Scavenge to Discover New Books & Authors

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!

So, let’s begin, eh? Michelle Griep here. Howdy, howdy. Though that may sound southern, I live and write in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, but you don't have to travel to the frigid north to find me. Check me out on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. I write a wide range of historical fiction, from time travel to Colonial to Regency, but my latest is Victorian with somewhat of a Gothic feel to it. The House at the End of the Moor is a bit of a Jane Eyre tale with a reverse jewel heist thrown in.

What Can a London Opera Star and an Escaped Dartmoor Prisoner Have in Common?

Opera star Maggie Lee escapes her opulent lifestyle when threatened by a powerful politician who aims to ruin her life. She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house. Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession—the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver’s name and hopefully maintaining Maggie’s anonymity.

Do you think there will be a happy ending for Oliver and Maggie? Well, the story does take place in the spring, and we all know that’s the season of love. Being that this story also takes place during the Victorian era, I thought it might be fun to take a peek at a proper Victorian English wedding.

First off, you had to choose your spouse carefully. Before 1858, divorce was only available by a private Act of Parliament. Even after that date, adultery was the only basis for divorce, and wives had to prove additional aggravating factors, such as desertion or cruelty.

Most weddings took place in the Anglican church sometime around noon. Bells would ring before the ceremony, making villagers aware a ceremony was taking place and to scare away any lurking evil forces. A breakfast would follow thirty minutes later, usually at the bride’s home.

Girls could marry at age 12 and boys at 14, but that was rare. Generally, anyone marrying beneath the age of 21 was encouraged to secure parental approval. Those who falsely swore an oath that they were of age and had parental consent could forfeit any property they might otherwise have gained through their marriage. Parents had the power to forbid the banns of marriage for children under 21 – but of course that didn’t rule out elopement.

The silk satin and lace dress that Queen Victoria wore when she married Albert in 1840 was widely admired and set a trend that is still in custom today…the white wedding dress. So, if you’re attending any upcoming weddings this spring, now you know that’s where the tradition came from.

But you don’t need to be a bride or even a wedding guest to participate in the Spring Scavenger Hunt. Here are the stop #4 Basics:

If you’re interested, you can order The House at the End of the Moor at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, or at your local bookstore.

Clue to Write Down: >>>>> OR SLEETING <<<< (sorry, I can’t make it red)

Link to Stop #5 the Next Stop on the Loop: Cara Putman

But wait…there’s more! I’m raffling off 3 signed copies of The House at the End of the Moor. Happy hunting and here’s hoping you’re a winner!