by Crystal Caudill | Apr 9, 2025 | Book and Writing Events
Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt!
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!
- 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, 4/13 at midnight Mountain)! 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!
Howdy! I’m so happy to meet you!
Whether you’re already a fan or I’m a new-to-you author, welcome! I’m Crystal Caudill, and I write “dangerously good historical romance.” What does that mean? It means I like to write thoroughly researched historical romance with strong threads of suspense and spiritual themes that (hopefully) feel natural and not preachy. You can find out more about me, my books, and my monthly reading challenge here on my website and on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, GoodReads, or BookBub. On March 11, my first book in a new series called The Art of Love and Danger released.
WRITTEN IN SECRET is about a 19th century (Gilded Age) female dime novelist who writes crime stories to correct the wrongs of a corrupt judicial system, only to have her stories brought to life by a vigilante who murders the pardoned criminals her stories were based on. Of course, there is a swoony hero (or so I’m told), humor, sweet romance, and a delightful dose of suspense.
Dime Novels, Corruption,
and a Search for Justice
Written in Secret was inspired by a handful of facts I discovered while researching dime novels and the history of the Cincinnati police. Check them out:
- Dime novels were highly controversial. Many believed the “cheap” literature would corrupt those who read it to commit crimes and become degraded in mind. There were widespread calls for the dime novels to be banned. Even the postmaster general advocated for them to be banned from the mail system.
- Women were relegated to only publicly writing romances. If a woman wanted to write a mystery or crime novel, they used a male pseudonym (most of the time).
- Despite opposition, dime novels were sold by the hundreds of thousands, and they shaped our modern concept of genre reading.
- Until 1886, except for very short periods of a police commission board attempt, the Cincinnati police were governed by the current mayor. That means officers could be hired or fired just based on their political leanings or how they served the mayor’s needs.
- Judges and juries were regularly bought off. Criminals with the right connections walked free or received lesser punishments. Even elections were rigged.
- People were growing tired of the corruption. In 1884, after the stress of two devastating floods, a riot broke out when a horrific crime went to trial, and one of the murderers received a light sentencing.
Everyone in the book wrestles with the injustice of the world around them and responds how they think best. Lydia is a mystery-dime novelist who rewrites the stories of criminals who got away with their crimes. Billy Poe is a vigilante who kills the criminals who inspired the dime novelist’s stories. Officer Hall is a police officer trying to stop the vigilante but wrestling with the dime novelist’s part in all this. The city wants justice, even if it takes rioting, while others do their best and trust God with what they don’t understand. It really was a fascinating exploration of finding justice in an unjust world.
Here’s Your Critical Stop #24 Basics:
If you’re interested, you can order Written in Secret on Amazon, Baker Book House, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com or at your local bookstore!
Clue to Write Down: read anywhere
Link to Stop #25, the Next Stop on the Loop: Hannah Currie‘s site!
But wait!!! Don’t go yet!!
I’m holding my own additional giveaway right here! Use the rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win . . .
Your choice of Counterfeit Truth, Counterfeit Love, Counterfeit Hope, Counterfeit Faith, We Three Kings, or Written in Secret . If the winner already has all the books, they can pick a book from my prize shelf of other authors’ books. 🙂
The winner of this giveaway will be selected on April 15th and notified by email afterward.
Fine Print: Physical items are available to U.S. residents 18 or older. Void where prohibited. E-books will be available for anywhere internationally that Amazon sells the ebooks. Full giveaway policies can be found here.
And if you are having trouble getting entered, just shoot me a note through my contact form, or comment below.
Best of luck, and happy hunting! – Crystal
by Crystal Caudill | Sep 23, 2024 | Book and Writing Events, We Three Kings
To celebrate four of Kregel’s authors being finalists for the Christy Awards, Kregel has put the e-books on sale from 9/23/2024 to 9/20/2024. CHeck out each of the titles below for their blurbs and the links to purchase the e-books.
8 Down by Kimberley Woodhouse
8 bodies down.
8 more lives at stake.
Investigator Carrie Kintz is new blood with the Alaska Bureau of Investigation in Anchorage. But with a serial killer on the loose, there’s no easing into the job. It’s sink or swim. The only clues to help law enforcement stop this madman are the taunts he drops into crossword puzzles across the country–always in the same 8 DOWN position.
Carrie is desperate to prove her worth to the force and the community by catching the killer. But when she discovers signs that these deaths are just the tip of the iceberg in a frighteningly elaborate cyberattack, it’s time to admit she needs help.
Calling in security specialist Scott Patteson for his expertise seems like the right move–until Carrie realizes that he may be a dangerous distraction for her heart. With her faith fading in the face of horror and uncertainty and her career in danger of ending, this is no time for flirtation.
But with a killer who is determined to prove that he’s smarter than everyone else, it may be impossible to fight both the madman and their feelings for each other . . .
“Put on your parkas as we head into a cold world of cybercrime, and hang on for the ride! Kimberley Woodhouse once again takes us on a nail-biter of a ride, and you won’t want to quit until you’ve read the last page!”
