Congratulations to the winners of the Mark of the Thief series of books: Kami, Kory, and Jaylen.
Now for today’s book. This contest will run until Monday morning.
Throughout all of human history, by far the most feared human disease is Leprosy. People were so afraid of it that in most parts of the world, if you got the disease, it was legal to forcibly remove you from your home and send you to a leper colony where you would expect to live out the rest of your life.
One such place was Molokai Island in Hawaii. It opened in 1866 and for the next century, more than 8000 people with Leprosy lived and died there. Those who came had been transported to the island by boat, often in a cattle pen to keep them isolated from others. There was no escape from the colony unless someone wished to try building a boat or scaling the 1700’ cliffs. Supplies would be delivered to the island only once a year.
By the early 1940’s, we knew what the Leprosy, now called Hansen’s Disease, was, and it wasn’t hard to cure, just antibiotics. Yet it was still legal to take people from their homes – for a disease we could cure!
That’s when I realized that the colonies were never about the disease itself, it was about the fear of the disease. That was where the idea began for THE SCOURGE, about how fear is used to control people.
This is a girl from around that era who was being forced into a colony. You see the odd way she is holding her hands – that is a protest, refusing to hold the sign for her picture. That’s why someone else is holding it. I loved this picture, because this was her only way to fight back against the system.
This book does seem to have some common elements with Covid; however, THE SCOURGE is not about our current pandemic situation, or a commentary on it. If you are not vaccinated yet, please get vaccinated.
P.S. The Kalaupapa settlement ended in 1969; however, those who lived there were allowed to remain, since by then they had no other place to go.
More than anything, THE SCOURGE is a story of friendship, or learning to understand people who may be different than yourself.
Want to win a copy? Tell me the greatest thing about one of your best friends!
80 Comments
One of the best things about my best friend is that she is always there for me. She’s always listening to me. She puts up all the books I ramble on about. She doesn’t like to read but she’ll go to the library with me and help carry my books. If I’m tired she’ll let me rest my head on her shoulder. I’m so lucky to have a friend like her, and nothing would ever make me want to give her up.
My best friend is always there when I need her even if she’s there to tell me that I need to stop what I’m doing before it gets out of hand she’s the best of friends I could ask for.
The greatest thing about my best friend is that I can be myself around her because she likes me for who I truly am.
I can’t mention only one of my friends, but I will say that I love my friends because they make me feel like I’m worth something, and that is a feeling I will treasure forever.
Hi Ms. Nielsen! The greatest thing about one of my best friends is that no matter how worried or afraid I become about things, my best friend is the absolute best at making things seem like they will be okay. She’s a great listener and I know that she will always have my back, just as I will always have
hers.
That she is a Christian!
One of my best friends always tries to understand the memes I send her even if she’s in different fandoms than me and sends me her own memes too 😀
The greatest thing about my best friend is that she loves reading books too! We recommend our favorites to each other and then talk about them for hours.
can cook good food
Not gonna name the friend I’m talking about, but of all my friends, she somehow knows exactly what I need to hear at any given time, even if she doesn’t realize she is doing it.
What I love most about my best friends is that they’ve helped me through a lot and that they are always a call away.
Ps: what I loved most about you is that you didn’t push politics down our throats. You have many young readers who do not need to be told to get vaccinated at such a young age. Please do not interject your own political beliefs onto us, your faithful readers. If you would like to discuss this with me my Instagram is curtis_.Hoffman
the greatest thing about my best friend is really hard to pick. in fact, i’m on a facetime with her right now. my cousin makes me so much happier than anyone i know. probably my favorite thing is that every time either of us are feeling upset or have to talk to someone, we have each other. despite living a state away from each other, our bond is the strongest i’ve ever had with anyone.
Aw, I love that ^-^
To my best friend (you know who you are)!
Thank you for believing in me. Now I believe in myself too. ❤️
The greatest thing about my best friend is that I can always be myself around her because she likes me for who I truly am.
That’s so interesting! Funnily enough, my best friend can roll a coin over her knuckles! She’s tried to teach me before but I can’t get the hang of it.
My sister is one of my best friends. She is so kind and selfless, and she always thinks about others over herself.
The greatest thing about one of my friends is that we have so much in common! We are able to talk about things and relate more than anyone I know!
Also I love this book! I own a copy of it… but this one has a new and beautiful cover!!!! This is one of my favorite books Mrs. Nielsen!
