Barbara Hinske thought she was done. She just needed a copy edit, she figured.
In her search for a copy editor, her manuscript fell into my hands. I was quickly drawn to a minor, undeveloped character in the novel—a bad guy with a penchant for rescuing dogs.
Weaving in a subplot geared around this multi-faceted character could make a lot of sense, I suggested. It would add tension to her romance novel while playing up the corruption and fraud that had only been hinted at.
Barbara Hinske, at the time an attorney who dreamed of being a writer, agreed to delay the copy edit and, with my help, to revise her draft. The effort proved more worthwhile than either of us could have anticipated. In 2014, when readers wound up rating Coming to Rosemont #4 in women’s fiction, BookBub™ wrote:
In a category that doesn’t often feature felonious crimes as a main plot point, it’s somewhat surprising to see this title … in a list of top performers. But with enough twists and turns to hook any reader’s attention … Coming to Rosemont delivered more than enough firepower to win over our readers!
Eight years after writing that initial manuscript and less than a year after quitting her job as an attorney to write fulltime, Barb has self-published her eighth book. Having cultivated a fan base for both her romance series and a Christmas novella that Hallmark turned into a holiday movie, she wasn’t sure how this murder mystery would be received.
A week after Deadly Parcel was available on Amazon and just a day after the official launch, it had climbed to #18 in the Women’s Detective Fiction category, #23 in Psychological Literary Fiction and #12 in Vigilante Justice. While Amazon rankings rise and fall, in part due to author promotions, reviews are forever. Barb’s put to rest any doubts about whether her fan base would accept one of their favorite authors shifting gears:
“Author Barbara Hinske has penned one of the most superb suspense stories of 2020! This is a story that will have readers turning pages all night long.”
“Barbara Hinske has done it again! Deadly Parcels delivers on intriguing mystery and blooming romance”.
“Well, well, well………… our dear, sweet Ms. Hinske just showed her ability to switch genres with her newest gripping psycho-thriller crime novel. Just enough detail to pull me in and keep turning pages, but not so much that I couldn’t sleep at night, but I did think of Stephen King off and on!”
The story doesn’t end here. Barb just completed a first draft of the seventh book in her Rosemont series. She has another murder mystery, which we worked on a couple of years ago, in the wings. And she’s about to debut what is sure to be her next series. Guiding Emily stars a young woman who loses her sight on her honeymoon as well as an articulate puppy with a fondness for Crunchy Cheetos.
Barbara Hinske is a force to be reckoned with. She’s my inspiration for what is possible on both the book writing and book marketing fronts. I have been honored to participate in the creation of her books. Here’s to many more!
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