Christy Award Finalist’s Sale!

 

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?

We Three Kings: German Traditions

We Three Kings: German Traditions

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?

We Three Kings Releases TODAY

We Three Kings Releases TODAY

I cannot believe it is here! With all life’s circumstances, today has snuck up on me, and I feel unprepared. For me, this officially kicks off the Christmas season. Sorry Halloween, I never liked you anyway, and Thanksgiving, I’m still going to have a wonderful feast and celebrate time with family. But there is just something special about the Christmas season and its ability to refocus us on Christ our true King. It settles me. It brings about a reverent awe that sometimes gets lost in the day-to-day grind of life. And that’s what I hope you will feel about this collection of novellas from me, Cara Putman, and Angela Ruth Strong–the awe, wonder, and power of Christmas to refocus us on what truly matters, Christ.

I thought it would be fun to check out some behind-the-scenes information from We Three Kings. So for the next two weeks, I’m going to share some fun information. If you haven’t already, you can pick up your copy of We Three Kings from your favorite retailer now.


How did We Three Kings come about?

While many books come about because the author sends out a proposal and the publisher accepts it, Kregel reached out to me, Cara Putman, and Angela Ruth Strong to see if we would be interested in writing a set of novellas connected with their Christmas novella collection series based on Christmas hymns. This year’s hymn was to be “We Three Kings.” But it wasn’t just free reign, they wanted our heroes to be from one family line of moguls (yes, I had to look that up, so don’t feel ashamed if you had to too), and they would like us each to have our books connected with each gift of the kings: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The stories didn’t have to connect to our current series with them, but that was an option if we desired it.

At first, I explored the idea of something new. What would be a fun twist on gold? Liquid gold–oil? Nope, by the time of my book, there would have been only one major oil mogul, and while I could have twisted that for fiction, I didn’t want to. Gold bars or someone who dealt in gold? Eh. Too on the nose, and I wasn’t a fan of trying to dig into gold mining history at that point. Not with the turn-around time I’d need to work with for research. I can’t exactly remember how, but I landed on the concept of ocean travel via the predecessors to the Titanic. Once I struck on that, remembered the influx of Italian counterfeiters who printed in their home country and then swindled new immigrants, and realized I could connect it to my Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series, I was off to the races.

Originally, Counterfeit Faith was set to release after We Three Kings, so I set up my story to happen in my story-world timeline before Josiah had his story, and gave his sister who has an appearance in Counterfeit Faith, her own story. It was a joy to dive into Josiah’s family, bring out some of their dynamics, and then develop the beginning of the Weise family line.

And yes, Cara, Angela, and I were goofy enough to use the Weise name as a play on the wise men of the Bible. It was so fun to work with these amazing women who are much further along in their careers to develop a legacy that left me in awe and wonder of my characters. I hope when you get the chance to read our stories, you will be left with the same sense of awe of how one family can have such an impact on those around them and leave a legacy of Christ that is passed down through the generations.

When it came to choosing a title for each of our stories, Kregel told us we didn’t have to use lines from the song like it had been done in the other stories. After examining the lyrics, some of which are really depressing and difficult for use as a Christmas title, we put titling on the back burner until the last minute. For me, “Star of Wonder” had always fit, but finding uplifting titles for the other two was difficult until we realized that all three stories are tied to the Light of Christ. Then we were able to select phrases from the lyrics that fit the stories and didn’t break with the tradition of the other Christmas novellas that came before us.


Inspiration Board

This is the background I used while writing this story, aka, my inspiration board. You can also check out my Pinterest board which has more for you to browse through.


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?

Back to School Scavenger Hunt – Stop #23

Back to School Scavenger Hunt – Stop #23

Welcome to the inaugural Back to School Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt. We hope that throughout this hunt, you discover some new books and get to know a little more about us.

A few things before you begin:

This hunt is a blog hop. Collect the “clues” (pieces to the longer phrase) at each stop. Enter the individual giveaways along the way, then click on the link to the next stop and repeat until you reach #28, where you will input the full phrase as your entry to the grand prize drawing.

The hunt begins August 30, 2023, at noon EST and ends September 4, 2023, so you have plenty of time to visit each stop. If you need to step away and come back later, make a note of the last stop you visited, and go to Suzie’s post with the list of all stops on the hunt.

If you are having trouble viewing the posts, you may need to switch browsers. Chrome and Firefox sometimes work better than Microsoft Explorer or Edge.


It’s Back to School Time!

Hi y’all. If you don’t know me, I’m Crystal Caudill and I write “Dangerously Good Historical Romance,” aka historical romantic suspense. I have a complete series out about the Secret Service during the Gilded Age full of danger, romance, and strong faith elements. Check out this link to learn more about the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age Series.

