COTT: Sensational September 2012 Releases

**Guest post by Michelle Massaro

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 through Wednesday, 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.

p.s. Are you an aspiring author of Christian Fiction? This is the last week to enter Clash of the Titles' annual contest for unpublished authors, the Olympia. Hurry! Submissions close Friday, November 2nd. 

COTT: Living in Harmony, New Amish Fiction!

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

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BOOK REVIEW: Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson

My Review:

Ann Silver, a small-town sheriff, investigates the death of a man who dies in a suspicious one-car accident. Being the homicide consultant for Midwest police departments and curious by nature, she digs into the victim's background and recent activity. She breaks the code he used in his day planners to determine that he was a middleman for a hired killer. In addition, she finds information about two of the people the killer had been hired to eliminate. She digs deeper until she learns enough to know the case should be turned over to the FBI.

But not just anyone in the FBI. She goes to see special agent Paul Falcon and gives him everything she has on the case, including the body.

Paul determines the man had brokered killings for the person the FBI calls the Lady Shooter. She had killed thirty people over the years, but had been inactive for a few years. Searching for the killer and the people who hired her would be an exciting story by itself, but it doesn't take long for Paul to fall in love with Ann for an exciting subplot. But wait, there's more. Paul's pursuit of Ann leads to another story, this one as big and as exciting as the hired-killer story. There are more subplots as well. One about Paul Falcon's family businesses and another about Ann Silver's writing career.

In typical Dee Henderson style, the plots and subplots come together at just the right time while giving the reader an enjoyable trip. That's how it was for me. I found the stories to be exciting. Including the way God was an important part of the lives of the two main characters was a plus.

Dee states her goal in writing Full Disclosure;

"That life walking with God can lead in unexpected directions, but God has a good plan in mind, and knows who we are. Fiction and characters are a place to sketch out what is true about real life, to make it easier to see. Paul had a choice about where his life was heading, so did Ann. It’s good to enjoy where you are at. It’s also good to consider new opportunities when they present themselves. And most of life – it’s not our plan. God’s the one in control. It’s what God brings into our lives and how we respond that is the interesting part of life. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and his plans are often much richer than we can imagine for ourselves. "

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

COTT Clash of the Titles Announces Judges

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.

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COTT: Winner of August New Release Clash!

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.

Praise for The Fire Starter:

Excitement, adventure, mystery, and undiluted romance make Fire Starter another winner!

                                                 ~Karen Witemeyer, CBA Bestselling author of Short-Straw Bride

I'm butter in Gloria Clover's hands as this master of words doles out

another inspiring story that draws me into the life of her characters and

God's arms.                           ~Ellen List

About the Author:

Gloria Clover, Christ-follower and Truth-seeker, writes romantic fiction with the hope of showing God's love and our need in both humorous and haunting ways.  The Children of the King series is her first foray into e-book publishing and her first speculative fiction. Washed Under the Waves (book 1) and The Fire Starter (book 2) are currently available from Desert Breeze Publishing.  From the Frozen Depths (book 3) is under construction and will be available next August.

Gloria's contemporary romances, published by Barbour Books and Son-Rise Publications, include:  The Remaking of Moe McKenna in the Race to the Altar anthology, Brianna's Pardon, Tangled Truths, and ten volumes of Penned From the Heart, a compilation of 365 daily devotions.

She is a member of Emmanuel Christian Church, active in prayer ministry, women's ministries, American Heritage Girls, and various other projects.  She directs a One Day Writing Conference each April, participates in writing/book days in local schools, and enjoys giving and receiving from her various writing critique groups.  She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, participating in the ACFW book club and prayer loops.

Married, she writes from her little white box in western PA.

Visit her at http://www.gloriaclover.com where you can find both her site pages and blog topics.

