Cynthia Hickey's Fudge-Laced Felonies, Candy-Coated Secrets, & Chocolate-Covered Crime

Title: Fudge-Laced Felonies, Candy-Coated Secrets, Chocolate-Covered Crime.

Publisher: These three books were originally published through Barbour and are now available as ebooks on www.Amazon.com and www.smashwords.com

Cover blurb: Summer Meadows walked into church on Sunday, not to find God but to search for a killer. While transplanting the rosebush her church's handsome greeter, Ethan Banning, inadvertently killed, Summer and Ethan discover a hidden stash of diamonds, a rusty can full of cash, and a bloody-gardening glove. This discovery sets Summer and her candy-making aunt on a search for a killer.

As Summer gets closer to the truth-not only of the theft but of her true feelings for Ethan-the diamond thief hatches a plan to hush the feisty sleuth.

1) How did this story come to you?
When Barbour announced they were opening their cozy mystery line, a friend told me I should try writing for it. I didn’t know what a cozy was and told her no. She dared me, and the rest is history.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Fudge-Laced Felonies was originally titled Buried Beneath the Midnight Blue and won first place in a contest where I acquired an agent, who sold the book to Barbour in less than a month. Books two and three followed in the consecutive years.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I’m shy, I’m the detention monitor at my local school, and I have seven children.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
My agent has asked me to write historical romance and I have several proposals awaiting answers. Of course, they all hold a mystery of some kind.

5) Parting comments?
NEVER give up. Perseverance wins in this game.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.cynthiahickey.com/

Deanna Klingel's "Avery's Crossroad"

Title: Avery's Crossroad

Avery’s skills as a doctor and his dog Gunner’s friendly personality make the pair a welcome sight to the soldiers in the Civil War hospitals. But mending wounds is not the only challenge Avery faces. Dwindling supplies, insufficient medical facilities, and local troublemakers add to the stress of the war. Avery realizes that the real wounds of the war—the wounds of the soul—will take years to heal. But he finds hope for the future in his deepening friendship with Claire, a girl from back home who shares his passion for helping the wounded. Together they pray for the long war to end.

1) How did this story come to you?
The Avery & Gunner stories came to me from Avery himself as he wiggled into my heart and my writing soul. He's fictional, but not to him and me.

2)Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
The journey to getting this book published was almost as long as Avery's journey. In 2006 the book was in the hands of Brubaker Ford Agency in UK. They loved the story and their editor worked intensely with me. It was a wonderful learning experience. In 2008 Avery & Gunner's Civil War Chronicles, as it was then all 5 years in one big book, went to the International Children's Book Fair in Bologna and apparently created a stir. The agents & editor were very excited. A couple of large publishers in NY were interested, one talked about film rights. They gave us specific "to do's" which we did post haste. In 2009 we were close to closing a deal when the request came to make it "edgier." They wanted Avery and Claire to have "more realistic sexual behavior toward each other." I gagged. I'd been totally cooperative to this point, but I know this boy Avery and he wouldn't do what they were suggesting. It was 1861; Avery was a 14 year-old Quaker, a farmer, homeschooled by two well-educated Quakers. We aren't talking about 21st century behavior. I said I could do anything they asked except compromise my character. Avery could live out my life in the drawer. They walked. I had a consultation with God. Is this what you want me to do? If not, tell me what you want. I can do other things. I don't have to write. I was really wondering if I could write for today's market based on what these publishers said. The agents said they'd done all they could do, and we parted ways. Then one morning I was hurrying out the door, saw this strange logo on my screen, hit print, shut down the computer and left. I discovered this odd poster dangling off my printer later, practically waving to get my attention. I'd never seen it before, had no idea who sent it; I still don't. It was an invitation to Write2Ignite, a Christian Writers' Conference. Christian Writers? Really? I never knew. It was close, inexpensive; what did I have to lose? The speaker was dynamic and said everything I needed to hear: there IS a market for my work. My first workshop facilitator convinced me. I stopped into her room later to thank her for her words of conviction, how important it was to me to hear those words. She asked me to come in and talk to her. She wanted to know what my experience had been to elicit this kind of response. I told her about Avery and Gunner. She said she'd like to have a look at that. I didn't know then what I know now. She was the aquisitions editor for Journey Forth Publishing, BJU Press. Avery's Battlefield, 1861-1862 was released in March 2011, and Avery's Crossroad, 1863-1865 in September, 2011.

3)Tell me three things about yourself tht would surprise your readers.
Three things that would surprise readers about me? I'm married almost 50 years, have 7 children, like to travel, garden, golf, read, write. None of that is very surprising. I'm pretty wide open, and I think reading my books probably tells you all you need or want to know about me. You might be surprised that I'm really rather shy! Really!