Here in Kentucky, most of our schools start in August, so my youngest son is in the throws of tossing off his summer schedule and slugging through an early to rise early to bed schedule . . . and let’s just say, sleeping in was a favorite summer past time. While my brainiac whiz-kid will have no problem breezing through school and getting all A’s in all that he puts his hands to, that was not the case for me. He definitely has the brains of his father and not his mother, which is probably a good thing. 😉 

Even though school was a bit of a struggle for me as I fought for every grade, that didn’t mean I didn’t have fun. I was very much my own person–embarrassingly so. Thankfully, I don’t have pictures anymore; it was long before the days of camera phones. My ninth-grade year was a fashion disaster of the utmost kind. I mostly shopped at Goodwill, and apparently, my goal in life was to wear the most outlandish and boy-detracting outfits I could find.

Imagine something like this, but not form-fitting, and you can see the cuffs and skirt lines.

I still remember one outfit my dad nicknamed “The Red Nun.” It was bright red–no exaggeration, the same color as this font color. And don’t think for a moment that the material was fancy or flattering. Nope. That particular dress was almost sweatpants material. I still can’t believe I didn’t sweat out of existence. Although, maybe my youngest son has more in common with me than I thought. That child will wear a heavy winter jacket all day long, all year long, if you let him. But I digress . . .

The thick turtle neck stretched all the way to my chin in a fold-over layer. The elastic cuffed sleeves went past my wrists, and I could hide my hands if I wanted. And then there was the skirt. The dress had to be homemade, for the line between the bodice and skirt was obvious, and the skirt kissed the tops of my sneakers that I’d wear with it. I was a hot mess. No wonder none of the boys I actually crushed on would give me a second glance–except maybe out of utter horror. 

However, I DID have a penchant for attracting the “bad boys” of the school. I’ve always had a heart for the unseen and the rejected, probably because I felt that way myself. I always tried to treat people with kindness and genuinely listen to them. This led to some interesting boys crushing on me. I still remember the one guy who tried to impress me with all his talks about his street fighting prowess, showing me his scabbed-over knuckles and brass knuckles as proof. I genuinely thought he was a good person, just misguided. And I was on a mission to show that he didn’t have to behave that way to impress people or be accepted. I never allowed the relationship to go anywhere. We parted ways at graduation, wishing each other well.

Aggressive young gangster with brass knuckles to fight isolated on white background

Fast forward a few years into my marriage. My husband and I were visiting my parents and stopped at the grocery store. Who should I run into but him? He was so excited to see me. He hugged me and introduced me to his wife, “This is Crystal, the girl from high school I told you about.” Y’all, the daggers of jealousy his wife sent me were palpable. I still laugh over the memory. That woman had nothing to worry about from me. I was glad to see him happily married, just as I was happily married. I’ve never made it back to a high school reunion, and honestly, I never will if I can help it. High school–and school in general–was wrought with lots of challenges for me. But I do sometimes wonder how he turned out. 

So there you have it. A small piece of my high school existence. Now you no longer wonder why I write romances filled with challenging characters, danger, and sometimes funny behaviors. I write from experience. I can say without hesitation that my favorite part of school was counting down the days until sweet Christmas Break freedom–filled with carols, baked goodies, and family traditions. That’s why for this scavenger hunt, I’m featuring my upcoming release, We Three Kings: A Romance Christmas Collection.

This unique collection follows the legacy of three Weise men moguls, from a Gilded Age ocean voyage to Monuments Men World War II to a contemporary essential oils empire. Love, laughter, hope, and German Christmas traditions abound in this trio of stories I, Cara Putman, and Angela Ruth Strong wrote.  You can read more below, and DON’T FORGET to go all the way to the bottom for your Scavenger Hunt phrase AND an extra giveaway. 


About 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?

Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Christianbook  |  GoodReads

Scavenger Hunt Details & Extra Giveaway

Here is your next clue: hand has

Next Stop: Lee-Ann Brodeur

BONUS GIVEAWAY

How to enter: Comment on this post with what your favorite high school memory is and then enter the Rafflecopter. Entrants must comment on the blog first to qualify. Other entries are just extra.

Prize: Booklight with $10 Starbucks gift card (because the beginning of the school year requires coffee), and a homemade book sleeve.

Open to all legally eligible participants (determined by your country’s laws) from August 30 to September 4 11:59 pm EST. By entering, the winner agrees to be contacted by email. An email will be sent out on September 6th, and the winner will have until September 13th to respond before a runner-up will be drawn and contacted.

*International winners will get an Amazon Gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway


What’s a high school memory that sticks out to you?

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop 13

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop 13

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 6/15 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, 6/18 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!

