Clash of the Titles

Featuring the Latest in Christian Historical Fiction

2013-05-15T05:41:00.000-04:00

CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT

Prisoners to their own broken dreams...

After a daring rescue goes awry, the parched north of India grows too hot for nurse Laine Harkness and her friend Eshana. The women flee to the tropical south…and run headlong into their respective pasts.

Laine takes a new nursing position at a plantation in the jungle, only to discover that her former fiancé is the owner…and that Adam has no more to say to her now than he did when he crushed her years ago.

Eshana, captured by her traditional uncle and forced once more into the harsh Hindu customs of mourning, doubts whether freedom will ever again be in her future, much less the forbidden love that had begun to whisper to her. Is faith enough to live on? Or is her Savior calling her home?

Amid cyclones and epidemics, clashing faiths and consequences of the war, will the love of the True Master give hope to these searching hearts?

PURCHASE ON:

AMAZON

B&N

KOBO

* Review by Top Amazon Reviewer, Diana Flowers--"I have ten authors who are my favs...with Shadowed in Silk--Book One and Captured by Moonlight--Book Two, Christine Lindsay has made it into my top five!"
* Award-winning author Catherine West—"Christine Lindsay's attention to detail, witty prose and moving story line all blend together to create a treat for the senses, leaving the reader satisfied and completely satiated by the end."
* Award-winning, multi-published Author Jeanette Windle—"A worthy sequel to acclaimed debut novel Shadowed in Silk."

About the Author:
Irish-born Christine Lindsay writes award-winning historical novels. In Shadowed in Silk and Captured by Moonlight, Christine delights in weaving the endless theme of God’s redemptive love throughout stories of danger, suspense, adventure, and romance. The Pacific coast of Canada, about 200 miles north of Seattle, is Christine’s home.

Visit Christine’s website

Subscribe to Christine’s blog for inspiration 3 times a week

Drop by and ‘like’ Christine’s Author Facebook Page

Follow Christine on Twitter

Swap pictures with Christine on Pinterest

March Releases Winner Announced!

2013-05-02T08:36:00.000-04:00

The winner of our latest Clash is:

Forsaken Dreams

MaryLu Tyndall

Congratulations, MaryLu, two-time clash winner!

Special thanks to her competitors for their participation:

Sadie and Sophie Cuffe

Gina Holmes

Christine Lindsey

Noelle Marchand

About Forsaken Dreams:

They Left Everything Behind to Build a New Southern Utopia

Colonel Blake Wallace has seen enough death to last a lifetime. Weary and disillusioned, he slumps beneath the weight of defeat and loss. With his entire family murdered by the North and his name appearing on a list of officers wanted for war crimes, Blake organizes a shipload of southerners who, like him, long to escape the horrors of war and start a new life in a verdant land called Brazil.

Eliza Crawford can barely remember the days of her youth spent in opulence and comfort at her Georgian home. She can't help but wonder how different her life would be had she not met her late husband, Stanton Watts, a general in the Northern army. Now a war widow, Eliza is rejected by both North and South. Desperate to keep her marriage a secret and escape her past and pain, she longs to start over again in Brazil.

But once the voyage begins, troubles abound. Dangers at sea and enemies from within threaten to keep Blake and Eliza from the new life—and love—they long for.

PURCHASE:

AMAZON

B&N

CBD

Just when I think MaryLu Tyndall cannot write a more passionate, page-turning romance...she does! Forsaken Dreams is a worthy addition to your keeper shelf, melding adventure, love, and spiritual truths in soul-enriching ways. A blessed start to a new series!

- Laura Frantz, author of The Colonel's Lady and Love's Reckoning

BACKSTAGE WITH MARYLU:

Several things inspired me to write my new Escape to Paradise series. First the history is so fascinating. I never knew that so many (tens of thousands) Southerners fled the South after the Civil War for greener pastures. Many went to Mexico, some out west, but several thousand went to Brazil. Their descendants still celebrate there today! Secondly I'm a big fan of the TV show LOST, in particular the jungle setting and the spiritual themes that ran through the show.

I love the supernatural and I saw an opportunity to write a story about a group of settlers who are in a sense, running away from their problems and from God, but who end up being part of an eternal plan that involves a battle between good and evil. Forsaken Dreams is the account of their voyage to Brazil, during which the reader meets all the characters and discovers their individual reasons for running away.

Themes of forgiveness, bitterness, hatred, guilt, rebellion and even Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome are addressed as the colonists face several disasters that threaten their mission and their lives. During the trip, hints are given here and there that something much larger is at stake waiting for them in Brazil, something that originated behind the curtain of the natural world.

MORE ABOUT MARYLU:
A Christy Award finalist and best-selling author, MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of tall ships and swashbuckling pirates during her childhood years on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. With over a dozen novels published, she continues to pen her romantic tales while managing a home, husband, six adult kids, and three cats who have decided that her keyboard is the best place to sleep! She believes that without popcorn and chocolate, life would not be worth living, and her sole motivation in life is to bring others closer to God.

For more information on MaryLu and her books, please visit her website at http://www.marylutyndall.com or her blog at http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/ or you can find her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall-Swashbuckling-Romance/175344859169475

New Clash! Get a Load of These Fab New Releases...

2013-04-24T05:01:00.000-04:00

Summer's just around the corner, which means you, dear reader, need to be thinking about which books you're going to get lost in while lounging at the pool. Today, Clash of the Titles offers you a few excellent suggestions.

Fresh from the editor's desk, these five new titles are some of our favorites this month. They're hugely diverse. Set in exotic locations such as India and Brazil, and ranging in time period from the 1800's to present-day, at least once of them is bound to catch your fancy!

So have a quick virtual browse, then vote on which you think will most likely make it into your beach bag.

How do you start a new life when you don’t know who you are? Lydia doesn't have a clue, but when she discovers the man who identified her in the train wreck has been lying, she must decide whether to listen to her heart, or her head.

Wings of Glass tells the story of Penny Taylor, a young wife who feels trapped in an abusive marriage until two women from two very different worlds help open her eyes to the truth of who she is, what she deserves and lend her a backbone until she can find her own.

Two women, one Indian, one English, flee to the tropical south of India only to be captured and imprisoned by their respective pasts—Eshana by her traditional Hindu uncle for her faith in Christ, the other, Lieutenant Laine Harkness by her former fiancé who crushed her heart years ago. Amid cyclones and epidemics, tigers and tiger cubs, clashing faiths and consequences of war, will the love of the True Master give hope to these searching hearts?

For Ellie O'Brien, finding the perfect partner for other people is easy, but now the townsfolk of Peppin want to return the favor by matching her with Lawson Williams who Ellie deems least likely to court a tomboy with a guilty secret. Lawson doesn't see marriage with anyone in his future, but what if his childhood friend has become the woman who can chase away the clouds of his past?

After witnessing the death and destruction caused by the Civil War, Colonel Blake Wallace is eager to leave his once precious Southern homeland for the pristine shores of Brazil and the prospect of a new utopian community. Harboring a dirty secret, Widow Eliza Crawford seeks a fresh start and passage on Wallace’s ship, but will dangers from the sea and from man keep them from the peace and love they long for?

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February New Release Clash Winner Announced!