BOOK REVIEW: Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman

This is one of those books I bought only because my neighborhood book club voted to discuss it. Boy, am I glad I did. It turned out to be so different from most books I've read, and so interesting I couldn't put it down. One way it is different is that it is told in short episodes rather than scenes and chapters. There are enough descriptions for the reader to visualize the people and the places, but that's not the important part. As a father, my concern was for Rory Dawn Hendrix, the little child called girlchild by her mother when she tucked her in at night. I wanted to know if Rory would survive the life dealt her. Would she live, and would she grow up unharmed emotionally?

In addition to Rory, the main characters are Rory's mother, Johanna Ruth Hendrix, and her grandmother, Shirley Rose. "Mothering is not this family's strong suit," Rory observes. Still, Rory's mother tries hard to protect her daughter. She knows the evils young girls face growing up in a trailer park with few friends and family, while being left alone. Rory is smart, smart enough to lose the spelling bee on purpose to make life easier for herself and her mother.

Another way the book is different is the way a real person is inserted into the story.  A playmate of Rory's, Vivian Buck, was the daughter of Carrie Buck who was sterilized for being feebleminded in the 1920's. We don't know if this playmate was a ghost or what, but, in real life, Vivian died before the time of Rory's story. I didn't find this confusing, though. It made the book more interesting to me.

This book will make you think and feel, and after you've read it, you'll feel satisfied while wanting to know more.

Book Trailer:

BOOK REVIEW: Self-Publishing Simplified: How to Publish a Book on Kindle by Deborah H. Bateman

This is a great introductory book for anyone wanting to publish a book. It is short, 46 pages, so it doesn't have all the details, but it can be easily read in one sitting to help you get started. I wish I'd had this book before I started my publishing venture. And, there's more to it than the subtitle implies. You'll read about building a platform, marketing, using the KDP free days, and publishing paperback books.

Part 3: Q & A with William Sirls, Author of The Reason

Win an Autographed Copy of this Book

Enter the drawing for an autographed copy of The Reason by William Sirls. Here's how:

Leave a comment here with your email address – up to 4 entries (one for the review and one each for the three days of author interviews.)

Be a friend  of William Sirls on Facebook -- 1 entry

Be a follower of the Christian Bookmobile -- 1 entry

Share this review on Facebook -- 1 entry

Share this review on Twitter -- 1 entry

Be sure to leave comment here to let me know how many entries you are eligible for. Drawing will be held October 15 and winners will be announced here.

Q & A with William Sirls – Part 3

Including a Kenneth character in the book made me uncomfortable at times, but by the end I felt it worked. Did you have any reservations about telling the story the way you did?

I have had readers tell me Kenneth is an angel, a prophet, Jesus, and even God himself. In rewriting the manuscript, transitioning this character from magical to spiritual was the most rewarding writing experience of my life. Kenneth was the ideal character to help me share personal lessons I learned in prison involving patience, forgiveness, grace, and most importantly faith.

I think many people are uncomfortable initiating conversations about their faith with non-believers. It is my desire that people who have read The Reason will pass their copy on to a friend that may be “on the fence” … and then ask them who Kenneth is. I think this will remove some of that awkwardness from the topic and then hopefully spark dialogue that could lead someone in God’s direction.

There are so many interesting characters in this book. And, unlike many books, there wasn't a main one. Did that make the book easier or harder to write? Did any of the characters try to take over as you wrote?

There are many characters in The Reason, and they come from different walks of life. Not having a main character made the book easier to write from the standpoint that I could split the focus on all of the characters and freely describe their different problems and unique needs for both love and healing. At the same time, it also made it more difficult, because it’s risky to write without a main character. Still, I decided to do it this way, hoping that readers would latch on to different characters … perhaps with the one that closely resembles the reader. With God’s help, I think I may have gotten away with it.

Did any of characters try to take over as I wrote? That’s a great question. Once the characters all made it to the church to work on the cross, they all started telling me what to do, particularly Zach Norman. He’s a recovering control freak, much like the guy that created him.

What was your favorite scene to write? Why?

The chapel scene at the end of the story. This was actually the part of the book that I had written first. Once I had a target to hit, I then went back to the beginning and the characters guided me to the end.

What was the most difficult scene to write? Why?

