About the Book

Book: How to Kill a Giant

Author: Carol Schlorff

Genre: Middle Grade

Release Date: June 10, 2023

He lost his courage. Will meeting a real superhero help him find it?

An awful summer … Thirteen-year-old Hugo is miserable. His move to a small Pennsylvania town has brought him nothing but trouble. Ignored by his new classmates and a favorite target for the school bullies, Hugo lets fear rule his life. It’s going to be a long summer.

An unexpected twist … Hugo meets siblings Julia and Stefan, who are just as unhappy as he is. After finding a mysterious old Bible, all three are magically transported to ancient Israel, where they meet the young shepherd David, who suspects they’re spies. The trio finds themselves caught up in a strange world where danger lurks on every side.

A terrifying adventure … As Hugo and his friends navigate the perils of this weird and frightening land, Hugo must face his greatest fear—that he’s a coward. His only hope of survival is to learn the secret of David’s bravery, but will he do so in time to face his biggest test? Find out in this thrilling tale of courage, friendship, and faith.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Carol’s passion is to write exciting stories that encourage, inspire, and boost the reader’s faith, possibly because she has always felt like an outsider. She was born in North Africa to American parents and grew up in France. At age 15, her family’s abrupt move to Philadelphia resulted in a rough transition to American life.

After graduating from Penn State, Carol joined the Army in search of adventure. She was stationed in exotic—for her—locations like California, Arizona, and Texas.

Since then, Carol has lived in Cracow, Poland, where she teaches English and organizes language camps. She also writes a blog on faith-related topics.

Carol enjoys caring for her cat, Tabasco, watching a good murder mystery, and getting nervous while watching NFL games.

More from Carol

The idea for my book about time travel back to the Bible came to me during a church sermon on meditating on God’s Word. As soon as the outline for the story popped into my mind, I could no longer focus on what the pastor was saying, as I was too busy organizing my thoughts into the semblance of a logical plan. That day marked the beginning of a five-year journey to write and publish my first novel, How to Kill a Giant.

My motivation for writing is to demonstrate that the Bible is relevant to our lives, provides the answers we seek about life, and is far from boring. Of course, I also want my readers to have fun and stay on the edge of their seats. Growing up in a Christian home where my parents were missionaries, I still had many questions and doubts about the Bible and Christianity, especially starting in middle school. That’s why I target this age group. If my books can help my young (and older) readers grow in their faith and trust in God, then I will consider them a success.

If you asked me to summarize my book in one sentence, I would say it explores the heart of David and the courage that enabled him to fight Goliath, wrapped up in the packaging of a thrilling action and adventure story. Happy reading!

Interview with Carol

How do you create your main characters? 

I have several worksheets that I work through to help me think about all the details needed to create a character. Examples of questions the worksheets ask include: What does the character want? What false beliefs does he have? What is his dominant emotion? What does he need (and doesn’t realize he needs)? How will he change? I also assign my main characters an Enneagram Type so that their personalities stay consistent and believable. The Enneagram describes personality types and is a helpful tool for creating a well-rounded character. Finally, I write a complete backstory and a physical description for the character.

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?

For me, coming up with an initial idea for a story and its plot is the hardest part. Every aspect of the writing process is challenging, but nothing happens without that first step. Honestly, there’s one part that’s even more difficult than writing a book, which is selling it. Many writers, like me, are introverts. We are not natural salespeople, and we find the entire marketing process to be intimidating and overwhelming.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve written two books, and I’m working on my third. I can’t say which one is my favorite, as that would be like choosing a favorite child (I don’t have children, but I remember asking my parents which of my brother and me they preferred. Their answer was always that they loved us both equally). Just like with people, I might prefer certain aspects of one book over another, but I like them all the same. For example, in How to Kill a Giant, I appreciated the chance to explore the character of David and understand why he had the courage to fight Goliath. The other two books don’t lend themselves to such an analysis of a biblical figure, but they have other qualities that the first book doesn’t possess.

Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

I have a website (https://carolschlorff.com/) where you can learn all about my books. I’ve also added extra goodies, such as a downloadable youth group Bible study guide, a short story about David’s anointing to become king, a quiz to learn more about life in ancient Israel, and a humorous introduction of my cat, Tabasco, on whom I based the cat in How to Kill a Giant. I also have a blog on all faith-related topics (https://bibleandsoul.com/) where many of my posts are based on the lessons I’ve learned throughout my life. My motivation is to encourage readers in their faith walk.

Any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

How to Make a Miracle, the sequel to How to Kill a Giant, will be released in February 2026. From the very beginning, I envisioned writing a trilogy, of which How to Kill a Giant is the first book. In How to Make a Miracle, the trio of Hugo, Julia, and Stefan is again transported back in time into a Bible story, this time to Aram, where they meet Naaman’s slave girl. The teens are swept into a perilous quest and must uncover the power of forgiveness and trust in God if they’re to find the miracle that can change everything.

I’m currently working on the third book, How to Mess Up Christmas. What starts as a daring quest to witness the birth of Christ turns into a fight for survival—Roman soldiers, rebel fighters, and even wild predators stand in their way. If the teens can’t figure out how to escape the danger, they’ll miss the greatest story ever told—and maybe never get home. I’m almost finished with the first draft, and if everything goes well, the book should be released by Christmas 2027.

Although the books are part of a series, each can be read on its own. My motivation for writing them is to show that the Bible is relevant to our lives, offers the answers we seek about life, and is far from boring.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 17 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 18

Artistic Nobody, September 19 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 20

Guild Master, September 21 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 22

Fiction Book Lover, September 23 (Author Interview)

The Mommies Reviews , September 23

Blossoms and Blessings, September 24 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, September 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 26

Stories By Gina, September 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 28

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, September 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 29

A Reader’s Brain , September 30 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://sweepwidget.com/c/92781-arnfst2q