Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! Be sure to collect the clues through all 27 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 3 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!
My guest is the amazing historical writer, Lori Benton. I love following her on Facebook because she takes the most amazing photographs! And we are currently writing in a similar time period/location, so that makes me all the more intrigued with her. Her newest book is set on a plantation in the 1740s (while mine is in the 1770s). Here’s her formal bio: LORI BENTON’s novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she expertly brings to life the colonial and early federal periods of American history. She is the author of Burning Sky, recipient of three Christy Awards: Christy finalist Many Sparrows, and other novels. Connect with Lori on Facebook: @AuthorLoriBenton
Here’s a brief summary of The King’s Mercy: When captured rebel Scotsman Alex MacKinnon is granted the king’s mercy—transport and exile to the colony of North Carolina—he’s indentured as a blacksmith to Edmund Carey, prosperous owner of Severn Plantation. Unwittingly, Alex is drawn into the plight of Carey’s slaves, particularly those connected to Carey’s stepdaughter, Joanna. Despite his growing bond with Joanna, Alex’s longing to break his own chains of servitude and forge his freedom forces him to face the choice that hounds him: continue down his rebellious path or embrace a mercy that might cost the life he seeks to save.
The King’s Mercy: A Cover Journey
by Lori Benton
A novel’s creation is a twisty journey. From conception, through plotting and writing, then multiple editing passes, a story changes shape. So does its cover, something I learned when my first novel, Burning Sky, debuted in 2013. Cover journeys continue to fascinate me, so let’s take a look at the cover evolution of The King’s Mercy, my historical novel releasing in June, from Waterbrook Press.
The first two compositions in this group differ greatly from what we eventually landed on. I feel the first two reflect well the story and main characters—particularly the second one since my hero, Alex MacKinnon, is an indentured blacksmith. But neither gown is from the 1740s and I’m not thrilled with the tiny title in the first. I like seeing the mountains in the third cover, since the story is set in the heart of Cherokee country for several chapters. But other settings are more dominant. Still the overall design is close to what I’d envisioned for this book.
Both covers in this second group contain elements that appear in the finished cover, despite the cooler color palette. The title is a little hard to read in the first and differs from my previous books. The familiar font is back in the second, as well as the river and house. Still the journey isn’t over.
In the two covers below the color palette has warmed up. The setting is strong in the first. We have a stock Joanna Carey (the heroine) in the second. Now to blend the best of these and do a photo shoot with a new model to achieve a look exclusive to The King’s Mercy…
Flip that river, add a unique Joanna in a gown perfect for the period, and voila! We have a finished book cover.
Thanks to the art department at Waterbrook & Multnomah (cover artists Kristopher Orr and Kelly Howard) for providing this look into the cover journey for The King’s Mercy.
Got a favorite among the covers that weren’t chosen as the final? Let me know in the comments, and if you’d like, tell us what appeals to you about it.
HERE’S THE STOP #1 SKINNY:
You can order Lori’s book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD or at your local bookstore!
Clue to Write Down: Every
Link to Stop #2, the Next Stop on the Loop: Lori Benton’s own site!
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! I’m raffling off 5 copies of either Keturah or Verity in the Sugar Baron’s Daughters trilogy (the choice is yours). All you have to do is sign up to receive email newsletters and announcements from me, and there are additional points to be gained if you follow me on Goodreads, Bookbub, and Facebook. Thanks for entering! (USA only)