2013-03-28T05:35:00.000-04:00

The Winner of our February New Release Clash is:

Love's Journey Home, by Kelly Irvin

Huge congrats to Kelly!

And a special thank-you to the competing authors for taking part in this sparring match:

Traci Hilton, author of Good, Clean, Murder: A Plain Jane Mystery

Lena Nelson Dooley, author of Catherine's Pursuit

Anne Patrick, author of Wounded Heroes Book Three: Betrayal

and Matthew Horn, author of Nothing Good is Free

Believe me when I say, it was a tight race! Everyone did great!

Comments from voters:

I love reading Kelly Irvin's books.

Keep up the good work. Love to read about the Amish.

Love Amish reads and mysteries, but the Amish is my personal winner!!!

Love the way Kelly Irvin makes her characters so real! No cookie cutter Amish here.

Kelly is one of my favorite authors. She has an interesting, informative and entertaining style.

RT Reviews calls Kelly Irvin's new book
Love's Journey Home a delight!

"Irvin's warmth and authenticity shines through in her latest novel. She brings back her heartwarming characters that reside in the Amish community of Bliss Creek. She touches on values that bind family and community together and the conflicts that arise when individuals rebel against them. Irvin's knack for good storytelling makes this book a delight."

About Love's Journey Home :

It’s been seven years since her husband died, but Helen Crouch is doing just fine. She’s selling her jams and canned goods at the bakery and making a tidy living. But her whole world goes topsy-turvy when a new family moves to town. Gabriel Gless has brought his children to Bliss Creek to escape the worldly influences in Indiana. Helen and Gabriel have so much in common—the loss of their beloved spouses, the experience of raising their families alone, their rock-solid faith—so why can’t they seem to speak without arguing?

And that’s not all that’s going on in Bliss Creek this summer. In the middle of a punishing drought, the community is faced with the decision to uproot their families and establish a new settlement. As families struggle to say goodbye, each one must find the faith to follow the Lord’s direction.

Join the families of Bliss Creek in the dramatic conclusion to their story, and discover with them the joy of finding home.

***

About the author:

Kelly Irvin is the author of the Bliss Creek Amish series, which includes To Love and To Cherish, A Heart Made New, and Love’s Journey Home, published by Harvest House. Her new series, New Hope Amish, debuts with Love Still Stands, on September 1.

Kelly has also penned two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine, published by Five Star Gale in 2010 and 2011.

The Kansas native is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters in Crime. She also serves as secretary of the ACFW San Antonio local chapter Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers.

A graduate of the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, Kelly has been writing nonfiction professionally for thirty years. She studied for three semesters at the University of Costa Rica, learning the Spanish language. As a journalist, she worked six years in the border towns of Laredo and El Paso.

She has worked in public relations for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department for 19 years. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-five years, and they have two young adult children. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and read books by her favorite authors.

***

Fave Feb Releases!

2013-03-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

We have contestants in all five corners of the ring!

Welcome to another thrilling contest brought to you by your friendly neighborhood Clash of the Titles. This showdown features books released in February 2013. Each is prepared to duke it out for the top spot in this all-out, no-holds-barred, literary sparring match. (Okay, okay, there are a FEW rules. Like no strikes below the belt, no brass knuckles, no slipping poison into the well water. But you get the idea.)

Below are each of the five contenders, listed in no particular order. Please vote for the one most likely to grace your nightstand first. Click on the images to purchase on Amazon:

Good, Clean, Murder: A Plain Jane Mystery by Traci Hilton

Living on her own for her first time, Bible school student Jane cleans houses to make ends meet. But being independent brings big trials, like falling for a handsome professor, dealing with an obnoxious roommate, and then there's the dead bodies...

Catherine's Pursuit by Lena Nelson Dooley

In book three of the McKenna’s Daughters series, Catherine McKenna begins a journey to find her lost sisters that turns into a spiritual journey for the entire McKenna family and leads her to the love of her life.

Wounded Heroes Book Three: Betrayal by Anne Patrick

Army veteran Drew Presley will stop at nothing to find the answers behind his wife's murder. But will those answers destroy the life he's made for him and his son?

Nothing Good is Free by Matthew Horn

The last thing Jeff Scott wants is to end up like his vigilante predecessor, Jim, by letting a life of violence and evil get the better of him. So, in a pursuit to find the path less traveled, he seeks the truth about Jim and the life he led before the two joined forces.

Love's Journey Home by Kelly Irvin

Love’s Journey Home is the story of how the families of Bliss Creek’s Amish community learn to be still and listen for the Lord’s direction and then act on faith that His plan will lead them to a long awaited new life.

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What do you think of this month's selection? Have you already gotten your hands on one of these and have something wonderful to share about it? Leave a comment and let us (and the authors) know! We love interacting with readers. It's what we're all about. Hope you enjoy our site. Make it a great day!

Come back next week to find out who will stand victorious.

The Song of the Tree--An Inspiring Contemporary Allegory

2013-03-13T07:49:00.000-04:00

This week, Clash of the Titles is featuring a rare genre--

Contemporary Allegory.

If you've been itching for something different, this one should do it! The Song of the Tree contains a message that applies to each of us at some point in our lives. It moves the God-seeker from fist shaking stance, down to knees before the throne.

PURCHASE THE BOOK ON AMAZON

About The Song of the Tree:

Despite promises of eternal joy given by the Tree of Life, a privileged young woman loses everything in a brutal war. Her husband disappears; her family is murdered; her home is burned to the ground.

Desperate, starving, and burdened with an unwanted child, she now despises and rejects the Tree she once worshiped. Ripped from her land and people, forced into survival immigration, she becomes a lowly refugee, a servant in the homes of the rich. Her unusually gifted child thrives, but is an ever present reminder of ultimate loss and betrayal.

Two women: one broken, the other rooted in bitterness, continue to be drawn towards the song of a Tree that will not let them go. Along roads of degrading poverty and equally destructive wealth, each much wrestle with the siren call of perfect love, and its altar sacrifice of perfect trust.

About the author, Lotis Key:

Lotis Melisande Key has lived a life of wide travel and curious variety. She’s raised horses in the Australian outback; skied the Alps; run tours through a tropical jungle; bought & sold antiquities. She’s been a restaurateur; a breeder of show cats; a third world church planter. She’s worked in an orphanage, and run a ministry that puts children through school.

After a professional theater début at the age of twelve, she subsequently starred in over seventy five feature films for the Asian market. She’s also hosted numerous television and radio shows. Upon settling in the United States, she signed with Chicago, New York, and Minneapolis based talent agencies, expanding into American on-camera and voice over narration, industrial videos, trade shows, professional theater, television, and radio commercials.

Retiring from secular work, she founded MESSENGERS, a Christian theater arts group based at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis (themessengersfeet.org). As artistic director, she toured the company throughout the US, Canada, and Asia.

Vice-president of the Minnesota Christian Writers Guild, Lotis is a passionate storyteller. Her work focuses on the mystery of God, and His incomprehensible love for the unattractive, wayward parts, of His otherwise perfect creation.

Attention, knitters and lovers of suspense. This novel's for you!

2013-03-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

About The Knitting Fairy:

Molly Stevenson rather expected her new job at Crabapple Yarns to be deadly boring... but somehow she just didn't expect the "deadly" part to be quite so literal. After all, what could possibly be more sweet and innocent than a yarn store and a bunch of ladies knitting?

