I absolutely adore having the opportunity to feature authors on my site, and Barbara Hinske has the honor of being one of the most recent authors to have a Hallmark Christmas movie based on one of her books. Before the movie The Christmas Club premiered this past holiday season, I chatted with Barbara, but I admit that I was so busy throughout the season that I had to wait until now to highlight her. Thankfully, she was patient, and it looks as though 2020 is bound to be another incredible year for her. Therefore, it is my delight to share our recent chat with my readers today!

RH: Barbara, thank you so much for agreeing to chat with me today.

BH: Ruth, it is my pleasure. Thank you for all your support.

It’s great chatting with you now since I got to talk with several from The Christmas Club, including the director,  Jeff Beesley.

That’s great, Ruth!

So what’s the story about how you became a writer, Barbara?

Well, I was an attorney, and I recently quit practicing to focus full-time on writing. I practiced law for many years and did a lot of technical writing. My dad wrote mysteries when he retired, but he never tried to get them published. He left me seventeen manuscripts, and they were pretty darn good. I always enjoyed reading them. He was a storyteller. When I was a child, he told me all sorts of stories, and I always thought I was gonna follow in his footsteps when I retired. I knew that I’d like to write.

In 2010, I was seriously injured in a car accident. I broke my neck, so I was in this neck brace and had double vision for months. Therefore, I couldn’t watch TV, read, work on the computer…all I could really do was be in my mind, and I used that time to think up my first series–my Rosemont series. When I recovered sufficiently so that I could write, I started writing. And so there you are.

Oh my goodness! So you have a whole other life before you started writing. It’s so cool to hear stories like that, and I have heard them often where someone started out with one job, and at some point, they changed their careers, sometimes even when they were forty or fifty. 

You need to have a third act in mind for your life, and not some chunky little third act, but something robust.

Now, I will confess that I have not read any of your books as of yet. But when did you publish your first book?

My first book was published December of 2012.

Oh wow, I notice you have a lot of books on your list that have been published since that time. What style or genre do you consider your books?

My books are a mixture of women’s contemporary fiction and mystery/thriller/suspense, because I always like a little bit of that thrown in. I think my mystery/thriller/suspense would be classified as cozy. I don’t like blood spattered everywhere. I don’t have brains on the wall and all that kind of stuff. I also don’t have a cat that’s a detective or anything like that. They’re not that kind of cozy. But my books are certainly all clean, and I like to think of them as uplifting.

That’s nice to hear. I’ve done a lot of book reviews over the years, and I always prefer books that are clean. 

There’s enough bad stuff out there with horrible violence and vulgar stuff. You don’t have to look very hard to find it, so I don’t think we don’t need more of it.

I also love cozy mysteries, and there are definitely more books in that genre than just cat detective novels. Really, I think the definition of “cozy mysteries” has changed over the years. I’ve read books that were supposed to be cozy mysteries and they had things in them that I wouldn’t consider cozy. So are your books published independently or traditionally?

Primarily, my books are published independently. I’m only traditionally published in audio. Audible purchased the rights to the first five books of my Rosemont series. The sixth one in the series just came out at the end of last year. And Audible also recently purchased the audio rights for The Christmas Club. But in everything else, I’m self-published.

Now I’ve talked to many authors about how their deals with Hallmark came about. How did yours happen?

When I first wrote The Christmas Club, I was part of a women’s fiction author’s group, and we were going to do an anthology of novellas. As these things sometimes happen, I was the only one who actually wrote a novella. And I said I was just gonna go ahead and publish it. So I did. I am a successful indie author, and I’ve learned how to market and sell my books. So I’ve done fine with that.

After the book was published, the reviews kept coming in and they were quite good. The constant theme was that this should be on the Hallmark Channel. This book is a little different because it was set in 1952, not current day. And it wasn’t something that you would necessarily see on Hallmark. But it is just sweet and kind and gentle and good. Just like any author, I’m affirming like crazy. I write in my journal, which I have done literally every day since I published my first book. So I wrote an affirmation in my journal about it becoming a Hallmark movie. In addition to that, I would ask everybody I met, “Do you know anybody at Hallmark?” I just kept pushing my book. I sold my book to Audible through an agent. Now she reps everything, but at the time, she was only doing audiobooks. I asked her if she knew anybody at Hallmark. And she said, “Well, I happen to know Jonathan Eskenas. He’s a friend of mine.” She asked if I wanted her to give him my book. And my response was, “Absolutely!” 