Forgiveness is something that I have received more of than I truly deserve. Forgiveness plays a huge role in all of our lives on earth, whether it be giving it to someone or receiving it from someone. With that said, the most difficult scenes for me to write were Zach Norman in the cemetery and Carla under the bridge. These scenes reminded me of the only real forgiveness any of us ever need, and I found myself wiping tears off my cheeks while writing both of these scenes.

How has publishing The Reason changed your life?

When I originally rewrote The Reason, my primary goal was to challenge readers to be open to the possibility that God manifests himself in front of each and every one of us every single day. If they look, they will recognize and see what can only be Him. When we first began transitioning the story from a self-published reader copy to a traditionally published book, one of my first conversations with Thomas Nelson was with Natalie Hanemann. I’ll never forget her telling me that our two primary goals were to entertain readers and help bring them closer to God. Something about that second goal flitted around in my head for quite a while. It almost seemed absurd to me that a convicted felon would even be considered for such a task. Now, a year later, I’m reading emails, reviews, and having conversations with people that are beyond anything I ever imagined, and there is no better feeling knowing that with God’s help, we just may be doing what we set out to do.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to hear from readers, and they can find me at WilliamSirls.com, on Facebook (William Sirls) and on Twitter @williamsirls.

Read part 1 of the interview here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/part-1-q-with-william-sirls-author-of.html
Read part 2 of the interview here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/part-2-q-with-william-sirls-author-of.html
Read review here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-review-reason-by-william-sirls.html

Part 2: Q & A with William Sirls, Author of The Reason

Win an Autographed Copy of this Book

Enter the drawing for an autographed copy of The Reason by William Sirls. Here's how:

Leave a comment here with your email address – up to 4 entries (one for the review and one each for the three days of author interviews.)

Be a friend  of William Sirls on Facebook -- 1 entry

Be a follower of the Christian Bookmobile -- 1 entry

Share this review on Facebook -- 1 entry

Share this review on Twitter -- 1 entry

Be sure to leave comment here to let me know how many entries you are eligible for. Drawing will be held October 15 and winners will be announced here.

Q & A with William Sirls – Part 2

I read that you went to WestBow before being published by Thomas Nelson. Does that mean there were many rejections first? Did you have an agent at that time? Why did you pick WestBow?

Whenever I think about this, I shake my head. God has been too good to me. I’m fortunate to have missed any rejection. Looking back, it’s funny, because I don’t think I ever had any intention of publishing the original story. When I was released from prison in 2010, I was given the opportunity by some family members to work on the book and hone it so that it was presentable to readers. I loved the creative control one has with self-publishing, so we started looking around with our three biggest goals being expanded editing, a good product, and distribution. I really didn't care about the book ending up on a shelf at a store … I wanted people to go online and get it if they wanted to read it … which brought us to WestBow.

I have a niece that loves doing research. She knew what we wanted, and she sent me a link with WestBow’s information and handful of pretty good reviews, so I gave them a call, and ultimately nobody compared to them. Since Thomas Nelson is the driving force behind WestBow, it was a pretty easy decision.

A few months before the self-published version of the book was going to be released, WestBow’s publisher and director of channel sales, Alan Bower, had me testing different titles and different covers with my group of trusted readers. Before long, we were comfortable with what we had and decided to print 100 advance copies to create a little buzz.

WestBow took some copies, I took some, and the rest went to friends and family.  I had also decided to call some of the biggest churches in the country and asked if they had any avid readers who would be interested in reading advanced copies of the book and maybe provide me with feedback.  Once I had permission, I included a letter with each copy. I introduced myself, provided my phone number and email address, and mentioned I would greatly appreciate it if the reader would let me know what they thought. 

I didn't hear anything for a month or so, and was expecting, at tops, maybe a half a dozen responses. I wanted to identify recurring themes or concerns readers had so that I could make revisions before the final version of the book was released.

