Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #19!
If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all 27 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!
- The hunt BEGINS on 3/14 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, 3/17 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 Stop #27. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!
It is my pleasure to introduce Olivia Newport, an author I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting but a new friend I’ve engaged in a few fun emails. I asked the three most pertinent questions to any new relationship and found Olivia’s responses foundational for a long-lasting friendship:
- Dogs or cats?
- Olivia enjoys babysitting for her grand-dog, Lucy. Chuh-ching! She gets dog-lover points!
- Tea or coffee?
- Olivia is a former tea drinker who dabbles in coffee–as long as it has the proper accoutrements of sugar and milk. Oh-ya! (baby circles) Kindred coffee drinkers.
- Final question: Luxurious bath or quick shower?
- To Olivia, a luxurious bath always sounds dreamy but a quick shower is her reality. Bing, bam, boom! If she were sitting in my living room right now, we’d lock fingers and pinky swear a forever friendship. Or maybe just have a second cup of coffee.
So here’s a brief summary of my new friend’s novel, The Inn at Hidden Run.
Meri’s family has been producing doctors for so many generations that no one remembers why, so when she flunks out of medical school, she runs as far from her parents as she can get. It’s only a matter of time. What she doesn’t count on is genealogist Jillian Parisi-Duffy and her father, Nolan, having her back when it takes everything she has not to bolt again but to stay and face the truth that only unfolding her family’s history will reveal. When their arrival inflames tensions and Meri finally does bolt, Nolan and Jillian may be out of time.
Excerpt from The Inn at Hidden Run by Olivia Newport
The Inn at Hidden Run is set in a Colorado mountain town founded in Victorian times.
“Meri, how did your first day go?” Nolan asked.
“All right, I guess.” She glanced toward Nia.
“She was fabulous,” Nia said. “Checked in our last set of guests all on her own flawlessly.”
“Congratulations! I remember my first day in Canyon Mines.” Nolan smeared ice cream evenly over his crumble. “It was Jillian’s first day too, though I doubt she remembers it.”
“I’ve seen the pictures,” Jillian said.
Nolan’s eyes brightened in the firelight. “Meri, didn’t anyone take your picture on your first day?”
“No, sir,” Meri said.
“Dad.” Jillian eyed him sideways. This wasn’t the first day of kindergarten.
“Well, you’re going to love it,” Nolan said. “Friendly people. All sorts of recreation, if Nia ever gives you a day off. You have a car?”
“Yes, sir.”
“My wife and I came looking for quiet mountain living. What about you?”
Meri tucked one corner of her bottom lip under her top teeth before answering. “Same, I guess.”
“Where’d you come from?”
Another beat. “Back East.”
“I’ve never lived in the East. What’s it like?” Nolan filled his mouth with dessert, as if settling in to listen intently to a good story.
Meri shrugged. “More humid and buggy than here, so far.”
Nolan nodded in the encouraging way that generally produced ongoing speech in other people. Meri simply took another bite of half-melted ice cream. Jillian counted the number of times her father let the swing glide before speaking. Six.
“Leo has always known how to build a nice fire,” Nolan said. “He roasts a mean marshmallow too. How do you feel about s’mores?”
“I like them all right once in a while,” Meri said.
“Jillian always burned her marshmallows at camp.”
“I did not!” Jillian’s protest was unhindered by a mouth full of food. This dispute had been going on for fifteen years.
Nolan winked. “Did you go to camp as a kid, Meri?”
She bounded out of her seat, shirking off Nolan’s attempt to catch her before the forward momentum of the swing might cause her to stumble into the firepit, and disappeared around an unlit side of the house.
Olivia’s Bio
Olivia Newport’s novels blend the truths of where we find ourselves now with insights into what carried us in the past. Enjoying life with her husband and nearby grown children, she chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak.
Here’s the Stop #19 skinny:
You can order Olivia’s book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, or at your local bookstore!
Clue to Write Down: We hope
Link to Stop #20, the Next Stop on the Loop: Olivia Newport’s own site!
An Extra Chance to Win!
But wait! Before you go, I’m giving away an additional prize! Enter for your chance to win a color-changing lion mug. You can enter the Rafflecopter giveaway in 2 ways:
- Signing up for my newsletter at https://mesuandrews.com. (Be sure to click the first option on the Rafflecopter widget below.)
- If you are already signed up for my newsletter, never fear there is an option for you! Simply enter the code word found in the March 13th newsletter into the Rafflecopter widget below.
- To enter the contest, sign up for my newsletter at https://mesuandrews.com or if you already subscribe, enter the code word found in the March 13th newsletter.
- No purchase necessary to enter or win.
- Contest open to US residents only. (Sorry, we are shipping actual merchandise!)
- Contest runs 3/14/19 from 12:00 pm – 3/18/19 12:00 am Mountain Standard Time.
- Winner will be contacted through email. You have 24 hours to respond with your mailing address. If we don’t receive your confirmation email within twenty-four hours, we’ll need to choose another winner.
Comments 22
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The Inn at Hidden Run, wow, you left me high and dry, I will have to read this book to find out what she is hiding! Sounds wonderful! Thank you for being part of this give away!
Author
Olivia’s book sounds great, doesn’t it? Thanks for stopping by, Pam!
Now following on Amazon. Looking forward to reading your work!
Author
Hooray, Patti!
I looked but couldn’t find the code word.
Oops, I looked at the wrong author’s site. I saw your code.
Author
Glad you found it! 😉
I’ve heard a lot about Olivia but haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of her books yet. Thank you for spending time with us! 💕
Author
Thanks for doing the hunt, Jessica!
Mesu, I’ve been enjoying your books since I first heard of you in a Scavenger Hunt a few years ago. I already ordered Of Fire and Lions through my local Christian bookstore, so I’ll get to read it soon!
By the way, I accidentally signed up for the contest twice because I didn’t realize there were separate entries depending on whether people had already signed up for your newsletter. I hope that doesn’t give me an unfair advantage over the others!
Author
Hi Sabrina!
Folks like you are some of the best reasons I love this Spring Scavenger Hunt! And don’t worry about signing up twice. The Rafflecopter widget sifts out double entries automatically. 😉
Nice way to handle the issue of folks already signed up for your newsletter Mesu. Helping us to picture Daniel’s time and surroundings sounds good.
Author
Hi, Sue!
I’m so glad you liked the code word for current subscribers! I sure didn’t want to penalize my already-faithful subscribers by not giving them an extra entry if they were already with me! Glad you enjoyed the added info. Blessings, gal!
I love your books. You are the author that got me hooked on biblical fiction with “Loves Sacred Song”. I look forward to reading “Of Fire and Lions”. Thank you for your wonderful books!
Author
Thank you so much, Nikki!
You’ve been with me a long time if you started with LOVE’S SACRED SONG! I so appreciate you and others who are a constant encouragement. Blessings on you, dear one!
Thank you Mesu. I’ve just started reading “Of Fire and Lions” – enjoying it!
Author
Hooray, Jennifer!
Keep me posted, and let me know if you have questions! I love chatting with readers. 😉
Mesu,
I’ve missed both of y’all but I plan to correct that very soon!! The story of Daniel is one of my absolute FAVORITES! Thank You for participating in this Scavenger Hunt!!
Author
Thank YOU, Lisa, for your kind words. I’m so grateful to be a part of this hunt because I ALWAYS meet new friends here. 😉
Thanks for being part of the hunt!
Author
Thank you for taking the time to do the hunt. Blessings on you, gal!