WELCOME to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt!
I’m Carla Stewart, one of the stops for the debut edition of the Christian Fiction Scavenger hunt. I’m thrilled to partner with eleven other authors for this fun event. If you’re just starting, you can find the rules for the scavenger hunt here. If you get lost or need directions at any time, visit the home site.
About Me: I am the author of three currently published books. My first two novels have received several honors – both were finalists in the Oklahoma Book Award. Chasing Lilacs was the trophy winner for the Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. 2011 Best Fiction Book of the Year, a finalist in RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, and Broken Wings won the Women’s Fiction category for the IRCA this past July. My writing reflects my passion for times gone by with all of my novels thus far having a nostalgic flair. I’m an alumna of the Guideposts Writers Workshop. As well as being an avid reader and coffee lover, my husband and I relish weekend getaways and the adventures of our six grandchildren. This is my official website, and you’re invited to look around to learn more about me and my books. But for now, I’ll tell you a bit about my latest book, Stardust.
Shortly after burying her unFAITHFUL husband, Georgia Payton inherits the derelict Stardust Tourist Court from a distant relative. Faced with opposition from the aunt who raised her and others in the town, Georgia breathes new life into the cottages.
The guests who arrive, though, aren’t what Georgia expects: her gin-loving mother-in-law; her dead husband’s mistress; an attractive drifter who’s tired of the endless road; and an aging Vaudeville entertainer with a disturbing link to Georgia’s past. Dreams of a new life are crippled amid the havoc.
Georgia’s only hope is that she can find the courage to forgive those who’ve betrayed her, the grace to shelter those who need her, and the moxie to face the future. One thing is certain: under the flickering neon of the STARDUST, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Purchasing options for Stardust can be found here.
Now, for some Retro Fun about Stardust!
NOTE: Please read all the way to the end for the link to the next stop on the Scavenger Hunt!
Stardust-inspired Retro Quiz
Stardust is set in 1952. For fun, see how much trivia you remember or “know” about that year. You could look them up, but that would be cheating. Give it your best shot and then scroll to the bottom to see how you did!
1. Who won the 1952 World Series (baseball)?
2. Who said, “They’re gr-r-r-eat!!”?
3. What was the most popular TV show in 1952?
4. The March of Dimes was created to fight what disease?
5. What female singer recorded the 1952 hit “Wheel of Fortune”?
6. Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected President in 1952. Who was his opponent?
7. East of Eden was published in 1952. Who was the author?
8. What was the cost of a postage stamp in 1952?
9. Where were the 1952 Summer Olympics held?
10. What movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1952?
11. BONUS QUESTION: The song “Stardust” – one of the most recorded songs of the twentieth century – was composed in 1927 on an old upright piano by whom?
How many did you know (without peeking at the answers)?
Some other fun facts: The Honeymooners starring Jackie Gleason debuted on television for a two decade run. Jonas Salk developed the first experimental dead virus polio vaccine. Gasoline cost twenty-seven cents a gallon. And a not so fun fact: At the height of the polio epidemic in 1952, nearly 60,000 cases with more than 3,000 deaths were reported in the United States alone. Stardust is set on a sleepy bayou in East Texas amid that epidemic. It’s a story of courage, forgiveness, and new beginnings. If you like nostalgia and heart warming stories, I hope you’ll give it a try.
Now, for the answers to the quiz:
(1) NY Yankees (2) Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes) (3) I Love Lucy (4) poliomyelitis (also known as infantile paralysis or polio) (5) Kay Starr (6) Adlai Stevenson (7) John Steinbeck (8) Three cents (9) Helsinki, Finland (10) An American in Paris (11) Hoagy Carmichael
MY GIVEAWAY (separate from the overall grand prize of the scavenger hunt): I’m offering a copy of Stardust and a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble. To enter, please leave a comment at the end of this post (no email or FaceBook comments will count) telling me what your earliest memory was. You may receive up to a total of FOUR entries by doing the following.
1. Comment with your earliest memory.
2. LIKE my author page on FaceBook.
3. Post about the Scavenger Hunt on your FaceBook page.
4. Tweet about the Scavenger Hunt. Use hashtag #CFSH.
Return to the comments section of this blog and tell me the things you did (separate posts are okay but not necessary). If you have already LIKED my FaceBook page, just let me know you’re already a fan (yes, I will know!). My contest ends this Sunday am (October 7) so time is of the essence!
Good Luck on finding all the clues in the Scavenger Hunt.
Next stop, my good friend, Myra Johnson!