I'm Thrilled to Have Tina Pinson on this blog!



Please welcome her with your comments and email addresses for a chance to win her book!

How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?

I started writing in elementary school. I love words and making up stories. I didn't receive a clear "call" per say, until I got frustrated and tried to stop writing. Then the Lord showed me that I was supposed to write. It didn't matter if I ever was published, I was supposed to be faithful and write for him.

What is the genre you write in? Would you explain what it is?

Most of my books take place during the mid to late 1800's. They would be classified as; Christian Historical or Women's Fiction. Some would have the extra classification of Romance, like my latest Touched By Mercy. It takes place during around 1870's in Kansas and touches on the Orphan Trains. In the Manor of the Ghost, which released in June of this year, has been classified Gothic Inspirational Romance. And honestly, I wasn't even thinking that way when I wrote it. I do have a 1940's Historical Series, Trail of the Sandpiper, that takes place during WWII in Papua New Guinea, a contemporary, Then There Was Grace, that deals with a 9/11 event and I'm writing a Sci-fi.

I pretty much write using whatever story is circulating in my brain at the time.

How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

There are days I can sit an write for hours on end and get several thousand words down. Then there are days I eke by and manage less. And I have my days where I accomplish nothing new in the word count department. Then I work on editing.

I do set goals for writing sometimes, somewhere around a thousand words is good, but usually I just try to write.

Some of my books have been convalescing on the shelf for years, waiting for me to come back and add an ending. Others, I've finished in a few months time.

You recently had a book published. Would you take this time to describe it to us? How and where can readers buy your books?

Touched by Mercy tells the story of one woman's journey to grace. Samantha Northam comes from a background of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, having been molested as a child, I identify with Samantha.

The story was pretty much my rite of passage. Coming to a point where I believed God could find me lovely. I made it a bit harder on Samantha than myself, but I wanted to show the beauty of God's grace on us, his arms around the brokenhearted. Samantha hadn't done anything wrong, as far as the molestation went, but she spent years believing she had, and spent long years hating and being afraid to love. It's a story about God's plan for our lives, and how he can use and loves us even though we feel inadequate. It also tells shows how God places people in our lives to Touch us with his Mercy.

What is the spiritual message in your book? What can readers expect to get from reading it?

Touched By Mercy deals with the aspect of God's mercy in our lives. I hope the reader is gifted with a new hope and understanding of God's love. So many of us have areas where life catches us, uses us and beyond no fault of our own, leaves us feeling dirty and unlovable. It literally spits us out. That's the nature of abuse. I wanted people to see that God knows exactly what happened. He hurts to see that his creation could be so cruel, and he loves us and wants to heal the scars. If we'll allow him to, he has gentle hands, strong arms and a loving heart

Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through?

Oh boy, I have felt like giving up on many occasions. Even though I'm published, I still question whether I really have a talent to write or not. Let's face it, I don't have a book in print as it were, and there some who people who remind me that I'm not really considered published until I do have a print book. At one point; I won a contest, had an agent ask me if I would like to sign on with her. It looked like doors were opening and I was going places, but all I got were rejections and that went on for years. I reached a point where the words wouldn't come, and I decided it was time to throw in the towel and move on. Perhaps I was just fooling myself. I was in tears. Angry. I didn't understand how everything seemed to come to together for me to get published and nothing came of it. But the Lord showed me that he wanted me to keep writing. He'd given me a gift and wanted me to be obedient to use it for his glory. That's what I strive to do.

Who’s inspired you the most?

I pretty much dream my stories, so I would have to say first and foremost, God inspires me. He keeps reminding me that I have a gift. When I was kid I was the world's greatest liar, I could tell a tale with ease. And usually got in trouble for doing so. So, it's very inspiring to sit down, and use my imagination to write a full cast of characters, sit them in the most wonderful places and not get in trouble. My husband has been an inspiration and a big encourager. He believes in me and that says a lot. I also used to devour certain books as a kid, Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew series was one of my favs, and I always wanted to be a sleuth. When I write, I can add hints of mystery and mayhem and get lot in suspense if I choose.

Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?\

I chose Desert Breeze Publishing (DBP) because I was couldn't get my books into a Christian House. I heard that the story was well-written, but they had people who wrote that way already. I heard that the story might be too deep a subject for a new writer like me. (And I'd been writing for years). After enough rejections, I turned to secular publishing. I sent to DBP after talking with some others who had sent submissions and liked how Desert Breeze worked and treated them. DBP was in their first year and accepting submissions. I sent three stories in and two were accepted. Since then, I don't just get to sit back and watch, I have had to do editing, and promotion for my books. And that takes up considerable time.

Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes? Hobbies, interests? Where would you like to travel if you could?

My likes… beyond writing, I like to sing, teach, draw, build and work in my yard. I've been doing a bit more vegetable gardening and canning too. We, my hubby and I, have been trying to do more camping and I love to spend time with the family.

I've been to Europe: lived in Germany for 4 years, in Zweibrucken. I traveled to places like France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, Belgium. I also lived in Turkey for a year. Where I was able to visit the churches of Asia Minor written about in Revelations and see scripture come to life. Turkey is the backdrop for one my story, Cross of the Sultan. I would love to go back. I would also like to go to Australia and Scotland. Then travel to a few more places in the United States. I lived in Alaska as a child, but have very little recall because I was so young, I'd like to go there, too.

Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out? Anything else you’d like to share? Promotional information?

• My website -- http://www.tinapinson.com/
• Twitter:@Tina_Pinson
• Facebook-- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754617103

Purchase my books at:
Desert Breeze Bookstore

• Touched By Mercy: http://tiny.cc/0rgkm 
• In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/we4ul 

Amazon

• Touched By Mercy http://tiny.cc/k5tgw
•  In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/doc8w

Barnes & Noble

• Touched By Mercy—available soon
• In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/oh767 

Christian Books Distributors

• Touched By Mercy – available soon
• In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/4u5h9

NEWS:
In honor of the release of Touched By Mercy I am running a contest, Win a Nook… Touch Mercy for the month of Dec. 2010. There are a couple of days left to enter, so check out my blog under the Touched BY Mercy Contest page for the particulars.

http://tinapinson.blogspot.com/

Leave a comment today, for a chance to win a copy of my books.


Blessings, Readers!













































Blessings!