Dear friends,
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season and are looking forward to 2018! Whatever your plans and dreams for the next year, I pray the Lord would bless and keep you, and that you would glorify and enjoy Him even more richly than before. 🙂
My family and I have had a lovely week of restful fellowship, good food, and special gifts. One of the greatest blessings, however, are the messages that have been rolling into my inbox and onto this website, capturing your enjoyment of Baker 7: Hunting in the Highlands.
Thank you for letting me know that you liked it! I’m thrilled that it lived up to your expectations and that you’re keen to see a book 8 that develops these Baker Family characters even more and sees them facing whatever new challenges come their way.
I am grateful to the Lord for enabling me to finish book 7 this year, and thankful that everything came together at the last minute for publication. At the same time as writing these books, I’m studying for a degree and working part-time (and training a puppy 😉 ), so juggling everything is tricky sometimes!
Could I ask a favour? If you’ve read and enjoyed Hunting in the Highlands or any of the Baker Family Adventures, would you mind leaving a rating/review on Amazon? It helps more readers find out about the series, helps my work as a writer, and absolutely makes my day 🙂
Once again, thank you for your messages of feedback and encouragement! Besides being great to connect with you, your support means I can continue researching and writing new adventures.
Blessings to you all, and Happy New Year!
~ C. R. Hedgcock
All images are copyright © 2017 C. R. Hedgcock
crhedgcock.com 
Wow! The pictures are stunning! It makes it easier to picture Scotland! Hunting in the Highlands is amazing and I am so glad you were able to finish it this year!
Happy New Year! Please let there be a book 8!!!! I would love it–actually I think we all would!
We definitely would all love a book 8!
The pictures do help see what Scotland looks like! I finished the sample of Hunting in the Highlands and enjoyed it greatly; I hope to get the book some day soon. 🙂
I would love to see a book 8! Isabelle got that right; We all would love it!
Happy New Year everyone!
Happy New Year Miss Hedgecock. Book 7 is awesome. I’m reading again.
Happy New Year! Book 7 was absolutely amazing! I agree with everyone else; there has to be a book 8! And, like Parker, I’m reading it for the third time this week 😉
Happy New Year to you all too! I hope there will be a book 8 and many more to come! Loving every minute as I read Hunting in the Highlands; great book!
Happy 2018!
Happy 2018 everyone!
May God bless you and keep you all.
Haven’t read it yet but SOOO want to!!!!! 😀 😀
Great job, C R Hedgcock!!! May the Lord continue to bless and further your work for Him!!
Happy 2018!!!!
I so enjoyed book 7! It was so much fun reading about places I had visited this year: Stirling area, Loch Ness, etc. I got the book in the mail about 5 in the evening and finished it at 11:30 that night. I hope there are more books coming! Thank you for all the hard work you put into your books
Happy New Year! I just got my book back, so I will reread it and write a review! 🙂
Happy 2018!
I have already started it for the second time! Love the pictures
Happy New Year!!!
I loved book 7! Thank you so much for all of the time and hard work you have put into it! I hope you will write a book 8 in the future.
My family is reading the Baker books every night now. I have read all of them already, but glad my family is hearing them!
I finished Hunting in the Highlands last night! I think that book was my favorite of all of them! I feel so sorry for Mr. Jigson of how he’s had a rough life. 😦
Thanks Ms. Hedgcock!
Book 7 is the best yet! A book 8 would be… Well I don’t words for how great it would be!😂
God bless you in the new year!!
Did it ever explain in Hunting in the Highlands about 12 lemons?
No, it did’t! I hope that’s answered in the next book!
Yeah, me too, Jubilee. It has something to do with when Detective Mortimer and Jigson first met.
Yes Parker, I think you’re right. But what? I do know that L is the 12th letter of the alphabet, and the first letter in Lemons, but I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. Maybe I’m overthinking it…
That might but I don’t know. I don’t think they would use 12 if it is for L in lemons. I’m glad you’re thinking though. I’ve been trying to figure the out twelve Lemons thing for a long time. I don’t have any ideas other than them meeting at a grocery store or something and that seems kind of silly. Not mysterious like what we think this is. I tend to think like you about it and you made a good point. I can’t wait to find out what it means though since we have thought about it so much.
Maybe it was part of a recognition code they used when they first met? You know, like the one about ponies the bad guys use in Summer of Suspence?
That is what I always thought! But there could be other options too. I think we are overthinking this. We spend all our time wondering what ‘Twelve Lemons’ means, while the answer may really be simple the whole time… But you never know! 😉
It may be simple.
Yeah, it could be something funny like they were in a lemon eating contest and tied at twelve lemons. 😀
That’s a funny idea. Possibly right but I hope it’s something mysterious.
Yeah, I had the same idea about a recognition code. But…who knows?
Yeah, that is possible too.
