Author: Sharlene MacLaren
Located in: Spring Lake, MI
Submitted: January 05, 2009
Tell us a little about yourself. Shar first started her writing career with a Print-on-Demand press back in 2002 when she published a contemporary novel titled Spring's Promise. After much studying of the writing/publishing industry, she began her search for a mainline publisher and discovered Whitaker House. Consequently, she signed on with them in early 2006 and in December of that year, released Through Every Storm, a general fiction title that finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book-of-the-Year in 2007. On the wings of that, came her first three-book historical set called The Little Hickman Creek Series with an 1895-96 Kentucky setting. As a result of that series, Shar won the Road to Romance Reviewers Choice Award and also earned a third place award in the 2008 International Inspirational Readers Choice Contest.
In the fall of 2008, Whitaker House released a stand-alone contemporary titled Long Journey Home, and in January of 09 will launch her next 3-book historical series, The Daughters of Jacob Kane. Especially exciting to Shar about this series is its West Michigan setting.
Shar has done numerous countrywide book-signings, television and radio appearances, and countless interviews. She has been married to the love of her life for almost 33 years, has two wonderful daughters and two handsome sons-in-law. The joys of her life, however, are her adorable grandsons, Dylan, born March 21, 2006 and Gavin, born March 3, 2008, AND her first GRANDDAUGHTER, who arrived on July 1, '08.
Besides her involvement in music at Spring Lake Wesleyan Church, Shar has been a speaker for the local MOPS organization, is involved in KIDS HOPE, USA, a mentoring program for at-risk children, counsels young women in the APPLES OF GOLD program, and attends two bi-weekly Bible studies.
She and her darling husband, Cecil, live in Spring Lake with Dakota, their loveable collie, and Mocha, their lazy fat cat.
What was your motivation behind this project? I love a good romance, but more important, I love weaving into my stories the fact of God's amazing plans and purposes for our lives. Believe it or not, I am able to do that while writing stories of love. Of course, no story would be good without tension and conflict, so I see to it my characters have plenty to drive the story along.
My main motivation, though, is always to point people to the Word of God. When reading my books, I seek to entertain them, yes, but I mostly thrill to hear the words, "Wow, your books challenge me to get back to the basics of my faith."
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? As always, I want to point people to Christ. Like I said earlier, I love a good romance, and describing a tasty, warm kiss and embrace gives me so much satisfaction (Ha!), but it's the emotional, spiritual ride my characters take to reach a level of Christian maturity that truly drives me. I hope my readers will see this and want the same for their own lives.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? As with all of my writing projects, I find myself praying for wisdom and strength on a daily basis. When the "well" is dry it's hard to produce. Writing is a mind-straining, physically and mentally exhausting profession at times. Without the Lord's daily doling of strength and insights, I'd be hard-pressed to complete a manuscript. BUT HE IS FAITHFUL!!! And Hannah Grace, first in my Daughters of Jacob Kane series, marks my seventh published novel. Praise the Lord.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? I have many! I love Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love novel. Fantastic story of boundless, uncompromising, unfathomable love and forgiveness. I enjoy the classics as well as contemporaries. Of course, I love historical romances the most. (Can't help it. I'm a hopeless romantic.) LaVyrle Spencer probably inspired me most to try my hand at writing. Although secular, her stories are full of depth and tender characterization. I love that in a story. I always strive to dig deep with my stories, draw out emotions that will touch my readers' hearts and very core, evoke laughter one moment and tears the next.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: My heart and passion is to write a story that will draw people to a closer relationship with God, BUT without all the preachiness! I don't want to turn people off, yet I also won't apologize for the Gospel. Sometimes it's a fine line for a Christian author to find that balance without compromising.
Come on over to my Website sometime and leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and promise to respond, providing you catch me when I'm not completely swallowed up in deadlines!
