Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #21

Ann H GabhartAnn's Posts, One Writer's Journal 333 Comments

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 6/15 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, 6/18 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 the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way

Hi, I’m Ann H. Gabhart and I love being called a storyteller. I’ve gone down plenty of story trails in my home state of Kentucky. I’m sort of a nut for nature and dogs and my grandkids. Oh, and books too! Most of my books are historical fiction but I have some cozy mysteries as well. You can find out more about me and my books here on my website and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and BookBub. I like dropping my characters down into some interesting historical times or settings,  but for my newest novel, In the Shadow of the River, I told my characters “All Aboard” and set my story on a river showboat. Here’s a little more about the story.

When Jacci Reed was five, someone tried to steal her from her mother who was badly wounded in the confrontation. Jacci and her mother find refuge on the Kingston Floating Palace, a river showboat. Fifteen years later, Jacci loves being an actress and singer on the showboat, but the memory of her mother’s death and the events leading up to it has shadowed Jacci through the years. When her life is threatened, she knows she must search for the answers she needs. But secrets have a way of staying in the shadows . . . and the answers she craves will not come easily.

Have You Ever Had Stage Fright?

Acting? On Stage? Not me! I loved getting into character with Jacci but I want to stay backstage doing the directing. Not on stage in the lights.

An actress, I’m not, but that’s the fun of writing fiction. My characters can be way different from me. I could say different than I can imagine being, but that doesn’t work for a writer. My characters do things I can’t  do all the time.

Me at the first stage fright age

But what about that stage fright? When I was five, I had a part in a church play. A speaking part. I practiced my lines until my sisters were ready to throttle me, but I had it down pat. Then, when my big moment came, I looked out at the congregation, opened my mouth, and nothing came out. My vocal cords froze. I knew then acting wasn’t for me.

That dread of being on stage stayed with me all through school. Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, is a common phobia shared by three out of four people. Maybe you are one of the three. I used to be, but after my first book was published years ago, I agreed to speak to a group of librarians and discovered stage fright wasn’t fatal. At least not for me. Now I even enjoy speaking about my books. However, I’m not about to try acting!

In my book, In the Shadow of the River, I could have let my character, Jacci, have stage fright, but that wasn’t Jacci. From the time she first went on stage at age five, she loved the spotlight. She is a true showboat actress who likes nothing better than rolling downriver to a new landing each day to put on a show.  When the music starts and the curtain goes up, an actress like Jacci is ready to take the stage to say those first lines and entice the audience into the magic of story.

How about you? Ever have stage fright or do you love performing?

 

Here’s Your Critical Stop #21 Info:
If you’re interested, you can order In the Shadow of the River on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, Baker Book House, or your local bookstore!

Clue to Write Down: hammock,

Link to Stop #22, the next Stop on the Loop: Leslie Gould’s site!

But wait! Before you go, I’m offering some prizes here on my site. One entrant will win an actress make-up bag and a choice of one of my books. Two other winners will get their choice of one of my books. All you have to do is leave a comment here that you signed up for my e-newsletter on the form in the margin here on my website or note you’re already a subscriber. For fun, you can say if you suffer from glossophobia or if you love performing the way Jacci does.

Giveaway starts June 15, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time (2:00 p.m. EST)  and deadline for entries is June 19, 2023 12:00 a.m. Mountain Time (2:00 a.m. EST.)  Winners will be picked by random and notified by email.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of the hunt!

Comments 333

  1. I’m already a subscriber. Never was in a position to have stage fright. Maybe a bit nervous when I had to do a presentation.

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      Sounds as if you handle it well, Paula. But some people have stage fright when they do presentations. I thank you for already being a subscriber to my news. I appreciate you and how you help get the word out about my new books.

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  5. I signed up for your newsletter.

    I definitely suffer from glossophobia. When I have had to talk in front of lots of people at chuch, my stress comes out in sobbing … so bad that no one can understand me. Hence, I very seldom do it.

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      I think I would avoid talking in front of people too, Heather, if that happened to me. I’m sure everybody is praying for you and loving you at your church though. And understanding since so many of us do or have suffered from glossophobia.

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  8. I signed up…but hope I don’t win the make-up prize 🙂

    I really enjoyed your Hidden Springs series. It would be awesome if you wrote something else along that line 🙂

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      Well, if you do, Mark, I’ll bump you down to second prize. LOL. I’m glad you enjoyed my Hidden Springs mysteries. I’d love to write one more in that series. If I do, I want to title it Murder at the Wedding. 🙂 Maybe something I’ll get to write that story.

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    Thanks to all of you who have signed up for my newsletter. So appreciated. Also appreciate those of you who are already signed up and have been getting my news. Love getting to know my readers and meeting new readers.

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  11. I signed up!

    It depended on what it was. I hated public speaking because of nmy deaf accent but i loved to dance!

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      I love that, Patricia. “I loved to dance!” I would probably rather get up and give a speech than dance, but I’ve always thought I was missing out with my “dance” fright. What is they say? Dance like nobody’s watching.

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  12. I am already a subscriber. I too suffer from stage fright, but as a school teacher, I found I had to speak in front of an audience–every day! All day long! And you know what–I could do it! God gave me strength to open my mouth and speak! For almost 40 years!

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      Thank you for being a teacher, Martha. Teachers are so important to our children and to all of us. I had never thought about a teacher doing public speaking, but you’re right. You did it every day in front of a different audience every year. My work in progress is about a teacher in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s not as much about her teaching as other family things, but it’s been fun researching teachers in that era for my story.

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  17. I used to be terrified of public speaking. Now not so much. I talk all the time now. LOL I am already a subscriber.

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      I guess that’s me too, Robin. I don’t mind speaking up at all these days while I used to be that scared little girl. But some people who talk all the time still don’t want to do up front with lots of people listening. I’d probably get more nervous in a bigger venue.

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  18. I’m a subscriber and look forward to reading your books. I’m a introvert so stage fright is definitely a thing for me.

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      I think I’m a combination introvert and extravert if there is such a thing, Charity. And I like saying stage fright better than glossophobia. I could have had a character in my story with stage fright. Might have been a way to add some humor or problems. I hope when you read my stories, you’ll enjoy them.

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  20. I’m already a subscriber!
    I hate public speaking. It’s not too bad if the words are written out for me, but reciting lines? No thanks! I remember one Christmas Program at church when I was about 6 or 7. My turn to recite was coming up, but I had to run back to the bathrooms because I felt like I was going to throw up! Thankfully, I didn’t, but I got out of saying my part. 😀

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      I guess I got out of saying my part too, Elizabeth, just because I lost my voice or abiltiy to speak. LOL. Those church plays went on without us, didn’t they? I had a nephew who got a stomach bug right before his wedding and in the middle of the service, he looked at his wife to be and then made a beeline for the restroom. He did come back and they did get married although he still looked a little pale.

      Reply

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