Friday, October 31, 2014

Books I'm Grateful I Read Giveaway Hop



Another special blog posting for all who 
climb aboard the Christian Bookmobile.

It's a GIVEAWAY!

Not only do we have some special prizes, 
we have a link to many more!

PRIZES

$10 Amazon Gift Card
Plus Kindle editions 
of my books to the 
next four winners.

Ra Rafflecopter giveaway R
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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

BOOK REVIEW: The Collins Case (Heartfelt Cases Book 1) by Julie Gilbert



A Christian Story for Everyone


Product DetailsRachel Collins felt her life was perfect. She had a job she loved, a wonderful husband, and two great children. Then everything changed. Her world turned upside down when she and the kids were kidnapped and their lives jeopardized because of her husband's past.

For a rather short book, I was surprised at how much was included. In addition to Rachel's story, Julie Ann Davidson, the FBI agent, searching for Rache
l is a major character in the book. Davidson is featured in the sequel as well.

This book is so full of suspense and surprises it is difficult to say much more. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend to adults and young adults. It is clean and has a spiritual message.

Monday, October 20, 2014

COTT presents Veiled at Midnight by Christine Lindsay




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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Laine, you came.”

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

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

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

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

.


Book Blurb:

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT CHRISTINE LINDSAY:

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

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

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

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

Q & A

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

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

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


***

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

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Lauraine Snelling's SEASONS OF GRACE Sweepstakes

http://www.laurainesnelling.com/html/giveaways.html

In bestselling author Lauraine Snelling's new novel, To Everything A Season, the tight-knit town of Blessing, North Dakota faces change and challenge at every turn.

In the middle of the maelstrom is young Trygve Knutson. He's devoted to his family and his community, but he sometimes dreams of other horizons--especially since meeting Miriam Hastings.
Miriam is in Blessing with one goal: to complete her training as a nurse, and get back to Chicago to support her siblings and her ailing mother.  But the town of Blessing has a way of drawing in the most reluctant visitor, and soon Miriam's attachment to Trygve and his family has her questioning her entire future.

To celebrate the release of this heart-warming novel, Bethany House and author Lauraine Snelling are pleased to present the SEASONS OF GRACE Sweepstakes. This sweepstakes features three special prizes, each closely connected to the book:  One prize to sweep you back into history, one prize to enable you to give to someone else, and one prize to help you celebrate a little of the story's romance, in your own home.

Winners will be selected Tuesday November 4, 2014, and announced at laurainesnelling.com.

GRAND PRIZE:
SEASONS OF GRACE Grand Prize

RED RIVER RAILWAY ADVENTURE

In To Everything A Season, new visitors, old friends, and important supplies are transported to town on these rails, and the arrival platform is a place of warm greetings and new beginnings.

Our Grand Prize winner will have the chance to experience some of the same warmth and excitement with an authentic taste of the golden age of railroad travel:

A $200 value Scenic Steam Train Ride for Two (Location and dates available nationwide and will be specific to the winner's state).

SECOND PRIZE:

SEASONS OF GRACE Second Prize
DINNER DELIVERY FROM INGEBORG

In the story, the inventive Ingeborg Bjorklund is well-known for her cooking, bread baking, and cheese making, and now she's pondering another new idea to help her hometown: a delivery service!

Like the hard-working people in Blessing, many of our friends and family members carry heavy workloads and health burdens, and could use a helping hand and a comforting meal.

While we may not be able to deliver Ingeborg's cooking, our Second Prize winner will win the next best thing, to be used for themselves, or as a gift to brighten the day of a friend facing chemo, a military spouse, a lonely senior citizen, or other worthy recipient:

$175 meal delivery gift card for MagicKitchen.com - Provide a full Thanksgiving meal for 6, or an extended selection of meals for 1 or 2. Gluten free, low sodium, and dialysis-friendly meals available.

