Friday, November 30, 2012

COTT Deadly Additive--An Action-Packed Gift!


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

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

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

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

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

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



Sounds good to us! Want to take a peek?

Opener from Chapter 1: 

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

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

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

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

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Clash of the Titles always wants to know what YOU think.

Monday, November 19, 2012

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


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


About the book:

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


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

Jennifer's other books:



About Jennifer A. Davids:

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

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

BOOK REVIEW: Found Adrift: 40 Days of Recovering Grace by Pauline Creeden

This book is for people who have been distracted by life to the point where their walk with God is not as often or as close as it once was. That's me. That's many of us.

This is a devotional, meant to be read in forty days. I was in a hurry so I read it all in one day. Although I don't recommend doing so, reading the book in this way gave me some insights I may have missed if I had spread  it out over the longer period. The reason I don't recommend it is because I feel more time is needed between each day's devotion to absorb the message. What I saw while reading it in one sitting, you may also see following the one a day schedule, but I'm not sure. I noticed something happening as I went from one day to the next. Something good. Either I was actually growing spiritually or the author was. Each day was better than the previous. Not so much by what was said, but how it was said.

Each day's devotion referred to scripture and ended with a prayer thought. In between, the author took examples from her life to explain how to keep from drifting away from God. The examples became stronger as the days went by. Near the end the descriptions were fuller and the emotions deeper. Reading the book was a positive experience for me and I highly recommend it.




Monday, November 12, 2012

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


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

Her latest work:


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

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

About author Ann Gaylia O'Barr:
The background for many of Ann’s novels is based on her experiences as a Foreign Service officer for the U.S. Department of State 1990 to 2004. Her posts included U.S. embassies and consulates in Saudi Arabia (twice), Algeria, Canada, Tunisia, and Washington, D.C.
She’s been writing full time since 2004. OakTara has published Singing in Babylon, Quiet Deception, Searching for Home, Distant Thunder, and this novel, A Sense of Mission.
She writes novels about Christians who learn the value of their faith when new cultures and beliefs challenge them. She calls it “global fiction.”

Q&A with Ann:

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


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


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




Saturday, November 10, 2012

BOOK REVIEW: The Divide by Nicholas Evans

I checked out the audio edition of The Divide by Nicholas Evans for a car trip from Texas to South Carolina. The book was 14 hours long, and since we couldn't listen all the way, we had not finished by the time we arrived. My wife and I continued to listen after we arrived, some the first night and the rest the next morning. We talked about the book and weren't sure what pulled us in so. But we agreed we had to know how the story ended. Unlike the books we normally read, there was not an appealing main character. Instead, there were many interesting characters, most of whom grew and changed during the story. I think what kept me listening was the way the author described the characters and the settings. I could see them in my mind. The descriptions were unique, not the clichés some authors use.

The book begins near the end of the story, and then backs up and backs up more. It is not until the twelfth and final disc that the book catches up with its beginning.

The lives of Ben and Sarah Cooper and their son, Jeff, are changed forever when they learn their college-aged daughter, Abbie, is wanted for murder after an ecoterrorism plan turns deadly.

I highly recommend the book. 


Friday, November 9, 2012

BOOK REVIEW: Home Front by Kristin Hannah

I listened to the audio book while in the car heading home from a vacation trip. At times I had to turn it off because I was afraid my tears might affect my driving. But, for me, tears means it is a good book. By the end of the fifteen hours of listening, I felt Joleen and Michael Zarkades and their girls Lulu and Betsy, were close friends of mine.

When we first meet the family, Joleen is a strong parent with loving children. She and Michael have drifted apart over the years and he is seldom home. He's a busy lawyer in Seattle and he blames part of his time away from home on the fact that Joleen forced him to live in the suburbs, causing him to take a ferry ride to work and back.

They marriage is hurting, but before they have a chance to discuss it, Joleen, a National Guard helicopter pilot, is deployed to Iraq in the heat of the fighting.

Michael is forced to care for the children, a job he has not yet learned.

