Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt, Spring 2018 edition! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1 and collect the clues through all 30 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top five grand prizes!
- The hunt begins on 3/1 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.
- Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not MS Explorer).
- There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt–you have all weekend, or until Sunday, March 4th, at midnight MST. So take your time reading the unique posts along the way. Our hope is that you will discover new authors and new books to enjoy.
- 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 #30. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way, so read carefully!
Today I am honored to host the lovely Jill Eileen Smith, who is featuring her novel, A Passionate Hope, Hannah’s 
Story. Isn’t this a beautiful cover? Here’s a synopsis:
Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, share a deep and abiding love, for each other, for their God, and for his tabernacle at Shiloh. Greatly disturbed by the corruption of the priests, they long for restoration and pray for a deliverer. But nothing changes as the years pass. Years that also reveal Hannah to be barren.
Pressured by his family to take another wife, Elkanah marries Peninnah, who quickly begins to bear children. Disgraced and taunted by her husband’s new wife, Hannah turns again to prayers that seem doomed to go unanswered. Do her devotion and kindness in the face of Peninnah’s cruelty count for nothing? Why does God remain silent and indifferent to her pleas?
Travel back to the dusty streets of Shiloh with an expert guide as Jill Eileen Smith brings to life a beloved story of hope, patience, and deliverance that shows that even the most broken of relationships can be restored.
Jill is going to tell us a little about how she creates the people who populate her stories. Take it away, Jill!
My “Cast” of Characters
With every book, I put on my film director hat and search the Internet for actors or models that are the best fit for the part they will play in my book. What am I looking for? A specific look. A certain hair color and age. And the right ethnicity.
For A Passionate Hope, Hannah’s Story, I found this photo for Hannah’s character.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.
Hannah’s name means “favor or grace.” We know little about her other than she was barren and had a miserable relationship with her sister-wife, Peninnah. Most of the people in Hannah’s life came from my imagination. Her mother, Adva, was a friend of Elkanah’s mother, Galia, which could be both good and bad. I’ll let the story decide.
Her father, Hyam, was originally going to die before the story began, but after a little more plotting, he became a vital part of Hannah’s early life. So he lived.
Whether Hannah had brothers or sisters is unknown. I chose to give her four brothers – all older and married before she was wed. Once Hannah wed, her life became part of Elkanah’s world. Women left their families to live with their husband’s family, so I had to envision Elkanah and his family as well. When I cast Elkanah’s role, this is the picture I chose:
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.
Elkanah came from a Levitical family, which is how Samuel could eventually live at the tabernacle in Shiloh. As the story shows, Elkanah’s father is Jeroham, his mother, Galia. I gave him a family of six brothers and one sister. Most of his brothers don’t get much mention, except for Tahath and Amminadab. Tahath’s wife Dana becomes Hannah’s friend and champion.
Once Peninnah entered the picture, life took a dramatic turn. This is how I envisioned Peninnah. The Bible tells us she did all she could to taunt Hannah, thus the actor’s expression helped draw her character.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.
I hope this gives you a taste of Hannah’s difficult world. Casting characters is one of my favorite parts of storytelling.
Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling author of the Wives of King David series and other biblical novels. She is a wife, mom, gramma, cat owner, and is always seeking to live grace. Read more at www.jilleileensmith.com.
Here’s the Stop #6 Skinny:
You can order Jill’s book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, or at Lifeway bookstore!
Here’s your clue to write down: MANY
Link to Stop #7, the next stop on the Loop: Jill Eileen Smith’s own site!
Here’s how to win an addtional prize from me, Angie Hunt: Just sign up for my newsletter using one of the forms on my website. On March 5 I will choose two of the new sign ups (be sure to fill in your address when you sign up), and send them a copy of my latest book, Judah’s Wife. Easy-peasy! Thanks for stopping by!
P.S. Though you are welcome to leave any comment you like, you don’t have to tell me you signed up in the comment box. When you sign up, I receive an email with your address. 😉 Happy hunting!
Jill, your approach to visualizing your characters is interesting! Thanks for sharing your process.
Thanks for being a part of this. The book sounds fantastic.
I am learning a lot in this hunt. I am a new subscriber.
I signed up!
Thank you! I just signed up for your newsletter.
Wow! I love how Hannah’s story is already coming alive and I haven’t even read the book yet! Thank you for hosting the giveaway! I signed up for your newsletter!
Blessings,
Lynn
All done!!! I signed up for your newsletter!! Thank you for the opportunity!!! God bless!!!
Took me a minute but i figured it outI all signed up and thank you!
Thank you for this opportunity! I joined!
Signed up for your newsletter. Thank you!
I signed up!
The best scavenger hunt ever! So many new authors to read…and not enough time! Lol 🙂 Can’t wait to read your books!
I am a new subscriber! Excited to read your story. Thanks for participating!
This book looks so good. And the scavenger hunt is fun!
Release the hounds, I’m on the hunt!
Thanks for hosting on this scavenger hunt, Angela! I love Biblical fiction! (P.S. You now have a new subscriber in yours truly!)
I read The Offering several years ago and loved it. Have been seeing Judah’s Wife around lately, and just love the beautiful cover!
thank you
Thanks! I just signed up for your newsletter.
This sounds so interesting! Thank you and hope to read!
I’m a new subscriber, and this sounds awesome! Glad I have found some new books TBR 🙂
I am reading Judah’s Wife now. I love learning more about the times & customs of the Biblical stories & am enjoying the story! I already own the book, thanks to Goodreads!
Jill, I read your book recently and just loved it. Of course, I love all of your Biblical fiction in the first place. It’s like you bring the scriptures to life for me and “humanize” the characters. I love that!
Angela, I just signed up for your newsletter but I didn’t fill in my mailing address, just my email! Ooops, I didn’t follow directions to well because I thought it said “be sure to fill in your EMAIL”….I’m so sorry!!
Anyway, thanks for participating in the fun hunt, I enjoy this every year!
You are both new authors to me. Thank you for sharing! 😀
Thank you for being part of this scavenger hunt. It is so much fun.
Thank you for being part of this scavenger hunt. I always have so much fun.
Thank you for the chance.
I am a subscriber.
Thank you so much!! God Bless!
Angie, Completely loved your account of discussing your research with your dental hygienist. Thank for sharing. Jill, I, too, search photos ~ only sometimes. At times, the characters are so clear in my mind that trying to find a photo is more frustration than help!
Thanks for the SH.