Then I received my first email from a woman out west that said she enjoyed the book and couldn't wait for it to come out.  It was an awesome feeling. Then I received a phone call from a woman that ran a church bookstore, wanting to know how they could buy it.  Before I knew it, we had well over 200 responses from men, women, teenagers, and ministers, sharing how the book affected them in ways that I couldn't believe. Their responses have changed the reason I want to continue to write. Fortunately, one of those advance copies ended up on the desk of a receptionist at Thomas Nelson, and it was her response to the book that resulted in it being passed on to their fiction team. Just before we were to release the self-published version of The Reason, Thomas Nelson picked up the title along with a request for me to write two additional titles. Once again, God has been quite good to me, and I couldn't be more thankful.

Read part 3 of the interview tomorrow.
Read part 1 of the interview here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/part-1-q-with-william-sirls-author-of.html
Read review here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-review-reason-by-william-sirls.html

Part 1: Q & A with William Sirls, Author of The Reason

Win an Autographed Copy of this Book

Enter the drawing for an autographed copy of The Reason by William Sirls. Here's how:

Leave a comment here with your email address – up to 4 entries (one for the review and one each for the three days of author interviews.)

Be a friend  of William Sirls on Facebook -- 1 entry

Be a follower of the Christian Bookmobile -- 1 entry

Share this post on Facebook -- 1 entry

Share this post on Twitter -- 1 entry

Be sure to leave comment here to let me know how many entries you are eligible for. Drawing will be held October 15 and winners will be announced here.

Q & A with William Sirls – Part 1

I understand that The Reason is your first novel. Would you mind telling us when and how you got the idea for the story and how it was developed over time?

I was inspired to write this story in early 2004, which on the surface was a pretty difficult time in my life. I had just gone through a divorce and was in the middle of activities that were hurting a lot of good people. Those activities would ultimately lead me to federal prison. 

I clearly remember walking down a hallway at a hospital in Detroit, to visit my oldest daughter who had just been diagnosed with type one diabetes. It is safe to say that I was drowning in my own pity party when I came across a young couple, probably in their late twenties, pulling their son in a little red wagon.  The little boy was probably around three years old, hairless, frail, and he had a gray and ashen look that suggested the end was probably near.  For me, it was one of those rare moments in life when you realize that your problems aren’t as bad as you think, and while I was trying to fathom the amount of stress this family was going through, this little boy looked up and smiled at his parents and they smiled back. It was one of the most beautiful exchanges I had ever seen, and something inside of me wanted to find a way to make those smiles last, because in so many cases, particularly in cases like that, they don’t.

Over the next couple of years, as I continued to head down the wrong road in life, and continued to hurt everyone around me, I somehow, in the middle of all that destruction, wrote a manuscript about a magical character who appeared at a hospital and made smiles last. 

At the end of 2007, I entered federal prison and the story got scrapped.  Prison is one of those experiences I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, but at the same time, there are few things for which I would trade the experience, because from a spiritual standpoint, it gave me the opportunity to slow down and realize what is important. As my faith grew, I became increasingly anxious to share some of the things I learned. I then rewrote my manuscript in a way that was a lot less magical and a lot more spiritual.

Being your first book, how did you get started? Did you take writing classes? Join a writers group? Use critique partners? Go to writers' conferences?

I haven’t taken any writing classes, gone to conferences or worked with writers groups,  but I do have a group of reader friends I show my work to that I trust to tell me what I need to hear, instead of what I want to hear. I’m sure most writers have heard this several times, but I believe the greatest thing you can do to improve your writing is to read a lot, and I will read two to four books a week. Beyond that, I have been blessed to have The Reason edited by Natalie Hanemann and Lisa Bergren, two very talented ladies.

Read part 2 to the interview tomorrow.

Read the Review here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-review-reason-by-william-sirls.html

BOOK REVIEW: The Reason by William Sirls

Win an Autographed Copy 

of this Book

Enter the drawing for an autographed copy of The Reason by William Sirls. Here's how:

Leave a comment here with your email address – up to 4 entries (one for this post and one each for the next three days of author interviews.)

