| When American grad student and Veteran Joshua Bennett lands in Amman, Jordan, he thinks he’s chasing academic glory. What he finds instead is a centuries-old mystery that’s been waiting for someone reckless or desperate enough to uncover it. At the center of it all is the Copper Scroll, a cryptic Dead Sea artifact rumored to hold clues to an ancient treasure buried deep in the Judean desert. But Joshua soon learns it’s no ordinary scroll. Hidden symbols, coded phrases, and whispers of a “shepherd’s path” point to something far more significant and far more dangerous. As the clues mount, so do the warnings. A silent observer in the library. A cryptic priest with a knowing smile. A message slipped into Joshua’s backpack: The shepherd’s path is not for the faint-hearted. A cryptic priest and a rabbi jump in to help understand uncovered information. As Mossad agents, Templar knights, and ISIS operatives close in, Joshua and his allies race to unravel the truth. But who seeks to unearth it, and who will kill to keep it buried? Genre: Christian Fiction Action/Suspense Release Date: October 7, 2025 Click here to get your copy! |  |
Interview with Nicholas
1. Inspiration for this book?
A mix of fascination with the real Copper Scroll, love for Indiana Jones–style adventure, and a desire to honestly wrestle with the tension between faith and proof in a modern, high-stakes story.
A mix of fascination with the real Copper Scroll, love for Indiana Jones–style adventure, and a desire to honestly wrestle with the tension between faith and proof in a modern, high-stakes story.
2. How long did it take to write?
From first serious draft to final manuscript was several years, including long stretches of research, rewrites, and letting the story “cool” between passes.
From first serious draft to final manuscript was several years, including long stretches of research, rewrites, and letting the story “cool” between passes.
3. Why this genre?
Archaeological and historical thrillers let history, theology, and suspense collide in one place, which is exactly where the interests naturally overlap.
Archaeological and historical thrillers let history, theology, and suspense collide in one place, which is exactly where the interests naturally overlap.
4. Favorite character(s)?
Masa tops the list, with Noa close behind; their combination of stubbornness, wit, and genuine wrestling with belief feels closest to real people.
Masa tops the list, with Noa close behind; their combination of stubbornness, wit, and genuine wrestling with belief feels closest to real people.
5. What do you hope readers take away?
That God is not afraid of hard questions, and that chasing truth—intellectually and spiritually—will cost something, but is absolutely worth it.
That God is not afraid of hard questions, and that chasing truth—intellectually and spiritually—will cost something, but is absolutely worth it.
6. How did you name your characters?
Names were chosen to fit culture, family, and spiritual trajectory—biblical roots, regional norms, and a bit of meaning tucked in for anyone who wants to dig.
Names were chosen to fit culture, family, and spiritual trajectory—biblical roots, regional norms, and a bit of meaning tucked in for anyone who wants to dig.
7. Funny/sad/embarrassing moment with this book...
One of the funniest was my daughter gifting a “Future Bestselling Author” sign before the book was even out, then insisting it stay in the office like a prophetic joke.
One of the funniest was my daughter gifting a “Future Bestselling Author” sign before the book was even out, then insisting it stay in the office like a prophetic joke.
8. A little about you...
Married, dad, veteran, lifelong story nerd who splits time between family, church, writing, and occasionally getting lost in the woods or on a back road.
Married, dad, veteran, lifelong story nerd who splits time between family, church, writing, and occasionally getting lost in the woods or on a back road.
9. If you could change one thing in your life...
On a serious level, it is hard to pick a single change without unravelling lessons learned through heartbreak; on a less serious level, slipping myself the winning lottery numbers once would be interesting.
On a serious level, it is hard to pick a single change without unravelling lessons learned through heartbreak; on a less serious level, slipping myself the winning lottery numbers once would be interesting.
10. One piece of advice for readers...
Read widely, including outside your favorite genre, and do not be afraid to let a book challenge you instead of only confirming what you already think.
Read widely, including outside your favorite genre, and do not be afraid to let a book challenge you instead of only confirming what you already think.
11. Share a thought / Bible verse on your heart...
Acts 9, where God sends Ananias to lay hands on Saul, stays close: Ananias hesitates, God answers his fear, and then still says “Go,” calling Saul a chosen instrument. It is a vivid reminder that God often asks believers to step toward the very people and situations they would rather avoid, trusting that His plans run deeper than their fears.
