Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt ~ Stop #17

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt ~ Stop #17

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #17

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 the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

  • The hunt BEGINS on 10/21 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.
  • 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, 10/24 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
  • 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 the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

Hello! I’m Roseanna M. White, author of several dozen historical romances (most of which are set in Edwardian England), a few biblical fiction love stories, and in my (ha!) spare time, a cover designer. I also run (along with my amazing husband) the WhiteFire Publishing Group. And my most recent venture is the Bookish Things Shop, right here on my website! (Where I have not only stuff relating to my books, but also things for EVERY book lover!) So…you know, pretty busy around here! You can find me everywhere @RoseannaMWhite (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest).

My most recent release is a historical romance set in 1906 on the gorgeous Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall…full of the search for pirate treasure, mistaken identities, and lots of adventure to go along with the romance.

Lady Elizabeth “Libby” Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn’t favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles into the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage’s former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished.

Oliver Tremayne–gentleman and clergyman–is determined to discover what happened to his sister, and he’s happy to accept the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth’s summer cottage . . . especially when he realizes it’s the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can’t quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.

As Libby and Oliver work together, they find ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love.

Isn’t that book cover (just below here) just GORGEOUS?! I was so excited when I saw it—my one request had been that my heroine, Libby, be in a purple dress (key to the story), and I was so excited when I saw it! Then my excitement grew even more on release day, when I received the most unexpected of comments on my social media posts about the book…

MEETING THE FAMILY OF
AND MODEL FOR A BOOK COVER!

 

Release week is always fun and exciting, but I was so surprised when I saw a couple comments from the grandmothers of the cover model on The Nature of a Lady! They were tagging each other, full of glee at seeing their sweet granddaughter on the cover. I reached out to one of them to say what a wonderful job she’d done at capturing Libby’s sweet spirit, and she was quick to tell me how sweet the model, Ashton, is in real life too.

Over the course of the day, I learned that Ashton, a professional model, and her husband live in the same city as my publisher, and how they are the hands and feet of Jesus in their neighborhood, which was in the heart of the riots last year. I learned how they seek God first and foremost. And I learned that this proud grandmother had been a reader of my books already, so to have her granddaughter on the cover of one was a treat for them as well. I was so excited that we were soon conspiring together to send her granddaughter a special surprise package to thank her for doing such an amazing job being Libby.

I’ve had many covers before, and a few times I even learned who the models were…but this unexpected connection was the sweetest release day surprise!

Here’s the Stop #17 Basics:

If you’re interested, you can order The Nature of a Lady on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook, signed from my shop, or at your local bookstore!

Clue to Write Down: book

Link to Stop #18, the Next Stop on the Loop: Tamara Leigh’s site!

My Giveaway!

I’m excited to be able to offer one lucky winner $20 in credit to the Bookish Things shop here on my website! That will allow you to get a book or any number of other products. Do feel free to browse the shop and make a wishlist so that if you win, you’re ready (extra entries for that)! LOL.

Just enter using the Rafflecopter form below!

Ordinary Women of the Bible Blog Hop

Ordinary Women of the Bible Blog Hop

Welcome to the Ordinary Women of the Bible Blog Hop!

 

The authors who have written books for Guideposts’s Ordinary Women of the Bible series are excited to team up and tell you a bit about our stand-alone biblical fiction. Each book focuses on a woman in the Bible–some named, some unnamed–and tells the familiar story you’ve no doubt read with our own imaginings added to provide depth and background. In this blog hop, you get to learn a bit about some of them.

Collect each keyword in each post and turn them in by October 11 to be entered to win a complete set of the series!* Many authors will also have an individual giveaway you can answer (like me!) You can find the complete list of blog stops and the entry form here.

I wrote book 15 in the series, The Prophet’s Songbird, and had so much fun doing it!

About the Book

WITH A PROPHET FOR A FATHER and a professional mourner for a mother, Atarah has always known the power of words and of song. But her joyful praises are silenced when she is captured in a Syrian raid along with Tavi, a young man who loses his freedom trying to protect her. However, in Damascus, Atarah soon discovers that their new master, Naaman, isn’t the monster she expected—and that her songs glorifying the Most High have a profound effect on his household.

