venice!
The gondolas look so romantic! ????
I love Sharon's books and don't have The RESTORER'S SON. Thanks!
msproule1225 at gmaildotcom

Anonymous said...

Lilac Grandma asked me to leave a comment. I love these books too!
Thanks! rose
msproule at sympatico.ca

hippmom said...

I'd like to get away some place peaceful, a sandy beach, a big umbrella with warm sun, a fruity drink and a pile of good books!
Like this one.

I'm a blog follower. I have had fun following your top ten lists. THanks, Janna.

Anonymous said...

I would totally go to the mountains on my getaway. So peaceful and full of God's glory.
Sarah
sarahnwoodill at hotmail dot com

Janna said...

And the winner is...

Gin

Congratulations!!!