Hesitant Heroes

Sharon René and I have been critiquing each other’s work since 2017 when we helped found the ACFW YA 209 Critique Group. Hesitant Heroes is her third published novel after A Flash of Romance in 2017 and A Mixed Bag of God’s Grace in 2018. While the first two were already in the publishing process by the time I met Sharon, I’m delighted that I had input on Hesitant Heroes and the next two novels in the Divine Destiny series: Relentless Rebels and Defying Destiny. It’s a high-adventure series for older teens that’s a perfect blend of political thriller, romance, and fantasy overlaid with a solid Christian message. It took awhile, but I finally nailed an interview with this super busy writer. Read on to learn more about how her vivid imagination weaves a tale.

Jill: What inspired you to write teen fiction and this series in particular?

Sharon: I read The Hunger Games trilogy years ago and got hooked on young adult, especially the speculative genre. As I read more and more young adult books, I realized that the market needed more clean/Christian books for young people. I wanted to write a dystopian type book with a spirit of hope. In Hesitant Heroes, the teens go through many difficulties, but they still have hope because of their faith in God.

Jill: I love the cover of your book. Could you tell us how the image came together?

Sharon: I love the cover too. I wasn’t sure what Anaiah Press had in mind, but I was able to give suggestions. In Hesitant Heroes, the government is represented by a snow leopard. The teens attend a government school for gifted students and are put on a team called Team Seven. The government is all powerful. I really like the way the snow leopard image is superimposed over the school.

Jill: Are any of your characters based on people you know? if so, which ones?

Sharon: None of the characters are based on any one individual but I do take character traits from people I know.  I think all writers do. The main character, Jordan, has a lot of my character traits. She’s a little klutzy and lacks self-confidence. She also takes a lot of guilt trips which I definitely do. But she’s a computer whiz, and I can barely turn on a computer.

Jill: The names of your characters fit them so well. How did you select these names?

Sharon: I have always loved the name Jordan, so I easily picked that for my main character. For Hannie’s character I wanted a name that sounded strong and was biblically based. Hannah came to mind, and it felt just right when I shortened it to Hannie.

My cast is diverse, so I tried to find some great foreign or unusual names. I wanted a Spanish name that isn’t overused in media, and I chose Rafael. I struggled to find the right names for the characters from Africa and the Pacific Islands. I work in a legal department, so I see tons of documents, and one day I came across the name Timberlyn. I knew that was perfect for my African character. I was flipping through a magazine one day and saw the name Malese. As for Sierra Stone . . . I was in the cafeteria at work and saw the display for Sierra soft drinks. Inspiration can hit anywhere! 

Jill: How do you plan your settings? Have you ever been to Venezuela?

Sharon: In Hesitant Heroes, the European Collective is the most powerful, so I knew the school needed to be in Europe. I wanted to show that beautiful antique buildings had survived the recent wars and devastation, so I put the school in the Alps and imagined the beauty of Switzerland.

I have been blessed to make two mission trips to Venezuela. It’s a beautiful country and the people are wonderful. That was why I made Rafael a Venezuelan. Describing Venezuela was one of my favorite parts of writing the book. I could vividly see the country and it came out on the page.

Jill: You’re not afraid to quote scripture in your story. “God’s strength is made perfect in weakness” and “ . . . for such a time as this” are ones that come to mind. How do you select these scriptures?

Sharon: “For such a time as this” came to me as soon as I started writing Hesitant Heroes. In the book of Esther, Esther is made queen of a pagan country so she can deliver God’s people. God put her in the right place at the right time. In my book, Jordan believes that God put her and Team Seven at their campus at just the right time to save the missing students and stop an assassination.

“God’s strength is made perfect in weakness” is one of my life verses. I have clung to this verse for years because I struggle with fear and low self-confidence. I knew this verse would be important to Team Seven too.

Jill: There are many intriguing storylines in this book. How would you describe the main theme?

Sharon: I think that “for such a time as this” is the main theme. There’s also a theme of teamwork and appreciating everyone’s talents and abilities. I believe that God places each of us in a certain family, city, country, and time period so we can honor and serve Him. That is the main theme of Hesitant Heroes.

Jill: Do you think this story could actually come true one day?

Sharon: According to the Bible the world is going to get worse and worse until Jesus returns. I do believe there will be more controlling governments and more world problems. I know God has a plan for the world and that’s what’s going to happen.

Jill: Can you tell me more about the rest of the series?

Sharon: Yes. The adult characters are more involved in the second book, Relentless Rebels, which is currently scheduled to launch in March 2022. While writing it I thought, “wow, these people had a really exciting youth, so why not write a prequel and tell their story?” The third book is called Defying Destiny. I’m not sure when Anaiah will publish it. This is also a prequel. In Defying Destiny, the reader will learn more about Sierra and Cimmaron as well as the villains, Hunter and River Wallis when they were young.

Jill: How can readers learn more about you and your stories?

Sharon: Please visit my website at www.sharonreneauthor.com. I am adding a blog to the site and plan to start blogging in December.

Jill: So, Sharon… let’s play a quick game to get to know you better. I’m going to ask you either/or questions, and I’d like you to pop out the answers. Here goes…

Coffee or Tea? Flavored coffee
Introvert or extrovert? Introvert
Summer or winter? Summer
Lakefront or oceanfront property? Oceanfront
Mountain or city view? Mountain
Meat & potatoes, or veggies & tofu? Meat & Potatoes
Paperback or ebook or audiobook? Paperback, but I love Kindle too
Favorite color? Red
Favorite animal? Cat
Ideal vacation destination? Hawaii
Ideal home décor? Casual
Favorite hobby(ies)? Reading, writing
Favorite movie? Oh, gosh, I love too many to make a decision.
Favorite Saturday attire? Jeans and T-shirt
Favorite Christmas or birthday present to date?  I loved them all.

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