When Naaman shows signs of leprosy, which could spell the end of his career and destroy his family, Atarah tells him of a prophet in Israel who could banish the disease with a word. Though Naaman’s enemies hope for the worst, Atarah trusts he will encounter the power of the Most High. But by faithfully serving a master who serves Israel’s enemy, has she cut herself off from her people forever? Or will the One True God use her to teach a new song of praise to His children?

When my editor at Guideposts approached me about this series, she sent a list of possible characters to focus on, and I knew right away which one I wanted to do–Naaman’s handmaiden, from the story of Naaman being healed of leprosy in 2 Kings. You see, a while back, I had an idea for a story about this unnamed young woman–a Hebrew slave to an enemy general who respected him so much that she sent him to her own people’s prophet for healing.

I was so excited to have the chance to write this story! As I brainstormed the possibilities, I decided that my heroine, Atarah, would help me explore the purpose of praise. Why do we have all those songs, the Psalms, included in the Bible? Why is it still part of our worship? Are there right and wrong ways to do it?

Atarah is the daughter of a prophet from the School and a professional mourner. When the Syrians raid their town and she’s captured, she thinks it’s the end of everything–certainly the end of her joyful songs. But even in Damascas, she finds that words of praise to the Almighty will not be still on her tongue…and through those words, she impacts the people around her.

The servant in Naaman’s story who encourages him to dip in the Jordan even when he feels insulted by the command also plays a key role in my version of the tale! Tavi, in my story, was captured in the same raid because he tried to save Atarah’s life. These two friends navigate Damascas together, and learn what it means to serve the Lord in a foreign land.

In addition to the complete set of books, you can win a copy of The Prophet’s Songbird by filling out the Rafflecopter form below!

* Due to shipping costs, the big giveaway is available only to those with a US address

 

My Blog Hop Keyword

Song

Visit all the partipating author’s sites to learn about their books and collect their keyword! You can find them all listed here, along with the form for submitting your answers. Best of luck!

Ordinary Women of the Bible Blog Hop Control Page

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #10

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #10

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 the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

• The hunt BEGINS on 3/18 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.
• 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, 3/21 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
• 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 the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

~*~

My name’s Roseanna White, and when I’m not momming, homeschooling, designing book covers, and managing WhiteFire Publishing with my hubby, I’m writing novels. Usually historical romance. Many of my books are set in England of the 1910s, but today I’m excited to be sharing about a Civil War-era novel that I actually wrote about 9 years ago, but which just released in January, Dreams of Savannah. Here’s a bit about it:

Cordelia Owens is known all over Savannah for her whimsy and her storytelling. When her sweetheart, Phin, goes missing during some of the first action of the war, her stories keep hope alive in the hearts of his mother and sister. But Phin, a casualty of betrayal that nearly costs him his life, begins to fear that if ever he makes it home to the young woman he loves, he won’t be the kind of hero she’s always wanted–not anymore. Both Delia and Phin are forced to face unwelcome truths about the lives they always thought they understood and the people who move so silently through them. They begin to dream of a new sort of future…but reaching it will take courage far greater than any even Delia could have imagined.

Well I don’t know about you, but when I look at that cover, my main thought is, “Ooooooo, a hoop dress!” I grew up watching Gone with the Wind, and it was the fashion that had me going back to it time and time again. I always loved those enormous gowns, the satin, the lace, the silk, the petticoats…ah, yes. I’ve learned a lot over the years about what actually went into wearing one of these creations on a daily basis…and I’ve also actually worn one a few times. In fact, I wore a dark-pink variation of the one on the cover to a high school Valentine’s dance, and a gold one to my junior prom! (Why yes, ahem. I was totally the cool kid. *Cough, cough.)

When dressing, the first order of business for a Victorian lady would have been a chemise and bloomers–basically a tank top/cami in a lightweight cotton and then knee-length pants and stockings. Then she would have put on her corset. Despite the reputation corsets have, very few women practiced “tight-lacing” like we see in the aforementioned famous movie. Most simply used it to hold everything where it belonged and add structure to their gowns. Next would have come the hoop itself–made up of concentric circles usually made from a thin metal, sewn into a skirt. These fold down into a circle for easy(ish) storage. Over the hoop would have gone multiple layers of petticoats. Why multiples? Because it was unseemly for the hoops to be visible through the final skirt. Only at that point would a woman have slipped the actual dress on. Often they would layer all the skirts/dress on the floor in the proper order, step into the center, and pull ’em all up at once.

