Longtime Educator's First Novel Hits Bookshelves

The lives of local author Rosemary Hines and her first novel's main protagonist, Michelle Baron, run nearly parallel.

The differences, however, are what separate the book from being an autobiography—and the author from knowing exactly how her two planned sequels will turn out.

Hines, of Lake Forest, recently self-published her debut novel, Out of a Dream, through Christian book publisher WestBow Press. It's the first in a trilogy that Hines plans to complete in the coming years.

In the novel, Hines mixes elements of romance, suspense and spirituality to tell the tale of a young woman's winding road to Christianity.

While Hines and her main character face similar challenges—a father's suicide, religious uncertainty—"[Michelle] has her own unique ways of working through them," Hines said. "Once [characters] become real, they are going to tell you their story."

She recalls her daughter, now also a Lake Forest resident, once finding her visibly upset at her writing desk as she worked on the novel.

Hines' daughter asked her why she was perturbed; "I can't believe Michelle would do that!" she responded instinctively, frustrated with her character's path. 

Hines describes her own life story, like that of her main character, as a journey of faith. She turned to Christianity at age 30 after the death of her father led her to distance herself from dearly-held New Age philosophies.

She credits her faith for her finished novel, and the two she plans to publish as follow-ups.

"[God] gave me these stories," she said. Hines recalls the morning she woke with the first chapter of Out of a Dream swimming around her head. 

In the next year and a half, the rest of the book came to her in a similar way, though fits and starts.

Never a lifelong aspiration, her writings are the product of a "nudging from God," she said.

Hines says she has already lived out her lifelong dream of teaching, educating students at Orange County schools in English and writing.

Before retiring more than a year ago, she spent 15 years teaching English, first at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa Junior High School then at Ensign Intermediate School in Newport Beach.

During her time at Ensign, she met a student who inspired a character in her third novel.

Hines took the repeat seventh-grade student into her classroom for a week, which soon stretched to 10 weeks, to avoid his impending expulsion. The experience bonded the two and became a learning experience for both teacher and student.

"It was the most difficult 10 weeks of my teaching career but it was a chance to make an impact on someone's life," she said. In her third book, her main character will enter teaching and have a similar experience, Hines shared.

Because of her teaching experience, that novel may be the simplest to write, she mused recently.

"I didn't want [readers] to be focused on me, I wanted them to be focused on the journey ... but you have to write what you know," she said.

Still, her first fiction installment will always hold a special significance for Hines, if only for its cover. The photograph was taken by her son and the woman in the picture is a former student named (appropriately enough) Michelle.

Hines' first book signing is coming up in early December. From 2:30 to 4 p.m. Dec. 3, she will autograph her novel as part of a Christmas boutique event at Calvary Chapel Living Word at 17101 Armstrong Ave. in Irvine.

For more information about Hines and her book series, visit RosemaryHines.com.