Susan, a modern-day soccer mom, is pulled through a portal into another world, where a nation grappling for its soul waits for a promised Restorer to save their people. Can she fill that role? While she struggles to adapt to a foreign culture, she tackles an enemy that is poisoning the minds of the people, uncovers a corrupt ruling Council, and learns that God can use even her floundering attempts at service in surprising ways.
An Interview with Sharon Hinck:
Q: What was the inspiration for The Restorer?
A: I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Deborah in the book of Judges, and wondered what a modern woman would look like in that role. The fantasy genre provides a powerful way to look at a familiar story in a new way. I loved the challenge of creating a completely relatable character, and then inviting the reader to follow her into an imaginative journey.
Q: What kind of reader did you have in mind as you wrote the book?
A: I wrote this story for my friends – ordinary women who are sometimes called on to fill extraordinary roles that they don’t feel prepared for. We may not be literally yanked into an alternate universe, but the idea of being pulled into an unexpected challenge is very real to most of the people I know. I wrote this book for my friends who receive a diagnosis of cancer, or the news that their child has a learning disability, or their parent is battling Alzheimer's, or their spouse has lost their job. They suddenly find themselves in a foreign world, facing new rules, and being asked to fill a role they don’t feel ready for. My prayer is that as well as being entertaining, this novel can inspire courage and determination for those facing daily battles.
Q: How much of The Restorer is drawn from your own life?
A: Susan’s spiritual journey – her desire to follow God and her confusion when the road is much harder than she expected—is very parallel to my own. I’ve never carried a sword into battle, but I’ve faced the challenge of surrendering more deeply to God’ s purposes when they didn’t make sense to me.
Q: What’s next in the pipeline?
A: The Restorer’s Son (the next book in the Sword of Lyric series) releases in September (NavPress), followed a few months later by The Restorer’s Journey. Then in 2008 I have two new books coming out with Bethany House (back in the more contemporary fiction genre). Symphony of Secrets (2/08) and Penny’s Project (9/08).
Sharon (whom I met at Mt. Hermon this past Spring) is a wife and mom who has had many adventures, though none have involved an alternate universe (thus far). She has an M.A. in communication and has spent her life working in the arts (music, theatre, dance, and writing). Her other novels include The Secret Life of Becky Miller (Bethany House, 2006), Renovating Becky Miller (Bethany House, 2007), The Restorer (NavPress, 2007) and The Restorer’s Son (NavPress, 2007)
For more information about her books, visit www.sharonhinck.com.
P.S. I have a funny story to share about something that happened at the CCWC. Stay tuned! I'm still giggling about it!
Oh--and keep commenting for the Mandisa book. The number isn't quite there yet!
~~Angie
Thanks for visiting my blog, Angie. I really admire you as a writer. You are an inspiration, and even though I write in Spanish, maybe one day we'll be able to share something. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Keila. I was tickled just to be able to READ in Spanish (mostly). I'm going to Spain next week, so I've been practicing!
ReplyDeleteHasta luego,
Angie
Sounds interesting:)! This story line sounds very similar to a female version of Michael Warden's Gideon's Dawn. I am going CRAZY waiting for him to find a publisher for the second book in the trilogy! Why so hard to find publishers - especially in this case? The first book was awesome!
ReplyDeleteMaybe this series will satisfy my fantasy hunger while waiting on poor Michael! :)