My personal experience with the dresses (I also wore one to junior prom) taught me a valuable lesson about how to sit in a hoop skirt. Namely, you have to lift the skirts and make sure you’re positioning your bottom between the hoops. Because if you happen to sit on a hoop instead, that whole skirt will flip up like a bell! (For the record, I made this discovery in my own bedroom, LOL.) So there you have it. How to dress like a Civil War era lady. 😉

If you could wear the clothing from any one historical era, which would you choose?

Here’s the Stop #10 Basics:
If you’re interested, you can order Dreams of Savannah on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook or get a signed copy from my shop!
Clue to Write Down: with

Link to Stop #11, the Next Stop on the Loop: Cathy Gohlke’s site!

Giveaway!

In addition to the big giveaway, I’m offering this mug (also available in my store here) to a recipient with a US address!
Just enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt – Stop #8

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt – Stop #8

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 the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

  • The hunt BEGINS on 10/15 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.
  • 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, 10/18 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
  • 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 the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

I’m so glad you’re joining us! I’m Roseanna M. White, writer of historical romance that always seems to include spies or war or mayhem of some sort…which is ironic, because my life is ridiculously ordinary. (Well, if you discount the fact that I have all these stories in my head. Which, if one can trust my 12-year-old son, you should definitely discount.) Most of my books are set in Edwardian/World War 1 England, but I also have a few American-set stories and some biblical fiction too. I hope you take a minute to look around and even check out my book-themed T-shirts, tote bags, and tea parties!

But today let’s focus on my latest release, A Portrait of Loyalty.

Set in 1918, this final book in the Codebreakers series (it can be read alone, don’t worry!) has a heroine who’s a photographer working for Intelligence and a crytographer hero who just escaped to England from Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution…though of course, his enemies aren’t about to let one of their Intelligence’s highest ranking officers leave without a fuss. We’ve got war, betrayal, questions about propaganda, the purpose of art, the Spanish flu, the biggest aerial raid of the war, and of course a love story all packed in these pages! (Click on the book cover to see the actual description here on my website.)

As I did my research for this series, I knew I wanted to write a book about the photographers that did so much work for the Admiralty during the war, especially when I learned that a fake photograph played a huge part in the end of the war. But how, I wondered, did these photographers even do what they did?

How You Photoshopped a Picture Before Photoshop

I’m a book cover designer and graphic artist in my (ahem) spare time, so I do a lot of photo-manipulation…but I do it all digitally. I’ve always wondered how people did the same work before the advent of computers, and when they even started doing it.

The answer: they’ve been doing it since the dawn of photography! Some of the earliest examples we have of photographs include touch-ups, cut-outs, or inserts. And some of the most famous ones too. (Like quite a few of Abraham Lincoln.) But how?

For small changes–blotting out a figure they didn’t want in there, smoothing out flaws, that sort of thing–the retoucher would go in with a paintbrush and simply match the shades of the surrounding items (keeping in mind these were in black and white) to make items disappear or change. But this took skill, especially if you were trying to work on a person–to remove scars or freckles or otherwise “airbrush” a figure. Too heavy a hand, and the people would start to look fake. (Leading to an outcry in the photography community against any retouching at all.)

Complete self-instructing library of practical photography via Archive.org // Public Domain

But then there were the more extreme examples, when an artist was called upon to combine images to create a new one. When I’m doing this work in Photoshop, I always select what I want from one image, cut it out, paste it on a new layer. Well, go figure, that’s exactly what they did then too! They would literally cut one image out of a print and paste it onto another photograph, then reshoot it and develop it as a single image.