4)What are you working on and what is next for you?
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas Rafka Press will release my next YA nonfiction, Bread Upon the Water. I'm currently rewriting Rebecca & Heart, a short ebook story, into a YA length. I've got two finished manuscripts, Cracks in the Ice and Waiting With Elmer, that I hope a publisher will want, and I'm currently writing a nonfiction YA, Rock and a Hard Place. Your question was what is next for me? Only God knows.

5)Parting comments?
I'm passionate about literacy. I hope everything I write inspires someone to want to read more books.

6)Where can fans find you on the internet?
You can find me at http://www.booksbydeanna.com/. If you google my name you can also find me on other blogspots.

Dana Pratola's "The Covering"

Title: The Covering
Publisher: White Rose Publishing

Cover blurb: What do a woman of faith and a heathen biker have in common? The devil of course.

1) How did this story come to you?
I’ve always been fascinated by glimpses into the spirit realm, whether through God’s Word, testimonies, or fiction, like Frank Peretti’s Darkness series. I wanted to illustrate that forces for Good and evil are always at work around us and the lengths God will go to to show us the Truth.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
As I tell everyone, it was only God. I couldn’t afford to attend a writer’s conference, so God led me to a free online conference where I pitched the book to Nicola Martinez. In five minutes I had a request for the entire manuscript and signed the contract shortly thereafter.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1. This year marks the first time I’ve read the entire Bible, cover to cover. I always intended to but this year I actually did it, lol.
2. I know many women won’t agree, but I DO NOT find Brad Pitt sexy. I just don’t get what the big deal is. 3. I can get almost any knot out of anything.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
My next book is about a young woman who is suddenly gifted with an extraordinary singing voice, how she uses her gift, and the consequences of her choices. Of course there is a love interest – an autobiographer doing her story.

5) Parting comments?
Thanks for having me, it was a blast =-)

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.danapratola.webs.com/  or facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Dana-Pratola-Author/221067454600043

Donita K. Paul's "Dragons of the Watch"

Title: Dragons of the Watch

 Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah

 Cover blurb: Trapped in a forgotten city, bound by secrets, Ellie and Bealomondore must enlist the dragons of the watch to find freedom.


Ellie knows exactly where she is going. She just wants to experience the pomp and circumstance of a royal wedding, then settle into a simple life with a country husband.

With too many choices, Bealomondore’s future is a tangle of possibilities. He is respected, well-known, and admired among the elite of Chiril, but Wulder demands he narrow his focus and follow his Creator, one step at a time.

Both Ellie and Bealomondore’s plans are thwarted when they find themselves lost in an isolated city. As they discern the needs of a group of wild children and a very old man, clues began to surface and a bigger picture is revealed. With the help of the dragons of the watch, can the two tumanhofers find the way out—and perhaps discover their connection to something greater than themselves?

1.      How did this story come to you?
My son is a literature nut. This is a good thing, because he is getting his doctorate in medieval English with an emphasis on theatre. He and I were talking one day, and he mentioned bottle cities. These are enchanted places where the inhabitants are more or less stuck inside the boundaries. The two that come to my mind are Brigadoon and Shangri-la. Modern readers are more familiar with Kandor, a bottled city in the Superman series. 


2.      Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.

This is the third book in the Chronicles of Chiril. Bealomondore had made a good impression on my readers and many of them were disgruntled that he didn’t “get the girl” at the end of the first book. As I read the letters from readers, I realized I had a hero worth developing for the last book. That required a new heroine and a unique problem for them to solve.

3
.      Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I make jewelry. I have a very decent voice, but can never remember the lyrics to the songs I belt out while vacuuming. I’ve never been to Europe.

4.      What are you working on now and what's next for you?

I’m taking a couple of old manuscripts from my Christian romance writing days and putting them out as e-books. Taming the Wild Wind was a story I wrote for my mom right before she died. She had always been fascinated by Native Americans. We are part Cherokee. Wild Wind is a story about a free spirit in a very restrictive society, who goes to the Indian Territory to open a mission school. I love the message of that story. The heroine discovers so much about herself and God as she experiences some fun and exciting adventures.  You can find it here:


Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Taming-the-Wild-Wind-ebook/dp/B005IIRB1K/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316188102&sr=1-1


Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-the-wild-wind-donita-kathleen-paul/1105099654?ean=2940013046665&itm=1&usri=taming%2bthe%2bwild%2bwind


Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/84838


Lulu.com: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/donitakpaulatmsndotcom



I’m still writing fantasy. I have five books planned for the Sage Street Wizards. These are characters from the Christmas novella, Two Ticket to the Christmas Ball. My daughter and I have two new Roger and Padraig picture books that are looking for a publishing home. And I am working on a new story world that has dragons and quests, two of my favorite things.


