Interview with Lynne Hinton

We all have our talents and strengths. For some, it’s athletic prowess. Others, it’s an acute literary aptitude. For a select group, it’s a combination of culinary skills and the arts. If you’ve ever watched The Cake Boss on TLC, you know exactly what I am referring to! The designer cakes created on the show by Buddy Valastro and his teams of pastry chefs are truly works of art. I can only imagine what it would be like to taste one of them! I bet they are as yummy as they look…and then some!

This month’s Jen’s Jewels, Lynne Hinton, knows what it’s like to whip up the perfect cake. In her latest release, CHRISTMAS CAKE, our favorite church ladies are at it again as they try to spread some holiday cheer in the tiny town of Hope Springs, North Carolina. And as an added bonus, with each chapter comes a delicious cake recipe to share with family and friends! Without a doubt, it’s the perfect ingredient to add to your recipe for a happy holiday season.

As part of this interview, Avon Books has generously donated five copies for you, my lucky readers to try to win. So, don’t forget to look for the trivia question at the end of the column. Thanks for making Jen’s Jewels a part of your 2009 reading adventure. Happy Holidays!

Jen: Your path to becoming an author has taken quite the circuitous route as you have embarked on more than one career. So that my readers may have a better understanding of the woman behind the words, please share with us your educational and professional background.

Lynne: I thought I would be a minister from the time I was fifteen. Since, however, I had never met a woman pastor; I never considered I would get that job. I thought I would be a missionary and a doctor. When I was a freshman at Wake Forest University and failing Chemistry, however, I knew the career in medicine was probably not going to happen. I studied to become a chaplain and I worked for a while as a chaplain with Hospice. It was there I learned some very important lessons for my living. In all my professional considerations I never really thought about being a writer. Again, I had no point of reference, never knew a writer. I have, however, always loved writing things down, being creative with words. When I attended seminary, Pacific School of Religion, I read literature that inspired and touched me in a way literature never had before. I was also encouraged in my writing, and it was at that time I considered being a writer.

Jen: As a pastor, your primary purpose is to shepherd your flock. As an author, your main goal is to entertain your readers. Do you view your writing career as part of your ministry, or are they merely two separate components of your life?

Lynne: I read a story once by Elie Wiesel that basically says that God loves stories. I do see my writing as a ministry, but probably not in the way some people think. For instance, my books are not available in the Christian Booksellers Market. My stories are considered a bit too raw for that market. I try to tell stories that feel truthful to me about the human situation, which means things are messy and not so tied up in the end, and my ministry in writing is trying to open people’s hearts and minds to the stories of those they are not likely to pay attention to in real life. I believe in the power of stories to change lives and I love being a vehicle of that change.

Jen: As a columnist for The Charlotte Observer, you have yet another outlet in which to share your talents. What is your main focus? And, are your columns available on-line for readers?

Lynne: I write what I call Spirituality-lite. I try not to speak using only the Christian language, choosing to speak more about issues of meaning and purpose and living authentically. I rarely quote scripture or tell church stories. This is more of a forum to speak to those who seek to find meaning in everyday occurrences. I’m considered a Guest Columnist, so I’m unsure about the on-line availability. I do have a blog where I post most of the columns. Check out my website to find the blog link.

Jen: In terms of your writing career, you have written mysteries, non- fiction, and fiction titles. Let’s start by talking about your mystery series under the pen name Jackie Lynn. Describe for us its premise. Also, what makes it unique compared to other mystery series on the market today?

Lynne: I never expected to write mysteries. The first one, DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE, came to me after the untimely death of a friend. I was devastated by his tragic passing and writing the mystery seemed to bring some level of comfort to me. I learned later that PD James was asked why she wrote mysteries and why people like to read them, she replied, “We’re all looking for order out of our chaos.” I think that was exactly my reason for this series. The premise is that the stories take place at a campground along the Mississippi River in West Memphis, Arkansas. It’s unique because there is a spiritual element to the series, a search for the characters to find “home” and family.

Jen: Your non-fiction title, MEDITATIONS FOR WALKING, seems to be the perfect book for those who want to start anew in 2010. Combining fitness and prayer is always a winning combination. How did you come up with the idea? And, what type of fitness program do you follow?

Lynne: Ah, love this question! Thank you. I was building a path in a forest of pine trees behind my house and I was pastoring my first congregation. Somehow, the two seemed to compliment each other and I found myself writing about the physical labor along with the spiritual work involved in being a pastor.

I am a runner. I’ve tried lots of fitness programs, but I have found that running with my yellow lab Carmella is the perfect fit for me.

