Scavenger Hunt Giveaways

Well, the Scavenger Hunt is now over, and a great time was had by all. Thanks to everyone who participated! The winner of my drawing for a pair of sterling silver cloisonné earrings and a signed copy of The Amish Quilter is...

JENNY EVERETT

Congrats, Jenny! And thanks for playing!

In case you haven't heard, the winners of the Scavenger Hunt's Grand Prizes are...

Linda V.

Doris L.

Brenda H.

You can see the list of prizes they won here.

GIVEAWAYS GALORE

But even if you didn't win, take heart. I love doing giveaways and almost always have at least one happening on my blog, website, or Facebook page. Right now, visit the home page of my website and look for the GIVEAWAY box, where you can enter to win a free copy of The House That Cleans Itself.

FUN FREE STUFF

Speaking of giving things away, did you know that you can order "promo freebies" from my website? I've got all sorts of items available—postcards, bookmarks, pens, keychains, and much more—which I'm happy to provide, free of charge, to help you spread the word about my books. To order, simply visit the "Extras" page of my website, or click here to fill out a request form.

Or, if you'd just like a free list of all of my books, visit the "Books" page of my website for a downloadable booklist or click here to request the newly designed printed version, which doubles as an oversized bookmark.

I hope you'll take advantage of these offers and that you'll come back each week for new posts about reading, writing, books, and more–including other, upcoming giveaways!

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #29

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all 30 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

• The hunt BEGINS on March 1st at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.

 • Hunt through our loop using Chrome, Safari, or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer). 

• There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, March 4th, at midnight MST). So take your time, reading the unique posts. Our hope is that you'll discover new authors/new books along the way. 

• Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at Stop #30. Most authors are offering additional prizes of their own, so be sure to sign up for those as well, as you are working your way through the various stops.

• If you get lost along the way, you can find the list of all stops, in order, here.

My Guest for the Hunt

I'm honored to host Lisa T. Bergren, who is as beloved by other authors as she is by her readers. Here's a bit about her latest release, Keturah:



Keturah is the eldest of three, the widow of an English Lord, and the one responsible for saving the Bannings' estate in England… as well as their ailing plantation in the Caribbean. Forced to make a hard decision, Keturah and her sisters sail to Nevis…and find more than their share of trouble…as well as the first stirrings of love.

Take it away, Lisa!

Five Things You Might Not Know About the West Indies & Nevis - Q&A with Lisa T. Bergren

#1 Where are the West Indies?
It’s an old name for what we basically refer to as the Caribbean. It incorporates Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola (Haiti and the DR), and many islands between Antigua and Trinidad, including the island where KETURAH is set, Nevis.

THEPALMER, iStock Photo

#2 Why are the West Indies called "the West Indies?"
Columbus thought he’d finally found Asia, so he called it the Indies. Spain, when they discovered his mistake, renamed it the West Indies, to differentiate them from the East Indies, the Spice Islands of the Pacific (Indonesia).


#3 Who discovered the islands?
Well, there were natives on the islands for centuries, who were either enslaved or died of diseases that newcomers brought with them. It is thought that Columbus first set foot on the Bahamian islands, and Spain soon laid claim to all the biggest islands. The Dutch, French and English were the first to come and “settle” on other islands, bringing with them the sugar trade (via Brazil) in the mid-17^th century. In short order, those who had been raising tobacco and rice realized that sugar was the more valuable crop, and land became a hot commodity…and countries began to vie for the islands that were making men millionaires.


#4 What are "absentee owners?"
While today we think of the Caribbean islands as paradise, people of the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries would not have likely agreed. The islands were a hotbed for disease, routinely wiping out thousands with yellow fever and malaria—some say 3 out of 5 white people died within three years of arrival (African slaves were more resistant to the tropical diseases but suffered and died too). There were also hurricanes, droughts, mudslides, and earthquakes. So many wealthy sugar plantation owners established themselves and then left their plantations in the hands of overseers, so they could return to the comforts of home in England or France.


#5 What is Nevis's claim to fame?

The island on which KETURAH is set was once (17^th century) the greatest sugar producer of all, and called “Queen of the Caribees.” By the time my novel takes place, others have surpassed her. But later it was the island on which Alexander Hamilton was born—the USA’s first Secretary of the Treasury, Founding Father (and subject of Broadway’s #1 musical).

Lisa T. Bergren is the author of over 50 books in many different genres, that have sold more than 3 million copies combined. She lives in Colorado with her family, but spends most of her time planning her next trip abroad. For more info, see LisaTBergren.com



Mindy's note:  If you're a reader of my blog or Facebook, you'll know I'm a HUGE Hamilton fan and even won the Hamilton Lottery, which you can read more about here. Thanks for sharing, Lisa. Fascinating!

