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!
Welcome! I’m Suzanne. I live in California with my husband, Steve (who is an ice cream maker. Really!). I’m a novelist who believes in happy endings, because life is just better with happily ever afters.
My most recent books are contemporary romances, the ‘Three Sisters Island’ series is about a family as they try to make a fresh start on a little remote island off the coast of Maine. 
On a Coastal Breeze is book 2, and it features middle-sister Maddie (a middle sister in every day).
Here’s the skinny: Newly licensed as a marriage and family therapist, she can’t wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate shortage of eligible bachelors on the island–they’re all too young, too old, or too weird–Maddie feels like she’s finally found her sweet spot. Not even one panic attack in the last year. Not one.
And then Ricky O’Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again–the one who’d been her archnemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance–parachutes into town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky O’Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island. Time to panic.
Want to know what happens next? I sure hope so.
A while ago, I read an interview in my local newspaper featuring a woman who had just turned one hundred years old. The reporter wanted to know this centenarian’s inner motivation. What had given her that “oomph factor” to live so long?
“I want to know,” she said, “what happens next.”
That comment hit me like a ton of bricks. It hit me and it keeps on hitting me.
Here’s the thing: that one sentence summarizes the essence of good writing. You want to make your reader feel so invested in the story that she has to turn the page, even if it’s past midnight and she’s just finished another chapter. She has to find out what happens next.
I try to end every chapter in a book so that the reader is on her toes, not her heels. It’s not easy to do—finishing a scene in such a way that it segues, subtly, into an unfinished moment, or even a question.
There’s one particular ending in On a Coastal Breeze that provides a good example of “what happens next?” Maddie Grayson, the main character, is struggling with her complicated feelings about the sudden arrival of her old boyfriend, Rick O’Shea. Long ago, during senior prom, things had gone terribly wrong between them. After all these years, why had he tracked Maddie down, all the way to a remote island off the coast of Maine? What was he after? Typical of Rick, he avoids her questions with steady banter. Finally, at the end of this particular chapter, he grows serious.
“Maddie, what would change if you knew you only had a year to live?”
The next chapter picks right up where that sentence left off, still in Maddie’s point of view. I don’t usually start a sentence with dialogue, but this time, it worked. And the publisher set the dialogue in all caps for an added bonus of drama.
“WHAT?” A chill went down Maddie’s spine. “What did you say?”
“What would change for you if you knew you had a year to live?” Rick said. “Or a month? Or a day?”
Interestingly, that chapter end/chapter beginning is the very heart of the book. That isn’t true of other chapter endings, and some of my endings are definitely better than others, but improving the way a chapter draws to an end–so that it pulls a reader forward–is one of the best ways to take writing up a notch. I always keep “what happens next” in mind.
You can order my newest book at Amazon or CBD or BN.com or at your local bookstore!
Clue to Write Down: fun!
Link to Stop #29, the Next Stop on the Loop: Tammy L. Gray site.
HOLD ON! It gets even better! I’m raffling off ONE Amazon Kindle and FIVE copies of On a Coastal Breeze. All you have to do is sign up for my email newsletter. Additional points for those who follow me on Goodreads, Bookbub, Facebook. or Instagram or Twitter. Thanks for entering! (E-book only for international readers.)
Thank you for this remarkable chance. I appreciate it greatly.
Thanks so much for the chance to win!
Already following you on all platforms except twitter…which I don’t do. I love your work!
Thanks for the chance to win!
I’m looking forward to reading your next installment of Three Sister’s Island. I’ve enjoyed it so far. I’m excited to see the cover and read the book blurb about The Moonlight School. Looks intriguing for sure!!
Already following on some of the platforms. That is always a tough question to answer unless you had an illness that made death a reality.
I love all of your books. Thanks for the great escape into another world.
I’m excited to read your new book.
I’d love to be the recipient of the kindle. My mother & myself are avid readers. Currently we have 34+ books checked out from the library. The COVID pandemic closed our library & we were without books. It’s like an addiction. We must read, read, read! So much to learn & enjoy.
I’m just getting ready to read “On A Costal Breeze”. I am enjoying the Three Sisters Island series. I’m already following you on all platforms except Twitter. Thanks for the chance!
I have always enjoyed your work, Suzanne. I am a little behind in reading your work. I have Anna’s Crossing and the rest of the series in my TBR pile. I did follow you on Goodreads and Bookbub.
