Welcome to Tyndale Fiction’s Road Trip Scavenger Hunt! We’re so happy you are here. To participate, collect the key words through all 13 stops in order, so you can enter to win our grand prize giveaway {link http://www.crazy4fiction.com/2018/08/01/scavenger-hunt-giveaway/}!

Some details:

The adventure begins on Wednesday, August 1. You’ll have two weeks to make your way through all the stops (giveaways will close on Tuesday, August 14).
While you do not have to start at Stop #1 {linkhttp://francinerivers.com/road-trippin-with-tyndale-and-carla-laureano-stop-1}, keep in mind that the grand prize giveaway phrase will begin with the word you collect at that first stop.
To complete your submission for the grand prize giveaway, be sure to collect the key word within each author’s blog post, submitting the final, completed phrase in the form hosted on this page {link: http://www.crazy4fiction.com/2018/08/01/scavenger-hunt-giveaway/ }.
Also, be sure to enter the giveaways these authors are hosting on their blogs!

Enjoy the journey—we hope you’ll discover new books along the way as you hear from Tyndale Fiction authors about road trips, the settings of their novels, and more!

Happy road tripping!

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I am delighted to introduce Christy and Carol Award–winning author Beth K. Vogt. Beth’s latest release, Things I Never Told You, can best be described as a contemporary “Little Women gone wrong” story. Torn apart by a tragic accident that occurred ten years ago, three sisters must decide whether to harbor old resentments or band together to face a new hardship that is threatening their family. Anyone who has siblings can relate to these characters and their unique roles within their family.

Join Beth and her characters on a road trip to beautiful Colorado, Beth’s home state and the setting for her story. Welcome, Beth!

                                                                            

Summer Road Trip: Colorado

Welcome to Colorado, the home state of the Thatcher sisters—Johanna, Jillian, Payton, and Pepper—the sibling-catalyst for my “Little Women gone wrong” novel, Things I Never Told You.

I’ve lived in Colorado for twenty years—the longest I’ve lived anywhere since marrying my (now-retired) military spouse. My youngest child was born in Colorado and proudly boasts the prized “NATIVE” sticker on her Subaru, which many consider the state car.

While the Thatcher sisters’ emotional closeness is minimal at best, they’re all Colorado natives who’ve grown up, gone to college, and chosen to stay in Colorado.

But I’ll let three of the sisters tell you why they love this state so much.

(Yes, I’m treating fictional characters like real people. I’m a writer—it’s what I do.)

                                                                       

Johanna (sitting with Payton and Jillian at the table in their parents’ breakfast nook): Why are we in here, instead of outside with Mom and Dad? I thought this was a weekend cookout.

Jillian: We need to talk.

Johanna: Talk? What about?

Jillian: Colorado.

Johanna: Colorado? Is this a geography quiz?

Payton: Stop interrupting, Johanna, and let Jillian explain.

Johanna sits back in her chair, crossing her arms.

Payton (motioning toward Jillian) : Go ahead, Jill. She’s pouting, but she’s listening.

Jillian (rushing ahead before Payton and Johanna can get into an argument): You know that author who wrote a book about us? Things I Never Told You?

Johanna: Oh, yeah—I definitely want to talk to her. She got me so wrong in that book!

Payton: We’re not talking about us!

Jillian: She’d like us to talk about Colorado.

Johanna: Colorado? Why?

Payton: Maybe because we live in Colorado?

Johanna: Why should I do anything for an author who made me out to be a control freak?

Payton (speaking in a whisper): Sounds like she knows you pretty well.

Johanna: What was that?

Jillian: Ignore her. If we don’t talk about Colorado, then that author is going to put words in our mouths. Again.

Johanna: I’m in.

Payton: Me too.

Jillian: Great. What would we tell people about Colorado?

Silence.

                                                                                

Jillian: Nobody has anything to say about Colorado? Favorite places, maybe? What about the old penny arcades in Manitou Springs that Mom and Dad took us to when we were kids? Geoff and I went there on a date night once. Or the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off, when they launch all the hot air balloons in Memorial Park?

Payton (leaning forward with a smile on her face): I liked growing up in the Springs—seeing Pikes Peak every day—the sunrises and the sunsets. But now I prefer living in Denver because I can get to the mountains within an hour or two. City life and hiking or skiing in the mountains so close together. This year I’m determined to make it to the snow-sculpting competition in Breckenridge.

                                                                                         

Johanna: How many years have you said that, Payton?

Payton: Too many, I know. I’m surprised you haven’t kept track of the exact number, big sister.

Jillian: What about you, Jo?

Johanna: I’m proud I’m a Colorado native—I have no plans to leave. Colorado Springs knows how to do winter: it snows one day and then the sun comes out and 24 hours later the snow is gone.

Jillian: Favorite place?

Payton and Johanna (speaking in unison): The Broadmoor.

Laughter.

Johanna: Where else? It’s elegant. It has the best restaurants. The staff knows how to treat you right. I love their spa. And it’s beautiful . . . I walk onto the property and just relax.

                                                                 

Payton: What about Garden of the Gods? No matter how many times I’ve been there, I always take dozens of photos of the red rock formations—Balance Rock, Siamese Twins, the lone White Rock.

Johanna: Look, we could list beautiful things about Colorado all day long. Do you think we’ve done enough to make that author happy?

Payton: I don’t know—writers can be temperamental.

Jillian: Be nice. She’s going to read what we said. Besides, she probably has a word count. I think we’re good.

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Here’s the Stop #5 Important Information:

You can purchase Beth’s book, Things I Never Told You, here. {link: https://www.tyndale.com/p/things-i-never-told-you/9781496427243}
Clue to write down: trips
Link to Stop #6, the next stop in the scavenger hunt: Beth’s site: https://bethvogt.com/giveaway/road-tr...

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Tessa’s Giveaway: A $25 Amazon Gift Card to one winner

If you want to read blog #4 by Tessa Afshar, please go to:  {link: http://www.jolinapetersheim.com/blog/ }