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Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #25

authorhannahcurrie

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 4/10 at noon Mountain 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, 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!

Hi! I’m Hannah – wife, mom, author, and lover of stories. And royals. Which you’ll find in almost all my books. Another fun fact? I live in Australia! So while most of you are currently enjoying the warmer days that come with Spring, I’m very gratefully saying goodbye to the heatwaves and humidity of Summer and blissfully embracing cooler days and snuggly blankets. Bring it on. Learn more about me and my books here on my site and on Facebook or Instagram.

You’ll also find there my newest release, Hold Her Close.

Years of pain, bleeding and loss have convinced Lady Rose of two things: that God is faithful, and that she is a burden to everyone but Him. The healer’s latest proclamation only proves that in Rose’s mind, taking the last of her hope with it. What good is an heir who’s barren and falls more often than she stands? Then comes Prince Nicholas, who claims she’s the treasure he’s searched his life to find, and an attempt on her life, which thrusts the two of them into a marriage Rose is wholly unprepared for. Though she tries to keep her walls up, certain Nicholas will leave her the moment he discovers how broken she truly is, he stays. Moreover, he cares. And that, Rose has no idea what to do with.

Hold Her Close is inspired by Jesus’ Parable of the Pearl. How did that come about you may wonder? Well…

TURNING PARABLES INTO NOVELS

Back in 2021 when I was finishing writing my first series, I started wondering what I was going to write next. I remember looking over at my bookcase and smiling as I saw Melanie Dickerson’s Hagenheim fairytales, and thinking a retelling could be fun. But there were so many fairytale retellings already, what other stories could I tell? And then, I thought of parables. The stories Jesus told. All of a sudden, I knew exactly what my next series would be.

Medieval royal romances inspired by Jesus’ parables.

Three daughters. One king. An enemy who sought to destroy them all. 

The first book would be The Prodigal Son, only a prodigal daughter. A story of forgiveness and grace and redemption and the absolute love of the father who yearns to bring his children home.

Fidele Youth Dance Company‘s original stage adaptation of Bring Her Home in 2023
Photo by Megan Jean Photography

The second, The Good Samaritan. An enemies to lovers story delving into themes of trust, faith, and the callings God places in our hearts.  

Easy!

Okay. Easy enough. Those two parables had built-in plots and heroes and villains and themes to weave through my stories.  

The third book, I wasn’t so sure about. I wanted it to be the Parable of the Pearl but when I went to my Bible to look it up, it was one sentence. One measly sentence.  

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
(Matthew 13:45-46)

In some translations, it’s two sentences, but you get the idea. Not a great deal of plot to work with there.

But while I searched other parables, I kept coming back to this one. The tale of a man who, upon seeing something of great worth, immediately gave up all he had to claim it. Talk about an epic romance!

So I tugged at its themes instead. What would I sacrifice everything to claim? What is true worth? How do I feel about Jesus’ sacrifice for me? Do I feel worthy?

From those questions came Hold Her Close. The story of one woman’s struggle to see herself as anything more than a burden as she daily lives with the pain and grief of endometriosis. The story of a prince who loves her and would give up his kingdom, his name, and crown to prove it.

A story of doubt-strengthened faith, and love grown from loss. Of hope, and courage, and learning to love the broken pieces of ourselves. Which maybe aren’t as broken as we feel.

It’s funny the journey of faith a simple sentence can take you on.

Do you have a favorite parable? Let me know in the comments!

Here’s the Stop #25 Basics:

If you’re interested, you can order Hold Her Close on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WhiteCrown or at your local bookstore!

Clue to Write Down: and anytime

Link to Stop #26, the Next Stop on the Loop: Cara Putman’s site!

***

But wait! Before you go, I’m offering an additional prize pack to one winner (complete with quote cards, stickers, a bookmark, signed bookplate, and an exclusive set of hand-written annotated cards for Hold Her Close). All you have to do to enter is sign up for my newsletter (teal box on my homepage, under my photo), or note that you’re already a subscriber. Additional points for those who follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or BookBub, or leave a comment. Open internationally!

ENTER HERE

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Published by authorhannahcurrie

78 thoughts on “Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #25”

  2. My favorite parable is the prodigal son. The reason is because there’s a lot more to the story than just the one son and I appreciate seeing all aspects of how the son affected his brother and father 🙂

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  3. I have always loved the parable of The Prodigal Son, but Hold Her Close made me move The Pearl of Great Price to the top of my list. Rose’s story resonated with me brought the parable to life for me.

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    1. Aww! I love that! I’m always so humbled with how God can take the simple words I write and use them to encourage others. So cool!

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  5. My favorite is the parable of the lost sheep because it shows God’s immense love for every single person and that even if they go astray he will find us because doesn’t want us to be lost from Him.

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    1. All good! It’s not something I’d thought about either until I started writing this series. The Lost Sheep is my favorite.

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  12. honestly for me it would have to be the prodigal son. I love the idea of a young man going off into the world wanting to have fun thinking that it will fulfill his life. But in the end it only leaves him empty and is given no choice but to run back to his father and I love that because it shows us that even when we’re empty we can always run back to our heavenly fathers arms.