I’m excited to have found some new authors to read. I started following you on GoodReads and Facebook.
I have read many of your books and enjoy them all. During this pandemic books was my way to escape.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Thank you….Scavenger Hunt is always a fun way to reconnect with favorite authors and meet new ones!
Thank You!!
Already subscribe and follow on BookBub, Goodreads, IG and Facebook.
I’m already following you everywhere but Twitter. Added that! I love your books.
Thank you for being a part of this scavenger hunt! I already am a subscriber and follower on all but Twitter as I don’t tweet……
subscribe to e-mail, goodreads and bookbub
Following you on insta, FB, bookbub, goodreads and subscribed to your newsletter.
Thanks for joining the event. I love all you new to me authors.
I follow you on all platforms. Thanks for the chance.
Tighefan42atgmaildotcom
Pretty sure I follow you on all or most platforms. I also subscribe to your daily inspirational quotes!
Following you all the places except not Instagram. Thanks for this wonderful opportunity! 😀
I’m a newsletter subscriber and following on Bookbub and Goodreads. I think I’m following you on Facebook but they seemed to have changed something about following today. I enjoyed reading the first book in a contemporary series because for years I thought you were only an Amish author. I love the comtemporary change!
Thanks Suzanne for the opportunity to win a kindle or an ebook of On A Coastal Breeze! I have signed up for your newsletter and I’m now following you on Facebook, Bookbub and Goodreads .
Following you on Goodreads, Bookbub, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and now on newsletter as well!
I’m already a newsletter subscriber. I have your “Midnight School” on pre-order from CBD. I’m looking forward to reading it! I’ve come this far in the hunt, & I still don’t know what the five big prizes are. Can you help me out?
Hi Laurel! The 5 big prizes are drawn by Lisa Bergren (who organizes the Hunt). All of the authors send books to the 5 names she drew. She will notify you if you’ve won. Thanks for being a part of the Hunt! Suzanne
I loved ‘On A Coastal Breeze’ and what fun it was to actually get the paperback in the mail, and then later some book marks. I love ‘real mail’!!!
I’m following you on all these platforms and am already a newsletter subscriber!
Thank you for the extra giveaway & participating in the scavenger hunt, I love these! 🙂
I LOVED this book! It was my first one of yours and I just was hooked. Can’t wait to see what the next book brings!!!
Already follow and receive your newsletter
Thank you for the scavenger hunt and giveaway. I am subscribed.
I am a subscriber. I also follow you on BookBub and Goodreads.
I love finding new books to read and authors to follow.
I subscribed and am following your BookBub.
subscriber, and following on all sites. 🙂
You are one of my favorite authors. I loved The Inn at Eagle Hill trilogy!
Hi , I am following you on FB , Bookbub, Goodreads and signed up for your newsletter. Thank you so much for the chance of their awesome giveaway and Thank you very much for being part of their awesome fun Scavanger Hunt, it has been alot of fun. Thank you for your very kind and thoughtful generosity. Have a Great weekend and stay safe.
I’m subscribed to newsletter and follow you on all the listed platforms. Thank you for thr chance to win!
Thanks for taking part in the scavenger hunt and offering such a wonderful prize. I follow you on fb, twitter, email, goodreads, bb, etc… Love your books!!!!
I signed up for the email newsletter and followed on Goodreads, Bookbub, Facebook and Instagram. I am looking forward to reading your books and getting to know you more. Thanks for the great giveaway and the chances to win!
I followed on all platforms and subscribed. Thank you so much for the chance!
I subscribed.
Thank you for the chance to win. I’m gone by to visit your Facebook page, too. 🙂
I subscribed. I also follow you on goodreads. Thank you for the chance to win.
I love your books and am a subscriber already! I followed you on Instagam and Bookbub as well. I’m excited to read your upcoming books!
Following you in all five places! Thanks for a fun scavenger hunt and giveaway!
Thank you for the giveaway! I’m a newsletter subscriber and I follow you on Goodreads, Bookbub, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Thank you for this opportunity.
I followed you on Instagram, Goodreads, Facebook, and BookBub.
Thank You for being part of the scavenger hunt
Following all the ways, thanks for being part of the hunt!
Already subscribed to newsletter & following everywhere!
I already receive your newsletter and follow you on all the listed social media! I’m a big fan!