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!
So grab your coffee and let’s get started…
It’s a treat for me to introduce Ann Gabhart. She’s an outstanding author of multiple genres, PLUS a truly wonderful person. Ann and I both write for Revell Books. Whenever a Baker (Revell, Bethany) author has a release, we’re given a special Book Perk…the chance to order some of the new books. I always choose Ann’s new book. I read them, and pass them around to all my friends, too.
Here is Ann’s just-for-the-hunt blog post:
Hands to Work, Hearts to God
by Ann H. Gabhart
The Refuge (releasing April 30th) is my eighth Harmony Hill Shaker novel, all stand-alone stories. While researching the Shakers, who were industrious, inventive and generous, I came across many Shaker precepts to salt into my stories to add flavor. The most familiar one is “Hands to work; hearts to God.” All Shaker believers worked with their hands.
Here’s another I used often and did again in The Refuge. “Do your work as if you had a thousand years to live, and as if you were to die tomorrow.” The Centre House at the Kentucky Pleasant Hill Shaker Village proves this work ethic.
Here are some other sayings the Shakers used to guide their converts.
- Man is more precious than anything he makes, and the best product of industry is character.
- Our thoughts are character molds. They shape language and actions.
- Engaged in thy duty, fear no danger.
- An idle brain is the devil’s workshop. The devil tempts others, but an idle soul tempts the devil.
- Take all sorrow out of life, you take away all richness, depth, and tenderness. Sorrow is the furnace that melts selfish hearts together in love.
- Happiness does not so much depend on circumstances as we think. Within our souls, the foundations must abide.
- None preaches better than the ant, and it says nothing.
My characters might agree with these ideas, but they chafe against the Shaker rule of no individual families and how the Shakers believed all should live as brothers and sisters. No romance allowed, but love finds a way in my Shaker books. It does again in The Refuge.
Which Shaker precept do you like best? Chime in with a comment for Ann.
About The Refuge: Darcie and Walter Goodwin join the Shakers to escape a cholera epidemic with the plan their stay will be temporary. But when Walter dies in an accident, Darcie, destitute and expecting a child, has little choice but to stay with the Shakers. In this celibate community, Darcie is in a unique—and lonely—position.
Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling and award winning author of over thirty novels, including her popular Shaker series and stories about family life, love and mystery (as A.H. Gabhart). She has been a finalist for the ECPA Book of the Year and the Carol Awards, has won two Selah Awards for Love Comes Home and won RWA’s Faith, Hope, and Love Award for These Healing Hills. She enjoys country life on her Kentucky farm. To find out more, visit www.annhgabhart.com or join the fun on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/anngabhart or Twitter @AnnHGabhart.
Here’s the Stop #22 Skinny:
You can order Ann’s book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD or at your local bookstore!
My clue for Stop #22 is: and added
Link to Stop #23, the Next Stop on the Loop: Ann Gabhart’s own site!
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Hold on! THERE’S MORE! I’m raffling off 5 copies of Mending Fences. All you have to do is sign up to receive email newsletters and announcements from me, and there are additional points to be gained if you follow me on Goodreads, Bookbub, and Facebook. Sign up in the Rafflecopter below…and good luck on the hunt!
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I really really love reading your books Suzanne. Mending Fences was a great story, I follow you on FB, Goodreads and Book Bub and I always look forward to reading all you new books Thanks for writing such great ones’
I love your books and am already following you!
Already a subscriber. A follower on Facebook, Goodreads and Bookbub.
when i go to sign up for your newsletter, it gives me this response … email is already used, does that mean i am already signed up? i am curious??
I’m already a subscriber.
I love those pearls of wisdom! I had no idea that the Shakers lived lives of celibacy, though. That’s kind of sad. My favorite quote from above is this: “Take all sorrow out of life, you take away all richness, depth, and tenderness.” This is one of those lessons that you only learn through life experience, and it’s hard won and bittersweet but beautiful!
That is one of those sayings that digs deep, Karen. You don’t want that sadness or sorrow but as you say we do gain wisdom in the hard times of our lives.
This one grabbed me.