Here’s the Stop #29 Skinny: 

You can order Lisa's book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, or at your local bookstore! 

Clue to Write Down: a joy!

Link to Stop #30, the Next Stop on the Loop

But wait–before you go, as a fun addition to the scavenger hunt, I’m hosting my own giveaway! Enter to win an autographed copy of The Amish Quilter and a pair of sterling silver “quilt” cloisonné enamel earrings!

To enter:

            1) Like me on Facebook 


            2) Click on the button below and complete the entry form. 

Deadline to enter is 11:59 pm ET on March 4, 2018. Drawing will be held and the winner announced March 5, 2018. Please note that the earrings will be sent in March, after the winner is announced, but the book will be sent separately in May, once it has been released. 

Thanks for participating, and best wishes on completing the Scavenger Hunt!

Now that you're one stop from the end, I'd love to hear in a comment below, have you enjoyed the Hunt? What was your favorite part?

Get Ready for Next Week's Scavenger Hunt!

Mark your calendars, because the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt is back!

From March 1–4, you're invited to visit the blogs of 29 Christian fiction authors and write down a word clue from each. Once you've gone through all 29 blogs, you'll use the clues you've collected to enter a drawing for one of the following prizes...

     Grand Prize: All 29 books shown below plus a $250 Amazon Gift Card
     2nd Prize: All 29 books shown below plus a $75 Amazon Gift Card

     3rd Prize: All 29 books shown below plus a $50 Amazon Gift Card

     4th Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card

     5th Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card

There will be more info once the hunt starts, but for now here's what you need to know:

• The hunt BEGINS on March 1st at noon MST.
• The first stop is at the website/blog of author Lisa Tawn Bergren.
• You can work your way through the hunt all in one sitting, or do it off and on throughout the weekend. 
• The hunt ENDS on Sunday, March 4th, at midnight MST, so you must have finished the entire hunt and entered all drawings by then.
• Along the way, you'll read fascinating blog posts from some of your favorite authors, most of whom will be doing their own giveaways too—so that's a lot of chances to win!

EXTRA PRIZE

Whether or not you participate in the hunt, be sure to come back here to my blog during that time period to enter the giveaway that I'll be running myself. Here's a hint, the winner will receive a free autographed book and a very special accessory...

See you next week!

A CFSH Redux: A Southern Belle

If you participated in the recent online Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt, then you saw my post that was hosted by Ann Gabhart. I think it was a fun one, so for those who missed it, I’ve decided to re-post it here today. Enjoy!

What is my dog, Belle, doing, and why is she dressed like this? Keep reading to find out!

A SOUTHERN BELLE

Just because my latest book is a serious work of fiction doesn’t mean I can’t get a little silly now and then when sharing it with others. “Silly” is definitely the word for this video—though I’m hoping you’ll have as much fun watching it as I did making it!

The Story

A bit of background on the novel first… 

• My Daughter's Legacy, co-written with Leslie Gould, is the third and final book in our Cousins of the Dove series.

• The novel features two heroines living in two different eras—one in the Civil War south of 1864 and one in the modern day—and their stories intertwine in unique and important ways.

• The heroine of the historical portion is Therese Jennings, a brave young woman who takes a stand against slavery despite the cost. When her widowed mother inherits a plantation, Therese flees to Civil War Richmond, where she works as a governess by day and tends to wounded soldiers at night.

• The heroine of the modern day portion is Therese’s great-great-great-granddaughter, Nicole Talbot, who is ready to take a stand of her own. After years of substance abuse, she’s finally gotten her life back on track. But now she needs to share a shocking secret, one that will cast doubt on her family's legacy and jeopardize all that she's gained.

The Movie

• The minute-and-a-half film, below, presents a reenactment of a brief excerpt from the historical portion of the story.

• Like I said, it’s pretty silly—and it doesn’t reflect the tone of the tale, which is far more dignified, I promise—but it is a lot of fun. The star of the movie is my dog, Belle, who plays the roles of both Therese and Mother. 

Therese

Mother

• As you watch, bear in mind that no animals were harmed in the making of this film. If you follow me on Facebook, where Belle is featured every Friday, you’ll know she’s a Therapy Dog and loves any activities—with or without costumes—that put her at the center of attention. (Watching the video, you can actually see how relaxed she is.) My daughter Emily was her “handler” throughout filming, and the only possible negative ramification from that process was that Belle may have earned a few too many dog treats for her good behavior. J 

So, drum roll please, with all of the above in mind, I hope you enjoy Belle’s reenactment of a brief scene from the historical portion of My Daughter's Legacy…

To see more of Belle, follow me on Facebook, where I share a picture or video of her every Friday. Thanks for watching!