Even if ‘Twelve Lemons’ is solved, there are plenty of other mysteries that still need to be resolved!
Has anyone noticed that all the books are sort of connected to each other? For instance, 1,4,5,6, and 7 all have something that relates to Ms. Verton, Jigson’s mysterious past, and so on. Plus, ‘Earthquake the First’, as mentioned in Book 6, is the one that kept Mr. Baker in England when Abby was kidnapped. The only books that don’t tie in are Peril and Riddle…at first glance. Ms. Verton has employees all over the world looking for jewels–Lewis Nickel is a professional treasure hunter. Ms. Verton seems to like artifacts–so does Bud Larone. I don’t know, but it is an interesting thought!
Oh, and I would be interested to know more about Mr. Baker’s family and past. We know about Mrs. Baker, but not him.
I’ve never thought about it like that before! Good thinking Isabelle
Wow, that’s a lot of info that I would’ve never thought of. That is some engrossed thinking! I hope that it explains (perhaps in book 8?) all about 12 lemons.
Isabelle, Peril on Providence Island kind of does tie in because Dainn in book 6 mentions Jigson stopping Lewis Nickel. Only book 3 doesn’t exactly. It would be cool to learn about Mr. Baker’s family. Maybe Jigson could be related somehow. It would be cool if the Hills were Jigson’s grandparents as some of you all have mentioned.
Isabelle, what if Miss Verton knew Mr. Baker was in England and they did the earthquake for an experiment but also to keep him in England so he couldn’t help his family?
That’s an interesting idea Parker, about Earthquake the first.
That is a good possibility, Parker.
I hope Miss Verton appears in other books. She and Dainn are my favorite villains. I hope they are in several books to come.
She should become good! I like her, but she would be so awesome as a ‘good person’. There is this audio drama my sisters and I love to listen to, and in it one of the bad guys becomes good. Only problem is he is sentenced to a long time in prison. Fortunately, the FBI need his help and in exchange for it, he becomes a free man. Maybe something like that could happen with Miss Verton, so that she can get out of prison sooner (and be good). 😀
The radio drama you were talking about…does that happen to be Jonathan Park? Just wondering…
Yes, John, that is Jonathan Park!
That’s great! I have four siblings and we’ve been listening to Jonathan Park since we were just little kids!
Same!!! We love it! Not so much the new ones….but the original volumes are awesome!
Agreed!
That is so funny!! I LOVE Jonathan Park also! I have listened to the CDs for years, and my sisters are starting to listen along with me. I think that is a great idea for Miss Verton, maybe she could become saved after reading her parents letter that they found in Hunting In The Highlands. 🙂
I know what you mean about the new ones being not as good, but I still like them.
Yeah, Ms. Verton needs to come back! Remind me who Dainn was again…
Dainn is Jigson’s uncle and the leader of the RDC (That reminds me, what does RDC stand for?). Remember him from Iceland Intrigue?
Oh yes, now I remember him. Thanks! Can’t remember what RDC stands for.
I’ve been thinking about the RDC mystery for a while especially since I’m reading book 6 to my siblings. We have listened to some of the older Jonathan Parks. They aren’t as good as Miss Hedgcock’s books but they are pretty good.
They never said what RDC stands for. Another Mystery! 😀
I like the little mysteries like that added to the book as long as one-day I find out the answer. Some people never answer those and that drives me crazy.
Yes! When mysteries aren’t solved, I like to just make up a satisfactory resolution. I haven’t with the BFA, though, because I am confident that we will find out at least most of the mysteries eventually!
I don’t think Miss Hedgcock will keep those mysteries from us though. I’m just saying some authors do that.
I searched the series to find what the RDC stands for! Didn’t find a single clue:(
Yeah, but it’s fun to wait and see what it is.
Good observation Isabelle! I was thinking along the same lines. I think Peril is tied in because Dainn says that he’ll “pardon” Jigson for stoping Lewis Nickel. So Mr. Nickel seems to be in league with Miss Verton and Dainn. The connection between Riddle and Hunting is Detective Clement Gray. What was he up to anyway???
That’s true! I had forgotten about that, Jubilee!
Yeah! So with that in mind, all the books tie together into a bigger mystery!
As long as we assume that the books are all tied together, I wonder about Briosa. Book 5 says she has lived with her grandfather since she was thirteen. Where was she before that? Who are her parents and what happened to them? Does her Catalan background tie in with the foreign background of the Sloanes from Summer of Suspense? (Who also happen to look a lot like Briosa, with dark skin and black hair?) This is just a random question, but I have learned that with the Baker Family Adventures, random questions aren’t always random…
Jubilee, I forgot about the Detective Clement Gray. He seems questionable. I wonder If one day he will be a villain against the Bakers.
I’m glad the books are connected. It makes them even better. I love it when books are connected.