Whether you’re already a fan or I’m a new-to-you author, welcome! I’m Crystal Caudill, and I love to write spiritually rich historical romances fraught with danger and suspense. I do a ton of research with each of my books, and I have an entire shelf dedicated to what my children call “the murder shelf,” aka my criminal investigation, how to commit crimes, and poisonous plants books. 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. Despite what my “murder shelf” indicates, I’m not a criminal. I just write romance stories that often contain crimes. You can read about my latest crime-related release, Counterfeit Faith, below:

 

As Matron of Final Chance House of Refuge, Gwendolyn Ellison is responsible for the care and reformation of children deemed delinquents by society. When she discovers someone is abusing the children, she seeks to expose the abuse. But someone wants to keep it and their other secrets hidden, even if it means committing murder. Secret Service operative Josiah Isaacs can’t help but rescue a damsel-in-distress, but saving Gwendolyn leads to his discovery of a counterfeiting scheme that jeopardizes both Gwendolyn’s and the children’s lives. As they work together to solve the case and protect the children, attraction sparks between them. But Josiah is put off by Gwendolyn’s faith in a God he no longer trusts. If they survive, is a future together even possible when their beliefs are at odds?

 

The idea for this novel’s crime came from newspaper clippings I found while researching counterfeiting and the Secret Service. And now, it is my nerdy little joy to teach you something criminal . . .


How to Con a Con

I think everyone on the internet has received at least one email where a scammer tries to trick you into buying something fake so they can take your money. Generally, these con men are preying on innocent people. However, late 19th-century con men had their eyes on a completely different mark for their scheming ways: other con men. This tactic was so often used and so well-known that the newspapers consistently printed warnings and example letters. This con even had its own special name: The Green Goods Game.  

So for your entertainment purposes only, I present “How to Con a Con.”

Example circular of a Green Goods Game scheme as printed in the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette on 8/10/1890.

The Target: Merchants and shop owners who are likely to pass counterfeits off to their customers as they conduct regular business. Identify struggling merchants, particularly those who are more likely to bend their moral stances to save their stores or those you already know or suspect will buy counterfeits. 

The Strategy: Mail circulars to targeted businessmen and indicate you have counterfeit money of good quality to sell at a reasonable price. Flatter and appeal to their sense of working with a friend. Have them respond to you by mail with their signature, address, and the phrase: “Please send me terms, particulars, &c.’

If they respond, provide an “example” of your work in the form of a genuine one-dollar note. Then, when they purchase said counterfeit money, either have them meet you to pick up their product or mail it to them.

1880 One Dollar Legal Tender Bank Note

The Trade and the REAL Product: If your client wishes to see the product before exchanging money, it may be necessary to set up a switch. Show them some genuine notes, cause a distraction, and then provide them with a roll of green-dyed paper with a genuine note facing out on each side. Otherwise, if they mail you the money, there is no need to mail them anything back.

Why It Works: What person will report to the police that they were conned while attempting to purchase counterfeit money? After all, purchasing counterfeit money is a punishable crime in and of itself. 

WARNING: If the Post-office Inspector discovers you are participating in this scheme, you will be arrested and held with a default bail of $2,500 (about $83,000 today).

So reader, are you willing to take the risk to con a con?


Here’s Your Critical Stop #13 Info:

If you’re interested, you can order Counterfeit Faith on Amazon, Baker Book House, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com or at your local bookstore!

Clue to Write Down: and just

Link to Stop #14, the Next Stop on the Loop: Roseanna M. White’s site!

But wait!!! Don’t go yet!!

I’m holding my own giveaway right here! All you have to do is sign up for my newsletter. (You’ll get Counterfeit Truth free out of the deal too!) Bonus points to those who follow me on Bookbub and/or Facebook. Just use the King Sumo widget below. This is open to everyone who is legally able to participate, but if you are an international reader, I will send you an Amazon gift card and some bookmarks, stickers, and a signed bookplate instead. The winner of this giveaway will be selected on June 19th and notified by email afterward. What are you winning? Glad you asked . . .

Prize: Homemade Booksleeve, Set of Page Flags, Bible Journaling Stickers, Set of Book Quote Stickers, Metalic Ink Pens, Counterfeit Love Notebook (to journal in or better yet! Keep track of all your great reads), Counterfeit Money Detector, and a Set of Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age bookmarks.
And if you are having trouble getting entered, just shoot me a note through my contact form, or comment below. Bonus entries for signing up for my newsletter, following me on BookBub, GoodReads, or Facebook.

Best of luck, and happy hunting! – Crystal

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SOME EXCITING NEWS!!!

SOME EXCITING NEWS!!!

*Cue announcer voice* I’m interrupting our normal posting schedule with this special announcement:

Counterfeit Love has been selected as a semi-finalist for the Carol Awards!!!!!