Well, she did. And that’s how the deal came about.  I was on location this summer for a week during filming. We got to sit in video village which is the tent where the directors, producers and scriptwriters sit. I got to sit with the headphones on like I was some big deal. During the break, I remember that Jon said, “Do you wanna know when I knew I wanted to buy this book?” And I was thinking, “Oh my, I hope everybody says ‘yes’ because I sure do.” So he opened the page to my book and read the first two paragraphs aloud and said, “When I got to the end of that second paragraph, I knew.” How about that?! I had a big lump in my throat, and I was blinking hard. And it was quite the thrill.

I just love how this all came about, Barbara. Were you a Hallmark fan before this?

I have certainly always been a Hallmark fan. I wouldn’t watch all the movies because frankly, I was working full-time. And I was writing full-time. You know, there were weeks that would pass when I just didn’t watch any television.

How long did the process take for them to offer you a deal once your agent gave them the book?

It was within a year. I know it took some time, but in movie time, it was very fast. Of course, it didn’t seem fast to me. I kept checking my email every single day to see if I heard anything. But with the benefit of hindsight, I’m like, “Wow, that was fast.”

As far as going to the movie set, was that your first time on a movie set?

Oh yeah, oh yeah!

When you were on set, did you get to meet everyone?

on the set of The Christmas Club

Absolutely! And I’ve talked with them since. And I tell you…these people work fourteen hours a day minimum. It was hot when they were filming, and they had to be all bundled up for the movie. Some of the filming had to take place overnight because it’s in Canada, and it doesn’t get dark till ten o’clock at night during the summer. So people were tired, and by any normal account, they should have been cranky. I’m generally cranky if I don’t get enough sleep. But these people weren’t. I didn’t hear one cross word between any cast member, any crew member, nothing! It was absolutely remarkable!

Jon is the executive producer, and his nickname is Sugar Bear. And boy, he is a sugar bear. From the top down, everyone was kind and helpful and respectful. It was so nice to be a part of that. Cameron Mathison, who we now know had cancer when he was there, was so engaging with everyone. I had a headset on. I could hear them talk when they weren’t filming. He was so engaging with the child actors because they were getting hot and tired and cranky and their energy was running low. He would ask them things and do fun little things with them to keep them involved. It was remarkably sweet. Elizabeth Mitchell…I overheard her having a conversation with a little girl who was an extra. The little girl was scared, and Elizabeth was so kind and engaging and encouraging to this little girl. I cannot say enough about the character of the people who were working on this movie. I think it’s got to translate from the page and onto the screen.

with Cameron

I know when books are made into movies, there are always changes that are made. Hallmark is known for sometimes making lots of changes. So coming from an author’s perspective, what did you think about the changes they made?

The book and movie are very different. My book was set in 1952 and has a whole lot of little subplots. The movie is set in the current day. But I think they did a glorious job with the adaptation. I could not be more pleased. Julie Sherman Wolfe is a genius writer. I hope I’m fortunate enough to meet her someday and thank her in person for the wonderful job she did of writing this movie and adapting it from my book. She did a beautiful job.

At the heart of my story is the theme of doing kind things for people in nice ways. Sort of random acts of kindness and pay it forward. Those themes are kept and portrayed in the movie, which I think is lovely. And Julie put in a little twist and turn that Jon took and added to that I wish I had thought of. While I was waiting for everyone to see the movie, I made sure my lips were sealed because I’m not a good secret keeper. But I made sure not to tell anyone about that twist, and if you want to see what I mean, be sure to read the book for yourself and compare the two. I really looked for people to be pleased, and I certainly was. Both the movie and the book are worthy, and I encourage everyone to read the book and see the film.

on set of The Christmas Club

That’s exactly what I am thinking. Even if people have seen the movie, hopefully, it piqued their interest enough that they might consider looking up the book and reading it too. Because as we know, people will get a different perspective when they read the book as opposed to watching the movie. 