–Jaime Jo Wright, author of The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater
The Rhythm of Fractured Grace by Amanda Wen
Is Siobhan too far gone to respond to the song of a God who’s calling her back to him?
When a new customer brings a badly damaged violin into Siobhan Walsh’s shop, it is exactly the sort of challenge she craves. The man who brought it in is not. He’s too close to the painful past that left her heart and her faith in shambles.
Matt Buchanan has had a rough start as the new worship pastor. A car accident on his way into town left him with a nearly totaled truck, and an heirloom violin in pieces. When he takes it to a repair shop, he’s fascinated with the restoration process–and with the edgy, closed-off woman doing the work.
As their friendship deepens and turns into more, they both discover secrets that force them to face past wounds. And the history of the violin reveals more about their current problems than they could have ever expected.
On the nineteenth-century frontier, a gruesome tomahawk attack wiped out most of Deborah Caldwell’s family. Her greatest solace after the tragedy is the music from her father’s prized violin. Given her horrendous scars, she’d resigned herself to a spinster’s life. But Levi Martinson’s gentle love starts to chip away at her hardened heart, until devastating details about the attack are revealed, putting their love–and Deborah’s shaky faith–to the ultimate test.
Full of forgiveness and the message that no one is too damaged for God’s healing touch, the final book in the split-time Sedgwick County Chronicles will thrill fans of Rachel Hauck, Lisa Wingate, and Kristy Cambron.
“Star of Wonder” by Crystal Caudill and “Beauty Bright” by Cara Putman from We Three Kings
In this Christmas collection, Weise men still seek Jesus–and love
Best-selling romance authors Caudill, Putman, and Strong follow three generations of the Weise family in this third collection of Christmas novellas from Kregel that will prove just as popular as the previous award-winning volumes.
“Star of Wonder” by Crystal Caudill
The Christmas-themed maiden voyage of his family’s grand steamer ship was supposed to be Aldrich Weise’s chance both to instill investor confidence and to romance Celestia Isaacs. Instead, he must foil a criminal and leave his lady love behind forever.
“Beauty Bright” by Cara Putman
Lieutenant Charles Weise served as a Monuments Man after World War II and now works to restore stolen art to rightful owners. Captain Lillian Thorsen pairs up with him not only to return treasures but also to fix the war-torn lives around them.
“Perfect Light” by Angela Ruth Strong
Essential oils mogul Brendon Wise is drawn to Lacey Foster, the event planner for his huge Christmas lights festival. But when he inadvertently makes a spectacle of her on television, Lacey wants nothing to do with him. Will a chance to give gifts to those in need at Christmas be the key to discovering common ground–and maybe love?
by Crystal Caudill | Sep 26, 2023 | Bonus Content, Book and Writing Events, We Three Kings
In part 2 of my We Three Kings release blog posts, we will look at some of the German traditions that take place in our novellas–and I’ve linked to how you can do one of your own traditional German Christmas crafts.
German Christmas Traditions
Cara wanted to connect her story to her WWII novels, so it only made sense that the family line would be of German heritage. Not only did that give us some fun historical scenarios to work with, but it also gave us a rich and deep well of Christmas traditions to incorporate into our stories. Each of the below traditions can be found in some form in our novellas.
Nikolaustag
All over the world, December 6 is known as St. Nikolaus Day and is a celebration of Saint Nikolaus, the Bishop of Myra and the patron saint of seafarers and children. Children leave shoes outside their door in order for Saint Nikolaus to deposit a sweet treat for their year of good behavior. However, in Germany, Saint Nikolaus is accompanied by a more sinister figure who carries a sack and switch. Children who were bad could be given a switch or taken away in the sack. This assistant has various names based on the region, the two most familiar being Krampus and Knecht Ruprecht. I chose to use Knecht Ruprecht, as he first appeared in a seventeenth-century Nuremberg Christmas procession, and Krampus appears to be used more often in the Alpine Region.
Weihnachtsmarkt—German Christmas Markets
These open-air markets are a German Christmas tradition that signal the beginning of the Advent season and date back to the Middle Ages. Traditionally, the stalls are made from timber, and everything sold must be locally produced and handmade. Twinkling lights, music, and the scent of traditional German foods mixed with the scent of a hot mulled wine called Glühwein set the atmosphere for this unique experience. If you ever get the chance to go, be sure to check out the hand-carved ornaments, Advent calendar wreaths, and my favorite, Quetschemännchen—the little figurines made from dried fruit and walnuts.
Epiphany
January 6 is the religious feast day known as Epiphany or das Dreikönigsfest (“three kings festival”) in Germany and some other locations. Epiphany commemorates the journey of the wise men who traveled to seek the Christ child. Often, the letters CMB can be found written in chalk on the doors to welcome and commemorate these men. According to German-way.com, “Traditionally, the three letters in the inscription stand for the names of the three Wise Men (Magi): Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (German spelling). Another possible explanation is that “C+M+B” stands for the Latin phrase: Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates into “Christ bless this house.” The inscription is usually made with chalk that has been blessed by a local Catholic priest.” While there are variations in how it is done, in Cara’s story, three men travel from door to door, offering blessings to those at home. Often, the children would also dress up, and sometimes, a leader of the procession would carry a star. Small gifts are given to the children, just as the wise men gave their gifts to the Christ child.
