Scoefield Series, Book #1
A young German boy, Henry, arrives in America as it is on the brink of falling into the Great Depression. When facing persecution for his nationality, he learns the true meaning of trusting God. Especially when running into a young man by the name of Scoefield, who is simply struggling to make ends meet and raise his sister. With both families destitute, they pull together with hopes to help each other get by.
"Hey!" A rough-looking boy shouted at us from across the street. "I thought I told ya' boys to stay away from my sister!"
Before anything could be said, the boy bounded across the street like he was a raging bull. I was his target. He grabbed me by my collar and lifted me up off the ground.
"What do ya' think you're doin' here?! She earned that fair n' square!"
Now, I was a small fifteen year old. I admit that. But this boy seemed like a full grown man to me. He seemed nearly two feet taller than me. His hands were tough and scarred. His face showed signs of physical abuse. Greasy, dark brown hair fell over his face. He was missing a couple of teeth. All he wore were two layers of dirty brown shirts, wool pants, worn out shoes, and a wool ivy cap.
"No, Scoefield! Don't hurt him!" Sarah pleaded for me. "He helped me raise this money!"
The boy looked at her, then back at me. I was still off the ground, silently panicking.
"You helped her?" He questioned me.
I nodded frantically. He set me down.
"I ain't never heard of any street boys helpin' my sister." He eyed me skeptically. "Who are ya'?"
"I'm Henry." I squeaked.
"Henry, huh?" The boy was still eyeing me. "You thinkin' about gettin' close to my sister, Henry?"
"Scoefield!" Sarah scolded.
"No, Mr. Scoefield." I replied quickly.
"Hey!" Scoefield yelled in my face. "You do not call me 'Mr. Scoefield,' all-right?! Mr. Scoefield was my lousy pop. My name is just Scoefield."
"Yes, Scoefield." I whimpered.
-Passage from Scoefield, pages 35-36
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Paperback – $12.99
Hardcover – $17.99
Kindle – $7.99*
*Note: There is some slight error with the Amazon page and the Kindle version of Scoefield (I don’t know why). If you want the Kindle version in particular, please go to the following URL: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNJY6GGW?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks
Buy Now on IngramSpark!
(Higher price, but better quality)
Paperback – $15.99
Hardcover – In the works!
E-book – In the works!
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Fun Facts!
Scoefield was originally going to be a much longer book, spanning into World War II. However, I later found that it would be too much to put into one novel and was better to focus more on the Great Depression aspect rather than skim over it.
The name "Scoefield" was not at all inspired by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (the one behind the Scofield Bibles). At the time of the story's origins, I was unfamiliar with C.I. Scofield and I was instead trying to come up with a more unique name. The name was actually inspired from an intimidating military man I knew by the name of "Mayfield" (he was a wonderful and kind man, but he could be a bit scary at times). I wanted Scoefield to have his same kind of intimidating feel, so I used part of his last name "field", but put "Scoe" in front of it. I had no idea that Schofield/Scofield was not uncommon and figured I had just made up a name.
Scoefield is not only my first book, but also remains my most popular book. I find this rather surprising since it delves so heavily into Bible study (the most frequent complaint I hear) and also deals with some unpleasant situations of life. All the same, I am very pleased that it is still being purchased many years after its publication.
The sermons used in the Scoefield series are all real sermons that were preached by pastors and preachers I know. I asked their permission if I could use them in the books and altered the sermons only slightly enough so that they both fit in the times of the book and left out personal names/situations.
Some of the names in the book are references to something about the character. For instance, "Engel" is the German word for "Angel", pointing to how Henry is a messenger of the Gospel. "Nancy" means "Grace", pointing out how Nancy is a lovely lady. See if you can find other names that show something about the character's personality.
Check Out the Reviews!
Audrey Laine
Fantasy Author
The first thing that I will say about Scoefield, is that it is refreshing to see a truly Christian novel where God is not given as a marketing ploy to believers in an otherwise secular book. I also appreciated that no creative liberties were taken in the aspect of God and the Bible– I noted that Saviour (in reference to Jesus) was spelled correctly with a “u”– a small detail, but not an overlooked one.
Another thing that I enjoyed about Scoefield was the smaller, more intimate cast of characters, which allowed for more development, as opposed to a large cast of characters. It was blunt, truthful, and showed the realistic consequences of actions, rather than a glorified, Hollywood glamorization.
All this being said, I wish that Scoefield had spent a bit less time quoting Scripture directly– as accurate and informative as this was, I think some of Sarah and Henry’s readings could have been a bit more generalized with verse references here and there (so that the passage could be looked up), rather than a direct insertion of Bible passages themselves. As amazing as it was to see Scripture placed so paramountly in the book, I found myself longing to read more about the characters and learn more about their lives.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Scoefield, and look forward to reading its sequel, Engel!
Pete Hunter
History Teacher
I enjoyed this young man’s first published novel. I believe he has a good feel for character development and he has shown through his writing that he has studied about the era of the plot line. I am, however, a little conflicted when I see the author devote maybe too much time to biblical quotes that try and drive home a message from one character to another. I think in that respect, the old adage, ‘less is more’ would be quite appropriate for this novel. That being said, it appears this is just part one of another up in coming novella….so best of luck to you Mr. Krohn…
GSmom327
Amazon Customer
I enjoyed this book. The characters and storyline were interesting and believable, but the quoting of many long passages of scripture broke up the story. For some readers this could be a distraction. In order to reach a larger audience the message could be more subtle.
Samuel Sitler
Author
I cannot read books without absolute silence or some quiet instrumental music. It takes A LOT for me to focus on a book, but Scoefield is one of the few books that keeps my attention and keeps me turning pages. I recommend buying all three books at once so you don’t have to wait to read the next.
Also, you have to understand this is a Christian book that is going to have Christian themes. If it gets preachy for you, that’s by design. Also, if it convicts you, change your life.
Publishing Information
Publisher: Kindle Direct Publishing and IngramSpark
Publish Date: July 27, 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1548146214 (Amazon) and 979-8-9925743-6-4 (every other platform)
Available Rights: Nicholas M. Krohn
Book Dimensions: 5 x 0.53 x 8 inches
Pages: 268 (KDP paperback)
Language: English
Selling Territory: Worldwide