I invite people to do that. I don’t think people will be sorry if they’ve done either one.

Now, I can only imagine, but it’s got to be the coolest thing in the world to have your book turned into a movie. And then to have it made into a movie by a network that you can trust and that makes good quality movies.

Oh, yes it was an absolute thrill to sit there in video village and hear the actors saying lines that I wrote. My husband was there with me, and he cried more than I did. He’s not a tearful kind of guy, but he got way more emotional than I did. It was quite an experience.

You know, when I talked to Jeff, the director, he mentioned you. He said how he thought it was wonderful you had been there for a week and that you were sitting there right along with everybody else. He thought it was great that you were able to come up for that much time. And he thought it was really great that you were there even for the night shoots. 

That’s so nice to hear. I mean, of course, they’re gonna be nice and polite to you when you’re there, but you always wonder if they’re thinking, “My gosh, these people are in the way!” So I’m glad to hear this.

Jeff

Well, I didn’t prompt him to say it. He offered that information to me. And that tells me it was genuine. Not all screenwriters or authors come to set. I know there are a variety of reasons why they don’t, and sometimes it’s just logistics. I know Julie was very happy with how things turned out, and her biggest concern was that you would be pleased with the way it all turned out.

I will say again, Julie is perfect. I was very pleased.

I was able to pass on those words to her, and I know that made her happy. So, The Christmas Club premiered the week of Thanksgiving, if I remember right. I think it was pretty well-received because it’s Hallmark, Cameron Mathison, Christmas…I really enjoyed it. 

Can I tell you a fun fact about why Elizabeth was in the movie?

Sure.

Cameron Mathison, Elizabeth Mitchell Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

What she told me was this. Her mother read the book, and she said that her mother never does that. So her mom called her up and said, “Elizabeth, find out if someone has bought the screen rights to this book and if they’re making a movie, and if they are, I want you in it.”

Oh my goodness, how cool is that!

I think it was just great that her mother was so insistent on this point, and isn’t it great to have a daughter who does what we want them to? Mothers unite! And speaking of Cameron and Elizabeth, they have phenomenal chemistry. It is just so special to watch.

I knew they would even before I saw the movie. And it was amazing to watch both of them on the screen. 

Well, let me tell you another little surprise from the movie. I think I’ve shared this, but for the benefit of your readers…During the bakery scene in the movie–which was a really cute, charming bakery that thank God! I don’t live anywhere near because that would be a disaster! One of the assistant directors said to me, “Do you want to be in this movie? Do you want to have a part?” I was like, “Well, yeah.” So off I went to wardrobe. The movie was filmed in Canada, and I’m not Canadian. They were going to give me a line, but they couldn’t because of that. But nonetheless, if you remember the scene, I’m sitting at a table with Gabrielle Rose, who is one of the main actresses, and I’m sitting there eating cheesecake with her. So I actually got paid to eat cheesecake and be in this movie.

with Gabrielle and Elizabeth on set of The Christmas Club

That’s so great, Barbara. I’ve heard that from other writers and screenwriters who visit the set when they’re filming. And I did notice you in the movie, as I’m sure many other viewers did.

It was a great experience for me.

So you recently had another book released. 

Yes, the sixth book in my Rosemont series was released in the fall of last year. But if I could, I would love to say just a little about my next project.

Yes, of course. 

Back in December, I just finished writing this book, and it will be out this year. It’s called Guiding Emily: A Tale Of Love, Loss, and Courage. It’s a love story between Garth, the guide dog and Emily Main, a twenty-something-year-old woman who loses her eyesight on her honeymoon. It’s her journey towards Garth and Garth’s journey towards her. I am donating half of my proceeds to the Foundation For Blind Children. This foundation has been very helpful to me in my research. I’ve taken white cane training so I could write about that realistically. I’ve been able to spend three days on the campus of guide dogs for the blind in California. I got to see how guide dogs were trained and how people learn to work with guide dogs. I’ve had an amazing experience getting the research done for the book. I wrote the book in two months after I came home from Winnipeg. And this year, 2020, is a big year for eye organizations. Most are planning marketing around the whole 20/20 idea.

Oh, yeah, I didn’t even think about that! 