I know! It’s so cool when you can get clues for solving a new mystery by looking a past mysteries.
Yeah, I agree.
Oh and here is another interesting connection. In Iceland Intrigue, Dr. Roth wears tan brogues, which are leather shoes historically associated with Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. It probably doesn’t mean anything, but it is interesting just the same.
But Dr. Roth is from New York…
He is in Hunting in the Highlands though and that takes place in Scotland.
I know he’s in Hunting, but he’s not actually *in* Scotland. He’s just talking over the phone.
Yeah, that’s true. Maybe he just like that style.
It makes you wonder though, if he had ever been in Scotland. It could easily be a coincidence. But I tend to view Dr. Roth as a mysterious character.
Yeah, me too. I did like him being in the book though.
Yeah, Dr. Roth is a nice guy! Hope he returns (in person)😀 in the coming books.
Agreed! And it would also be interesting to learn more about Sigurd.
Does anyone remember the feud between Dr. Roth and Guðmundor? It seems to me that Jigson isn’t the only secret agent Dr. Roth has helped medically.
I don’t remember it. Do you know what chapter it was, or not?
Um, Chapter 24: Three Figures, pages 216-217. They seem a little bit hostile toward each other.
Oh yeah! Dr. Roth says something about operating on his finger…I wonder what that was all about.
I was thinking about Detective Clement Gray, and I had a thought… In Riddle, he asks Phil about his education, which at the time seemed insignificant. If I remember correctly, the Glen was very interested in education. Maybe Detective Gray was looking for new “recruits”?
Ooh, that’s a good question!
I had that exact same thought! But Detective Grey was talking about University, and Phil was probably too old to be considered a promising recruit—especially since he was eighteen and already had strong opinions. It would have been hard to “brainwash” him after having been homeschooled all his life.
Oh, but they could. Remember, they have a GlowRay.
Yeah, I wonder if Miss Hedgcock will use that again.
Oh I hope not, that was awful.
Goodness! But if the Glen has the GlowRay, that means they are connected with the RDC. Which might not be too surprising!😉
You guys are deep. Like I feel like I’ve missed so much in the books. Now I have to read them all over again. Miss Hedgcock had better write another book to answer all these crazy mysteries.
Well, she is doing research on book 8. That book might answer some of the mysteries.
Do you all remember Jigson talking to Guothmunder and Jigson mentioned that it had been a long time since he was an old man? There seems to be a history behind those two . . . . Also, I wonder if Miss Verton is still going to marry Herr Klaus. And what about Arne the artist who Jigson went into disguise as? We don’t know about him other than him being an artist. Was he arrested? I don’t completely remember but it wasn’t mentioned that he was.
Hey, I got another question. In Iceland Intrigue, remember the girl that looks just like Abby and takes her place? (It was when Abby went to the ladies room and typed the code into her locket) Who was that girl?
Yeah! I was wondering the same thing! Where did Miss Verton find someone that looks just a Abby?
I was thinking about that today but didn’t comment with that yet.
I asked Miss Hedgcock about that on anothor post. She said she wasn’t going to go into much detail, but I assume she meant that for Baker 7. When I was reading Hunting, I first thought that when Abby was mistaken for Maria Rodriguez, it had something to do with her double, but that was Briosa anyways.
I was also wondering about Miss Verton and Herr Klaus. If they do get married, Rolf would be Jigson’s “nephew”
Yeah, I didn’t think about that. Jigson seems to be related to a lot of criminals.
How can they get married? They are both in prison!
That is why I asked. They will be in prison for a long time if not for life.
Unless they escape, again…
I kind of hope they do . . .
Ahhh!! nooooo! Well maybe if Jigson can get the letter to his sister because they escape….. Hmm gah so many theories and ideas!
I do feel bad for Jigson, but I just like Miss Trina Verton. I know that would cause him stress though and I don’t want him to actually die.
Yeah that would be heart breaking… He needs a stress free low impact adventure at the Bakers Farm. ☺
I agree. I would like more adventures on their farm again.
Yeah, but I do like when they go to other countries… Well, we’re asking all these questions and we don’t know the answers. Only the author can answer…
Oh poor Jigson…..
Rolf wouldn’t be a bad nephew to have if that ever did happen…
Yeah, in the seventh book Rolf seems to be a Christian or at least starting to be one… I need to know!
Guðmundor told Phil that he only trusted him because of the opinion of a friend who was dead. (The backstory of how Jigson met other crime-fighters would be really interesting and also what missions they’ve been on together.)
That’s true but Herr Kluass as a brother in law. *shudders*.
Ms. Verton just needs to clean up her life. I mean wouldn’t it be awesome if her and Jigson could work together instead of being enemies?
Yes! Maybe if Jigson can get their parents’ letter to her, that can happen.