Of course, a skilled eye could detect this work–it left small edges, or evidence of where the two layers met. Sometimes there would be a shadow between the old and new or you could see where the paper had bubbled from the glue. But the best artists left little evidence of their work…and of course, my heroine is the best of the best. 😉

A retouching desk. Image credit: Finishing the Negative via Google Books. // Public Domain

Here’s the Stop #8 Basics:
If you’re interested, you can order A Portrait of Loyalty on Amazon,
Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook or get a signed copy from my store here!

Clue to Write Down:
you

Link to Stop #9, the Next Stop on the Loop:
Robin Lee Hatcher’s site!

Giveaway!

I’m giving away a signed copy of my book PLUS your choice of a Bookish Tote bag from my store to one US winner ~ or a copy of my book sent from Book Depository to an international winner!

 

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #3

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #3

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 the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

• The hunt BEGINS on 3/12 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com

• 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, 3/15 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.

• 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 the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

I’m Roseanna M. White, author of historical fiction and hostess of the Tea Party Book Club, managing editor for WhiteFire, cover designer, and homeschooling mom. And because all that wasn’t enough to do, I’m also launching Bookish Tees and Totes, where you can get fun book-themed merch. A sample of which is part of my individual giveaway, so keep on reading for more info on that! 😉 
I’m super excited about my latest release, book 2 in The Codebreakers series about England’s intelligence division during the First World War. If you’re new to the series, don’t worry! On Wings of Devotion can be read as a stand-alone. Here’s the official blurb:
https://www.roseannamwhite.com/books/codebreakers-series/on-wings-of-devotion/

Against Every Warning,
She’s Drawn
Ever Closer
to the Man Known as “Black Heart”


All of England thinks Major Phillip Camden a monster–a man who
deliberately caused the deaths of his squadron. But he would have
preferred to die that day with his men rather than be recruited to the
Admiralty’s codebreaking division. The threats he receives daily are no
great surprise and, in his opinion, well deserved.

As nurse Arabelle Denler observes the so-dubbed “Black Heart,” she
sees something far different: a hurting man desperate for mercy. And
when their families and paths twist together unexpectedly, she realizes
she has a role to play in his healing–and some of her own to do as well.


With Camden’s court-martial looming, an old acquaintance shows up,
intent on using him in a plot that sends the codebreakers of Room 40
into a frenzy. With their fragile hopes for the future in the cross
hairs, Arabelle and Camden must hold on to hope–and to each other–if
they want to survive.

Something not exactly pointed out in the summary about Arabelle seems to be the very thing that most resonates with readers.
My heroine is not beautiful.
In fact, the first time the hero meets her, his scene begins with She wasn’t pretty. When my husband read that line before I turned it in to my editors, he snorted and said, “Seriously? That’s his first thought? In a romance?”
Yep. Arabelle Denler is what one might call plain. She’s tall–I don’t mention her height in the story, but I imagine her at 6 feet, in honor of my favorite boss of all times, Patricia, who literally towered over short little me. Someone in the story calls her gangly. And while people might look at her and think the word “kind,” no one ever thinks “pretty.”

And I love writing a character like this. Because, first of all, it’s something most people can relate to. Sure, I know some super-model-gorgeous people…but most of us aren’t. Most of us just learn how to work with the features God has given us and to appreciate them. Most of us can look nice when we put some effort into it, but we can also scare ourselves when we look in the mirror on a bad day. 😉 But most of us also have people who love us and call us beautiful.
That’s what I wanted for Arabelle Denler. I wanted a heroine who might not attract many men at first glance. Because then, as Camden gets to know her, he can notice how her eyes are really the most amazing shade of green-gold…and that single dimple in one cheek is just enchanting…and she’s all long, lean lines…and how somehow she’s beautiful. Or as he puts it, “How could she be so beautiful when she wasn’t even pretty?”
That’s the miracle of the lens of love, right? As we get to know people–whether they’re family, friends, or potential romances–we stop seeing how they look as a whole and just see them. We see features that we come to cherish. 
We see the heart that shines through them. And that, above all, is what makes Arabelle beautiful. And, in turn, what makes her a heroine most of us can relate to.
So to celebrate Arabelle, Camden, and On Wings of Devotion, I’m offering a special giveaway! It’s open to both US and International, but the prizes will vary slightly depending on who wins. 😉 If you’re international, you’ll receive a copy of the book via Book Depository. If you have a US mailing address, you’re eligible for a signed copy of the book PLUS a Bookish Tees and Totes tote bag in your choice of available designs. (You can view them all in detail at www.BookishTeesandTotes.com or, if you’re a big Etsy shopper, at my shop there.)