“Do your work as if you had a thousand years to live, and as if you were to die tomorrow.”
I’ve always had to wonder a little about that thousand years to live, and I’ve let my characters wonder at times too. But what the Shakers were trying to convey was to do your work as perfectly as possible and as efficiently as possible. They believed they worshiped through work and so it was necessary to do a good job no matter what duties they might be doing.
I enjoy your books and your Amish Wisdom emails! I am already subscribed to your newsletter, Facebook, BookBub and now to Goodreads. Thank you for the opportunity to enter this scavenger hunt.
the pic you have there remind me of vermont and the area we vited when were kids
I haven’t been to Vermont, but I’m guessing it’s a beautiful state, Desiree. The pictures are from the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill here in Kentucky. That’s a beautiful place too.
Following you ‘everywhere’–not a stalker though! 🙂
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER LOVE YOUR BOOKS AND WOULD LOVE TO READ THIS BOOK
Great, Sarah, if you’re talking about my book, and great if you’re talking about Suzanne’s books. I hope you will enjoy reading the stories you’re discovering on the Scavenger Hunt.
Already subscribe to newsletter. Several years ago my sister-in=law and I visited a Shaker community in New York. It was near my grandmother’s and we were visiting her. It was very interesting. I’ve also read other fiction books about it.
I’ve not seen too many fiction books about the Shakers, but there are many history books about them and the things they made, Beverly. I’d like to visit some of the Shaker communities in the east. I’d especially like to see the round barn at one of the villages.
Our thoughts are character molds. They shape language and actions. I love this one because God tells in the Bible to capture your thoughts! So many people have never heard this verse, and that is a shame!
That’s a good one, Pam. How we think does make a difference. I like the thought to capture your thoughts. Sometimes we need to be sure to not feed our minds the wrong things too. That’s one of the great things about Christian fiction. You can read a good story without worry.
I have been reading your books and look forward to the new release. I’ve loved the books about the Quakers in New England…
Hello new FB friend!
I really love reading your books and have wanted to read Mending Fences. Thanks for the chance. Following on Facebook, Goodreads and Bookbub.
Tighefan42atgmail dotcom
With the recent cheating college scandal, my favorite saying is: Man is more precious than anything he makes, and the best product of industry is character. Money can’t buy character.
I am a big fan of your books!
I’m already a subscriber. I totally enjoy your books!
I have read several of your books and enjoyed them very much.
I guess “Man is more precious than anything he makes, and the best product of industry is character.” is the one that hit me today. So many times we put so much pride in our
products that we just let pride take over.
By the way, I can’t get onto your website to go to the next hunt stop.
Not entering the giveaway since I was already blessed with a copy of Mending Fences, but so glad to see you participating in this scavenger hunt!
I can’t wait to read Luke’s story. I also follow you on FB, Goodreads, and BookBub.
Already subscribed and following you on all of them.
Hi Suzanne! I follow you on all of them!
I enjoy your books a lot. I also follow your on Facebook, Goodreads, and Bookbub.
I follow you on Facebook, Goodreads,and Book Bub .Already subscribed.I love reading your books and have wanted to read Mending Fences. Thanks for the chance.
Love the hunt.
Thanks for being a part of this fun scavenger hunt. I follow you on FB, Twitter, Bookbub, Pinterest.
I like “Our thoughts are character molds. They shape language and actions.” I’ve been to Shaker Village many times (I live in Kentucky) and love being transported back in time every time I step into one of the many “working” rooms. I love reading Amish fiction!
Following on GoodReads,Facebook and BookBub. My husband and I both love reading your books so keep on writing them 🙂
Thanks for being part of the hunt. Following you by newsletter, Bookbub, Goodreads and Facebook.
Subscribed, thanks! Following on Facebook, Goodreads and Bookbub.
Subscribed & following on all Social Media Sites! Thanks for participating in the Scavenger Hunt!
This is the Shaker precept I like best:
“An idle brain is the devil’s workshop. The devil tempts others, but an idle soul tempts the devil.”
There’s a lot of TRUTH in that statement!