I really think Guiding Emily is the best thing I’ve written. It has a great big heart and a great big mission. The Foundation For Blind Children likes to say that their oldest child is 104 years old. They service everyone.

That’s amazing! That sounds just like the kind of book that would interest me. I love books where the author has done research like you are mentioning. So I’m excited to read this one. 

White Cane Research

I really want to raise money for this foundation. I am doing everything just like I did with The Christmas Club. I am telling everybody about it and asking, “Do you know anybody at Hallmark?” I think this would be another book that would be an excellent fit for the network.

That’s the way to do it, Barbara. And that would be awesome if Hallmark took an interest in it. What I really appreciate about you, Barbara, is that you are willing to put the work in to accomplish your goals and dreams. Not everyone does that. 

That’s very true. Things don’t just usually happen without putting the work in. All of this starts in your bathrobe at the kitchen table at four in the morning where you’re working for two hours before you finally shower and get out the door for your day job. And then you have to deal with your internet going out. And your phone and printer not working. There are lots of tears and frustration along the way. But you just have to power through and make it happen!

I can totally relate! I know so many people who see what I’m doing, for example, and they want to have all the benefits without any of the work to get there. I can imagine how people look at what you’ve done…your book is a Hallmark movie! 

Yeah, a lot of it was just figuring it out as I went along. When I first self-published this book, I was just supposed to be writing a novella and contributing it to an anthology. But since I was the only one who did, I decided to go ahead and publish it. So then I wondered if I could get enough reviews that will get it on Amazon’s algorithms. I noticed that Debbie Macomber always does a Christmas book, and I think she publishes it on the first Tuesday of November. We know people will actually go to Amazon and search for her books. So I thought that maybe I could get enough reviews and spend enough money for an Amazon ad that might interest some of the people searching for her books. Well, as it turned out, that first week my book was on Amazon, it sold ten thousand copies. Because I was only on Amazon, it didn’t get me on any bestseller list. But that opportunity was a lucky break for me because someone had spent a lot of time in the trenches learning how to do this. They knew how to make the Amazon ads work.

That is so great to hear, Barbara. So, do you have anything else coming up beside this book you mentioned?

Yes, I also have two murder mysteries coming out before this summer–Final Circuit and Deadly Parcel. So definitely keep your eyes open for those as well.

You can bet I will! Thank you so much for taking the time to share with me today, Barbara. I look forward to everything coming your way this year. And congratulations on your first Hallmark Christmas movie. May this be the first of many!

Thank you, Ruth, and thank you to the Hallmark fans and everyone connected with this movie. I really appreciate all the support!

with her husband on their wedding day

Barbara is an authentic testament to the fact that anything is possible if you’re willing to invest the time and resources to accomplish it. Barbara never gave up on her dreams of becoming a writer, and now, not only is she a best-selling author, but there exists a Hallmark movie based on one of those books. In addition to this, she has had the unbelievable experience of visiting a Hallmark movie set, watching the actors and crew in action for a week, AND even being in that particular Hallmark movie herself! No matter what one may think, this is an honor that only comes to a handful of people in this world, and how incredible it is that Barbara now joins the ranks of those who have enjoyed such an adventure. Going on from this amazing Christmas celebration, I am glad to see that Barbara is not resting on her laurels, and I can hardly wait to see what this year and beyond brings to this spectacular woman.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to watch The Christmas Club, be sure to keep watching for it to be replayed one of these Fridays (fingers crossed that happens soon) or at least during Christmas In July. However, you don’t have to wait to read the book which inspired this glittering Christmas treat. You can read The Christmas Club and all of Barbara’s books that have been published thus far by clicking on her links below. Additionally, be sure to follow her on one of her social media accounts so that you don’t miss her upcoming and soon-to-be-published works. Moreover, you never know when another Hallmark movie may be announced that is based on one of these outstanding books, and imagine being one of the first to be aware of such news. Furthermore, the fact that Barbara is very active with her fans and followers is a testament to who she is as a person and as a professional. In keeping with the values of Barbara’s Christmas story, I hope that everyone tells her just how much they love and appreciate her today, and I’m immensely grateful that she is a part of my circle of friends now because of Hallmark!

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