The greatest thing about one of my best friends is their strength. My Papa has been going through a lot of pain, he’s over 60, he needs an air tank, he stays in his room most of the time, he has a large Tupperware full of medicines, and a lot more. Recently though, he took two hard falls. But he keeps getting back up. He’s worn down by age, his bones don’t work like they used to before, but that doesn’t stop him. He could just stay there, lying on the ground, but he picks himself back up (with help of course) and takes another step towards a new recovery. That’s the type of strength I want. The strength that after every new fall, to get back up and keep going on. The accomplishment to laugh in Death’s face and tell it, “You can’t have me today! I still have a family who I would like to be with!”
The best thing about one of my best friends is she makes me smile 🙂
The fact they they’re a good listener!
Well, my best friend is Jesus, and I love Him because He loved me even when I couldn’t love myself. <3
🥰
One of my best friends has a great sense of humor and also loves reading!!!
The greatest thing about my best friend is that she loves me for me only, because she didn’t even know what i looked like or have any former prejudices about me before we met 🙂
The greatest thing about my best friends is that we are able to laugh about anything!
My best friend is ridiculously friendly. Everyone who meets him feels at ease and like him, he’s super humorous and easy going.
I learned about the Island of Molokai and its history from this awesome channel called Ask a Mortician, it’s run by Caitlin Doughty and her video is really respectful and insightful, I highly recommend! I haven’t read The Scourge but I definitely will now, the story seems really interesting.
The best thing about my best friend is how they act like a cat, a cuddly grump (or a grumpy cuddler, depending on the day)! 😆
Thanks for this awesome book, it was one of the first of yours that i read. The best things about some of my friends are that we all share a passion for reading and share book titles.
I have a friend named Natalie and I love her because even when other friends left, she was still there! She was a good listener and never looked for popularity or stuff like that even though she could have.
This is so cool! I love this book. I never knew the history behind it.
My best friend never fails to make me laugh. She’s also very loyal and will help me whenever I need it. A few days ago, I had to take a day off of school and she sent me all the work without me having to ask.
We are both readers and we like writing, so we have almost endless things to talk about.
I have an online friend named Ella and she’s amazing. She’s really funny and when I’m going through a hard time she’s always there. We also share a lot of the same interests!
That she is a Christian!
The greatest thing about one of my best friends is how she can be funny at times, but can also be supportive and understanding when I need her to. She isn’t just fun to hang out with but is also someone I know I am comfortable sharing things with
The greatest things about one of my best friends is that She always has something ridiculus to say no matter how bad the situation is she has something stupid to say about it
My best friend and I just so happen to be getting married in a little over two months. He had been my biggest supporter for the past 12 years. He is selfless and compassionate. I love him for his kind heart and giving spirit. He would do almost anything for anybody. I can not wait to call him my husband
You best friends are the people you can depend on ALWAYS! You can tell them anything and know that you secret is safe with them. Even if you argue about something, you’ll always make up sooner or later!
One of the greatest things about my best friend is her unending loyalty and selflessness. Without being able to come to her over the years, I really don’t know what I would have done. She’s amazing 🙂
The best thing about my frind is her optimism. She always cheers me up want I feel like giving up.
I have two awesome things about one of my best friends-
1. She is full of bubbly positive energy and always makes everyone feel welcome!
2. We can (and have done so!) talk books for hours, including staying up till three AM at a summer camp one time discussing similarities between book characters!
She understands my humor. I can tell her jokes that I thought only I would get😀
I have so many great friends! But I have to say that my closet friend is my sister.
There are so many things I love about her that it is hard to pin-point the best one! I guess I just love her, simple as that. One of her characteristics is her ability to make me laugh. Even when I don’t want to. She’s a pro!
And she’s not afraid of being the center of attention. Anybody who knows her can tell you that!
She is also very brave at trying new things and, even though I’m older, I look up to and follow her a lot.
She’s amazing and leave a deep footprint on the world someday.
The greatest thing about my best friend is that she matches my energy all the time, and never fails to put a smile on my face!!
Where I live, we have had massive flooding lately, and the best thing has been how people have chipped in to help each other empty their basements of soggy furniture, drywall, insulation and other stuff. I guess seeing some of my best friends helping others today is one of the best things about them.
I think The Scourge is one of your underrated books and the way friends come together is a strength of it
The greatest thing about one of my friends is that they will always tell me the truth and they won’t let me down. The great thing is all my friends care about me.
The two greatest things about my best friend is that she is genuine and loyal.
