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 3 grand prizes!

Hi Friends! My name is Carrie Turansky, and I am the author of English historical novels, set in Victorian and Edwardian England, mid -1800s to early 1900s. All my books include family drama, romance, and inspiration, and I like to include real people and true historical events. You can learn more about me and all my books here on my website and on Facebook and Instagram. My newest release is A VERY ENGLISH CHRISTMAS, a historical holiday novella collection. Here’s more about the book:

Celebrate the season with three timeless tales inspired by Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Beatrix Potter.

In A Portrait of Faith by Carole Lehr Johnson, a friendship with Jane Austen helps a young woman pursue life and love with new courage.

In A Victorian Christmas Tale by Carrie Turansky, love blossoms between a writer and a young woman with a hidden strength—as Charles Dickens pens A Christmas Carol nearby.

In A Tale of the Season by Marguerite Gray, a spirited heiress finds unexpected joy in the Lake District—with a little help from Beatrix Potter.

Romantic, faith-filled, and full of literary charm, A VERY ENGLISH CHRISTMAS is the perfect holiday read for fans of historical fiction and classic British novels.

So how did I weave the writing of A Christmas Carol into my novella, A Victorian Christmas Tale? Read on to learn more . . . 

What motivated Charles Dickens to write A Christmas Carol? Early in 1843, as a response to a government report on the abuse of child laborers in mines and factories, Dickens vowed he would strike a “sledge-hammer blow on behalf of the poor man’s child.” He was also deeply touched when he visited a Ragged School and observed poor children taking part in classes there. Reflections on his own childhood and family struggles may also have played a part in inspiring the story.

How long did it take Dickens to write A Christmas Carol?  It took him only six weeks to write A Christmas Carol! He said he “saw” the characters as he was writing, much like Ebenezer Scrooge saw the characters from the books he had read. He began writing in October and was determined to get the book out in time for Christmas. He met his goal, and it first appeared in bookshops on December 19, 1843.

What was the public’s response to A Christmas Carol? The initial print run of 6,000 copies sold out within five days! Dickens publishers were initially uncertain about the book and the timing of the release so close to Christmas. But Dickens was determined, and he was willing to cover the printing costs himself in an unusual agreement with his publisher. People lined up to purchase copies of A Christmas Carol, and many believe it changed the way Christmas has been celebrated since.

Here’s the Stop #19 Basics:
If you’d like, you can order a print copy of A VERY ENGLISH CHRISTMAS on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at your local bookstore! If you’d like the eBook or audiobook, those are exclusive to Amazon. It is FREE on KU – Kindle Unlimited!

Clue to Write Down: Your  
Here is the Link to Stop #20, the next stop on the loop: Jasmine Fischer’s site! 

But wait! Before you go I have a special giveaway just for you . . . 

I’m giving away a copy of A VERY ENGLISH CHRISTMAS and Charles Dickens Literary Tea to a US reader. If an international reader is chosen, you’ll receive your choice of one of my eBooks.  All you have to do is sign up to receive my author e-newsletter on my website homepage. Comment below and tell me that you signed up or that you’re already a subscriber to enter my giveaway. The winner will be chosen on October 28th and notified by email.

Thanks for stopping by and happy hunting!

Carrie

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