I enjoyed the way the characters changed due to the situation. Michael had to grow and Joleen had to change into a full-time warrior.  The author gave us insights into what it is like when one family member goes to war and leaves the other to care for the home front. This is especially interesting because the United States has been involved in fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. My stepson was deployed for a year, leaving behind his family and three children, and I prayed for his safety all the time he was gone. He returned physically whole, but has memories that are sometimes unbearable.
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Thursday, November 8, 2012

BOOK REVIEW: Double Blind: A Novel by Brandilyn Collins

Lisa Newberry had had three miscarriages, lost her husband, and been physically attacked. The resulting depression made her a candidate for an experimental brain chip that was supposed to make her happy again. When she received notice that she had been selected for the new Empowerment Chip from Cognoscenti, she quickly agreed to the surgery even though her best friend, Sherry Grubacker, didn't think it was a good idea.

After the surgery, Lisa finds immediate improvement in her attitude and feelings. However, she also finds something else. She apparently has someone else's memory as well. To make things worse, the person in her head has committed a murder.

Lisa, with the help of Sherry, and her mother, begins to try to find out more about the murder so that she can report it to the police.

This is an exciting story with many twists and turns. It'll keep you guessing right up to the end and you'll enjoy the trip.

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.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

BOOK REVIEW: Every Breath You Take by M.K. Gilroy

Every Breath You Take is the second book author Mark K. Gilroy has written about Kristen Conner, a 30 year-old detective with the Chicago Police Department. The first book is Cuts Like a Knife. However, I read Every Breath You Take first and it stands alone. Everything you need to know from the first book is explained without getting bogged down. Since I loved this book so much, though, I plan to read the first book, too.

I like the way the author gives the reader glimpses into the mind of the criminal without spoiling the mystery of who it is. The rest of the book is told by Kristen.

Kristen is a lovable character who often prays. She calls herself a "church girl" and so you know where she stands. She's also a hero and an excellent detective. She's a soccer coach who loves children and loves winning. She offers extra support to crime victims and families when needed. She has a wonderful family as well.

In this book, the victim is Jack Durham, the 38 year-old playboy son of a billionaire. Kristen goes undercover as a prostitute to get close to the people Durham associated with. However, her cover is blown when she's spotted by her sister Klarissa, a news reporter. When Kristen begins asking questions, another body turns up. Needless to say, Kristen solves the case even in the midst of near-death situations, and ends up receiving the award of valor, the same award her father had received.

There's a hint of more to come because Kristen still needs to solve her father's murder. Her father was a Chicago policeman killed on duty four years earlier.


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.


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

BOOK REVIEW: Brink of Chaos by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall

Brink of Chaos is set sometime in the future. In this time, United States citizens are required to have ID chips inserted into their bodies for tracking purposes. This regulation is new enough that some people do not yet have the chip.

Joshua Jordan, a retired Colonel, was a test pilot who flew combat missions in Iraq as well as U-2 spy planes over Iran. He has a degree from MIT and, as a civilian contractor, he developed the Return to Sender missile defense system. When the story opens he is living in exile in Israel having been wrongly accused of treason in the United States. His wife, Jordan, is restricted from leaving the country and has been separated from Joshua for two years because of the legal restraints. They have two grown children. Lt. Debbie Jordan who works in the Pentagon and 21-year old Cal Jordan.

From Israel, Joshua, along with two Israeli agents, frees a U.S. pilot from prison there. When the pilot, Captain Louder, gets back to the United States, he is awarded the Medal of Honor by President Jessica Tulrude who fails to mention (or let Louder say) that Joshua Jordan freed him.

Abigail Jordan, who is also Joshua's lawyer, is fighting to get the treason charges dropped. However, the administration is thwarting her all along the way.

For fans, this book is the final in the series and I think you'll find it as exciting as ever. However, if you haven't read the previous books in the series, you'll still like this one. It stands alone and gives background as needed without being repetitious.

I don't agree with the end time prophecy throughout the book, but it was still an exciting read.


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.



Monday, November 5, 2012

COTT: September New Releases Winner Announced


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

The Road To Mercy by Kathy Harris


Congratulations, Kathy!!

And thank you to all our participating authors:

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


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

About The Road To Mercy:

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

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

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

ENDORSEMENTS
… The Road to Mercy is a blessing wrapped up in a novel—a reminder of the kindness of God.

~ Rebecca St. James, Singer, author, actress

Exquisite!
~ Ane Mulligan, Novel Rocket

Kathy Harris weaves a tale that crosses generations while drawing readers into a dramatic story that has both heart and soul.

~ Ace Collins, author of The Yellow Packard and The Christmas Star

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

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


ON SALE LINKS

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

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

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



What readers had to say:

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


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

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

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