Living in the Pink Blog Tour with Sharon Tubbs

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SHARON TUBBS is a Christian who loves to write. She has worked professionally as a journalist since 1995 and has reported and written about various news topics, from local government issues to race relations to national religious events. Currently, she is a community news editor for a major newspaper in Florida.

Her passion is writing about God’s love and His vision for believers. She confessed Christ as her Lord and Savior in 1995, shortly after graduating from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and moving away from her home state to jumpstart a journalism career in suburban New Jersey. Hundreds of miles away from the security of home, she realized that God was the source of true peace, contentment, and most importantly eternal life. Since moving to Florida in 1996, she has used church leadership activities and other venues to encourage women in the Tampa Bay area to write poetry, devotionals, and books with Christian themes. She has also sponsored a “small group” home Bible study affiliated with Grace Family Church in Lutz, Florida, where she has been a member since January 2008. She feels blessed to learn from other women, while helping to facilitate their growth, as well.


The Living in the Pink project originated when Sharon wrote a version of the first story, Revelation, for a writing contest. She didn’t plan to create a series at the time. In fact, that story stayed tucked away in the annals of her computer for years before she looked at it again. The second go-round, she saw potential for something more and began to develop the central character “Sister Pinky,” using humor and real-life situations to touch others in a down-to-earth way. In 2009, the project was launched online at LivingInThePink.com as a monthly short story series and newsletter with themes inspired by struggles that many women face.


In the spring of 2010, Sharon finalized a deal with Moody Publishers to expand the Living in the Pink project. That same year, she also contracted with See Media, a Christian company that publishes 30-day devotionals for woman. Both the Living in the Pink project and Sharon’s devotional for See Media are scheduled for release in April 2011.




ABOUT THE BOOK

Living in the Pink is a series of humorous and insightful short stories with Christian underpinnings. Through the eyes of the wise “Sister Pinky” and Believers Ministries International Church, these stories highlight issues that women grapple with but that often remain unspoken in religious circles. The characters are everyday wives, mothers, and singles. They develop and gain a spiritual perspective in dealing with romantic relationships, wayward children, jealousy, church traditions, Christian hypocrisy, and self-righteous judgment, among other themes.


Discussion questions help readers connect with the storylines and urge them to look within—and up—to reach their highest potential in life.


1. The reason for the book

Living in the Pink is a collection of humorous and insightful short stories that explore temptations that lead women to straddle the fence on their spiritual journeys. My characters, for example, wrestle with issues such as adulterous relationships, drug-addicted children, church gossip, and jealousy. In short, they’re “living in the pink.” What does that mean? It’s simply the stage where so many women get stuck between what the Bible calls that “scarlet stain of sin” and striving to become pure or “white as snow.”  They say they believe in God, but only enough to call themselves “spiritual” without having to make significant changes in their lives… They want to believe, just not too much.

2. What did you learn while writing this book?

It’s funny, but I learned that I, too, am living in the pink in a few areas of my life. Indeed, since none of us is perfect, we all struggle in some ways to live, think, and behave how God wants us to.

3. What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

Too often, we as women complain and feel sorry for ourselves, blaming other people and our circumstances for life’s disappointments. None of that gets us anywhere. We’re still in the same ol’ place, doing the same thing, and feeling the same way. I know, because I’ve been there. My hope is that the Living in the Pink project inspires women to look within to find how we can improve and ultimately be victorious, despite our circumstances. To that end, discussion questions at the end of each story inspire self-reflection. Also, the website (www.LivingInThePink.com), devotionals, and a fun PinkyMeter quiz are designed to help women gauge whether they are actually “in the pink,” or rather at “code red” or “pearly gate” status.

4. Will there be another installment?

I’m not sure at this point, but it’s certainly being considered.

5. What are you working on currently?

By trade, I’m a newspaper journalist in Florida. Aside from that, I’m working on spreading the word about Living in the Pink while juggling a few other ideas.

6. Paint a picture of your working space

Generally speaking, my most productive work space is a Panera Bread not far from my home. I tend to work best in the midst of background noise but without the luxury of being able to get up and turn on the TV or my cell phone. Sometimes, however, I do find a groove at home, inside a spare bedroom that I turned into my office. In the interest of full disclosure, I admit that the office is routinely cluttered with papers, files, and books scattered on either side my computer, a futon, and, sadly, the floor.

Purchase the Book Online at:

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Living-Pink-Sharon-Tubbs/dp/0802416500/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303349363&sr=8-1


BarnesandNoble.com
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Living-in-the-Pink/Sharon-Tubbs/e/9780802416506/?itm=1


BooksaMillion.com
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Living-Pink/Sharon-Tubbs/9780802416506?id=4715246323067

Book Review

Date:                       4/25/11

Title:                       Living in the Pink

Author:                   Sharon Tubbs

ISBN 10:                  

ISBN 13:                  978-0-8024-1650-6

ASIN:

OTHER:                    

Pages:                     259

Publisher:                Moody

Cover:                     Paperback/ARC

Reviewer:               Yolanda M. Johnson-Bryant – Literary Wonders!  

Rating:                    5 Stars

In Living in the Pink by author Sharon Tubbs, Laura Pinkston, aka Sister Pinky appears in a handful of short stories, offering wisdom and a lesson learned in each.

Sister Pinky has been married to her husband for a little over five years, but in her seasoned insight, she will be the first to admit to have lived in the pink. She uses her experiences and knowledge to help those whose paths she crosses.

Sister Pinky is a mother of the church, if you will, who knows all and sees all. She is an angel of intervention for those who choose to take on toxic, unfulfilling relationships to those who have trouble letting go and letting God when it comes to their troubled children.

I love author Sharon Tubbs unique approach to this novel. At the end of each story, the reader will find a “Think About It” section with a list of though provoking questions accompanied with biblical reference.

To fully understand what Living in the Pink means, you must read this refreshing “reference novel.”

You’ve just experience another Literary Wonders! 5 Star Review - Vid-review to follow!

Video Trailer

Podcast - About the Book

For More Information

Visit the author online at http://godsdevinedesign.com/ or Read an Excerpt.