WELCOME!
Yeah! You've made it to stop fifteen on this spring's Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! Remember that the Hunt officially goes live at noon Mountain time on April 4th, even if some posts are up earlier. The hunt begins at Stop #1 which is
Robin Lee Hatcher's website, so if you haven't already done so, be sure and start there.
You will have until April 6th at midnight Mountain time, so you have all weekend to finish the hunt! No need to race! All you have to do is collect the clue in
red at each stop and write them down as you go. There are some fantastic books and prices being offered you won't want to miss! And remember that the hunt is open to international entries, and prizes include
a Kindle Fire HDX (valued at $229) + $100 gift certificate and two
runners-up will receive all 32 of our books.
Read to the end of this post and you'll discover how you could win a bonus copy of my new release, Fatal Exchange and book one in my Southern Crimes series, Dangerous Passage! So while you're at each stop, be sure and read the posts from the different authors along the way, and have fun!
In case you find a broken link. . .
We have prepared a page with direct links to each author's post in case a site goes down or a link gets broken. We'll be working on getting all of the links prior to the start of the hunt, but sometimes there are still issues even after the hunt starts, so make a note of the URL for the Participating Authors & Stops Page so you can check back and be able to complete the hunt.
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CYNTHIA RUCHTI
Ready to get started with the next author? It's my pleasure to introduce Cynthia Ruchti as my guest for the hunt! Cynthia writes stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels, novellas, devotions, nonfiction, and through speaking events for women and writers. Her latest releases include
When the Morning Glory Blooms,
Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices, and
All My Belongings. Before you head on to the next stop, be sure and connect with Cynthia on her
website or on
Facebook!
ALL MY BELONGINGS
 |
To see the unveiled version,
visit Cynthia's blog! |
First of all, BIG NEWS! A brand new, hot off the press cover for All My Belongings is officially being revealed to the public today. Here's a hint. Make sure to go to the next blog stop to see it in all its glory on Cynthia's blog. It's a stunning cover. I think you'll agree. All My Belongings will debut from Abingdon Press on May 6th!
ABOUT THE BOOK
A new identity can’t protect Becca from a past that refuses to go away.
Where do you turn when changing your name doesn’t give you the anonymity you want? When running hundreds of miles away isn’t far enough? When your search for a place to belong lands you right back where you began?
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CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER
Cynthia has sent me a very informative guest post about Caring for the Caregiver: Moving Beyond Good Intentions, that touches on something extremely important we will all face at one point in our lives.
From Cynthia:
It’s a rite of passage. Before our lives are complete, most
of us will serve as a caregiver, long-term or short-term.
An elderly parent, a disabled loved one, a special needs
child or adult, an infant, a friend with cancer… The reasons for stepping into
a caregiving role are many. Blessings and challenges battle for dominance every
day of the process.
I’ll share some of my own caregiving experiences in another
post someday, but today I’m thinking about Becca, the gifted but troubled caregiving
character in the May 2014 release from Abingdon Press—All My Belongings.
Becca walked through four caregiving experiences: in her
youth as the child of an emotionally distant woman with a life-threatening
illness, in her nursing school training, in her occupation as caregiver for an
elderly woman suffering from heart disease and dementia, and in a caregiving role
that cost her everything to fulfill.
What simple acts might have fed her courage, lifted her
spirits, and strengthened her resolve? What could those around Becca—or around
you—have done to help shoulder the mixed burden/blessing of caregiving? What
will move us who care about a caregiver in our lives past good intentions to
actions?
- Send flowers to the caregiver.
- Write a note of admiration and gratitude to the
one who serves selflessly.
- Volunteer—don’t wait to be asked—to offer
respite care even for a couple of hours so the caregiver can attend to errands.
Better yet, allow him or her free time that has nothing to do with duty or
responsibility, like attending a concert or book club.
- Offer to pay for professional respite care so
the caregiver can have extended time away from the pressures of caregiving.
Even a weekend can make a difference.
- Show you recognize the caregiver as a whole
person, not merely for the role he or she plays.
- Remember the caregiver long into the caregiving
process. As the caregiving goes on, support often wanes as life keeps moving
for the rest of us.
- Avoid statements like, “Call me if you need me”
or “Let me know if there’s something I can do.” For many caregivers, those
words add one more thing to their list of responsibilities. Consider
rephrasing. “Would it help if I—?” “Can I bring dinner for you on Wednesday nights?”
“I’m going to the store. What can I pick up for you?”
- Pray specifically. “Today I asked the Lord to
build a sweet memory into your morning.” “Praying for your sleep—little as it
is some days—to completely refresh you.”
The world is full of unsung heroes. They work their way into
our stories and our lives. Ask God today to help you think creatively regarding
the support you can offer an unsung hero caregiver you know.
Gentle caregivers like Becca in All My Belongings love and serve whether it’s convenient or not,
comfortable or not. What can we do to make their hearts soar?
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THE SCAVENGER HUNT SKINNY!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Before you move onto stop #16,
Cynthia Ruchti's website, to pick up your next clue, be sure to write down this Stop #15's clue:
think what
But wait, before you leave there is one more BONUS PRIZE I'm giving away elusively on my site.
I will randomly draw two names from everyone who signs up for my Author Newsletter (
sign up box is on the top left of this blog!)
while the Scavenger Hunt is live. Those two winners will each receive one copy of the first two books in my Southern Crimes Series,
Dangerous Passage and
Fatal Exchange. If you live outside the US and win, I will send you an ebook version. And just for signing up for the newsletter, you will receive an ebook copy of
Recipe for Murder!
So sign up now then jump to the next stop and enjoy the Hunt!
Lisa Harris
Terms and Conditions: ONE entry per person. If we find you've registered under separate IDs, you'll be disqualified. Please, be HONEST. Because, you know, Jesus would WANT you to be. If you're an international winner, your prize will be the equivalent of what we're offering in the USA in terms of USD$$, based on that day's exchange rate, and what we can figure out in terms of online options (ex. Apple in Australia, etc.). If the Kindle Fire HDX is more expensive in your country than it is in the USA ($229 USD), we shall give you an Amazon gift card for the equivalent of the USD value. International runners-up winners will receive most of their books via Book Depository, and therefore, they cannot be autographed—sorry.