Here’s the Stop #3 Basics:
If you’re interested, you can order On Wings of Devotion on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christian Book, SIGNED from my store, or at your local bookstore! 
Clue to Write Down: or raining

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #17

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #17

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 27 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

  • The hunt BEGINS on 3/14 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.
  • 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, 3/17 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
  • 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 #27. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

I’m so honored to be hosting the amazing Sarah Sundin! Sarah is a prolific writer of WW2 fiction, and I’ve been reading her books for years. Not only is she a fabulous story teller, however, she’s also a genuinely lovely person. I’ve met her a few times at various conferences and chatted via email, and I can’t wait to share some information about her latest book, The Sky Above Us!

Burdened by his past, fighter pilot Lt. Adler Paxton battles the
Luftwaffe over Nazi-occupied Europe as the Allies struggle for control
of the air before D-day. Deprived of her missionary dreams, Violet
Lindstrom serves in the Red Cross, where she arranges activities at
Adler’s air base in England. Love blooms, but D-day draws near . . . and
secrets can’t stay buried forever.

 And now without further ado, here’s Sarah!

A Donut and a Smile—Life in the Red Cross in World War II
American Red Cross worker serves coffee and doughnuts to members of the 379th Bomb Group at an improvised refreshment stand in England, 5 January 1944 (Source: US National Archives)

The women of the World War II era fascinate us—with good reason! In The Sky Above Us, I highlighted the American Red Cross workers who ran Aeroclub recreational clubs at US airfields around England.

By February 1945, the American Red Cross in England ran 162 Aeroclubs (at airfields), Fleet Clubs (naval bases), Camp Clubs (Army bases), and Donut Dugouts (training bases).

The Aeroclubs gave the men a homey place to relax from the pressures of war. In each Aeroclub, the Red Cross ran a snack bar, writing room, library, game room, and lounge. They arranged dances and recreational activities from Ping-Pong tournaments to lecture series. When the airmen returned from combat missions, the Red Cross served donuts, coffee, and sandwiches.



Sign for an American Red Cross Donut Dugout in World War II, Utah Beach D-Day Museum, Sainte Marie du Mont, France, September 2017 (Photo: Sarah Sundin)  

Each Aeroclub was run by one to three ARC women, who were paid civilian workers. The Red Cross hired British women and recruited volunteers to staff the clubs, and they negotiated with Army departments and British ministries to obtain equipment, food, and coal.


The women who served overseas with the American Red Cross had to be at least twenty-five and have a college degree. They were chosen for their leadership skills and for their willingness to work in difficult and dangerous conditions. Since Allied airfields were legitimate targets for German bombers, the threat was real.


Poster for the American Red Cross in World War II (public domain)



Although the official hours of the Aeroclub were usually 3 pm until midnight, the doors were always open. The Red Cross girls woke early to start preparations—and stayed up past closing. The women reported working six to seven days a week. Definitely long and hard hours! 

Despite the difficulties, the average Red Cross worker loved her job! Not only was it adventurous, but she was providing services that helped the flyboys fight another day. Very rewarding!



About Sarah





Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of historical novels, including The Sea Before Us and The Sky Above Us. Her novels When Tides Turn and Through Waters Deep were named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years,” and Through Waters Deep was a finalist for the 2016 Carol Award and won the INSPY Award. A mother of three, Sarah lives in California. Please visit her at www.sarahsundin.com, on Facebook at @SarahSundinAuthor, and on Twitter at @sarahsundin.


Here’s the Stop #17 Skinny:

 
You can order Sarah’s book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD or at your local bookstore!

Clue to Write Down: their

Link to Stop #18, the Next Stop on the Loop: Sarah Sundin’s own site!  

And of course, I can’t let you go without a giveaway! As you saw on stop #16, I’m featuring The Number of Love in this hunt, and though the book isn’t out quite yet, as soon it is, I’ll be sending a signed copy to one reader!