I xan talk to her about anything, big or small, good or bad. The things that saying out loud would get me in trouble in the eeal world, she laughs with me
The greatest thing about one of my bestfriends is the shared and unique bond between our favorites such as but not limited to love for books and favorite shows. It is different in a sense that we can communicate freely over certain topics what we disliked about it and especially what we liked too and can agree to disagree.
The best thing about my best friend is that she’s always honest, no matter what. If I ever need help or advice, I know she’d be 100% truthful with me about my situation, and I couldn’t ask for anything more 🙂
Honestly, my best friend on earth is probably actually my sister. I love her because she is always calm and a good listener, even though I’m more fiery and emotional.
That last photo is so impactful! Thank you!
The greatest thing about one my best friends is her strength. She has been through so much in her life and yet she keeps her head up and she is the happiest person I know!
We are like twins, I mean we think the same thoughts, finish each others sentences, and she just gets me! And we both obsess over books and movies. I also feel like I can talk to her about anything. I am so grateful for her and don’t know what I’d do without her.
My best friend is always been there for me, and I’ve been there for her. In the last decade we helped each other get through her messdy divorce and my loss of my husband. I’m so grateful for her and my other friends and famly.
So interesting to read about the leprosy colony. I had no idea it existed.
Hi! My best friend stayed with me for quite a long time, and wrote a book with me. Even when I stopped talking to them, they still wanted to be my friend.
I LOVE this book! It was the first of your books I read, and I fell in love with the storyline. I read THE FALSE PRINCE a few weeks later, and it wasn’t until after I read it that I realized both were written by the same author. XD
The greatest thing about my best friend is that she is very willing to help me understand things about our faith that I didn’t previously see. She also always has a kind word to offer.
I love that my friend is so caring!
My best friend is always willing to read my writing and give me honest feedback 🙂
They’re good-natured!
They are always by my side
The greatest thing about my best friend is her ability to make me laugh, even when I am having a rough day. We always have a blast when we get together, whether its to see a movie or to get a coffee, and there is not a single moment when we are not having fun.
The greatest thing about one of my best friends is that she’s talented! She’s a violin prodigy, can draw almost anything, is athletic, smart, and loves to fence! But best of all, she does her best to use her skills to help me as a friend. I truly am lucky to have a friend like her. 😄
It’s so hard to choose!
A few of my favorite things about my best friend Katie: She absolutely LOVES
your books, she’s always letting me borrow her books, and she wants to renovate an old castle with me(when we’re older) and fill it with books!
If I did win, I would probably give the book to her because she loves your books, and has two sisters that love them as well!
It’s hard to pick the greatest thing about my best friend, since she has so many amazing traits 🙂 but I’d say it’s her empathy
What u like about my bff is that she is always calm it fits because I am impulsive and act without thinking but she always reminds me and is practical but she’s also a huge K-pop fan girl and gets excited easily
What I like about my bff is that she is always calm it fits because I am impulsive and act without thinking but she always reminds me and is practical but she’s also a huge K-pop fan girl and gets excited easily
What I like about my bff is that she is practical but she’s also a huge K-pop fan girl and gets excited easily
Some of the best qualities in a good friend are kindness and loyalty which are two good things to always have. I love your books and am so exited for “Lines of Courage” and other future books.
friend can cook
The greatest thing about one of my best friends is how supportive she is!
She listens to me even if she doesn’t care about what I’m talking about.
Ooh, I love the scourge, it’s one of my favorite books. The greatest thing about my best friends is that they care about me for who I am, not what I pretend to be so I don’t have to fake anything
I love this book!!!
My best friend is my pen-pal. She is amazing bc she is always there for me. Even when I forget to write her lol. There have been times when I thought that she would be angry with me, but she never has been 🙂
My best friend is so amazing, so it’s hard to choose the “best” thing about her… but, I guess i would have to say that it’s how sweet, supportive and Godly that she is, she is alway sending me bible verses, sweet letters, and texts. ❤
Ooh, I loved this book. My friend Alex is really amazing at creating ideas and she is a great person to write with.
The greatest thing about one of my closest friends is that she is a great encourager! There have been times when I really needed encouragement, and she was the one who was there for me.
The greatest thing about my best friend is that she exists. I love how we can pick up as if it hasn’t been months since we’ve seen each other, and our inside jokes carry through years later. I love her for her loyalty and her consistency as a person. I feel safe with her, and I feel free to laugh, cry, sing, and just sit in silence with her, which is a very special thing.
Also, arguably the actual greatest thing about her, is that she also reads your books ;P
Well my best friend is a big reader which makes great conversations 😂. She’s like the mom of the friend group and always takes care of us!