Lynn Austin is a renowned American author, celebrated for her inspirational Christian fiction books. She has an impressive track record of winning several Christy Awards, a prestigious recognition for excellence in Christian fiction. One of her novels, Hidden Places, was even adapted into a movie by the Hallmark Channel.
Born in the United States, Austin's journey to becoming a full-time author was not straightforward. Her desire to write was often sidelined by frequent travels and the demands of her growing family. However, when her husband's work took them to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, Austin utilized her B.A. from Southern Connecticut State University to work as a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved around quite a bit, living in Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. It was during the long Canadian winters, while her children napped, that Austin was able to dedicate time to her dream of writing. She has often shared that this early experience of writing amidst family chaos has helped her maintain productivity while keeping her family as her top priority.
Austin's extended family is also very important to her. A lively discussion with her mother, grandmother, and daughter about the changing roles of women through the generations sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters. Apart from her love for reading, Austin has two lifelong passions: history and archaeology. These interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son even participated in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah in Israel, an experience that contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.
Resigning from teaching in 1992, Austin has since published 27 novels, with eight of her historical novels winning Christy Awards for excellence in Christian Fiction. These include Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003. Austin's novel Hidden Places was made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring Shirley Jones, who received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her role.