THIRD PRIZE:

SEASONS OF GRACE Third Prize
STEAL AWAY DATE NIGHT PACK

The peaceful farming community of Blessing faces an unexpected threat when robbers target banks and businesses in towns nearby. As the town comes together to find a solution to the thieving problem, Ingeborg notices another kind of stealing going on: the new nurse in town, Miriam Hastings, has completely stolen the heart of her nephew, Trygve.

Soon Trygve and the dark-haired nurse with the sad eyes are regulars at the Blessing Soda Shop, sharing thoughts and dreams over Rebecca Valders' famous fizzy concoctions.

Our Third Prize winner can share their own thoughts and dreams, and enjoy a taste of Blessing's Soda Shop at home, with the Steal Away Date Night Pack.

This $100 value package includes: The UnGame Couples Edition, the Soda Stream Fountain Jet Home Soda Starter Kit, and the Homemade Soda Recipe Book.


To Everything A Season by Lauraine Snelling

To Everything a Season

Trygve Knutson is devoted to his family and his community. With his job on the construction crew, he is helping to build a future for the North Dakota town of Blessing. Though he loves his home, he sometimes dreams of other horizons--especially since meeting Miriam Hastings.

Miriam is in Blessing to get practical training to become an accredited nurse. She's been promised a position in the Chicago women's hospital that will enable her to support her siblings and her ailing mother. Although eager to return to her family, Miriam is surprised to find how much she enjoys the small town of Blessing. And her growing attachment to Trygve soon has her questioning a future she always considered set in stone.
When a family emergency calls Miriam home sooner than planned, will she find a way to return? If not, will it mean losing Trygve--and her chance at love--for good?

See Book Info & Read Sample Chapter: 
http://www.laurainesnelling.com/html/songofblessing.html


Wednesday, October 15, 2014

BOOK REVIEW: Through by John DiRicco

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This is the story of Thomas, a young man who is caught between death and Heaven. He had been a baseball player in high school and college, but had lived with a secret from his high-school days.

When the story begins, he is not aware of where he is or even that he has died. He lives in a small apartment in a drab world, and doesn't know how long he has been there. He has food and water and a place to sleep. He wonders if he is dreaming. He meets other people, some he likes and some he fears.

One of the people he feels comfortable talking to is a man named Hall. They decide to work together to find a woman named Sophie because they've heard she knows where they are and why they are there. Thomas finds Sophie first and she tells him they are in purgatory and says he can remember what happened to him if he tries. He does. She also tells him what she has learned about how to get out of purgatory.

The title of the book, Through, is the event of moving from purgatory to Heaven. The person will know when it occurs, but will have to move quickly to get through. There are no second chances.

The rest of the story is about Thomas's struggles. One of his struggles involves Hall and their connection to each other before death. Other struggles involve evading the Unsettled, the people who don't want anyone to have a successful through. The author does an excellent job in building suspense and it gets more intense as the story progresses.

I like the way the book is organized. The author keeps Thomas's story moving along chronologically from Day 1 to Day 7 while providing background information about him and the other characters in brief sections between each day.


Although no one knows if purgatory exists or if it is a place if it does, the author did a good job developing a believable setting and a plausible story.


Through

BOOK REVIEW: Louisiana Sunset (Love Grows in Mysterious ways on the Bayou Series, Book I) by B.J. Robinson

Louisiana Sunset (Love Grows in Mysterious ways on the Bayou Series, Book I)

War, Romance, and Character



There were many parts of this story that I enjoyed, but I was glad to read a novel that included references about Desert Storm. This was one of those conflicts that hasn't had as much attention as it should have.

If you've read a B.J. Robinson book, I don't need to tell you how she paints beautiful pictures about the places she writes about. This one is no exception.

This one has a few more twists and turns than some I've read, and it made the story even better. I look forward to reading the sequel.


See all B.J. Robinson's books here: http://www.amazon.com/B.-J.-Robinson/e/B007DNJIKU/

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

BOOK REVIEW: Orphan Train: A Novel by Christina Baker Kline

Orphan Train: A Novel

Read it and tell all your friends to read it!