As a librarian, by trade and by nature, Molly really ought to have known better. And, worse, she broke the first rule of librarianship - never, ever judge a book by its cover. Sadly, some of us have to learn the hard way. Perhaps that is why Molly didn't exist long as Assistant Librarian at Springgate Library.

The new job at Crabapple Yarns seemed like the only sensible thing to do at the time - until she could find something better of course.

But, working at a yarn store really didn't fit into her Life Plan.

She never expected to become a knitter.

Molly never expected her sweet little boss to be hiding the fact that she was receiving threats.

She never expected to discover a Knitting Fairy.

And, she most certainly never expected a Knitting Fairy to try to kill her either.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

What others are saying about The Knitting Fairy:

What do you get when you combine a novice to the world of fiber working in a yarn shop with the owner, a mysterious, fairy-tale inspired character? You get Jaime Marsman's magical, whimsical story of "The Knitting Fairy" which is sure to be enjoyed by knitters everywhere. --Penny Sitler, Executive Director of The Knitting Guild Association (TKGA), tkga.com

Amidst the characters, humour, and mystery is the fun of witnessing a non-knitter's assumptions and observations turn to affection and obsession. It made me wish to be a new knitter again! --Sally Melville, sallymelvilleknits.com

A page turning mystery with yarn shops and knitting - what else could you ask for! --Carol Feller, Author of Contemporary Irish Knits

A heartwarming and witty novel, guaranteed to make you smile. Molly Stevenson's new found love of yarn brings her comfort and friendship but leaves her with many unanswered questions. Appealing to the non-knitter as much as the knitaholic, this wonderful and enthralling mystery detailing the weird and wonderful goings on in Crabapple Yarns knitting store, will have you totally hooked. --UK Hand Knitting Association, ukhandknitting.com

About the author, Jaime Marsman:

Since the age of three, Jaime Marsman has long been fascinated with the simple shifting of letters to create different words, thoughts, and sentences. As a knitwear designer for Live.Knit.Love, she has found the same thing to also be true of yarn. Perhaps that would explain the joy she feels every time she picks up her pen or her needles. Inspiring others with her work is one of Jaime's fondest goals and dreams. She wants people to realize the joy of creating and following their dreams in their own special ways. Jaime is so grateful to God for His love and guiding hand in her life. She prays that everyone comes to have the joy and peace of knowing Him.

Announcing the 2013 Olympia Winner!

2013-03-01T12:26:00.000-05:00

FIRST ANNUAL OLYMPIA AWARD WINNER:

Do No Harm

by author Laura McClellan

CONGRATULATIONS, LAURA!

About Do No Harm:

Do No Harm is the story of a disgraced Seattle obstetrician whose efforts to fit into her new Texas home are stymied by family conflicts, cultural differences, church politics, and ghosts from her past.

About the Olympia:

The Olympia is Clash of the Titles' opportunity to feature up-and-coming unpublished Christian fiction authors and their work.

Do No Harm was chosen by a panel of judges who narrowed the list of competing authors to three. For that round, the judges were avid readers of Christian fiction and not associated with the publishing industry. For the final round, the submissions went before three professionals in the Christian fiction world.

DEBORAH RANEY--award-winning author

AMANDA LUEDEKE--literary Agent of Macgregor Literary

STEVE HUTSON--literary Agent of WordWise Media

Special thanks to each of our judges who volunteered their time to this contest.

Recognition also goes to the runners up, Elaine Manders and Bethany Kaczemarek.

About Laura McClellan:

A lawyer by day and a lover of the written word since childhood, Laura has been published both in professional publications and inspirational magazines and is a contributor to the popular Stepcase Lifehack blog. In 2012 she committed to pursuing her lifetime dream of writing a novel, and she’s currently polishing her first women’s fiction manuscript in anticipation of submitting it (by request!) to her dream agent in early 2013. Laura is member of American Christian Fiction Writers, a team member at My Book Therapy, the women’s fiction category winner in the 2012 Phoenix Rattler fiction contest, and a finalist in the 2012 Olympia fiction contest.

For her win, Laura will receive: a beautiful banner to display on her website, a podcast interview with author and Christian Authors Guild board member, Cynthia Simmons, a feature tour on COTT's Blog Alliance, and a lovely plaque.

January New Release Clash Winner Announced!

2013-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Winner of our January New Release Clash is:

Mystery of the Heart by Jillian Kent

A heartfelt congratulations to Jillian!

We want to send out a special thank-you to the following authors for taking part in this fun week:

Rhonda Gibson, author of Groom by Arrangement

and

Pam Hillman, Author of Claiming Mariah

ABOUT Mystery of the Heart - The Ravensmoore Chronicles :

Lord Eden is intrigued by Lady Mercy Grayson’s secret, but how can he hope to gain her heart if he is forced to betray her?

Lady Mercy Grayson longs to be a physician like her older brother, Lord Ravensmoore. However, society would never tolerate a female physician, let alone one who is a noblewoman. So Mercy takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a man to get through medical school. But when a colleague grows suspicious, Mercy is in danger of losing more than her dreams.

Returning home from a secret voyage for the regent, Lord Eden agrees to give Mercy passage back to London. As their attraction to each other grows, they face circumstances, decisions, and treachery that could forever change the course of their lives.

WHAT VOTERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT "Mystery of the Heart."

*Beautiful mystery ! is a love inspirational and encouragement. Thank you.
*It's wonderful to know there are books out there that honour the Lord without being dull and boring. Keep up the good works.
*I love the premise behind Mystery of the Heart. Can't wait to read it!
*I loved the first two books in this series and am looking forward to reading Mystery of the Heart.
*I read the other two Ravensmoore books and couldn't wait for the third book to come out. I love Jillian Kent's books. She has a great way of finding a bend of romance, intrigue and always has an ending that you don't expect.

ABOUT the author, Jillian Kent’s first novel in The Ravensmoore Chronicles, Secrets of the Heart, debuted in 2011 and held readers captive winning four stars from Romantic Times and first place in the 2012 Wisconsin RWA Write Touch Contest. Also, in 2012, Chameleon, the second book in the series found its way into readers hands and hearts with an, “I dare you to solve the ending,” challenge from the author. Mystery of the Heart, book three in the series is already grabbing the attention of readers who love a romantic adventure.

Secrets of the Heart
"A feast for fans of historical romance, and a superb debut from Jillian Kent."
—James Scott Bell, author of Try Darkness and Presumed Guilty

A delicious Regency House of mirrors, Jillian Kent’s Chameleon is an enthralling mix of Sherlock Holmes meets Jane Austen. —Julie Lessman, author of Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series.

"Jillian Kent's, Mystery Of The Heart, is a riveting tale of intrigue, courage, romance and faith. I was hooked from the first page, when the heroine washes up upon the shores of Regency England half-drowned, only to be taken captive by the mysterious Lord Eden. This is a story to be savored and shared."
- Serena Miller, author of, The Measure of Katie Calloway, 2012 Rita Award for Best Inspirational Romance.

You can find Jill at all of these places.

www.jilliankent.com

http://jilliankent.blogspot.com/

@JillKentAuthor Twitter

https://www.facebook.com/JillianKent

Romance and Mystery with COTT - January New Releases !

2013-02-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

For the next week, Clash of the Titles will be featuring three, brand spanking new inspirational novels. Each of the below novels has been on bookstore shelves for less than a month. Which one is calling your name? Take a moment to browse, then, using the voting box below, let us know which you're most likely to read first. Happy browsing!

Groom By Arrangement by Rhonda Gibson

Eliza Kelly thought her humiliation was complete when she identified the wrong train passenger as her mail-order groom. Jackson wonders if Eliza's mistake was his good fortune, between caring for an orphaned youngster and protecting Eliza, Jackson feels whole again, if only he can persuade Eliza to marry him, her reputation will be saved…and so will their long-buried dreams of forging a real family.

Mystery of the Heart by Jillian Kent

Lady Mercy Grayson longs to be a physician like her older brother, however, society would never tolerate a female physician, so Mercy takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a man to get through medical school. Lord Eden is intrigued by Lady Mercy Grayson’s secret, but how can he hope to gain her heart if he is forced to betray her?

Claiming Mariah by Pam Hillman

In light of her father’s death, Mariah Malone sends a letter that will forever alter the lives of her family. When Slade Donovan, strong willed and eager for vengeance, shows up on her front porch, Mariah is not ready to hear his truths: her father’s farm, the only home she’s ever known, was bought with stolen gold.

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2013-01-31T00:52:00.000-05:00

The Champion of the December New Releases Clash is:

A Promise to Protect, by Liz Johnson

Her novel takes the honors but it went up against some formidable competitors:

The Song of the Tree, Lotis Key

Mind of Her Own, Diana Brandmeyer

Counterfeit Cowboy, Lacy Williams

The Knitting Fairy, Jaime Marsman

Thanks to all for showing up and playing with COTT this week. The voting was amazingly close for a few days, and we had well over 200 voters. Congratulations to our readers and supporters!

A few of the comments from the survey say:

I absolutely love inspirational fiction. Thank you all for your books... I seem to always find one that speaks to my needs.

Keep on creating and inspiring.

ALL of the titles sound fabulous! It was a tough decision. Thank you for writing such awesome books!

Anything about our Seals is a definite buy!

Sometimes it seems unfair to have to choose. All the books look interesting. But I picked the one that I would pick up first.

What a wonderful list of books! Great job, everyone!

The books all look very interesting and well worth checking out. It was very difficult making a choice and all 5 authors should be encouraged for doing a great job.

Liz Johnson is one of my favorite authors. I love how she develops her characters in such a way that I not only want to know what happens in the story but I am emotionally invested in the characters.

About the Book:

Navy SEAL Matt Waterstone knows about keeping people safe. When his best friend’s sister is attacked, Matt promises no harm will come to Ashley Sawyer–not on his watch. But Matt’s not the only protective one. Ashley will do anything to safeguard the residents of the battered women’s shelter she runs. She’s sure she can handle the threats she gets in return. What she can’t handle is the way Matt scales the walls around her heart. Yet when she falls prey to a crime web more sinister than she’d realized, trusting Matt could be the only way to survive.

Buy the book on Amazon, or Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Liz Johnson graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in public relations and works as an editorial and marketing manager at a Christian publisher. She is a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist, and A Promise to Protect is her fourth novel with Love Inspired Suspense. Liz makes her home in Nashville, TN, where she enjoys theater, exploring the local music scene, and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her two nephews and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings.

Keep up with Liz's adventures in writing at www.lizjohnsonbooks.com, Twitter @LizJohnsonBooks, or http://www.Facebook.com/LizJohnsonBooks.

Upcoming book news: Ashley's brother, Tristan, gets his own story in SEAL Under Siege, which will release in September of this year.

Delicious December New Releases - Clash in the New Year with COTT!

2013-01-23T01:50:00.000-05:00

Over the following week, Clash of the Titles is featuring five, brand spanking new inspirational novels. Each of the below novels has been on book store shelves for about a month; each is a slightly different genre. Which one calls you? Take a moment to browse, then, using the voting box below, let us know which you're most likely to read first. Happy browsing! VOTE from Now until next Wednesday - tell your friends - then come back and see which book is this month's champion!

The Song of the Tree by Lotis Key

Despite promises of eternal joy given by the Tree of Life, a privileged young woman loses everything in a brutal war. Her husband disappears; her family is murdered; her home is burned to the ground.

Mind of Her Own by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Who knew making dinner could change your life? Louisa Copeland certainly didn’t.

Counterfeit Cowboy by Lacy Williams

From the moment Jesse Baker collides with Erin O'Grady on a Boston train platform, he faces a dilemma. For once, Jesse doesn't want to lie about who and what he is.

A Promise to Protect by Liz Johnson

When his best friend's sister is attacked, Navy SEAL Matt Waterston promises no harm will come to Ashley Sawyer—not on his watch. Threats are a regular part of Ashley's life as the director of a battered women's shelter, but when she and Matt uncover a crime ring more sinister than anyone imagined, trusting Matt could be the only way to survive.

The Knitting Fairy by Jaime Marsman

Librarian Molly Stevenson rather expected her new job at Crabapple Yarns to be deadly boring… but somehow she just didn’t expect the “deadly” part to be quite so literal. After all, what could possibly be more sweet and innocent than a yarn store and a bunch of ladies knitting?

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Olympia Finalists Announced

2013-01-18T15:24:00.000-05:00

Today brings Clash of the Titles to the end of Round Two of our first annual Olympia Award.

The Olympia is a literary contest dedicated to Christian fiction and offered only to unpublished writers. In Round Two, the first 3,000 words of entrants’ manuscripts were read and scored by non-industry readers.

A hearty THANK YOU to each of these women who set aside a portion of their time for this contest. Without them, the Olympia would not be.

Of all our submissions, only the top three scores move on to Round Three.

Those scores go to manuscripts belonging to:

Bethany Kaczmarek

Laura McClellan

Elaine Manders

Our warmest congratulations to these three authors!

During Round Three, their manuscript excerpts will be read and scored by the following generous individuals:

DEBORAH RANEY--award-winning author

AMANDA LUEDEKE--literary Agent of Macgregor Literary

STEVE HUTSON--literary Agent of WordWise Media

The winner will be announced

Friday, March 01, 2013.

Best wishes to our finalists!

The remainder of the contest's entrants can expect to receive their scores by Friday, January 25.

November New Releases Winner Announced!

2012-12-20T08:11:00.000-05:00

The winner of our November New Releases Clash is:

Southern Fried Christmas by Marian Merritt.

A hearty congratulations to Marian!

PURCHASE THE BOOK ON AMAZON

PURCHASE THE BOOK ON B&N

Her novel takes the honors but it went up against some formidable competitors:

Betrayal on the Border by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Take the Trophy and Run by Gail Sattler

The Q Manifesto by Alan Schleimer

A Bride Sews with Love in Needles, CA by Erica Vetsch

Thanks to all for showing up and playing with COTT this week.

About Southern Fried Christmas:

Love: purer than Colorado snow,

deeper than a Louisiana bayou.

Since his wife’s death, Denny Labouve has focused his attention on his ten-year-old daughter and the family business, but Kelly sparks the dying embers of his heart even as a Christmas cold front moves through his beloved Cajun country.

Will Denny and Kelly be able to trust God to bridge the span between the Colorado Rockies and the Louisiana bayou?

What our readers said about Marian's book:

* Such a FUN cover - and a Cajun hero...be still my heart! :)

* Wowsers, you're really making me pick between southern fried and saving the world?

* They all sound like fun, but the cajun interest won my attention! Good choice of setting Marian.

What reviewers are saying about the book:

"Marian Merritt is a ‘new to me’ author that has landed straight onto my ‘to buy list’ for subsequent releases. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author who has a beautiful way of capturing scene, setting, and dialogue. I felt like I was in N’Orleans for Christmas when I read her novella, Southern Fried Christmas (how awesome is that title?!?). Love lost, love found, and starting life anew form the backdrop of the story – and it’s one I highly recommend."

--Marianne Evans author of Devotion, Finding Home, and Hearts Key,

Hearts Communion, Hearts Surrender, Hearts Crossing, and a previous COTT champ!!

Get to know Marian better through this fun interview on Inkwell Inspirations:

INTERVIEW

About Marian:

Marian Pellegrin Merritt grew up in a rural community south of New Orleans, Louisiana. Her love for the written word began while sitting on her grandparent’s front porch swing reading books.

Her desire to write about the south keeps her grounded in her roots and the hope that one day she can do for someone what many of the authors of her childhood did for her.

She has a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy and an accounting certificate from the University of South Alabama.

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and hones her writing skills by attending writer’s conferences and reading many books on the craft of writing.

Southern Fried Christmas is Marian’s debut novella. She writes from her NW Colorado home that she shares with her husband and a Labradoodle, named Chili. To learn more about Marian and get recipes from her book, visit her website at: www.marianmerritt.com and follow her blog at: www.marianmerritt.blogspot.com

November's Newest! Last clash of 2012

2012-12-12T03:00:00.000-05:00

*Hostess, Sr. Editor, April Gardner

At Clash of the Titles we make things easy for book lovers everywhere--including Christmas shopping! This week, we present five of Christian fiction's hottest new titles. Surely, one of them will be the perfect gift for Grandma or Auntie Martha. Or maybe even... for yourself!

Introducing, November's New Releases clashing novels...

Don't forget to vote for the one that most catches your interest!

Former army communications specialist Maddie Jerrard may not remember the details of the deadly mission on the Texas-Mexico border, but she knows she's not the one responsible for betraying her unit to the massive ambush that left only her and investigative journalist Chris Mason alive. Logic says the culprit must be the only other survivor—Chris—but with a killer targeting them both, taking a chance on trusting each other may be the only way to make it through alive.

The Colorado Rockies have always been home to journalist Kelly Shepherd, but after the death of her father, and facing her first Christmas alone, she accepts an assignment that leads her deep into Louisiana’s Cajun country.

Since his wife’s death, Denny Labouve has focused his attention on his ten-year-old daughter and the family business, but Kelly sparks the dying embers of his heart even as a Christmas cold front moves through his beloved Cajun country.

Every year Amber Weathersby loans the Bloomfield Garden Club her garden gnome to display their prized trophy in the contest winner's garden. When Gnorman is gnomenapped, Amber chases the gnome around town trying to win the trophy, while Stan chases Amber, trying to win her heart.

The world plunges into chaos when an ancient manuscript is discovered that reveals the Gospels were an orchestrated fiction. When a retired Dead Sea Scrolls expert gets in over his head investigating the scroll, his agnostic son continues the quest for the truth and uncovers evidence of a grand plot that will tip the balance of world power.

As Harvey Girl Meghan Thorson waits on doughboys at the El Garces Hotel in Needles, California, she meets Caleb McBride, a local horse breeder whom the townsfolk have branded a coward and profiteer. Will threads of love unite this couple, or will pride keep them forever apart?

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October New Releases Winner Announced!

2012-12-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

The Winner of our October New Releases Clash is:

A Flight of Fancy by Laurie Alice Eakes

A hearty congratulations to Laurie Alice!

We had a tremendous response for this Clash. So many said they wanted to vote for and loved all of the books. A special thanks to the other authors for their wonderful books and for being a part of this week.

Shattered Silence by Margaret Daley
A Merry Little Christmas by Anita Higman
Callie’s Mountain by Katt Anderson
Murder in Marietta by Deborah Malone

About A Flight of Fancy

Her head is in the clouds. His feet are planted firmly on the ground. Can love cover the distance?
Cassandra Bainbridge may be a bit of a bluestocking, but when Geoffrey Giles is near, love seems a fine alternative to passion for Greek and the physics of flight. With his dashing good looks and undying devotion to her, the Earl of Whittaker sets Cassandra’s heart racing with his very presence. It seems his only flaw is his distaste for ballooning, the obsession that consumes so much of her thoughts.

When a terrible accident compels her to end her betrothal, Cassandra heads for the country to recover from both her injuries and her broken heart. With time on her hands and good friends to help her, she pursues her love for ballooning and envisions a future for herself as a daring aeronaut. But when Lord Whittaker slips back into her life, she finds her heart torn between her love for flight and her abiding love for the man she fears will no longer want her once he knows of her hidden scars.

What Voters Had to Say about A Flight of Fancy

I love Laurie Alice's deft use of craft and I love her spunky (though not anachronistic!) heroines.

Fabulous read of a passionate couple. Well done. Laurie Alice Eakes

All the books sound great, but I've read Flight of Fancy, and it's a wonderful story.

Title is adorable. Very creative.

Keep writing! I love reading and love your books.

Love this book! It's one of Eakes's best.

Every book I've ever read by Laurie Alice Eakes, I've loved.

Great Review for A Flight of Fancy

Romantic Times
Four Stars

“Eakes has a charming way of making her novels come to life without being over the
top. The second Daughters of Bainbridge House story has romance, mystery,
suspense and characters who transcend the stereotype of stiff English formality. …”

Endorsements for A Flight of Fancy

“Eakes seamlessly blends romance and intrigue, faith and history, into a story that readers won’t want to put down.”—Booklist

“Masquerades, English manners, romance, and intrigue abound in this historical series. Regency romance aficionados and fans of Nicole Jordan will adore this.”—Library Journal

“Eakes weaves the fine silk threads of historical richness, dangerous intrigue, and forbidden romance into a flawless literary tapestry . . . that will leave readers breathless.”—Louise M. Gouge, award-winning author of At the Captain’s Command

About Laurie Alice Eakes

Bestselling, award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes used to lie in bed as a child telling herself stories so she didn’t wake anyone else up. Sometimes she shared her stories with others; thus, when she decided to be a writer, she surprised no one. Family Guardian, her first book, won the National Readers Choice Award for Best Regency in 2007. In the past three years, she has sold six books to Baker/Revell, five of which are set during the Regency time period, five books to Barbour Publishing, as well as two novellas to Barbour Publishing and one to Baker/Revell. Seven of her books have been picked up by Thorndike Press for large print publication, and Lady in the Mist, her first book with Revell, was chosen for hardcover publication with Crossings Bookclub. She also teaches on-line writing courses and enjoys a speaking ministry that takes her from the Gulf Coast to the East Coast.
Laurie Alice lives in Texas with her husband, two dogs and two cats, and is learning how to make tamales.

Buy Links for A Flight of Fancy

Christian book.com
http://www.christianbook.com/flight-of-fancy-daughters-bainbridge-house/laurie-eakes/9780800734671/pd/734671?item_code=WW&netp_id=458641&event=ESRCG&view=details
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Fancy-Novel-Daughters-Bainbridge/dp/080073467X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342153502&sr=8-1&keywords=a+flight+of+fancy
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/flight-of-fancy-a-laurie-alice-eakes/1108259480?ean=9780800734671
Family Christian
http://www.familychristian.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=laurie+alice+eakes&skey=5f4556c42dd539b2f5a1494a78b8c019
Lifeway
http://www.lifeway.com/Keyword/flight+of+fancy+laurie+alice
Parable
http://www.parable.com/i.A-Flight-of-Fancy-Eakes-Laurie-Alice.9780800734671
Books A Million
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Flight-Fancy/Laurie-Alice-Eakes/9780800734671?id=5421536989977

October New Releases--Just in Time for Christmas

2012-11-28T04:00:00.000-05:00

Hostess: Gail Pallotta

Christmas is just around the corner. What a great time to find a good book for gift giving or to curl up with after the shopping and baking are done. Take time to relax with a cup of hot tea or hot chocolate and peruse the exciting new plots and twists offered in this month’s selections. There’s something for everyone--the suspense of a serial killer, a ghostly cozy mystery, and three different love stories, one with a fanciful heroine who likes balloon flights, another with a Christmas theme, and the third, a tale of the pioneering spirit. Share the news of all these great reads with your friends and family. Then decide which of the five books will be at the top of your list and vote for it below.

Voting will stay open from today through next Tuesday when the polls close at Midnight EST. Be sure to come back on Thursday to find out which book received the most votes.

A Merry Little Christmas by Anita Higman

Franny Martin is an Oklahoma farm girl who’s preparing to spend the holidays alone…again. After Charlie Landau, all wealth and polish, buys Franny’s farm, she teaches him the sometimes comical ways of country life, and they learn that sometimes love comes when you’re least ready for it.

Shattered Silence by Margaret Daley

When a serial killer is targeting illegal aliens in southern Texas, Cody Jackson, a Texas Ranger, and Detective Liliana Rodriguez race to discover who is behind the murders and bring peace to the area.

A Flight of Fancy by Laurie Alice Eakes

Cassandra may be more interested in balloon flights than ball flirtations until Lord Whittaker is near, when love seems a fine alternative to the physics of flight until disaster strikes.

Callie's Mountain by Katt Anderson

In 1798 Callie Trent travels with her parents in a wagon train to the frontier of Tennessee, where a strange race of people, Melungeons, reside. Before the Trents reach their new home, her father tells her he has arranged a marriage with her and Jacob McGinnis, a man she has never met, but she wants to teach school, which she begins by teaching a Melungeon family and searching for her own true love.

Murder in Marietta by Deborah Malone

Trixie Montgomery’s back on the beat, facing her own spectral fears covering ghost sightings at the Marietta History Museum along with her best friend, Dee Dee. When their worst fears occur and a dead body is discovered right under their noses, Trixie’s reputation both as a journalist and crime solver, are once again put to the test.

Vote below.

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Deadly Additive--An Action-Packed Gift!

2012-11-24T23:27:00.000-05:00

Clash of the Titles hopes you had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of food and fellowship! Today, we are thrilled to talk to you about Donn Taylor's newest book, Deadly Additive. What an exciting book!

************

To soldier-of-fortune Jeb Sledge it seems like a simple job: Rescue an heiress and her journalist friend Kristin Halvorsen from their kidnapping by Colombian guerrillas and collect a sizable paycheck. But Kristin has other plans. After stumbling onto a mass of dead bodies, she won’t leave Colombia without the proof she needs for the story of a lifetime. While she and Jeb wrangle over her obstinacy, they discover a hidden factory where the guerrillas build a new and deadly type chemical weapon for the international black market. Their discovery triggers a raid on the factory, followed by a desperate search through the Caribbean and the U.S. to prevent a catastrophic attack by weapons the factory has produced. But who is behind that attack, and what are the planned targets? Finding out brings Jeb and Kristin again into peril for their lives and leads them both into an unexpected spiritual Odyssey.

What others are saying:
“An edge-of-the-chair plot in prose that reads like satin, with a nails-tough hero who still has time for introspection.”
                -Donna Fletcher Crow, author of A Darkly Hidden Truth, The Monastery Murders

“I loved Deadly Additive! In this wonderfully written story, Donn Taylor offers up a perfect blend of suspense, intrigue, humor, romance, and inspiration. I savored every page and didn’t want it to end.”
                      -Ann Tatlock, award-winning author of Traveler’s Rest

“Donn Taylor continually thrusts his two leading characters into impossible situations, but their escape is always believable. His characters are well drawn, authentic. You find yourself physically trying to help them out of a certain-death trap. I recommend it without reservation.”
                    -James Callan, award-winning author of Cleansed by Fire

“…reached the level of making me forget I was reading. It was an intellectual action novel with likable characters…reminded me of Tom Clancy's novels.”
                  –author Rose Munevar on Goodreads

Sounds good to us! Want to take a peek?

Opener from Chapter 1:

By habit, Jeb Sledge disapproved of people who pointed weapons at him. The present offender’s tuxedo did not qualify him for an exception, and the silencer on his pistol only aggravated the offense…

View the video book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doMqtrIKOMw&feature=youtu.be

Preview Deadly Additive and other suspense novels on Donn’s Web site: www.donntaylor.com.

A bit about the author:
Donn Taylor led an Infantry rifle platoon in the Korean War, served with Army aviation in Vietnam, and worked with air reconnaissance in Europe and Asia. Afterwards, he completed a PhD degree at The University of Texas and taught English literature (especially Renaissance) at two liberal arts colleges. His novels The Lazarus File and Rhapsody in Red have received excellent reviews, and he has also authored Dust and Diamond: Poems of Earth and Beyond. He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences such as Glorieta and Blue Ridge. He and his wife live near Houston, Texas, where he continues to write fiction, poetry, and articles on current topics. His Web site is www.donntaylor.com.

Restored Heart, a novel--Christmas Shopping Made Easy!

2012-11-19T03:22:00.000-05:00

To all our fans of historical fiction, Clash of the Titles introduces Jennifer A. David’s latest novel, Restored Hearts. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer.

Pre-order your copy today at ChristianBook.com!

About the book:

Peter McCord Can't Believe His Ears. Young, handsome, and heir to one of Pittsburgh’s wealthiest fortunes, Peter McCord couldn’t imagine a life without privilege and a long line of eligible ladies vying for his attention. Until his grandfather’s will is read and his life changes unexpectedly. Now disinherited, Peter leaves his controlling family, certain he can make something of himself, by himself…and hoping he can find the anonymity and fresh start he desires.

Anne Kirby’s heart is broken. . .by a terrible secret. While her job as a university librarian takes her away from her pain, she’s determined to keep the truth guarded, even if that means remaining a spinster. When love brings Anne and Peter face-to-face, revelations regarding both their pasts emerge. But do they have faith that God will restore their hearts?

Jennifer's other books:

About Jennifer A. Davids:

Restored Heart is Jennifer A. Davids’ third title for the Heartsong line. Her first two titles, Yankee Heart and Wounded Heart are available through Christianbook.com. In addition to being a writer, Jennifer is a wife, mother and one of those crazy Ohio State University alums. A self-described history nerd, she is currently working on a longer book set in World War II. You can connect with her on her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jenniferadavids or on her blog at www.jenniferadavids.wordpress.com

A Sense of Mission--Fiction that Honors America's Heroes

2012-11-12T03:00:00.000-05:00

Clash of the Titles is proud to endorse a novel from an author so accomplished, her work has made the cut on several of on our contests--the most recent being our September New Releases Clash.

Her latest work:

PURCHASE THE BOOK ON AMAZON

PURCHASE THE BOOK ON B&N

About A Sense of Mission:
Kaitlin is driven to succeed in the mission denied her mother. Can she redeem that mission if she discovers another calling? Kaitlin Sadler is nine when her diplomat parents are killed in a U.S. embassy bombing. She must leave the overseas world she knows to live with her guardian, Matilda, on Simon Island in Puget Sound. Determined to redeem the tragedy of her parents' deaths, Kaitlin makes a binding decision to become a diplomat in the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service and pursues it relentlessly as she grows up. But is that really what her heart wants? And why does a niggling memory vanish every time she fights to remember it?

Ethan Coverwood, Matilda's nephew and a friend of Kaitlin, is on a diplomatic career path of his own. When the two are assigned to posts in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, something more than friendship begins to brew. But will it be strong enough to unite two people who could be reassigned to different continents in the blink of an eye? Enough for Ethan as he struggles to carry out America's policies in a chaotic world? For Kaitlin as she agonizes over the desperate people she meets in her duties? A courageous love. A reawakened passion. A vibrant step of faith. By the acclaimed author of Singing in Babylon, Quiet Deception, Searching for Home, and Distant Thunder.

About author Ann Gaylia O'Barr:

The background for many of Ann’s novels is based on her experiences as a Foreign Service officer for the U.S. Department of State 1990 to 2004. Her posts included U.S. embassies and consulates in Saudi Arabia (twice), Algeria, Canada, Tunisia, and Washington, D.C.

She’s been writing full time since 2004. OakTara has published Singing in Babylon, Quiet Deception, Searching for Home, Distant Thunder, and this novel, A Sense of Mission.

She writes novels about Christians who learn the value of their faith when new cultures and beliefs challenge them. She calls it “global fiction.”

Q&A with Ann:

Q. Where did you get the idea for this story?

A. I think A Sense of Mission is my answer to the many tragic events in the world today in which innocent people are harmed. Kaitlin became the fictional story of one lone person, far from perfect, who overcame and even redeemed a horrible tragedy in her life. Love redeemed a potential life of fear. As a letter from Jesus’ beloved apostle, John, states: “Perfect love casts out fear.”

Q. You say you write “global fiction.” What is that?
A. Such fiction suggests writing from a global viewpoint. Characters in my stories are American Christians who struggle with personal faith issues, fall in love, and deal with family problems as in other fiction. In the midst of these conflicts, however, they understand Christianity as Jesus-centered for the whole world. Often they have global jobs: journalists, teachers in international schools, or jobs abroad for the U.S. government, as I had. They learn the value of their faith in countries where Christianity isn’t the majority faith.

To learn more about Ann and her stories, visit her at her website: www.AnnGayliaOBarr.com

September New Releases Winner Announced

2012-11-01T20:36:00.001-04:00

The winner of the September New Releases Clash is...

The Road To Mercy by Kathy Harris

Congratulations, Kathy!!

And thank you to all our participating authors:

Catherine West, author of Hidden in the Heart
Donn Taylor, author of Deadly Additive
Jennifer A. Davids, author of Restored Heart
Stephanie Grace Whitson, author of The Shadow on the Quilt

It was a tight race and everyone did great. Many, many of our readers commented they would like to read all of them!

About The Road To Mercy:

Tragedy, love, & secrets meet on a journey of faith.

Josh Harrison, a contemporary Christian singer, and his wife Bethany face a difficult decision that also tests their faith. A rupture in Beth's carotid artery leaves her on the brink of death even as she's pregnant with their first child. While Dr. Ben Abrams urges her to terminate the pregnancy to save her own life, she and Josh step out on faith and decide to carry the baby to full term.

During the next few months, Josh struggles with his faith, Beth hides a secret that may destroy their marriage. She also discovers a decades-old connection to Dr. Abrams that could change his life forever.

ENDORSEMENTS
… The Road to Mercy is a blessing wrapped up in a novel—a reminder of the kindness of God. 
~ Rebecca St. James, Singer, author, actress

Exquisite!
~ Ane Mulligan, Novel Rocket

Kathy Harris weaves a tale that crosses generations while drawing readers into a dramatic story that has both heart and soul. 
~ Ace Collins, author of The Yellow Packard and The Christmas Star

A terrific read beautifully trumpeting the exquisite worth of every human life.
~ Rusty Whitener, author of A Season Of Miracles, Christy Award Finalist

…captivating from the very beginning.
~ Joe Bonsall, author and entertainer

ON SALE LINKS
http://www.amazon.com/Road-Mercy-Kathy-Harris/dp/1426741936/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330640867&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-road-to-mercy-kathy-harris/1108857098

http://www.christianbook.com/the-road-to-mercy/kathy-harris/9781426741937/pd/741931?item_code=WW&netp_id=978817&event=ESRCG&view=details

What readers had to say:

*I saw several others which may also make it to my shelf as well! Thanks for the inspirational choices.
*The Road to Mercy looks fabulous! I can't wait to read it.
*I am so thankful to these authors for following the path that the Lord has chosen for them.
*Just finished The Road to Mercy and was so deeply touched by it.
*I LOVED The Road to Mercy by Kathy Harris, but this was a difficult vote for me - I also love Donn Taylor's writing and now I have to go get his book!
*My daughter's name is Mercy so I am drawn to that title. The hook is very captivating and I usually don't read contemporary. Great hooks from all of the writers. As a writer myself I know it is not an easy task.
*These all look sooo good!
*I love the variety of tiltles offered!

Kathy Harris is an author by way of a divine detour into the Nashville entertainment business. She graduated with a B.S. in Communications from Southern Illinois University and has spent the past two decades employed as a marketing director in the Nashville music industry.

An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the publicity officer for Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, Kathy lives near Nashville with her husband and their two Shiloh Shepherd dogs. Her fiction debut, The Road to Mercy, was released by Abingdon Press on September 1, 2012.

Kathy regularly interviews literary and music guests on her blog at www.DivineDetour.com. Her author site is www.kathyharrisbooks.com. You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KathyHarrisAuthor or Twitter @DivineDetour.

Sensational September 2012 Releases

2012-10-24T03:00:00.000-04:00

For most of us around the country, Fall is in the air. In Southern California we're still seeing temps in the 90s, but hey--I say Autumn is a state of mind. And I'm ready for comfy sofas, hot cider, and a great new book to curl up with. Oh, and chocolate! Maybe a cat purring nearby. George Winston playing in the background. But the main thing I need is the book.

So, I've been searching through the titles released last month, including a long list that YOU guys recommended to me through our survey (thank you very much), and I've come up with a list of FIVE. Now I want to hear from you. Which of these most appeals to you? Which will be highest on your to-be-read pile this month? Take a look at the cover and the summary, then cast your vote. Polls will remain open for one week, closing on Halloween night (oooeeeooo) at midnight PST. (Yep, when I'm the hostess you get a few extra hours to vote because, well, once in a while it only seems fair to go by West Coast time. Right?)

All of the books below captured my attention for one reason or another. I'm sure they'll capture you as well. After voting, I invite you to click over to Amazon and purchase one or more of these puppies!

The Road to Mercy by Kathy Harris

Bethany and Josh Harrison are faced with a decision that could cost her life--and the life of their unborn child; Dr. Ben Abrams is lost without a heritage of faith. Can Bethany’s choice save them both?
~~~

The Shadow on the Quilt (The Quilt Chronicles) by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Juliana Sutton's life looks perfect-from the outside. Until her husband's untimely death reveals a devastating truth. Will the shadow of her dead husband's name stand between Juliana and Cass, or will Juliana choose a love she never thought possible?
~~~

Deadly Additive by Donn Taylor

Soldier-of-fortune Jeb Sledge’s rescue of kidnapped journalist Kristin Halvorsen from Colombian guerrillas reveals a hidden threat to the global balance of power. Jeb and Kristin must also learn that virtuous lives without a spiritual dimension remain incomplete.
~~~

Restored Heart by Jennifer A. Davids

Anne Kirby and Peter McCord are both determined to hide their pasts. But they soon discover that love – and God – has a way of revealing everything.
~~~

Hidden in the Heart by Catherine West

"You existed before you were adopted."
... Everything Claire wants seems to be beyond her reach ...

~~~

So there you have it! Please make your selection in the Survey Monkey below. And send your friends to cast their votes as well! (good practice for November, right? lol)

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Living in Harmony--New Amish Fiction!

2012-10-22T03:00:00.000-04:00

The Clash of the Titles Blog Alliance is proud to share great August release with its readers.

Ink still damp from the presses, Living in Harmony by Mary Ellis, currently sits on a store shelf near you! Want more good news? It’s the first in a series—perfect time to jump on board.

PURCHASE THE BOOK ON AMAZON

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT B&N

About the book:
Living in Harmony is the first book in bestselling author Mary Ellis's New Beginnings series. It's about fresh starts and love...and how faith in God and His perfect plan for our lives provides us with the peace and joy we desire.

Amy King--young, engaged, and Amish--faces difficult challenges in her life when she suddenly loses both of her parents in a house fire. Her fiancé, John Detweiler, persuades her and her sister Nora to leave Lancaster County and make a new beginning with him in Harmony, Maine, where he has relatives who can help the women in their time of need.

John's brother Thomas and sister-in-law Sally readily open their home to the three newcomers. Wise beyond his years, Thomas, a minister in the district, refuses to marry Amy and John upon their arrival, suggesting instead a period of adjustment and counseling. During this time Amy discovers an aunt who was shunned. She wishes to reconnect with her, but this puts a strain on her relationship with John.

Can John and Amy find a way to live in happily in Harmony before making a lifetime commitment to one another?

For those addicted to Amish stories, you won’t want to miss this one. To everyone else, this might be the book that gets you hooked on this wildfire genre.

Here’s what reviewer Rachel Brand of the Christian Manifesto has to say about Living in Harmony:

Just when you think nothing new and original can come out of the Amish genre, a book like this comes along and proves that you’re completely wrong.

It’s hard to express exactly what I loved so much about Living in Harmony. It’s not just the setting, the new community and the realistic secondary characters that made this novel so refreshing and unique. Mary Ellis crafted her hero and heroine as incredibly relate-able characters, flawed human beings who prove that even the Amish don’t have perfect relationships or marriages.
Each character had their own personality and purpose in the novel, which means that there’s bound to be at least one character that every reader can relate to.
If you need a little bit more realism in your Amish fiction, or just don’t want to read a happily-ever-after romance, then Living in Harmony is the book for you.

About the author:

Mary Ellis grew up near the Amish and fell in love with them. She has now written nine bestselling novels set in their communities. When not writing, she enjoys gardening, bicycling, and swimming. Before "retiring" to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. Her debut Christian book, A Widow's Hope, was a finalist for the 2010 ACFW Carols and the Holt Medallion Award of Merit.

You can find Mary at these locations:
www.maryellis.net
blog: www.maryeellis.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mary-Ellis/126995058236

,

Announcing the Olympia Judges!

2012-10-06T04:00:00.000-04:00

Clash of the Titles is proud to announce the round three judges for the Olympia Contest!

DEBORAH RANEY,
award-winning author of over 30 books

AMANDA LUEDEKE,
literary Agent of Macgregor Literary

STEVE HUTSON,
literary Agent of WordWise Media

Three privileged Olympia finalists will have their work read by the above judges. The winner will receive recognition on our site and a beautiful plaque similar to this one:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Olympia is currently OPEN for submissions.
If you're an unpublished author, don't miss out on this opportunity to get your work before these industry specialists!

Aspiring authors can visit our submissions guidelines for more information.

Please share the below button on your blog or website to help promote Christian Fiction.

August New Releases Champion!

2012-10-04T11:31:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Gloria Clover, winner of the August New Releases Clash, with her novel, The Fire Starter!

Thank you so much to our competitors. This competition was amazing!

A Sense of Mission by Ann Gaylia O'Barr
Her Good Name by Ruth Axtell
Living in Harmony by Mary Ellis
Rodeo Ashes by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

About the Book:

Three generations ago, wooded Celosia Island burned in a fire storm. Now the government keeps the island safe through limited trade and rare immigration. So it is unsettling to Princess Amaryllis Filippopoulos to learn her father has invited an off-island prince into residence to translate some ancient scrolls and to marry her, his youngest daughter and heir to the throne.

Prince Valryan Molan has been sent to present to the people of Celosia the reality of the King, even though He is not readily perceived by the five senses or logic, the Stoic beliefs of Celosia's ancestors. Valryan finds his mission hampered by his bride's reluctance to marry and the immediate need to protect the people from illegal fire weapons.

But none of that compares to the unexpected fire storm Amaryllis ignites in his heart.

Read an excerpt and find out more at Dessert Breeze Publishing.

The Fire Starter is book two in this exciting speculative fiction series entitled Children of the King. Check out Gloria Clover's other works at her website.

Thank you all for joining in and casting your vote! Here are some of the kind words you had to share.

Gorgeous cover, Gloria, for your wonderful story.
All five books are intriguing, both covers and short blurb. Alas, I could only choose one.
When God gives the gift, it is our duty to use it wisely. Thank you all for doing so!
All the books sound very intriguing. Nice job.

About the Author:

Gloria has been writing speculative fiction for years and her series, Children of the King, is a reader favorite.

She is involved in all aspects of writing from editing, to workshops, to conference directing.

Her books have won many awards and her work as a Christian educator and mentor with youth and women's ministries has allowed her to bless so many.

For more information, visit her website at www.gloriaclover.com