The Carol Award is a major publishing award given by American Christian Fiction Writers for outstanding work in Christian fiction. To be listed among the same amazing authors I admire is a truly humbling and exciting moment.  Check out the other authors who also are semi-finalists in my category:

Debut Author

Sara Brunsvold – The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

Crystal Caudill – Counterfeit Love

Dawn Ford – The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes

Elizabeth Jacobson – Not by Sight: a novel of the patriarchs

Anna Rose Johnson – The Star That Always Stays

Kathy Maresca – Porch Music

Linda W. Rooks – Pieces of Dark, Pieces of Light

Have you read any of them? 

It is an honor to have made it this far, and I hope you’ll join me at the ACFW Conference in St. Louis from August 24 to August 26 for a lot of bookish fun, including a massive book signing in conjunction with StoryFest. Just check out this lineup!

Here is the complete and final booksigning schedule:
Friday 9-10am Robin Caroll
Friday 9-10am Colleen Coble
Friday 9-10am Pam Hillman
Friday 9-10am Dineen Miller
Friday 9-10am Kimberley Woodhouse
Friday 9-10am Cara Putman
Friday 10:30-11:30 am Diane Tatum
Friday 10:30-11:30 am Ruth Wu-Wong
Friday 10:30-11:30 am Mary Connealy
Friday 10:30-11:30 am Pepper Basham
Friday 2:30-3:30 pm Sara Davison
Friday 2:30-3:30 pm Allie Pleiter
Friday 2:30-3:30 pm Tracy Higley
Friday 2:30-3:30 pm Cynthia Ruchti
Friday 2:30-3:30 pm Kathleen Y’Barbo
Friday 4-5 pm Denise Hunter
Friday 4-5 pm DiAnn Mills
Friday 4-5 pm Sara Brunsvold
Friday 4-5 pm Judy Kelly
Friday 4-5 pm Melanie Stevenson
Friday 4-5 pm Dana Lynn
Saturday 9:30-10:30 am Janyre Tromp
Saturday 9:30-10:30 am Sarah Hamaker
Saturday 9:30-10:30 am Sandra Merville Hart
Saturday 11:00-noon Carrie Turansky
Saturday 11:00-noon Lynette Eason
Saturday 11:00-noon Kelly Irvin
Saturday 11:00-noon Brandy Heineman
Saturday 11:00-noon Sarah Kohnle
Saturday 2-3 pm Crystal Caudill
Saturday 2-3 pm Jerusha Agen
Saturday 2-3 pm Deb Raney
Saturday 2-3 pm Ashley Clark
Saturday 2-3 pm Amanda Cox
Saturday 3:30-4:30 pm Carmen Peone
Saturday 3:30-4:30 pm Lenora Worth
Saturday 3:30-4:30 pm Candice Sue Patterson
Saturday 3:30-4:30 pm Dawn Ford

 

The finalists will be announced on that first night, and then the winner will be announced at the fancy gala on the last night. . . and you could be there with me. You can check out more information about StoryFest here, and if you do register, be sure to put Crystal Caudill as your “referred by” person. I won’t lie. It gives me a shot at getting a free hotel night off my conference stay. 🙂 

 

Here’s a bit about Counterfeit Love if you haven’t read it yet:

Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves–or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

 

And here’s a snippet from one of my favorite moments:

The window above him slid open, and a pair of boy’s boots thudded to the ground inches from where he crouched. If shoes fell, a body was bound to follow. Broderick crept behind an unkempt bush and waited.

Black-stockinged feet and legs protruded from the sill’s edge, followed by blue skirts. Delicate hands adjusted the material before the familiar slender body swung from the ledge’s safety to straining twigs.

Of all the dangerous stunts! It was one thing for him to climb up, another for her to attempt climbing down. The little imp would get herself killed.

Broderick moved from the bush’s safety and resisted the urge to call out. Startling her could end in disaster, but words of rebuke played through his mind as displaced snow plopped around him. She couldn’t possibly see her next step beneath those skirts. Making it to the ground without mishap would be—

A branch snapped.

Theresa screamed. Blue and white material waved in surrender to the inevitable as she fell. Broderick lunged for her. The tree limbs cracked like a grand finale of fireworks, stopping moments before she crashed into his arms. His legs buckled, and they dropped to the ground with Theresa landing on his chest.

He lay still, his lungs begging for air but refusing to accept it. Given the force of their impact, a human-shaped crater would exist once he moved—if he ever moved again.

Theresa rolled to her knees beside him and stared in dazed silence.

Pain seared his arms as he pushed to a sitting position. “Are you hurt?”

Confusion creased her face as she blinked at him. She might be sorting through a touch of shock, but no discomfort contorted her features, which was more than he could say for himself. He rotated his shoulders and then flexed his arms. In a few years he might laugh about catching an angel, but right now he felt like he’d caught an anvil.

 

You can buy it now on sale from Amazon, Baker Book House, and Christianbook.


Have you read Counterfeit Love? What was your favorite part? If not, does it sound like something you’d like to check out? 

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