As I read Orphan Train, I asked myself if it was a Pulitzer Prize winner. I didn't know much about the book and was reading it only because my neighborhood book club had selected it for discussion this month. But, it was so good I had to stop and look it up on the Internet to see if it was a famous book.

It didn't win the Pulitzer Prize, but I'm sure it will become a famous book because everyone who reads it will tell someone else how much they enjoyed it.


There are two stories, each told through the eyes of young orphan girls. One story takes place in Maine in 2011 and the other begins in New York City and travels to Minnesota between 1929 and 1943. The two stories bump heads throughout, but eventually come firmly together for a wonderful conclusion.

Monday, October 13, 2014

COTT Presents "The Hesitant Heiress"

by Michelle Massaro

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


{About The Hesitant Heiress} 

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

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

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

The Everstone Chronicles from Whitaker House:

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


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

And now, let's meet Dawn!

{About Dawn Crandall}

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

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

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

Connect with her at:
Now go check out that sneak peek chapter! ;)
HAPPY READING!!

***

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

Friday, October 10, 2014

COTT: Winner of the August New Releases Clash



Thanks to all of our participants for their wonderful submissions.

Congratulations to Our Winner!
Having his younger sister at camp was a pain, but Taylor Dixon never expected the pain to go so deep. At 15, Taylor dreams of getting his driver’s license and driving racecars when he’s older. Only his younger sister, Marissa, believes in his dreams, but her adventurous spirit keeps landing him in trouble. Dad won’t let Taylor get his license and predicts he’s heading for the same jail cell as his once-favored older brother.

Taylor returns to Rustic Knoll Bible Camp, expecting softball, swimming and sermons. Then he discovers a classic Mustang in the camp’s machine shed, and the owner’s invitation to help restore it fuels his dream of driving racecars. But when Marissa falls for his snobbish cabin mate, the ensuing war of words and pranks escalates until it threatens to destroy both the car and his dreams for the future.

Will Taylor fulfill Dad’s prediction?

Or will the message of the old Mustang’s engine set him free from the prison he built himself?

 A video of Speak No Evil
Buy Speak No Evil

Amazon



Meet Mary Hamilton

Mary L. Hamilton grew up at a youth camp in southern Wisconsin, much like the setting for her Rustic Knoll Bible Camp series. Her stories feature kids who bring their real life issues to camp
and gain new perspectives on themselves and their problems.

Mary is a graduate of two Long Ridge Writer's Group courses and an ACFW member. She's an award-winning author who started out writing articles and a Christmas play, "Homespun Angel,"
before trying her hand at novels. She and her husband raise three terrific kids and live in Texas with a rescued Golden Retriever.

Connect with Mary:
Website / blog
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter:@mhamilton122

What our Voters Had to Say:

God Bless you Mary Hamilton. Speak No Evil caught my heart.

Mary, your writing is truly inspired! Thank you for answering The Call!

Another great camp tale...waiting for #3

Mary Hamilton, I think your books are truly relevant for teen age kids and good for parents to read as well.

I got hooked after reading the first book in Mary Hamilton's series. Speak No Evil is definitely on my "must-read" list!

An Interview with Mary

How did you come up with the idea for this series?


While raising my three children, I saw so much pain in the lives of their friends who were dealing with all the aspects of their parents’ divorce, as well as conflicts with parents and siblings.

Because of my own background, I believe in the power of Christian camping, so I decided to use some real life issues that kids face and let them deal with them at camp.

Are any of the characters based on real people?


Most of the adult staff in the book are modeled after people I knew as a child. Often, the characters are a combination of people I knew.

The first book in the series is Hear No Evil. This book is Speak No Evil. Will there be one titled See No Evil?


Yes, I’m working on that one now. It’s scheduled for release in May 2015.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

I love the connection with my readers. It’s very humbling to know that people not only want to read my words but that they get such enjoyment out of the stories. That makes my day!