Acts 9, where God sends Ananias to lay hands on Saul, stays close: Ananias hesitates, God answers his fear, and then still says “Go,” calling Saul a chosen instrument. It is a vivid reminder that God often asks believers to step toward the very people and situations they would rather avoid, trusting that His plans run deeper than their fears.
More from Nicholas
Whenever I think of telling a story, I have Indiana Jones swapping the bag of sand with the golden idol. The spirits swirling around the Nazis and the uncanny escapes from the clutches of death.
I spent my early adult years stomping through biblical lands with the military, experiencing life that seemed to represent many stages of evolution. Seeing the differences in how people value life, faith, and each other.
I experienced the heart-pounding adrenaline of adventure, the edge of life moments, and the strange stillness that follows them. The sights, sounds, and smells of those places stay with you forever.
When I finally retired, I walked to the altar, a different kind of battlefield, and realized that all those years of chasing survival were really leading me to understand purpose.
That moment changed how I responded to almost everything that came after, and it’s what shaped The Copper Scroll.
Like me, Joshua “Masa” Bennett isn’t just searching for an ancient artifact; he’s looking for proof that faith still matters, that truth can survive the centuries, and that even when everything feels lost, redemption can still be found buried beneath the dust.
Writing this book was my way of reconnecting with those memories, with the lands I once marched through, and with the faith that anchored me through it all.
It’s a story of mystery, courage, and belief. The kind of adventure that begins in the desert but ends in the heart.
I spent my early adult years stomping through biblical lands with the military, experiencing life that seemed to represent many stages of evolution. Seeing the differences in how people value life, faith, and each other.
I experienced the heart-pounding adrenaline of adventure, the edge of life moments, and the strange stillness that follows them. The sights, sounds, and smells of those places stay with you forever.
When I finally retired, I walked to the altar, a different kind of battlefield, and realized that all those years of chasing survival were really leading me to understand purpose.
That moment changed how I responded to almost everything that came after, and it’s what shaped The Copper Scroll.
Like me, Joshua “Masa” Bennett isn’t just searching for an ancient artifact; he’s looking for proof that faith still matters, that truth can survive the centuries, and that even when everything feels lost, redemption can still be found buried beneath the dust.
Writing this book was my way of reconnecting with those memories, with the lands I once marched through, and with the faith that anchored me through it all.
It’s a story of mystery, courage, and belief. The kind of adventure that begins in the desert but ends in the heart.
 Nicholas Teeguarden | Nicholas Teeguarden writes faith-fueled thrillers that explore the intersection of history, belief, and discovery. His debut, The Copper Scroll: Masa Chronicles, follows archaeologist Joshua “Masa” Bennett across the Middle East in a race to uncover one of history’s most enigmatic biblical relics. Praised for its vivid realism and clean storytelling, the novel has been honored with a ChristLit Award, a Readers’ Favorite 5-star review, and recognition at the Paris Book Festival. A veteran whose global service inspires his storytelling, Teeguarden aims to create cinematic fiction that uplifts while it thrills. He is currently developing the next installment in The Masa Chronicles alongside The Teeguarden Writing Room, a growing creative community where readers and writers explore faith, art, and story together. |
It's Time For A Giveaway!
To celebrate his tour, Nicholas is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a copy of the book, bookmarks, and stickers!!
a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a copy of the book, bookmarks, and stickers!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 10
Simple Harvest Reads, February 11 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, February 12 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, February 12
Guild Master, February 13 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, February 14
Fiction Book Lover, February 15 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 16
Vicky Sluiter, February 17 (Author Interview)
Lily’s Corner, February 18
For the Love of Literature, February 19 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 20
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 21 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, February 22 (Author Interview)
Stories By Gina, February 23 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, February 23
Simple Harvest Reads, February 11 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, February 12 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, February 12
Guild Master, February 13 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, February 14
Fiction Book Lover, February 15 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 16
Vicky Sluiter, February 17 (Author Interview)
Lily’s Corner, February 18
For the Love of Literature, February 19 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 20
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 21 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, February 22 (Author Interview)
Stories By Gina, February 23 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, February 23