Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! Back-to-School

Congrats to all those who have made it this far! And to all newcomers, 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. Trust me, if you love books, you’ll want to win this one!

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 this 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.

—

Let me first introduce myself. My name is Alicia van Huizen, and I write stories of courage and truth within the Biblical fiction genre. I began writing stories as soon as I could string sentences into paragraphs. I still remember my first short story penned on colorful construction paper.

Stories have a way of gripping one’s imagination and bringing dull facts to life. That’s exactly how history became my favorite subject in school. My incredible teacher (i.e., my mom! Yes, I was homeschooled!) used the Greenleaf Press curriculum which presented historical characters and events all within a well-researched story form. The end result? History came alive.

Are there any fellow homeschoolers out there? How about homeschool parents? Y’all are superheroes! Whether you have one child, four, or ten, homeschooling is not easy! So let me just take this moment to say: You can do this! As one who survived (don’t worry, so did my siblings), I can say with confidence that your children (and you!) will too. And they will thrive as you take the time to connect to them individually and teach them in the way they learn best. And one day your kids will thank you. (Thanks again, Mom! =D)

So as you launch into the new school season, may you find God’s shalom (peace, soundness, completeness) in the midst of the chaos.

Finding some new wholesome reads can certainly help too. So here’s a little about the book I’m giving away.

What if the man who killed your family needed help only you could give?

Thirteen-year-old Oriel dreams of leading Israel to victory over their enemies, just like the bold and daring heroines of her faith. But those dreams are shattered when a long-standing feud between nations flares up again and she is taken captive to pagan Damascus. Abandoned by the God of her fathers, she struggles to hold on to faith and find purpose in her captivity. But when she comes face-to-face with the man who slaughtered her family, bitterness threatens to snuff out what little faith she has scraped together right when she—and the murderer—need it most.

Tasked with reclaiming Syria’s glory, Commander Na’aman conducts raids into the land of Israel. But when he unexpectedly collides with a strange prophet and witnesses the power of Israel’s mysterious God, he is left shaken. Does the God of Israel have more power than his gods? Na’aman is not convinced. Until the leprosy appears. Has Israel’s God at last taken revenge on him? Stripped of his title, his dignity, and cast out from society, he has nowhere left to turn. Except to his enemies.

Here is your next clue: The History Boys

Next stop: Suzie Waltner’s blog

**Also, if you haven’t heard of Greenleaf Press, check them out! They are officially homeschool-kid-approved!