Thats exactly what I was thinking! Ooohhh… The possibilities if he gets that letter to her!!
Yeah, the letter and also it kind of sounded like Jigson was going to witness to Miss Verton. I would like her to become good and work with Jigson but I kind of don’t. I like her being a villain but I also would like her being good.
Has anyone thought about when Abby was questioning if Haelix was really him or not in book 7? I’m not completely sure why she did unless she was thinking about book 4. Also, the Loch Ness monster was cool.
Yeah I wondered about that to.
I don’t remember that Parker, what scene? Is it when they first meet up?
It’s right after Jigson gets the package from the Crown. The Bakers are all about to be taken to the Glen.
Thanks Parker, now I remember. Considering Haelix was in disguise, it seems natural for Abby to wonder who he was.
You have a point. I’m just not used to that unless there is something mysterious going on. With the Bakers past though it would be natural.
I forgot about that part. Where is it? The monster was cool, but I still have a hard time believing there really is a Loch Ness monster… There have been SO many false alarms–besides, everyone always assumes the wildest when it comes to something mysterious. But if there is anything at all in Loch Ness, it probably isn’t what everyone thinks it is.
It would be cool if the monster is real. I know it probably isn’t real and if it was it would probably be dead.
I think the Wilburs need to come back as main-ish characters.
Yes! They are some of the few who haven’t resurfaced recently. That is, them and Garth…
Yes! Garth HAS to come back!
Here’s another mini mystery, Gleymmérei seems very important to Sigurd. Why would he let a complete stranger (Haelix) ride her?
“Be a friend’s true friend, to him and his friends. Never trust an enemy’s friend”?
Good point! Sigurd probably knows that Gleymmérei is the best horse for a complete beginner to go riding in the Icelandic countryside with.
Exactly.
Ms. Hedgcock, I really enjoyed reading what you had to say about writing in “The Young Writer’s Guidebook” by Brett Harris. It is a fantastic book and really inspired me as a writer! Thank you for everything you are doing!
I agree Isabelle, the young writer’s guidebook was amazing!
I agree. My favorite part was finding Miss Hedgcock in it.
Isabelle, when did she mention that? I’ve never heard of it but I’ll check it out.
Parker, here’s the link to the Young Writers Guidebook. I received it a few days ago. http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=KdHcH&m=45sslxUBwY3Tr.g&b=yS_84Wano5BuklNhjpNUdQ
Thank you. I was just looking up some of this stuff. It looks promising. I wrote an entire thirty-two chapter novel and I’m working on my second but I haven’t had anyone to help me with being a good writer. I’m excited to learn more about this.
Wow, Parker. 32 chapter novel.
Around Christmas, I wrote a short story. It’s being published right now.
Huh. Are you talking about a different Guidebook? The one I read is download only and I got it from the youngwriter.com.
Brett Harris is doing a ton of work for young writers, and he even has a workshop that lasts for six months, I think, that is supposedly incredible. A lot of teen authors have finished their books and been published because of it. I don’t know all of the details… Try looking on therebelution.com, or theyoungwriter.com, both of which he does.
John Henderson, I would like to know when it’s published and I can buy it. I would like to read it.
Never mind! You had a different link! I just looked it up and it is the same as the one I had.
I’m reading it now.
Hi Isabelle,
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know that you’re enjoying the Young Writer’s Guidebook – and reminding me to post something about that here! It’s an inspiring compilation of advice, to be sure. 🙂
What’s is SO cool is that Miss Hedgcock is in the Young Writers Guidebook.
I know! That’s why I mentioned it. Isn’t it inspiring to read about all of those authors?
Yes, very. Thanks for mentioning it. It gives me hope for my books.
Me too. I have been writing a lot, and now I have renewed confidence!
Isabelle, I’m glad you have renewed confidence. I wanted to sign up for the Young Writers Workshop but it’s closed until summer. How much does it cost?
I checked into Brett Harris’s Young Writers Workshop, it looks pretty cool!
I am actually doing it right now. Registration closed yesterday and my parents surprised me by signing me up right before it closed!
You’ll enjoy it (especially Story Day)! I did it for two months (July and August) but couldn’t continue after because I was saving for a mission trip. 🙂
Isabelle, seriously!? My parents signed me up too!
Seriously!
Has any of you all taken the WriterScore Assessment?
Yes:)
Yep! Pretty cool!
Yes!
Would you all mind telling your scores? I got a 55. The things I need to work on is getting a good platform, a strategy, a mentor, and a community.
I got a 69. I’m going to take it again later and see if my score’s changed at all.
Thank you all for the great comments and conversations that are going on! In the interests of mystery, 😉 it’s best if I let you discuss the series without getting too involved, but know that I love to read your theories and queries. We’ve got a great little community here, and I’m thrilled to see such enthusiasm and kindness in it.
The Lord bless you all!