I was recently honored to have a chat with author, Barbara Hinske, whose highly regarded novel, The Christmas Club, has been made into a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie starring Elizabeth Mitchell and Cameron Mathison!
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| images: Barbara Hinske / Crown Media Family Networks |
It was such a joy to connect with Barbara and get her insights into her uplifting story and the whole movie-making process! I hope you will enjoy our interview below and the movie, The Christmas Club, when it airs Wednesday, November 27th, during Hallmark Channel's special Thanksgiving Week of new Christmas movie premieres!
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INTERVIEW
AUTHOR
BARBARA HINSKE
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| The Christmas Club by Barbara Hinske |
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Welcome, Barbara, to "It’s a Wonderful Movie" – where we talk about Family-Friendly & Faith-Based Movies on TV! First of all, congratulations on your book The Christmas Club becoming a Hallmark Channel movie! Yay! I’m sure you are elated.
What was your reaction when you first learned that Hallmark wanted to develop The Christmas Club into a movie?
Barbara Hinske: I had hoped and dreamed -- I'd even written an affirmation about it in my daily journal -- that my book would be made into a Hallmark movie, so I was overjoyed. This is truly a dream come true!
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| image: Crown Media Family Networks |
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Please share with us the storyline and your inspiration for writing this story? How does faith play a role in this movie?
Barbara Hinske: The core theme of my story came from a sermon I heard in church over thirty years ago. The pastor's message stayed with me all these years. The story is about two strangers who come to the aide of an elderly woman who slips on the ice and sees her Christmas Club savings blow away. They help her to her feet and back into the bank, telling her that they are going to go look for her money. Her cash is long gone -- of course -- but they replace it with cash from their own wallets. They tell her, however, that they found the money. She is grateful to them for finding the money but doesn't feel like she is a charity case. Her pride and dignity remain intact. The man and woman have done a kind thing in a nice way. Meanwhile, the lost money is found by people who do kind things with it--a "Pay it Forward" theme.
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Awe – I love this heartwarming story concept. You already have me intrigued, wondering what might happen next!
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| Cameron Mathison and Barbara Hinske on-the-set of The Christmas Club -image: Barbara Hinske |
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: From all the promos and behind-the-scenes coverage I’ve seen, Cameron Mathison and Elizabeth Mitchell look absolutely wonderful together in this movie. Please share with us what it was like to visit the set of “The Christmas Club” during filming and meet this special cast?
Barbara Hinske: Being on location during filming was such a privilege and is an experience I'll never forget. The cast and crew work incredibly long days and I never heard one cross word from anyone. Kindness and civility was everywhere. Cameron and Elizabeth were extremely kind to everyone and made extraordinary efforts to encourage and engage the child actors. It was inspiring to watch them in action and it touched my heart.
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| image: Crown Media Family Networks |
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Where was “The Christmas Club” filmed? Was there real snow, fake snow, or no snow on set?
Barbara Hinske: It filmed in Winnipeg in July, so the "snow" is movie magic!
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| Author Barbara Hinske on-the-set of The Christmas Club -image: Barbara Hinske |
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Does your writing reflect some of your own personal experiences? Since “The Christmas Club” centers around giving and unexpected gifts, have you ever experienced a pay-it-forward moment in your own life?
Barbara Hinske: I was on vacation in New York City and my daughter and I were window shopping on Fifth Avenue. I don't know how this happened because I'm very careful with my purse, but my credit card fell out of my purse and onto the street without my noticing it. A young man inside one of the stores witnessed this and ran out of the store, picked up my card, and chased me down the street to give it back to me. Wow!!
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Oh my, that is an amazing story! It’s always encouraging to know there are good people in this world, willing to go the extra mile to do the right thing. God bless that young man for his incredible act of kindness.
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| image: Crown Media Family Networks |
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Since this is your first book turned into a Christmas movie, I must ask, what are some of your own personal all-time favorite Christmas movies?
Barbara Hinske: Oh my -- I love Christmas movies! All of the Hallmark ones, of course, and It's a Wonderful Life. The Holiday, too.
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: “It’s a Wonderful Life” is my favorite, too… hence the name of my web-site, “It’s a Wonderful Movie!” I think it’s one of those special films that carries on and touches generation after generation.
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Please share with us some of your other popular book titles. Do you have any future books or potential movie projects you can share with us?
Barbara Hinske: I've written the Rosemont series of novels: Coming to Rosemont is the first in this women's contemporary fiction/mystery thriller suspense series, with Shelving Doubts, the sixth book, having just been released in October. I'll publish Guiding Emily, a love story about a guide dog and his blind handler, early in 2020. I'm particularly excited about Guiding Emily because half of my proceeds will go to the Foundation for Blind Children.
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Oh my… that is such a beautiful, precious gift, Barbara. I hope this encourages many to purchase your new book next year! What a thoughtful, generous thing to do! God Bless You!
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Do you meet your readers at book signings, conventions, or similar events?
Barbara Hinske: I've been blessed to meet a number of my readers at book signings, book clubs, and speaking engagements where I've talked about my author journey. I'm going to be doing a series of Afternoon Teas with the Author in November at Arcadia Farms in Scottsdale, Arizona. I also interact with readers on my Facebook page and in the private Facebook group -- Rosemont -- that I host.
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| Author Barbara Hinske with Elizabeth Mitchell and Gabrielle Rose on-the-set of The Christmas Club -image: Barbara Hinske |
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: What was your favorite part of this whole movie-making experience?
Barbara Hinske: Being in Winnipeg with this extraordinary cast and crew was an experience of a lifetime. I'm also loving all the wonderful response I'm receiving from my readers.
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| Author Barbara Hinske on-the-set of The Christmas Club -image: Barbara Hinske |
Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: What do you hope viewers will take away from watching “The Christmas Club” during Hallmark Channel’s 10th Anniversary of Countdown to Christmas?
Barbara Hinske: This book and movie contain the powerful message that small acts of kindness can change someone's day. When you change someone's day, you can change someone's life and when you change a life, you change our world. Never underestimate the power of kindness.
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| image: Crown Media Family Networks |
Thank you so much, Barbara, for reaching out to do this interview with me. I pray your movie touches the lives of many this Christmas, and motivates those who watch it - to do little and big acts of kindness throughout the Holiday season and beyond!
The fact this story idea first began in your mind from a sermon you heard at church, truly warms my heart and stirs my spirit. I am truly grateful to have had this opportunity to chat with you and share this inspiring film based upon your novel.
I hope all of my followers here enjoyed reading this interview and will look for The Christmas Club when it premieres on the Hallmark Channel and enjoy encore airings throughout December!
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| image: Crown Media Family Networks |
See the premiere of
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel
Joyous Christmas Blessings! Net