Do you have a beloved pet too? Tell us about him or her in the comments below.

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #11

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you've just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all 25 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 3 grand prizes!

• The hunt BEGINS with Stop #1 at Lisa Bergren's site.
• Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
• There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 10/22 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books.
• Navigating from site to site should be super simple, but just in case you get lost along the way, you can go here to see the full list of all the stops, in order, with links.
• Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the clue on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at Stop #25. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

I'm thrilled to host Melanie Dobson as part of the Scavenger Hunt. Melanie is a prolific author who writes historical, timeslip, and suspense novels. She has a wonderful heart and a compelling voice. Here is a bit about her book, Enchanted Isle:

In the spring of 1958, Jenny Winter embarks on a two-month adventure to one of the most enchanting places on earth, a quaint village in England's magical Lake District. When Adrian Kemp, a handsome and enigmatic local, shows Jenny his late father's abandoned dream, a deserted island amusement park, she glimpses a kindred spirit in this reckless, haunted young man. Yet as she opens her heart to Adrian, the two stumble into a labyrinth of mystery leading back a generation to an unforgettable romance and an unsolved murder that still casts a shadow over the lakes. As long-held secrets come to light, it's left to Jenny and Adrian to put the past to rest and restore a lost dream.

Take it away, Melanie!

If These Walls Could Talk ...

by Melanie Dobson

The house in Virginia hadn’t been occupied in decades, but someone left clothes hanging in the bedroom closet, plates on the kitchen table, the rusty hood of a Chevy buried in what was once a yard. I was twenty-five at the time, exploring this clapboard home for a newspaper article about forgotten places, and I wished, more than anything, that its crumbling walls could tell me what had happened here.

The house kept its secrets, but this experience changed my life. Abandoned places, I discovered, fueled my imagination. I wanted to know who had lived there, why they left, and where they had gone. When I couldn’t find the answers, I began to create stories of my own.

In the two decades since I trekked through that forgotten house, I’ve written novels inspired by a number of deserted places—a manor home, lighthouse, English cottage and medieval French chateau—but for Enchanted Isle, my latest historical novel, I wanted to write the story of a different sort of place. An amusement park that harbored its secrets well like the abandoned park called Geauga Lake that I visited often as a child.

My main character in Enchanted Isle is an aspiring photographer named Jenny who sees beauty in unexpected places. With pencil and paper, I started building an amusement park from the 1930s for her to explore, set on an island in England’s magical Lake District with a dozen old rides inspired by the sea—a wooden roller coaster that once surfed through the trees, a boat excursion around sunken ships in an ocean cave, and the Magic Lagoon, a merry-go-round with brightly colored sea creatures instead of horses, the eaves of the carousel plated with gold leaf and stained glass.

In the novel, Jenny and a British man named Adrian search together for ancient coins his father purportedly hid on the island. As she learns the legends in this district, Jenny begins to discover beauty among the ruins of the park and she ultimately determines to restore all that’s been lost—the hidden treasure, shattered dreams, and relationships broken in years past after one of the park’s owners disappeared.

Abandoned spaces continue to inspire me today. Because of their secrets, but also because I think of them now in terms of restoration, symbols of hope that God can rebuild the broken walls in all of our stories.

*****

Writing fiction is Melanie Dobson's excuse to explore abandoned houses, travel to unique places, and spend hours reading old books and journals. She enjoys stitching together time-slip stories, and her novels have won awards for historical romance, romantic suspense, and historical fiction. Melanie loves connecting with readers—the best places to find her online are on her website and on Facebook.

Thank you, Melanie, for sharing what inspires you!

Here’s the Stop #11 Skinny:    

You can order Melanie's book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD or at your local bookstore! 

Clue to Write Down: authors

Link to Stop #12, the Next Stop on the Loop: Melanie Dobson's own site!

*****

But wait–before you go, as a fun addition to the Scavenger Hunt, I'm hosting my own giveaway! Enter to win a Reader's Gift Basket (pictured below), which includes a Reader's Journal, two of my signed books–My Brother's Crown and A Pocket Guide to Amish Life–Amish stationery, an inspirational necklace, a candleholder, an Echoes of Titanic keychain, a Don't Take Any Wooden Nickels wooden nickel, a My Daughter's Legacy porcelain box, and more!

To enter:

1) Like me on Facebook 


2) Click on the button below and complete the entry form. 

Deadline to enter is 11:59 pm on October 22, 2017, so don't delay. Thanks for participating, and best wishes on completing the Scavenger Hunt!

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