 6
.      Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.donitakpaul.com/; and for my children’s books: http://www.dragonandturtle.com/

5.
      Parting comments?

Dina Sleiman's "Dance of the Dandelion"

 Title: Dance of the Dandelion

 Publisher: WhiteFire Publishing


Cover blurb: Love's quest leads her the world over.

Dandelion Dering was born a peasant in the English village of Arun, but her soul yearned for another life, another world. One filled with color and music, with adventure and passion  . . . with more. Haunted by childhood memories, Dandelion determines to find a better existence than the life every peasant in the village contents themselves with. Even if her sweetheart William’s predictions prove true, and her journey leads straight to heartache.

From her sleepy hamlet to the intrigue of castle life, from the heart of London to the adventurous seas, Dandelion flees from the mistakes of her past, always seeking that something, that someone who will satisfy her longings.

Will Dandelion ever find the rhythm to her life's dance . . . or did she leave her chance for true love at home in Arun village?

1) How did this story come to you?
I first had the idea for this book in 2001. It was based roughly on a plot from an old Eugene O’Neil play where the heroine loses her true love in a war and spends the rest of the story looking for a man who can take his place. I combined this idea with the Biblical Greek definitions of love. Then I set it in medieval England to remove it from our current religious mindset and schisms. Et voila…Dance of the Dandelion was born.


2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
This book was a hard sell because of the medieval setting. Of course, when I wrote it I had no idea the time period would create a problem. Lots of agents and editors turned it down for this reason alone. However, they all seemed to agree that the writing was strong, so I didn’t give up. WhiteFire Publishing is a small press that specializes in hard to market books, so it was a perfect fit.


3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) For one thing, my nose is pierced. I wear a small crystal stud and a lot of people don’t even notice it.
2) My daughter is the cover model for my book. I had based the childhood version of the heroine on her years ago, so it was a wonderful blessing to get to use her for the photo shoot.
3) I’ve lead worship dance ministries for the better part of seventeen years.


4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
Early next year I’ll have an inspirational nonfiction book coming out with WhiteFire that will take a deeper look into many of the subjects I cover in Dandelion, including freedom in Christ, intimacy with Christ, worship, and inner healing. The book is an unconventional mix of memoir, essay, poetry, even some short stories.

Currently, my agent is shopping a contemporary series I’ve written. This one is women’s fiction with a heaping helping of romance and a sprinkle of comedy. It features a veiled Muslim, a blonde ballerina, and a bi-racial hippie chick who search together for meaning and truth.

5) Parting comments?
I would say that while I’m still finding my genre niche as an author, there are some things you can always expect from me like authentic Christianity, inner healing themes, a focus on intimacy with Christ, and a lyrical style. My tagline is “Dance with Passion,” and I hope that comes through in all my writing.


6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://dinasleiman.com – blog and website
http://inkwellinspirations.com – group website
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1573808600 - facebook

Lisa Lickel & Shellie Neumeier's "A Summer in Oakville"

Title: A Summer in Oakville
Publisher: Black Lyon Publishing
Cover blurb:
One Magical Summer in Oakville, Wisconsin,
Love Finds its Way through Four Entwined Lives.

Meet Tessa, Lindsay, Art and Andy.

Tessa Hasmer Murphy has a secret. Estranged from her husband, will she let a past love and a fight to save the family farm destroy her marriage and daughter Lindsay’s happiness?

Lindsay Murphy plans to live on her grandparents’ farm until she can find a job, but developer Brandon Calloway has other plans for the property. As she wages war against him, will she lose her heart and the farm both?

Widower Arthur Hasmer’s life and that of his son, Andy, spiral out of control. Then old friend, Dana London, reenters the picture with the power to help them all back to love, joy and faith.

Andy Hasmer has the ultimate bummer life. No mom, not much of a dad, no future. When he’s sent to the farm and wrecks the truck, nothing could be worse than the lousy job he takes to pay Grampa back—except maybe putting up with the pastor’s daughter, Ella.


1) How did this story come to you?
Lisa: I have to take the blame for coming up with the convoluted idea – four stories in one book was the theme of our original target publisher, romantic stories, but then we worked it out so that the stories worked with each other to tell one tale. The theme, trying to keep the rural life they are familiar with, can’t bear to give up even though the adult children don’t farm or live on the home place, is a very real problem in the US that few people understand. The way of the family farm has passed, and while we don’t purposefully try to villainize anyone, not even the developers, I do want to draw attention to the fact that single families can’t make a living, in general, from an 80-120-acre farm in the 21st century. We still grow our own food, but fewer urban children truly understand where it comes from, and it would be a shame if we lost that connection.