Jen: Your latest release, CHRISTMAS CAKE, is the perfect gift for all the bakers in my audience. The fourth title in the Hope Springs Trilogy, our favorite church ladies are back in the kitchen whipping up some delectable cakes for the holidays. For those readers not familiar with it, please give us a brief overview of the series.

Lynne: The titles in the series are CHRISTMAS CAKE, FRIENDSHIP CAKE, HOPE SPRINGS, FOREVER FRIENDS, and due out in June 2010 is the fifth, WEDDING CAKE. These are the stories of women in a church who become friends when they decide to put together a cookbook for the church. The group is made up of older women and one young female pastor who journey together on this path of faith, finding friendship to be the sweetest part.

Jen: The main characters Beatrice, Louise, and Jessie embark on this new project in hopes of lifting the spirits of the dear friend, Margaret, whose cancer has returned. Quite ironically, their good will objective turns into a soul searching mission for each one of them. Let’s start with Beatrice. Why does she take the news the hardest of all?

Lynne: Beatrice speaks the truth for them all; Margaret is the glue that holds them together. She was the rock of that group of friends and of that community. Beatrice just cannot imagine her life, that community without Margaret.

Jen: Louise is quite the persnickety one always looking for argument even at the most inopportune times. Why does she wear this badge of disagreement so often? What is she hiding?

Lynne: Louise is hiding her own pain at losing the people she most loves. Deep down, I think she imagines that life is unfair, that the best people die and the worst of the humans live long years. Louise is just one of those crusty old women whose exterior you just have to overlook. Deep down, she’s a true friend to all.

Jen: Jessie seems to be the voice of reason holding the group together even in the hardest of times. With whom does she share the most in common and why?

Lynne: She and Margaret were the most alike, reasonable, sturdy, but Jessie depended quite a lot on her old friend. She is strong, but she also knows Margaret was part of the reason she had strength.

Jen: Of course, the story centers around Margaret’s coming to terms with her prognosis. Not surprisingly, it is she who teaches the group the importance of letting go. In turn, what lesson does she learn from her friends?

Lynne: She learns that friends will take you anywhere, love you through anything. She learns a final time and in a final way, the true meaning of friendship.

Jen: With each chapter, you share a scrumptious cake recipe with your readers. First of all, how did you collect the recipes? And secondly, which one is your favorite?

Lynne: Most of the recipes come from Fran’s Front Porch, the restaurant of a church member from my first parish. And as far as favorites, I like any of the ones with chocolate as a main ingredient!

Jen: What’s in store next for our favorite friends? And, when can we expect it to hit the shelves of our bookstores?

Lynne: It’s WEDDING CAKE, due out in June 2010. There are quite a number of unexpected unions in this story!

Jen: Let’s switch gears and talk about your promotional plans. Will you be going on a book tour? Do you participate in author phone chats? And if so, how would my readers go about scheduling one?

Lynne: I usually do book tours near my home. Last year I did go back to NC and enjoyed a week of visiting stores across the state. I didn’t do any tours for this book. Hopefully, I can work something out next year. I’m open to author chats. Contact me on my website and we can work something out.

Jen: Please take us on a tour of your website. Do you have promotional materials (i.e. bookmarks, bookplates) available for readers? Do you have e- mail notification of upcoming releases?

Lynne: I am happy to send holiday bookplates for any books bought as gifts. If you’ll contact me on my website, give me names and an address to send them, I’ll gladly get those to your readers by Christmas! My website has reader’s guides for book clubs, a bio about myself, a bit about each book I have published, and a means to contact me personally. I can notify readers about upcoming books if they’ll contact me and let me know.

Jen: Thank you for taking the time out of your busy holiday schedule to stop by and chat with my readers. I truly enjoyed the story, and I look forward to reading WEDDING CAKE in the spring of 2010. Merry Christmas!

Lynne: Thank you, Jen, for choosing me as a guest on your site. Thank you, also for the very thought-provoking and lovely questions. I hope you and your readers have a lovely, restful, warm holiday season!

I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Lynne Hinton. If you still have some names on your list, why not pick up a few copies of CHRISTMAS CAKE today? It would most certainly make the perfect gift. How would you like to win one instead? Answer the following question correctly and you could be one of five winners. Good luck!

What is the name of Lynne’s fifth book in the Hope Springs Trilogy due out in June 2010?

To kick off the New Year, I will be bringing to you my interview with crime writer Lou Berney. You won’t want to miss it!

Happy Holidays!

Jen