C.R. Hedgcock's Blog, page 4
November 28, 2017
A Picture Riddle…
Just for fun, can you figure out what these pictures could possibly be saying?
Clue: It’s a five-word sentence. Two of the words are given to you.
1) Are
2) [image error]
3) [image error]
4) For
5) [image error]?
Because soon Baker #7 will be!
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Don’t worry if you didn’t get it! (And I should probably say that you don’t need to study or overthink the boots image.) Let me know your guesses in the comments below. 
November 14, 2017
Baker 7 Title and Cover … Revealed!
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Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Over the past weeks, you’ve made some excellent guesses at the cover design, and one of you even told me what you thought the title would be!
Who was wrong? Who was right?
And what kind of adventure do the Bakers have in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland?
Well….
Maybe they get to have a relaxing vacation, without danger or anything going wrong.
Maybe they take leisurely hiking trips, eat hearty food, and snap photos by the side of lochs.
Or maybe they stumble upon a mystery and get caught in a race for something that has been hidden for years … and end up Hunting in the Highlands for a clue that belongs to one man, yet could impact a whole generation.
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Andy braced his hands against the wooden fence, his legs flew, and his boots slapped the muddy ground on the other side. Its sogginess sucked away his momentum as he started running again.
“Halt there!” a voice commanded.
Andy jolted to a standstill, panting, his heart pounding hard. The poacher had stopped on the opposite side of the burn, uphill among the tree trunks. His bow was drawn and an arrow glinted angrily on the string.
After the perils of Iceland, the Bakers plan to enjoy a relaxing vacation with their relatives, the Drakes, in Scotland. Andy goes deer stalking with Uncle Clive, Abby goes horse-back riding and sightseeing with Phil and their cousin Millie, and Tom travels with his parents to the Isle of Bute.
Three incidents throw the trip into a spiral of confusion, and, scattered across Scotland, the Bakers have clues that don’t seem to belong to the same puzzle. A government weapon has fallen into the hands of a top-secret academy, and the only way to stop the spread of dangerous lies is to find the weapon and discover the significance of the name ‘Haelix.’
Who was the desperate poacher? Can Millie help Detective Mortimer solve the mystery while the Bakers’ favorite secret agent is being pursued in a relentless Highland manhunt? And can Phil and the twins reach him before it’s too late?
A race across the moors, a clue beneath the waves of Loch Ness, and an ever-shifting game of strategy—everyone is hunting for a long-hidden message that could affect the future of the free world.
I’m so excited to share this Scottish adventure with you! It’s bursting with things like archery, gun-dogs, a mysterious band of scruffy lads, bagpipes, and more that I can’t tell you about or I’ll ruin the story
October 22, 2017
Giveaway Winners! (plus a glimpse of my trip to Scotland)
This time, instead of announcing the winners of the Baker 7 giveaway on a blog post, I decided to make a short video!
I also took the opportunity to tell you a bit about my trip to Scotland and the things that inspired me to set the upcoming Baker Family Adventure there. The drawing starts at minute 2:30.
I hope you enjoy it!
October 19, 2017
Savouring the Moment
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After lots of work, late nights, and creative ebbs and flows, it was such a treat to visit a favourite coffee shop with a paper-and-ink version of Baker 7. A few times I had to pause, pencil in hand, and stare out the window, overcome with the thought that the finish line is in sight. We’re almost there! Praise God! 
October 11, 2017
Update: Giveaway Time!
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Remember the giveaway of 2 copies of the Bakers’ brand-new adventure in Scotland?
There’s good news — given the amount of interest in the giveaway, we’ve decided to add an extra copy of Baker #7! So now there are THREE copies to be given away; two to US entrants, and one to UK entrants!
The deadline for entries is Thursday 12 October at midnight GMT.
To enter, simply:
1. Subscribe to my email newsletter (one entry)
2. Like C. R. Hedgcock on Facebook (one entry)
3. Share this giveaway on Facebook (one entry)
September 27, 2017
Giveaway Time
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It’s also
2 years since the Baker series came back in print with Grace & Truth Books, and
1 year since I was in Scotland gathering inspiration for Baker book #7
Will you help me celebrate?
I’m looking to give away TWO copies of Baker book #7—one in the USA and one in the UK! They’ll be hot off the press, sent to you as soon as they’re printed.
To enter:
1. Subscribe to my email newsletter (one entry)
2. Like C. R. Hedgcock on Facebook (one entry)
3. Share this giveaway on Facebook (one entry)
Leave a comment below to let me know what you’ve done and where you live (US or UK). If you’ve already subscribed, liked, or don’t have Facebook, let me know in the comments.
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I can’t wait for you to read the Bakers’ latest adventure in the Scottish Highlands! It’s packed with archery, bush-craft, deer-stalking, gun-dogs, and man-hunts across the moors. One pre-reader said, “I know I say this every time, but … this one is the best book yet!”
September 15, 2017
Good News for Baker 7
This is a super short post to say that editing is underway for the Bakers’ 7th adventure (in Scotland). The title will be announced soon, and the the story will, Lord willing, be published in time for Christmas!
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Photo credit: Eric Welch
In the meantime, here’s a little question for you.
Last year, we settled around a table at a cozy restaurant in the Scottish Highlands while clouds thickened overhead and rain pattered outside the window.
Can you guess what I ordered for supper that night based on these three options? The wording is straight from the menu.
Roast Aberdeen Angus silverside of beef, served with Yorkshire pudding
Roast leg of local lamb in a delicious mint gravy
Roasted local haunch of venison served with a rich, chocolate-based gravy
What would you have chosen?
July 26, 2017
Your Questions Answered Part 3
Thank you for sending along more of your questions! Today I answer questions about Jigson’s backstory and the ethos of writing. If you missed the previous posts, here’s Part 1 and Part 2.
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1. My sister and I were wondering if you have made a backstory for Jigson? Or will some more of his history will be revealed in later books?
Jigson has always been a somewhat mysterious figure in the stories, and I don’t want to get in the way of that too much. However, I do have some backstory sketched out, particularly the story of his name. I can’t wait to get into that
July 10, 2017
A Peek at Book 7’s Scotland Action
Painting: The Monarch of the Glen by Edwin Henry Landseer {{PD-US}}
Wet heather brushed his chin and drenched his pants, while his lungs filled with the heady scent of earth and musty, damp tweed. He felt more like a predator than ever before, his heart pumping with the mounting adrenaline of the chase.
“It’s your shot, lad.”
Andy wriggled closer. Next moment, the smooth wooden stock of the rifle was in his hands. He lifted his head and felt sweat collecting in the space between his eyebrows and the peak of his cap.
He put his eye to the scope. The stag, sleek and majestic, was in beautiful condition—but he could see the reason Hector had singled it out. A limp was clear as it took a few paces forward to reach a juicy clump of heather.
He settled on his stomach, clicked the safety off, and found the trigger with his index finger. His breath eased in as the cross-hairs came halfway up its chest and just behind its shoulder. He watched it for a moment, enveloped in deep quiet as time itself seemed to wait for the shot.
The stag raised its head, ears pricked, nose high, its senses on full alert . . .
…
© C. R. Hedgcock
Note: Hunting can be a controversial subject. In Scotland, deer populations have no natural predators and need human regulation in order to maintain healthy herds and habitat.
May 19, 2017
What Color Do You Think Baker Adventure #7 Will Be?
Wow! There are 99 comments so far on the “Announcing Baker 7” post! Thank you for sending great suggestions for the next adventure and asking the questions you’d love to have answered. It’s a privilege to hear your thoughts, find out about your favorite characters (some of which are surprising!), and tap into your creative ideas