Shellie: Well said, Lisa! I was privileged to be a part of this collection, since it is so much more than four romantic tales. A Summer in Oakville epitomizes the difficulties rural Wisconsin—America—has experienced for generations, and it highlights the beautiful strength you find in family ties and homegrown roots. To answer your question, Dawn, the stories, Andy’s and Lindsay’s, came to me as I listened and watched my neighbors and friends…Lisa included.


2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Lisa: When I heard that Barbour Publishing (the publisher of my first novel, a mystery called The Gold Standard) offered one more opportunity for authors in the form of “Four-in-One” novels, I asked my new writing friend Shellie if she’d be interested in writing one with me. You can read more about that here. http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Summer-in-Oakville/200940583288468#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=202789583103568&id=200940583288468


Shellie: Not everything was as we imagined, but it was as God ordained. Fortunately, neither Lisa nor I could let this family’s story sleep, and I’m so grateful it didn’t sleep long! How’s that for vague:D. **giggles** No really check the FB fan page.


3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
Lisa: You mean, without scaring them away? Um…I’m probably the only woman in the world who wishes her hair would start thinning, I like science fiction and history, but not really at the same time, I would give up chocolate before bread.


Shellie: Oooh, can I tell Lisa’s? :D. JK, though I’m sure she’d have fun telling a few of mine;). I bet readers don’t know I’ve gone spelunking and loved it (no, really…crawled through tunnels and little caves, they have those in Wisconsin); I’m actually shy, but I work hard at overcoming that little trait (requires a lot of down time); and I have a wretched sense of humor that surfaces only when I’m tired.


4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
Lisa: I’m working on a couple of projects; one is the rewrite (again) of a story I like about a couple trying to make their marriage work in today’s busy-ness. He’s a former medical missionary who was forced to return to the states and who never planned on getting married; she’s a businesswoman who planned to marry her parent’s choice for a husband and live quietly, boringly ever after. Then God laughed. I’m also teaching some more online and in person workshops and working with some other local authors on signing and panel talk events.


Shellie: I have a mid-grade chapter book, co-written with my youngest two kiddos, entitled The Wishing Ring which releases in February 2012. I’m also cleaning up a story near and dear to my heart. It’s a story about an autistic seventeen year-old boy. Imagine Rainman meets Karate Kid, only this time a trophy isn’t at stake, its Delaney’s life.


5) Parting comments?
Lisa: thank you for having us! We love to chat with folks, and would enjoy visiting your bookclubs, too. For some fun recipes, visit our Summer in Oakville Facebook page.


Shellie: Yes, thank you! We’d love to hear your family’s story too. Leave us a tale in the comments below and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a copy of A Summer in Oakville. I don’t know about your relatives, but I’m thinking not every family has just one black sheep…


6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
Lisa: All my links can be found on my web site: http://www.lisalickel.com/

Shellie: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001729933656
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/shellie_c
Website: http://shellieneumeier.com
Booktrailer: http://youtu.be/D0iUtvrC_PU
http://www.amazon.com/A-Summer-in-Oakville-ebook/dp/B005KF6I2E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319498851&sr=8-2  

Cara Lynn James' "Love by the Book"

 Title: Love by the Book

Publisher: Thomas Nelson


Cover blurb: Savor this sweeping love story set in a lavish seaside mansion in 1901 Rhode Island.

Melinda Hollister is a society lady, intent on finding a rich husband before her peers discover her quickly diminishing wealth. Nick Bryson is all business, focused on making a name for himself in his father’s steamship line. Despite the marriage of their siblings, they rarely gave each other a second glance—until a tragic accident results in Melinda and Nick being appointed as co-guardians of their three-year-old niece Nell.

In order to get better acquainted with Nell and one another, Melinda and Nick agree to spend the summer in their own private quarters of the Bryson family vacation home, Summerhill. As their love for Nell grows, so does their attraction to each other. And for the first time in their lives, they sense that God has a bigger plan in motion.

Yet old habits die hard – and Melinda and Nick each find it difficult to resist the pull of their former worlds.

When the unthinkable happens, they find themselves faced with seemingly impossible choices and a new understanding of God’s true love.

1) How did this story come to you?
My editor suggested I write a ‘marriage of convenience’ story because it would be really different from my first two books in the Ladies of Summerhill series, Love on a Dime and Love on Assignment. Right from the beginning the idea intrigued me, so it was fairly easy to develop characters and a plot. I already had the setting of Newport, Rhode Island during the Gilded Age. The plot turned out to be more complex than I’d initially envisioned, but lots of fun to write.


2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Since Love by the Book was the third novel in a contracted 3 book series, it wasn’t difficult to get it published! It was harder to get the story just right for my editor. I’m glad she was so exacting because it made the story much stronger.


3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I don’t take escalators unless I have no alternative, I could live on popcorn, and I can’t carry a tune unless I’m singing with a group.


4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
My next book is called A Path toward Love. It’ll be released in July 2012. It’s set during the Gilded Age and it takes place in central Florida and Raquette Lake in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. I’m working on revisions right now and they’re keeping me very busy. Too busy.


5) Parting comments?
If you’re a writer hoping to get published, I really encourage you to persevere. Don’t get side tracked by discouragement, your inner critic or anything that keeps you from learning the craft.


9) Where can fans find you on the internet?
www.caralynnjames.com and http://www.seekerville/.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/pages/Cara-Lynn-James

Register to win a Mistaken Identity t-shirt and a free download

I'm giving away a Mistaken Identity t-shirt and a free download of the book to two winners! I have only size medium and large in stock. When you leave your comment, please tell me what size just in case you win. Don't forget to leave your email address and if you've not signed up to receive weekly updates about book giveaways, please plug your email address into the feedburner box to the right!

Eden Morgan makes a list of six goals to accomplish in order to have the best summer ever. Getting a boyfriend, which is perhaps the most important goal, becomes complicated when she and her best friend, Lexi, fall for the same guy. Since Lexi is popular, gorgeous, and always gets her guy, Eden thinks she doesn't have a chance.

Channing Johnson is everything Eden's ever dreamed of and she can't believe he just moved in next door. When he starts showing interest in her, she's overjoyed...until she sees him out on a date with Lexi. He says Lexi talked him into it to repay her for tutoring him. Lexi says they're in love.
Eden doesn't know who to believe and is forced to choose between her best friend and the guy of her dreams. Nothing is as it seems and no matter who she chooses, someone will get hurt.

For your chance to win, please leave a a comment with at least one goal you'd like to accomplish in order to make your life even better, funner, or just easier.

Rose McCauley's "Christmas Belles of Georgia"

Title: Christmas Belles of Georgia
Publisher: Barbour

Cover blurb: Four letters are mailed from Monticello, a small antebellum town in Georgia. Sisters once, now heirs to a historic plantation, each young woman must come to terms with the circumstances of her birth…Will the sisters receive a traditional Christmas gift…of love?

1) How did this story come to you?
Jeanie Smith Cash developed the idea and asked me and Deb Ullrick and Jeri Odell to join her.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
We submitted a proposal to Barbour consisting of our four synopses and my first chapter, since I was the new author. Then I received my contract last September at the ACFW conference in front of 600 people! I wrote the rest of the book last November, and it is now in stores!

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I took violin lessons in second grade, I have been married forty-three years, my husband is the romantic one, but I write romance stories!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I have 4 more proposals waiting at Barbour, so I hope and pray one or more of them sells, so I get to enjoy doing all of this over again! I also have a women’s fiction for which I hope to find interest from an agent and publisher.

5) Parting comments?
Thank you so much for hosting me, K. Dawn. I’m glad we can visit each other’s blogs.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.rosemccauley.com/ and http://www.rosemccauley.blogspot.com/

"This Time for Keeps," a novel about second chances...

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if you'd married your first love?

India McGuire's peaceful life is shattered when on the night of her engagement to David Richards, she comes face to face with Chase Porter, a long lost love. India must come to terms with her overpowering feelings for Chase and choose between David, the neighbor who says he loves her, and Chase, the man who broke her heart.

Chase's plans of leaving quietly turn to disaster when he finds that it's impossible to disappear without seeing India one last time. Feelings begin to surface that he believed buried forever and he finds himself fighting to win her back even as David struggles to hold onto her.

India longs to follow her heart, but she's been hurt too deeply. Who will she choose? The neighbor who can provide stability or the man she vowed to love forever who may once again heed to the call of the open road?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/This-Time-for-Keeps-ebook/dp/B005VKMQUG/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1318690937&sr=1-2
Desert Breeze: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-218/This-Time-For-Keeps/Detail.bok
B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-time-for-keeps-k-dawn-byrd/1103372329

Coming soon to christianbook.com and other ebook outlets.

Clash of the Titles Kicks Off Tournament of Champions

COTT Kicks Off Tournament of Champions

Guest post by Jennifer Slattery

Last week, Clash of the Titles launched their first annual Tournament of Champions with two clashes and four talented authors. In Clash one, CS Lakin, author of Someone to Blame, and Marianne Evans, author of Heart Crossing, went head-to-head in a nail-biting, literary duel. In Clash two, our very own Gail Pallotta, author of Love Turns the Tide, competed against Clare Revell, author of A Season for Miracles. All four excerpts rocked, and this was a tough call, but you, our faithful readers chose two Tournament of the Champions' finalists.

Those finalists were Marianne Evans and Gail Pallotta.

Exciting stuff, and yet, the games weren’t done. In the next round, COTT staff cast their votes, and once again, one writer rose to the top and will advance to the next round.

That author is…

Marianne Evans!

And here’s a glimpse of what a COTT champion excerpt looks like:

“Collin Edwards stood before the funeral assembly. Heat crawled up his body. He clutched the edges of the podium where he stood and cleared his throat. The gesture was in vain. His throat constricted so much it hurt. Before the altar, just to the right, rested a flag-draped casket.

He looked down, at a piece of paper upon which he had crafted the words to a eulogy…” (Read more of Excerpt B here.)

About the novel, Heart Crossing:

Collin Edwards, a former parishioner at Woodland Church, has renounced God without apology, his faith drained away in the face of a tragic loss.

Daveny Montgomery cares deeply about her relationship with God, and the community of Woodland . Lately though, she's been in a rut, longing for something to reignite her spiritual enthusiasm.

A beautification project at Woodland seems the answer for them both. Daveny spearheads the effort and Collin assists, but only with the renovations, and only because he wants to know Daveny better. Despite his deepening feelings for her, even stepping into the common areas of the church stirs tension and anger.

Can Daveny trust in Collin’s fledgling return to faith? And can Collin ever accept the fact that while he turned his back on God, God never turned his back on him?

We’d also like to congratulate our prize-winning readers:

 Jessica R Patch! She won a $10 Amazon Gift card from Elaine Cooper.

 LoRee Peery! She won a free bookmark design from Delia Latham.

 Larry Hammersley! He won a $10 Amazon Gift card from Author Anne Patrick.


Join us this week for more fun and prizes as four more authors jump into the ring hoping not only to advance to the next round, but ultimately reign as the Clash of the Titles’ champion of champions! Remember, every vote counts! Each vote gets your name thrown into the hat for our fab-tabulous grand prize give-away comprised of fourteen novels!

Visit our Tournament of Champions page for a complete list of prizes.


***  Jennifer Slattery is the marketing manager for Clash of the Titles. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the Christian Pulse, and Samie Sisters and has written for numerous other publications. She also works for Tiffany Colter, the Writing Career Coach, as a professional manuscript evaluator and publicist. You can find out more about her and her writing at her devotional blog, Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud. You can find out more about her critique and publicity services at Words That Keep.

Robert Wilson's "The Poison of Thorns: The Dragon's Back #1"

Title: “THE POISON OF THORNS: The Dragon’s Back #1”
Cover blurb:  "The Poison of Thorns [The Dragon's Back #1]" unfolds as an intriguing and action-packed Christian Fantasy with bards, dragons, swords, and mysterious black-robed villains lurking in the shadows.

Ten long years after the mysterious murder of their parents, two brothers have just been freed from incarceration in a prison-like orphanage. Against their wills they are torn apart and launched into separate quests against conflicting and dangerous forces. Independently they struggle to learn the truth and to resolve the unanswered cries for vengeance that have long consumed their lives with the poisoned thorns of unresolved bitterness. Finding themselves pitted against a strange and hostile world, overwhelmed with many questions; it becomes their individual obsessions to find the answers and rescue each other.

Why were they locked away in that out-of-the way orphanage for ten long years, when they had living kin who would gladly have claimed them? Who are the sinister black-robed “Dragonmen” and what is their hidden agenda. And why are these blackrobes so interested in the two teenaged brothers that they would mobilize all of their considerable resources to possess them?

What is the significance of the shape of their isolated continent? Is it true that it appears to be a gigantic Dragon floating above the endless depths? What about the rumors that man-sized, almost invisible dragons are stalking their nights?

And finally, who are the mysterious followers of the mythical Gryphon? Why do they alone, of all the diverse peoples of Dragonsback, have the ability to swim in the dark bottomless waters that surround their land? And most importantly, is the mysterious Swimmer who took part in the deaths of the boys' parents still available… for retribution?

1) How did this story come to you?
The story arose from a very dark time in the life of my family, when a supposed “Christian Leader” destroyed a fledgling ministry that we had thought was God’s will for our lives. Many months of depression and bitterness followed this event, until a wise Christian lady led each member of my family though Dr. Neil Anderson’s “The Bondage Breaker”. She showed us the destructive spiritual warfare nature of bitterness in the lives of believers and we each gained victory. The concept behind the story [a thorn-wielding society living on the back of a land shaped like a dragon] actually was given to me after that by my eldest son, Joshua. He and I then brain-stormed to flesh out the rules for this fantasy land and I began writing.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I had been to multiple Christian Writers’ Conferences [winning some awards] and submitted manuscripts to multiple agents and publishers, without any favorable response. I actually started writing decades ago and was sitting on two completed novels, each in a different series. “The Poison of Thorns” is actually the second novel that I have self-published: the prior one I had published less than a month before is an apocalyptic Sci-Fi novel dealing with intense Spiritual Warfare subjects. I had thought I had a Christian publisher all lined up for that first novel, when they suddenly backed out. I am the proud owner of a Nook e-reader and I received at that time an email from B&N telling me that they had opened up e-publishing though their online Pubit! service. I also found out that Amazon’s CreateSpace would allow me to create POD paperbacks. So I contacted a Christian artist I had met online about doing my covers and quickly formatted and submitted first the Sci-Fi novel, then, less than two weeks later, “The Poison of Thorns”.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
a) I telecommute as a programmer from my home in FL for an international company located in CA.
b) I am a singer-songwriter who has written around 100 songs [mostly Scripture songs].
c) I am an accomplished scroll saw artist, specializing in elaborate and life-like 3-D wooden artwork.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am working on the final edit of the second novel in the Dragonsback Trilogy and hope to have it published within the next month. Once that is done, I will step back and decide if I want to finish the Trilogy or switch back to my “Earth – The Arena” Sci-Fi series [Book 1, “THE PLAYERS” is already published and the second book in the series is about 1/3 done.]

5) Parting comments?
Thank you, Dawn, for all you do to promote good Christian writing!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My Web Page: http://www.robtdwilson.com/  [under the “Novels” tab]
My Blog: http://robtdwilson.wordpress.com/
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/RobertDennisWilson

Susan Meissner's "A Sound Among the Trees"

Title: A Sound Among the Trees
Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah

Cover blurb:
On a historic Fredericksburg street, Holly Oak stands in quiet elegance. The cannonball wedged between stone and timber is a silent reminder of what the house endured in the Civil War. When Marielle Bishop marries into the family and is transplanted from the arid west to her husband’s home, she’s soon led to believe that the house brings misfortune to the women who live there.

As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy for the North, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, doesn’t believe that Susannah’s ghost haunts the mansion, but that the house itself bears a grudge toward its tragic past. As Marielle struggles to fit into her new role as wife and stepmother, unsettled by the strange sense of sorrow she feels inside Holly Oak’s walls, she must uncover the truth about Susannah, and reconcile her belief that it is people—not houses—that hang on to the past. History can’t be undone, but truth uncovered can set the women of Holly Oak free.

1. How did this story come to you?
I’m not a fan of war, but I am drawn to any backdrop of human drama where the stakes are high, courage and sacrifice go hand-in-hand, and relationships are refined by fire. You see that in spades with the Civil War. I’ve watched Ken Burns’ The Civil War on PBS several times over the course of my adult life; it moves me every time I see it. The backdrop of the Civil War is a proving ground for sacrificial love in the historical part of this novel. In the contemporary part, it is the hold the house seems to have on the past that is the proving ground for the people who now live in it.

2. Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I pitched this idea verbally to my editor over the phone. I wanted it feel almost like a ghost story. I knew it wouldn’t actually be about a haunted house, but I very much wanted the characters and the house to be gripped by events in the past that changed them. I am grateful to WaterBrook Multnomah for giving me the green light to pursue this with just the idea and basic premise in hand.

3. Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
First, I’ve never had to deal with any of the tragic life events I put my characters through! Whenever I write about a dysfunctional family I always feel the need to mention that. I have a great family; wonderful parents, a loving soul-mate and kids I am so proud of. I am so incredibly thankful for the people in my life. Secondly, I really do not like mayonnaise. Or black licorice. Thirdly, I am finding that the more I write, the harder it gets. I seriously thought the more you did something the easier it became. Not so with writing novels. I think it’s because I raise the bar each time I start a new book but I start at the same place each time: on blank page with a whole lot of nothing staring back at me.

4. What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am putting the finishing touches on a book called The Girl in the Glass which will release this time next year. This book is set partially in Southern California and partially in Florence, Italy. My main character heads to Florence for some complicated reasons and while there she becomes friends with a woman who claims she is the last Medici and that she can hear Florence’s amazing statues and paintings talking to her. . .