Martinstag
Martinstag, or St. Martin’s Day, is celebrated on November 11 with a lantern parade. Tradition says St. Martin was a soldier who had given away his last cent when he spied a man shivering in the cold. Out of compassion he took off his cloak and cut it in half with his sword to share. The whole town heard of his generosity and wanted to praise him. Embarrassed by the attention, St. Martin hid in a goose house, so the townsfolk had to use lanterns to search for him. Today, that search for him is mimicked through a lantern parade complete with song and, depending on where you are, candy.
Make Your Own German Paper Star
There is a reason why Celestia struggled to make her star . . . There are a LOT of steps. Depending on whether you are a video tutorial person or a printed instructions person, I’ve given you the link to two great options below:
About We Three Kings
Purchase Links
IN THIS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION, WEISE MEN STILL SEEK JESUS–AND LOVE
Best-selling romance authors Caudill, Putman, and Strong follow three generations of the Weise family in this third collection of Christmas novellas from Kregel that will prove just as popular as the previous award-winning volumes.
“Star of Wonder” by Crystal Caudill
The Christmas-themed maiden voyage of his family’s grand steamer ship was supposed to be Aldrich Weise’s chance both to instill investor confidence and to romance Celestia Isaacs. Instead, he must foil a criminal and leave his lady love behind forever.
“Beauty Bright” by Cara Putman
Lieutenant Charles Weise served as a Monuments Man after World War II and now works to restore stolen art to rightful owners. Captain Lillian Thorsen pairs up with him not only to return treasures but also to fix the war-torn lives around them.
“Perfect Light” by Angela Ruth Strong
Essential oils mogul Brendon Wise is drawn to Lacey Foster, the event planner for his huge Christmas lights festival. But when he inadvertently makes a spectacle of her on television, Lacey wants nothing to do with him. Will a chance to give gifts to those in need at Christmas be the key to discovering common ground–and maybe love?
by Crystal Caudill | Dec 31, 2020 | Book and Writing Events
Unlocking the Past: American History
A 2021 Reading Challenge
I’ve noticed over the years that many avid readers like to participate in reading challenges. Well this year, I decided to create my own and make it a giveaway opportunity. Since historical fiction/romance is my preferred genre of reading, that’s where we’re staying. Who knows, I may make this a yearly thing and focus on a different aspect of history each year.
This year’s reading challenge theme will be “American History” since that is my favorite. Each month will feature a different time-period. On the last day of the month, I’ll review my read the fulfills the challenge.
Monthly Prizes & How You Can Participate
Who doesn’t like to win prizes? Well, here’s your chance. Each month read a book from the indicated time period, then on my Unlocking the Past monthly post, comment with which book you read that month. One commenter will win a free copy of the book I reviewed. This will be open to international winners, but if the book is unavailable to ship to you through Book Depository you will receive a $10 (USD) Amazon gift card. You’ll have one week after I post my review to comment and be entered.
The Grand Prize – A copy of every book reviewed throughout the year.
Every month you comment on what you read, you’ll get one entry into the pot. Read all twelve months? Guess what! That’s 12 entries. Want extra entries? Each month I’ll put a KingSumo link at the bottom with options on how to share about monthly and grand prize giveaways. Each time you share, it’s an extra entry. On December 31, 2021, I’ll draw for the grand prize winner.
So what do you think? Are you game? You can start with earning extra entries now by sharing about this giveaway with the Rafflecopter link below. You can share daily for extra entries until January 15. After that, there will be a new giveaway each month. As a thank you for getting the word out, you’ll be entered in a special giveaway for a $15 Baker Bookhouse gift card.
Unlocking the Past: American History
2021 Reading Challenge
January – Colonial Period (1600s to 1760s)
February – American Revolution & War of 1812 (1760’s to 1815)
March – Westward Expansion (1815 to 1860s – Pioneers, Oregon Trail, Gold Rushes)
April – Civil War
May – Wild West (1860s to 1890s)
June – Gilded Age (1870s to 1900)
July – Progressive Era (1890s to 1920s)
August – WWI
September – Roaring 20s and/or Great Depression (1920s to1941)
October – WWII
November – Contemporary
December – Pick Your Favorite Time American Time Period
Want a bookmark to help keep your place or to help you spread the word? Fill out this Google Form.
Whether you’re already a fan or I’m a new-to-you author, welcome! I’m Crystal Caudill, and I write “dangerously good historical romance.” What does that mean? It means I like to write thoroughly researched historical romance with strong threads of suspense and spiritual themes that (hopefully) feel natural and not preachy. You can find out more about me, my books, and my monthly reading challenge here on my website and on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, GoodReads, or BookBub. On March 11, my first book in a new series called The Art of Love and Danger released. 
Written in Secret was inspired by a handful of facts I discovered while researching dime novels and the history of the Cincinnati police. Check them out:
