COTT Announces Winner of 2015 Olympia!

by Michelle Massaro
Good morning, lovers of the written word! We have some big news to share today: The Olympia has a winner!

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Please give a virtual hand to Kelly Goshorn!!

Bio
Kelly Goshorn is an aspiring novelist currently masquerading as a virtual assistant and a Target cashier who believes everybody needs a little more love and romance in their life. Ever since Laura Ingalls peered into Almanzo Wilder’s eyes and called him “Manly,” she has been a pushover for historical romances. Kelly weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith and family set in nineteenth century America.  She is a member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers.  Kelly earned her B.A. in Social Studies Education from Messiah College and her M.Ed. in History Education from The Pennsylvania State University. She has been enjoying her own happily-ever- after with her husband and best friend, Mike, for nearly 25 years. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, scrapbooking with friends, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi. Kelly writes from her home near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Purcellville, Virginia.

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Kelly's entry, A Love Restored, was chosen as winner based on the scoring by a panel of non-industry readers and then our panel of industry professionals*. Here's a bit about her story:

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A Love Restored

She was nothing like the woman he’d envisioned for his bride, but he was everything she’d ever dreamed of—until a promise from his past threatened their future.

Twenty-year old Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to society’s vision of a perfect lady. She would rather read Jules Verne or teach Negro children to read and write than join the Women’s Benevolent Aid Society or practice her voice lessons. Her pert opinions and less than perfect figure kept many suitors away, and when Ruth Ann accepts a position teaching at the new Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer she is likely to receive. Should she risk life as a lonely spinster or reinvent herself to accept a proposal from a man who doesn’t love her?

Determined to rise above his meager beginnings, Benjamin Saunders reputation as a fast learner and hard worker earn him the opportunity to apprentice with a surveyor—a position that will garner the respect of other men. All he needs now is a woman to share his promising future. When Benjamin has a chance encounter with Ruth Ann Sutton, he is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality, but can he overcome a promise from his past to marry a woman other men would envy?

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Sorry, readers, this book is not yet published! So we'll all have to wait and see where Kelly's publishing journey takes her and this manuscript. We at COTT hope to see this book in print one day soon.

Congratulations, Kelly!

In addition to a tour through COTT's Blog Alliance, Kelly will be receiving a beautiful plaque to commemorate her win and an internet radio interview with Cynthia Simmons!

A HUGE Thank-you to our reader panel and especially to

our *Final Round judges:

Karen Ball--Agent, Steve Laube Literary Agency
Becky Philpott-- Acquisitions Editor, Harper Collins
Becky Wade-- Award-winning Author

COTT: Exciting December 2014 Releases

January 2015 Clash of the Titles

It's a New Year featuring some of the most romantic and intriguing releases from last month. Holiday, Western, Pirates!

Have some extra gift cash hot in your pocket? Try some of these.

In the meantime, vote for the one you’re most likely to read first.

She’s Mine: A Mystique of Naultag novel 

Tammy Doherty

Caitlin Harrington has a new job and a new life away from her menacing ex-boyfriend, Adam. Issues with her parents, losing her previous job and the death of her beloved grandmother leave her wondering if God has abandoned her. Two things she is sure of: she’s a lousy judge of character and men just can’t be trusted.

Plundered Christmas

Susan Lyttek

When compelled to spend Christmas on the private island of her father’s intended bride, Jeanine must cope with pirate legends, unexpected storms, and murder. Will she and her family discover the truth about Anne Bonny’s connection to the Banet family before someone else winds up dead?

Christmas Greetings

Pat Simmons

Saige Carter loves everything about Christmas: the shopping, the food, the lights, and of course, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without family and friends to share in the traditions they’ve created together Daniel Washington is no Scrooge, but he’d rather skip the holidays altogether than spend them with his estranged family. Once God reveals to them His purpose for their lives, they will have a reason to rejoice. 

Deep Freeze Christmas

Marian Merritt

Louisiana Chef Leona Buquet agrees to cook at a Colorado mountain lodge during the Christmas holiday. When she meets the son of a movie producer, she is taken by his striking good looks and warm personality. Trouble is, with glamorous actresses clamoring for his attention, why would he even notice Leona?

The Snowbound Bride

Davalynn Spencer

Can Arabella Taube find her way out of the physical and emotional storm of a Colorado winter before the handsome horseman who rescued her also steals her heart?

(Note: books made available the weekend of December 1 are included)

VOTE HERE THROUGH MIDNIGHT PST JAN 21

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COTT presents Veiled at Midnight by Christine Lindsay

EXPLOSIVE, PASSIONATE—JUST LIKE REAL LIFE—by Christine Lindsay

Seeing the second generation of one’s literary family in the explosive and passionate completion of my series is almost as much fun as watching my real life adult children grow up.

There were hard decisions though. Just like in real life. My setting is one that some readers don’t think they will be interested in. That is until they actually start reading the books. When my sales numbers weren’t as high as some of my peers I wondered if I should chuck the whole idea of finishing this series and start over in a more marketable setting.

But I believe in longevity, the long, slow cook…like raising a family. I stuck with my artistic integrity and finished this series that I believed in. I’m glad I did. The first two books have garnered critical acclaim.

I've watched with pride as the three main characters of Veiled at Midnight, Captain Cam Fraser, his sister Miriam, and the beautiful Indian Dassah whom Cam loves, grow up in the first two books.

In Shadowed in Silk, the reader first meets Cam as a three-year-old boy who doesn't understand why his natural father is unkind to him and his mother Abby when they first arrive in India.

It’s also in the first book that Dassah is mentioned. Here’s that snippet.

“This morning,” the elderly Miriam said, “a poor woman came from one of the villages. Her labor advanced quickly and well. Her husband told her if the baby was a girl to be letting it die.”

Abby held back a cry. “Was it a girl?”

The elder Miriam smiled. “I convinced the mother to leave the infant with us. I am calling her Hadassah, an old Bible name.”

From the moment I first wrote this scene I knew I wanted this baby girl to be the heroine of the final book.

In Book 2 Captured by Moonlight we are introduced to Miriam, Cam’s little sister.

The pram jiggled, setting the toys and trinkets attached to the hood to jingle and clatter. In response, a soft coo issued from within, along with two woolen, booty-covered feet kicking and setting the toys to tinkle again. The little rascal was awake. Abby leaned in and picked up Cam’s nine-month-old sister, Miriam. After kissing the corn-silk hair, she passed the baby to Laine.

You will notice that Cam’s little sister is named after the elderly Miriam in Book 1. This namesake will be just as heroic in the final book.

I had such fun planting the seeds of a passionate romance in book 2 that would burst into full bloom in the final book.

Here’s the first snippet of Cam and Dassah’s romance from Captured by Moonlight.

At five, Cam already showed the tall frame he’d inherited from his natural father, but Cam emulated the character of Geoff. How that boy adored his step-father. As soon as the boy noticed Laine, he ran in her direction and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Laine, you came.”

“You don’t think for a minute I’d let you sail to the Orient without my goodbye kiss.” Laine kissed him twice on the cheek, and he fidgeted to be free. “And here’s one from your little friend, Hadassah. I saw her tonight at the mission, and she was rather put out that you weren’t there to play with her.”

“Dassah is just a baby.” Cam squirmed out of her arms, a sharp furrow between his brows. “Enough kissing, Laine. You’re much more fun on the cricket pitch than acting like a girl.”

“Oh but I am a girl, and I admit that I like kissing very, very much. You won’t appreciate that fact about girls for a few years, but my dear young man, the day will come....”

In Book 3 Veiled at Midnight these three characters, Cam, his sister Miriam, and Dassah are adults and are heroes and heroines in their own right. One of the fun things about tying up a series is you get to draw on old family sins and emotional pain to rise up again in the next generation. Just like real life. Here they are, all grown up.

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Book Blurb:

VEILED AT MIDNIGHT—Book 3 of the series Twilight of the British Raj

As the British Empire comes to an end, millions flee to the roads. Caught up in the turbulent wake is Captain Cam Fraser, his sister Miriam, and the beautiful Indian Dassah.

Cam has never been able to put Dassah from his mind, ever since the days when he played with the orphans at the mission as a boy. But a British officer and the aide to the last viceroy cannot marry a poor Indian woman, can he?

As this becomes clear to Dassah, she has no option but to run. Cam may hold her heart—but she cannot let him break it again.
 
Miriam rails against the separation of the land of her birth, but is Lieutenant Colonel Jack Sunderland her soulmate or a distraction from what God has called her to do?

The 1947 Partition has separated the country these three love…but can they find their true homes before it separates them forever?

ABOUT CHRISTINE LINDSAY:

Christine Lindsay was born in Ireland, and is proud of the fact that she was once patted on the head by Prince Philip when she was a baby. Her great grandfather, and her grandfather—yes father and son—were both riveters on the building of the Titanic. Tongue in cheek, Christine states that as a family they accept no responsibility for the sinking of that infamous ship.

Stories of Christine’s ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India inspired her multi-award-winning, historical series Twilight of the British Raj, Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight. The last book in that series Veiled at Midnight is releasing this Oct. 15, 2014.

Londonderry Dreaming is Christine’s first contemporary romance set in N. Ireland.
Christine makes her home on the west coast of Canada with her husband and their grown up family. Her cat Scottie is chief editor on all Christine’s books.

CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE:
Please drop by Christine’s website http://www.christinelindsay.com/ or follow her on Twitter and be her friend on Pinterest , and  Goodreads

Q & A

Are you open to new settings providing you knew the story was good?

How do you feel about stories set during true historical events such as wars?

Do you like a good love story (set in a historical novel), which is somewhat different from a straight romance novel?

Veiled at Midnight on Amazon purchase link

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Do you like hearing about new Christian Fiction titles? Enjoy friendly sparring matches between your favorite authors? Be sure to "like" Clash of the Titles on Facebook to keep yourself "in the know" -- and have some fun, too!

COTT Presents "The Hesitant Heiress"

by Michelle Massaro

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to debut author Dawn Crandall and her new release The Hesitant Heiress. The first thing I'd like to point out is the absolutely gorgeous cover! I adore the soft pink gown, and the mysterious manor in the background.

{About The Hesitant Heiress} 

After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy disappearing before her very eyes. Now the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: marry within the year to inherit her grandmother’s fortune. Amaryllis reluctantly takes part in her aunt’s society, intent on getting to the west coast on her own… and without a husband.

Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself falling in love with the most unlikely of men, Nathan Everstone, whose father not only had a part in her expulsion, but whose ominous presence has haunted her dreams for a decade since her mother’s tragic death. Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems and everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that the real culprit who has been managing her life isn't who she thought at all.

Ooooh! Sounds good, right? This is a debut title and the first in a trilogy called The Everstone Chronicles. The great news is, if you purchase this now, you only have to wait a few weeks for the next installment. Perfect for that Fall Fix you need when you want to curl up on the couch with a throw blanket on your lap and a cup of coffee/tea/cocoa beside you.

The Everstone Chronicles from Whitaker House:

Book 1, The Hesitant Heiress releases August 2014 -- Read chapter one!
Book 2, The Bound Heart releases November 2014
Book 3, The Captive Imposter releases February 2015

The Hesitant Heiress (August 1, 2014), The Bound Heart (November 3, 2014) and the third in the series, The Captive Imposter (February 2015) are full length historical romantic suspense novels written from first person POV in the Gothic style of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.

And now, let's meet Dawn!

{About Dawn Crandall}

Dawn Crandall writes long inspirational historical romantic suspense. She has a BA in Christian Education from Taylor University and lives in northeast Indiana with her ever-supportive husband, her three cats [Lilly, Pumpkin and Clover] and their newest addition, a little baby boy named Rhett (March 2014).

A former bookseller at Barnes & Noble, Dawn didn't begin writing until her husband found out about her long-buried dream of writing a book. Without a doubt about someday becoming traditionally published, he encouraged her to quit her job in 2010 in order to focus on writing The Hesitant Heiress. It didn't take her long to realize that writing books was what she was made to do. Dawn is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary.

Dawn is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter.

Connect with her at:

www.dawncrandall.blogspot.com
www.apassionforpages.blogspot.com

Twitter (@dawnwritesfirst)
Pinterest

Now go check out that sneak peek chapter! ;)

HAPPY READING!!

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Do you like hearing about new Christian Fiction titles? Enjoy friendly sparring matches between your favorite authors? Be sure to "like" Clash of the Titles on Facebook to keep yourself "in the know" -- and have some fun, too!

Clash of the Titles Turns Four and Celebrates with Amazing Giveaways!

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Happy Birthday,

Clash of the Titles!

Can you believe Clash of the Titles is FOUR years old?

It hardly seems possible.

Four years ago this month, COTT's arena opened for its first Clash, and it's been going strong ever since! Hundreds of Christian authors have competed, and 58 have left victorious. Each author has earned a special place in our hearts, and we at COTT find it an immense privilege to promote Christ through their work.

Join us this week as both COTT champs and COTT staff celebrate these four, amazing years together!

Over the next four days, our generous champions will be giving away 61 of their books.

Sixty-one!

We've divided those books into four giveaways--one for each year God has blessed us!

(See below for today's list.)

Each participant has myriad opportunities to enter the four drawings,

but there will only be FOUR WINNERS.

Will you be one of them??

Find out at Clash of the Titles on Tuesday, September 23rd!

Drawings will be open until Monday night,

September 22 (midnight PST).

Until then, it's free rein on entries.

Don't miss out on the fun!

Below, you'll find the four links, one for each giveaway. 
See the Rafflecopter at the end of each article for your entry options.

GIVEAWAY ONE
GIVEAWAY TWO
GIVEAWAY THREE
GIVEAWAY FOUR

Best wishes!

COTT April Releases!

Summer's on the way. We have five great books to add to your beach bags. To take readers back in time, there's a historical novel set in ancient Rome. Or relax with a southern romance with mystery and suspense. Then check out a medical suspense, a contemporary novel and contemporary romance--all fantastic stories. Let us know by voting below which  of these you'll put on the top of your list.

Thanks to all of our contributors!

Betrayal made him a slave, and love made him a gladiator. Faith would give him the courage to rescue an empire.

A frightened runaway with a checkered past co-inherits her grandfather's farm with the man responsible for the scars on her heart. Can Chance and Dakota lay aside old hurts and grudges to build...A BRIDGE UNBROKEN?

A celebratory dinner party becomes a nightmare for The nightmare begins for Dr. Shannon Frasier when a man is shot dead on her lawn, reviving emotions from a similar incident a decade ago. The rough voice on the phone asks, "What did he say before he died?" and won't give up until Shannon tells him--even if she doesn't know.

Pam's divorce broke her heart, the cruelty of her ex husband broke her spirit, a bottle of skeeping pills almost took her life. Now, with Alan's return to Garfiekd, OK, Pam must learn that buied secrets and carfully cultivated indifference do not equal forgiveness.






Nobody cares about Ivy Clark's broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows—so when it starts to unravel, she’ll do anything to hold on, even move to Greenbriar, South Carolina to model wedding dresses for her stepmother. Here Davis Knight, her mysterious new photographer, sees through the facade and challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth.

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COTT's Olympia WINNER

We've all been waiting. It's been six months since submissions opened for the Olympia. A panel of readers narrowed down the top three entries and then a distinguished *industry professionals assessed and scored those excerpts to bring us to this moment.

The time has come and I am so very excited to announce to you that the winner of the 2014 Olympia is...

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JENNIFER RODEWALD

For her story titled Reclaimed

About Reclaimed

Suzanna Wilton has had a hefty share of heartache in her twenty-seven years. Left heartbroken by a marriage cut short, she leaves city life to take up residency in a tiny Nebraska town. Her introduction to her neighbor Paul Rustin is a disaster. Assuming he’s as undermining as the other local cowboys she’s already met, Suzanna greets him with a heavy dose of hostility.

Though Paul is offended by Suzanna’s unfriendliness, she often invades his thoughts. Intrigued by the woman who lives down the road, and propelled by a sense that she carries a painful burden, he frequently drops by to offer help as she adjusts to rural living.

Just as Paul’s kindness begins to melt Suzanna’s frozen heart, a conflict regarding her land escalates in town. Even in the warmth of Paul’s love, resentment continues to strangle her fragile soul. Will Suzanna ever find peace?

Author Bio:

Jennifer Rodewald is passionate about the Word of God and the powerful vehicle of story. Four kids and her own personal superman make her home in southwestern Nebraska delightfully chaotic.

Aiming to live with boundless enthusiasm, her creed is vision, pursuit and excellence. Blessed with a robust curiosity, she loves to research. Whether she’s investigating the history of a given area, the biography of a Christian icon, or how nature declares the glory of God, her daily goal is to learn something new.

Jen lives in a lovely speck of a town where she watches with amazement while her children grow up way too fast, gardens, plays with her horses, and marvels at God’s mighty hand in everyday life.You can find her at thefreeslavesdevotion.com 

Congratulations, Jennifer! We are honored to be a part of your journey and look forward to watching what God has in store for your writing career.

In addition to a tour through COTT's Blog Alliance, Jennifer will be receiving a beautiful plaque to commemorate her win and an internet radio interview with Cynthia Simmons!

*Final round judges:

AMANDA LUEDEKE--Agent, Macgregor Literary Agency

MARCY DYER--Editor, Prism Book Group
ROSSLYN ELLIOTT--Author and 2011 COTT Laurel Award Winner

Spring Has Sprung at Clash of the Titles!

Spring Has Sprung! 

And so have these brand new must-read Christian novels.

Clash of the Titles brings you five novels of every variety. There's something for everyone! Enjoy these blurbs, then scroll to vote and help send your favorite novel to COTT's annual Laurel Award. 

But first, a shout-out to Diana Montgomery who is the WINNER of our March Book-bundle Giveaway. Woot! Diana, the authors of the following three novels will be contacting you shortly:

Heaven's Prey by Janet Sketchley
God's Daughter by Heather Day Gilbert
Ryan's Father by June Foster

When Annie Whitaker and her merchant father set out for Cañon City and the Pikes-Peak-or-Bust gold rush, Annie finds much greater wealth in the heart of a runaway preacher. Will her love change that preacher's view of women—and God—and help him on his way back to faith and love?

Acclaimed New York artist, Naomi Boyd, and music therapist, Keith Wilson, used to be in love until a root of bitterness between their Irish grandparents separated them. Then a letter from Keith’s grandmother, Ruth, draws Naomi to Londonderry, only to find she’s too late—Ruth has passed on, leaving a mysterious painting in the attic that stirs up questions about the entwined past of Naomi's and Keith's grandparents and their own broken romance.

Plus-sized woman seeks validation in small-minded man. After betraying a friendship when seeking this validation, Ava spirals into a depression and continued self-destruction until she turns to God for help.

Nissa, a sharp-tongued Jewish girl with a deadly secret, and Longinus, a Roman centurion, are unexpectedly caught up in the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. As danger closes in on them from every side, they must decide if the mercy Jesus offers is real or just another false promise.

Ellie's perfect life is suddenly knocked off center when her drool-worthy boyfriend cheats and her always-has-it-together mother is diagnosed with cancer. Through her heartache, Ellie learns that sometimes what seems like the end is really just the beginning and that what God has for her is always worth the wait.









Enjoy the blurbs? 
Click on the images to purchase on Amazon!
{Some of our readers are experiencing difficulty voting. If you are unable to cast your vote in the survey box, please visit this link to vote:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MarchClash . We apologize for the inconvenience.}

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Congrats to the Winner of the Laurel!!

I am so excited to talk about the winner of this year's Laurel Award. I can't wait to read this book. Just look at that gorgeous cover!

On October 18, 2013 Veil of Pearls took home Clash of the Titles's Laurel Award. Over the course of six weeks, the novel's first chapters were read and judged by avid readers of Christian fiction who determined Veil of Pearls to be the worthiest to receive the 2013 Laurel Award.


Clash of the Titles extends a heartfelt congratulations to author MaryLu Tyndall for her exemplary writing. We wish God's richest blessings on her future work. 

About Veil of Pearls:

Be swept away to Charleston of 1811, a city bustling with immigrants like Adalia, who is a runaway slave so light-skinned that no one guesses her past. Terrified her secret will be discovered, she settles into a quiet life making herbal remedies for a local doctor. But when Morgan, the handsome son of a prominent family, sweeps her into his glamorous world—a world in which the truth about Adalia’s heritage would ruin them both—suspicions and petty jealousies are aroused. What will Morgan do when he discovers that the woman he has fallen in love with is a runaway slave?

PURCHASE YOUR COPY

Listen to Cynthia L. Simmon's" Heart of the Matter" radio interview of Laurel Award Winner, MaryLu Tyndall!

About MaryLu:

MaryLu Tyndall, a Christy Award Finalist, and best-selling author

of the Legacy of the King's Pirates series is known for her adventurous historical romances filled with deep spiritual themes. She holds a degree in Math and worked as a software engineer for fifteen years before testing the waters as a writer. 

MaryLu currently writes full time and makes her home on the California coast with her husband, six kids, and four cats. Her passion is to write page-turning, romantic adventures that not only entertain but open people's eyes to their God-given potential. MaryLu is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. 

For more information on MaryLu and her upcoming releases, please visit her website at http://www.mltyndall.com or her blog at http://www.crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/

A Plain Disappearance

Clash of the Titles is so excited to check in with Amanda Flower, one of the founding members of the COTT Family. From the looks of things, she has some pretty exciting things going on!

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USA Today recently hailed award-nominated author Amanda Flower for A Plain Death, calling it “the first Amish rom-com . . . bring on the next one!” As the enthusiastic reviews continue to mount, she’s back with her third Appleseed Creek mystery, A Plain Disappearance.

ABOUT THE BOOK
It’s Christmastime in Amish Country, and Chloe Humphrey has begun settling into her life in Appleseed Creek excited to see where her new relationship with Timothy Troyer will lead. Unfortunately it leads to murder when the couple discovers the body of Amish teenager Katie Lambright while on their first date. Near the scene there is evidence that Timothy’s friend and auto mechanic Billy Thorpe is involved with the crime. The police reveal Billy is not really who he said he was and has been living the last decade in Knox County under a stolen alias. Now, Chloe and Timothy must find Billy, bring him to justice, or prove his innocence.

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BUY NOW:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Christianbook.com 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amanda Flower started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. Her debut mystery, Maid of Murder, was an Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel and the first in a series featuring amateur sleuth India Hayes. Like her main character, Amanda is an academic librarian for a small college near Cleveland. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. Her next mystery, Murder in a Basket, was released in January 2012 from Five Star. In July 2012, her first Amish mystery, A Plain Death, was released from B&H. For Penguin/NAL she writes under the pen name Isabella Alan. Visit her online at www.amandaflower.com.

REVIEW:

"The third installment of the outstanding Appleseed Creek series is a mystery with twists and turns and an unexpected ending that will keep readers up until the wee hours of the morning. Readers are reunited with characters from the first two books and will meet some new ones. Flower has hit it out of the ballpark with this series and continues to amaze with her knowledge of the Amish way of life."- 4 1/2 stars Top Pick RT Book Reviews

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Be sure to check back with Clash of the Titles for all the latest in Christian Fiction!

Oohs and Aahs of July Releases for End of Summer Clash

We're moving toward the end of summer...but there's still plenty of time to check out these great new releases! This month's CLASH OF THE TITLES runs the gamut from debut authors to tried and true fav authors--from history to mystery...Suspense! Contemporary Romance! Sailing! Cowboys!  Novella to full-length - something for everyone.

Come join us on this latest Clash of the Title competition. Vote for the next book you are desperate to add to your reading list...and don't forget to leave a word of encouragement.

This CLASH VOTE lasts until midnight August 27--that's next TUESDAY.

The author with the most votes will be announced on August 29 -- THURSDAY! Make sure you come back then to meet the author and read more about the winning title.

Stalking Willow, by Fay Lamb

Trailed by a stalker in New York City, Willow Thomas, a young ad executive, scurries back to her small North Carolina hometown and the lake house where ten years earlier a scandal revealed her entire life had been a lie and a seed of bitterness took root in her soul. The cocoon of safety Willow feels upon her arrival home soon unravels when she meets opposition from her family, faces the man she left behind, and the stalker reveals he is close on her heels.

Miss Fishfly, by Linda Glaz

Searching for love everywhere but in the right places, Christie Hayes is confounded when chocolate brown eyes wink at her at her best friend's wedding. A narrow miss of the bedpan, and she discovers old Mr. Hartway's grandson, Colton Keller, and brown eyes are one in the same.

A Lady of Quality, by Louise M. Gouge

Catherine Du Coeur is determined to uncover the truth about wealthy Lord Winston, who falsely accused her father of treason. Baron Lord Winston has had little success in finding an accomplished aristocratic bride who is suited to his diplomatic aspirations, but when he meets Miss Du Coeur, a countess’s lowly companion, he finds that family connections are far less important than matters of the heart.

Becalmed, by Normandie Fischer

Tadie Longworth doesn't spend much time worrying that she’s turning into one of Beaufort, North Carolina’s, spinsters with her gift shop full of her own jewelry designs and a sweet little sailboat to take her mind off the guy who got away. But now Will’s back with a daughter and a ship to repair so he can sail—straight out of Tadie’s life.

Rodeo Regrets, by Shannon Taylor Vanatter

After Lane Gray broke her heart Natalie Wentworth made a game of lassoing one cowboy after another with no strings attached. Nine years later, irresistible cowboy Lane Gray is a changed man and wants Natalie's forgiveness-and more.

VOTE HERE! And don't forget to leave an encouraging word. We love to hear from you. Click here to take survey

Grace's Pictures by Cindy Thomson

Welcome! Today we are taking a look at recent Clash Contender, Grace's Pictures by Cindy Thomson. First, take a look at that gorgeous cover! Love it! Now "turn the book over" to read the back cover blurb:

About the book

Grace's Pictures
Grace McCaffery hopes that the bustling streets of New York hold all the promise that the lush hills of Ireland did not. As her efforts to earn enough money to bring her mother to America fail, she wonders if her new Brownie camera could be the answer. But a casual stroll through a beautiful New York City park turns into a hostile run-in with local gangsters, who are convinced her camera holds the first and only photos of their elusive leader. A policeman with a personal commitment to help those less fortunate finds Grace attractive and longs to help her, but Grace believes such men cannot be trusted. Spread thin between her quest to rescue her mother, do well in a new nanny job, and avoid the gang intent on intimidating her. Grace must put her faith in unlikely sources to learn the true meaning of courage and forgiveness.

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A review from the Library Journal 

Irish immigrant Grace McCaffery came to New York City for a better life. She takes a job as a nanny to make enough money to bring her mother over from Ireland. When her employers are slow to pay her, she decides to take her new Brownie camera and earn some extra income by selling her photos. A trip to the park puts Grace in danger when she photographs some local gangsters, raising the attention of policeman Owen McNulty. But Grace, who was taken by police to the workhouse when she was a child, has a distrust of men in uniform. Still, she never expects to find one so kind—or attractive. VERDICT Thomson (Brigid of Ireland) has penned a delightful story of overcoming obstacles. Lynn N. Austin fans will savor this historical series debut.

Another in-depth and very positive review can be found here.

Gotta see more? You can purchase Grace's Pictures on Amazon and read a preview right now!

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About the author

Cindy Thomson is a writer and an avid genealogy enthusiast. Her love of history and her Scots-Irish heritage have inspired much of her writing, including her Ellis Island series with Tyndale House. Cindy is also the author of Brigid of Irelandand Celtic Wisdom: Treasures from Ireland. She combined her love of history and baseball to co-author the biographyThree Finger: The Mordecai Brown Story, which was a finalist for the Society for American Baseball Research’s Larry Ritter Book Award. In addition to books, Cindy has written on a regular basis for numerous online and print publications and is a mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. She is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Historical Novel Society. Cindy and her husband have three grown sons and live in central Ohio. Get to know Cindy at her blog, on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Pinterest.

Click here for a great interview with Cindy on Tyndale's website. 

Be sure to visit COTT for next month's clash!