5. Parting comments?
Thanks so much for having me! I love, love, love spending time talking about books and writing.

6. Where can fans find you on the internet?
You can find me at http://www.susanmeissner.com/ and on Facebook at my Author page, Susan Meissner, and on Twitter at SusanMeissner. I blog at http://www.susanmeissner.blogspot.com/. I also send out a newsletter via email four times a year. You can sign up for it on my website. I love connecting with readers! You are the reason I write.

Jennifer Hudson Taylor's "Highland Sanctuary"

Title: Highland Sanctuay
Publisher: Abingdon Press is the publisher

Cover blurb: Caithness, Scotland (1477) Gavin MacKenzie is hired to restore the ancient Castle of Braigh. He discovers a hidden village of outcasts that have created their own private sanctuary from the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and comely lass who captures Gavin’s heart. The villagers have an intriguing secret, while Serena harbors a deadly past that could destroy her future. When a fierce enemy launches an attack against them, greed leads to bitter betrayal. As Gavin prepares a defense, the villagers unite in a bold act of faith, showing how God’s love is more powerful than any human force on earth.

1) How did this story come to you?
I've always loved historical romances set in Scotland. The highlands have always fascinated me and since so many of my ancestors were Scots-Irish, I wanted to write about that setting. When my daughter was born with a seizure disorder and we were surrounded by hospital staff, had access to medications, and support, I began to wonder what it would have been like for a family in 15th century Scotland.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I first pitched it to my editor at the ACFW Minneapolis Conference. I knew she was considering my debut novel at the time and wanted to tell her about the sequel. At that time she wasn’t interested, but after my debut novel came out, she asked if I had any other Scottish historicals. I pitched it again and the second time they made an offer on it. So a “no” isn’t always a permanent “no”.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I am a workaholic. I have a full-time job, then I come home and write til late at night.
2) I have become a coffee-holic in the last few years. My husband's family have always been huge coffee drinkers, I guess they finally got to me.
3) My dream is to go to Scotland. Although my books are set in Scotland, I've never been fortunate enough to actually go.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m working on a Quaker historical set in the heart of Piedmont North Carolina in 1858, called A Path of Promise.

5) Parting comments?
No matter what your dreams or goals in life are, never give up, persevere and continue to press through.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.jenniferhudsontaylor.com/
www.facebook.com/jenniferhudsontaylor
www.twitter.com/jt4novels

Lillian Duncan's "Pursued"

Title: PURSUED
Publisher: White Rose Publishing

Cover blurb: Reggie Meyers has spent her life pursing the American Dream, but now she’s the one being pursued— by an unknown killer. Putting her trust in Dylan Monroe, a man she barely knows, will either be the best decision she ever made or the last.

Reggie’s a big city lawyer and Dylan’s a country farmer. In the normal course of events, their lives would never intersect but some accidents just aren't meant to be avoided. When Reggie crashes into Dylan, it makes a bad day even worse or so she thinks. Dylan, on the other hand, is intrigued by the feisty lady lawyer and wrangles a way to spend a bit more time with her by offering to drive her home after the accident. And so the journey that will change both their lives begins...

1) How did this story come to you?
I wanted to write a story that showed the different mindsets of “city folks” and “country folks.” To put a twist on it, I wanted the heroine to be the high-powered ambitious attorney and the hero to be the “simple farmer.”

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I submitted to White Rose Publishing because I wanted a publisher with experience in both ebooks and print books. It seemed like a good fit. They gave me some wonderful feedback which I listened to and revised the book. I was absolutely delighted when White Rose Publishing accepted the book and offered me a contract.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I’m hooked on TV crime shows with my favorite being NCIS and Criminal Minds a close second.
2) I used to love to cook, but now I’m spoiled because my husband is a wonderful cook! On the rare occasion when he asks me to fix dinner, I stand in the kitchen and wonder what I should do!
3) I’m very short—4’8”. It can be difficult at times, especially when I need something off the top shelf. But most people never forget me because of my height—and that’s a very good thing!!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m working on revisions of my new book, DECEPTION, to be published this fall. DECEPTION is the story of a set of estranged twins. When a niece she knows nothing about calls, Patti must unravel the truth of her sister’s disappearance. I’m also working on a sequel to PURSUED.

5) Parting comments?
Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog. If there are any would-be writers out there, I have three pieces of advice. First is never to give up, if it happened for me then it can happen for you. And the second thing is if you are serious about writing, join American Christian Fiction Writers. And the third thing is, never give up!!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My website is: http://www.lillianduncan.net/ and my blog is: http://www.lillianduncan.wordpress.com/