Be a friend  of William Sirls on Facebook -- 1 entry

Be a follower of the Christian Bookmobile -- 1 entry

Share this review on Facebook -- 1 entry

Share this review on Twitter -- 1 entry

Be sure to leave comment here to let me know how many entries you are eligible for. Drawing will be held October 15 and winners will be announced here.

REVIEW

I often begin a review with "This is a story about", list the main character and describe the story from that character's viewpoint. That approach doesn't work with The Reason, by William Sirls. There is no main character. Instead, there are many lovable, memorable characters.

The story is centered around Alex, a five-year old who is diagnosed with leukemia early in the book. He and his mother Brooke, a single mother who was never married, live with Jim and Shirley Lindy. Jim, who has been blind for twenty years, is the pastor of St. Thomas Church. Their son, Charlie Lindy, is thirty-eight, seven-feet tall, weighs 355 pounds and has never said a word. He is a giant filled with love and a special tenderness for others. He is the one who found pregnant Brooke beaten and left for dead in the woods and carried her home.

Carla Miller is Brooke's twenty-seven-year-old friend who is struggling with alcohol abuse. She was sexually abused by a father who killed himself when Carla told her mother about what he was doing. Oncologist Macey Lewis and nurse Kaitlyn Harbey as well as Dr. Zach Norman, get involved with Alex before they know he is sick because they volunteered to help rebuild the church's cross that had been severely damaged during a storm. Treating him becomes even more difficult after they grow to love him and his extended family.

The Lindy's, Brooke and Alex are all believers of Jesus Christ and active in church. Still, Alex's illness is hard for them to understand and accept. Especially for Brooke. Carla, Macey, and Kaitlyn are believers too, but have been inactive for so long they are not used to praying. Zach helps the church for the publicity it gives him and the hospital.

"Only believe" is a theme repeated over and over in the book. This is a story about what happens to people from a variety of backgrounds and levels of belief when bad things happen to good people.

I enjoyed getting to know these people and following along with them during the painful and intense journey they faced. I have to admit to crying as I read and not knowing how the story would end. I feel my faith is stronger for reading this fantastic story and I hope everyone will read it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Read Part 1 of the three-part interview with William Sirls here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/part-1-q-with-william-sirls-author-of.html

COTT: Vote For Favorite August Release

October is here and Clash of the Titles is ready with five more awesome releases ready to vie for top spot in our August Releases Clash!  This month's offering is a unique blend of books from several genres where you're sure to find something that peaks your interest.

We have harrowing missions and a parent's legacy, princely heroes, the dangerous love of a baron, healing for a widow's heartache, and fledgling love in Lancaster. Whew!  

Remember…vote for the book you’d most like to add to your favorite reads pile, and share the news with your friends and family! Vote today through next Tuesday when the polls close at Midnight EST; then come back on THURSDAY to find out which book received the most votes. The winner will tour with our Clash of the Titles blog alliance, so have fun being a roadie without all the heavy lifting if you want to go along. 

And now…Peruse, Ponder, Press the button of your choice.

A Sense of a Mission by Ann Gaylia O'Barr

Kaitlin is driven to succeed in the mission denied her mother. Can she redeem that mission if she discovers another calling?

The Fire Starter by Gloria Clover

Amaryllis Filippopoulos was raised to rule the island of Celosia.  Alone.  So what's she to do with an off-island prince who tempts her to surrender her life's purpose for him?

Her Good Name by Ruth Axtell

In the 1890 thriving coastal town of Holliston, Maine, the leading lumber baron's son, Warren Brentwood, fights his attraction for Esperanza Estrada, daughter of an immigrant fisherman. Espy discovers that catching Warren’s eye is a far cry from capturing his heart because when rumors circulate about her, Warren believes the worst, forcing Espy to flee

Living in Harmony by Mary Ellis

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 the ultra-conservative district becomes more than either bargained for.

Rodeo Ashes by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

Lacie Gentry, a young widow and mom, is struggling with the aftermath of her husband’s tragic death. Quinn Remington, her former classmate always had eyes for her, but will his involvement in her husband’s demise keep them apart?