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    1. It’s a really powerful parable that one! So many emotions reading it. Thanks for taking part in the scavenger hunt. HOpe you’ve enjoyed it 🙂

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  13. WOW! I can really relate to Lady Rose! I, too had Endometriosis as well as a very low self-esteem. I also felt worthless, useless to anyone. I finally realized recently I am LOVED & WANTED by GOD & feel so much better about myself. I think my favorite Parable is of the Prodigal Son.

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    1. I love that you’ve connected with her in that way, and come to understand God’s incredible love for you, even if it came through pain. True worth so often does. I hope you never forget how much God loves you and yes, absolutely, WANTS you. Hold on to that ❤

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  14. I guess the prodigal son is probably my favorite parable, because God will kill the fatted calf and rejoice every time one of his children returns after wandering away from Him out into the world, but all of the Holy Bible is priceless and precious to me.

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    1. It’s a beautiful story and reminder that God will always be there, no matter what. But yes, definitely understood more in God’s whole Story, shared in the Bible.

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  19. I recently finished writing a scifi Beauty and the Beast retelling with some Prodigal Son elements, so it definitely qualifies as a favorite. 🙂

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  20. I like the parable where the seeds were sown into different types of ground. It illustrates that the seeds were not different but the ground or our hearts can be receptive or not.

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  22. My favorite parable of the Good Samaritan. Thanks for the opportunity. I subscribed and I’m following on Instagram, Bookbub and Facebook.

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  23. I LOVE your books Hannah! My favorite parable is the one about the talents. I am always reminded by that to use what has been given to us for others benefit and for God’s glory.

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    1. Thank you so much!! 🙂 And yeah, wow. That’s a really powerful one. Great reminder to use the gifts God has given us and not hide them out of fear or doubt.

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  27. I don’t have a favorite parable. There are too many good ones and lessons to be learned from all of them. Hubby says his favorite is the Good Samaritan, and if he’s not careful he’d only preach it. But I find that each parable has lessons and new truths nearly every time I read or hear it.

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    1. Yes! I love how the Bible is alive and God constantly teaches us new things through it. That was something I definitely found with writing this series. These parables I’d heard all my life (learnt, taught, did Bible studies on, sang songs about…) suddenly came to life and impacted me in a way I never expected. God is so amazing.

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  28. The Tortoise and The Hare because it reminds us to not hurry in “the game of life” and make sure you are getting quality instead of quantity.

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    1. I love songs based on Biblical truths. They’re so much more likely to get stuck in my head and remind me at just that moment I need the reminder 🙂

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  31. Fellow Aussie here, and excited to check out your work. I do love the Prodigal sons parable because there is something new to learn every time I come back to it.

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  32. I work with 3-6 year olds and I teach them about the parables and I love the parable of the mustard seed, something so small can become so big only through the power of God. Thank you for writing a story with a character who has endometriosis. I have endometriosis and when I got married I feared that I was less of a woman if I could not have a baby. My amazing husband reassures me daily that I am worthy because of who I am as a daughter of God and not because of anything I can or cannot do. I can’t wait to read your books!

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  33. I really love the parable of the lost sheep. I loved reading how you picked a parable to write a book from!

    Happy ✍️!

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  35. I don’t have a favorite parable, but I love how stories can help us understand truths in a way that maybe we never thought of, or were able to grasp before!

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  39. My favorite parable is the sower in Matthew. May we be the good soil to hear his word and understand it, producing a crop of additional disciples

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  41. I don’t really have a favorite parable, however I love that Jesus makes them relatable so we can understand them. I subscribe, liked and followed! I can’t wait to read your work! Thank you for this opportunity!

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  43. Following you everywhere! My favorite parable is the one about the prodigal son! The Father’s waiting, eagerness, unconditional love and mercy just melts me!

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  44. I don’t have a favorite parable but do enjoy that they each teach a lesson that we can follow or learn from. Thank you for taking part in the scavenger hunt.

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  46. I’ve never really had a favorite parable or Bible Story. However, on the couple of occasions when I had to do a writing assignment and summarize or report on a story in the Bible, I usually picked something easy, like the story of the boy sharing his meal of two fish and five small loaves of bread since it’s not a complicated story and is devoid of intricate nuances. Writing is different when it’s an assignment and not for fun, lol. 🙂

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  47. I love the Prodigal Son, because as an “older brother” type, I always thought I just needed to not be prideful & arrogant, but then one day, God showed me how the older son took everything he had with the father for granted & had squandered the blessings of the relationship he could have with the father (he didn’t want a fatted calf to celebrate with his father, he just wanted it to celebrate with his friends). Talk about convicted! I want to treasure the blessings of living in close relationship with my Father everyday!

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  48. I like the parable of the lost sheep, because it’s comforting to know that God loves me enough to come looking for me when I’ve lost my way.

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  50. I love the parable of the lost sheep. 99 sheep were safe and accounted for the the shepherd wasn’t content until he found the one missing. Isn’t it wonderful to know that He will never be satisfied if one person is lost?.

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