COTT: Stone of Destiny--COTT Champ

A hearty congratulations to Mary Ball, author of Stone of Destiny!

And a special thank-you to these authors for entering their great new releases:

Bonnie Doran, author of Dark Biology
Laura V. Hilton, author of Awakened Love
Maddy Lederman, author of Edna in the Desert
Julie Cantrell, author of When Mountains Move

About Stone of Destiny:

Taylor has given up on everything but her work. After becoming the youngest CEO of Mugful’s Beverage Company, she believes life is complete--until her grandmother asks her to oversee the renovations of the family home, in addition to searching for a missing heirloom.
Her first contact with what she believes is an insignificant ring, lost for fifty years, sends her life spinning. Taylor experiences strange. Unexpected feelings surface that she doesn't understand. Thoughts that should remain unspoken are voiced. Taylor’s emotional journey begins, testing a heart as cold as the ring itself and forcing her to question everything she believes. Is this a fairytale, or simply her soul reaching out for a different world--a life she can only find through faith and a divine trust in God?

What Voters Had to Say:

Mary L. Ball, I am looking forward to reading Stone of Destiny! The story sounds amazing.

Mary, your title sounds interesting. I like the idea of following the trail of an heirloom.
Stone of Destiny is one I look forward to reading.

Mary does such great work. What a mind ! I have been looking forward to her new book ever since I first heard about the storyline.

Mary Ball's Stone of Destiny excerpt takes a Christian believer out of the box.

Mary Ball is an excellent author. I am looking forward to her next book.

Stone of Destiny is good reading. You'll love it.

To to a wonderful beautiful lady Mary L. Ball keep on writing you are the best and your books are wonderful

About the author, Mary Ball:

She is a member of ACFW and lives in North Carolina between the wondrous mountains and beautiful beaches. When she’s not writing, Mary enjoys supporting her husband’s ministry,singing, fishing, and reading a good novel.
For more about Mary visit her at http://MaryLouwrites.weebly.com
Find her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/inspires4mary <https://twitter.com/inspires4mary
and facebook, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inspirational-author-Mary-L-Ball/

Reviews for Stone of Destiny

Stone of Destiny by Mary L. Ball is a wonderful story of romance and one finding their way back to God through faith and trust. Taylor Harrison is the youngest CEO at the Mugful Beverage Company and she feels that her life is complete. With great trepidation she agrees to oversee the renovation of her grandmother's family home. Fifty years earlier, a sapphire ring was lost in the house and Granny Kay wants Taylor to search for the ring as the renovations are being made. After finding the ring, Taylor begins to have strange dreams and she is even making phone calls in her sleep at night.

Brent Roberts is the nephew of Granny Kay's best friend and he has been hired to do the renovations to the house. When he and Taylor meet, she is definitely not impressed even though she thinks he is the most handsome man she has ever seen. Brent is very much in tune with what God wants him to do with his life. His faith and the way he shares his knowledge of God cause Taylor to start questioning some of her beliefs. She soon realizes that she can only find happiness through a true faith in God.

The development of the plot, the characters, the dialogue, and the description of all the scenes were done in an excellent manner. The characters were so real that at times I wanted to shake Taylor and would not have minded if Brent gave me a hug. Granny Kay is the kind of grandma that everyone would love to have and her love for Taylor was a very important part of the story. All the action taking place in the book was so well done that in my mind I was struggling right along with Taylor as she worked to make her decisions and I was pulling for Brent to win Taylor's heart. I really appreciate the way that the author handled the romance in the story and how Taylor regained her faith in God and finally trusted Him with her life. Searching for the missing ring added a little suspense to the story.

Would she find the ring or would it be lost forever?

I highly recommend this book. If you like a wonderful story with lots of romance, a little bit of suspense, and a story in which faith in God plays a big part, then this is the book for you.

***********************

Mary Ball has written a book that people must read. I have watched a lot of Nicholas Sparks movies and this book ranks up to the top of a Nicholas Sparks love story.

**********************

This is the second book by Mary Ball that I have read. The first one was a mystery/suspense that had me guessing all the way to the end. This one had me intrigued and wondering all the way to the end what path Taylor was going to choose. This story starts out with a bang, literally, and I was wondering how I was going to put this book down to sleep that night. I love decorating and watching HGTV so I was especially interested in Mary's description of how this old house was being renovated by our very special hero. This book also takes place over a period of time so it is not an insta-love, but one that grows. Though sometimes I did get aggravated with Taylor for some of the choices she was making that would have resulted in a very lonely life.

Brent, our hero, was very patient, knew what he wanted, and pursued Taylor by not be overbearing or controlling. The dreams Taylor would have added an air of mystery to the whole plot and kept me turning the pages just to find out with Taylor why she was having them and what they meant. This book was provided to me by the author and the opinions are my own.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance Ebooks
Prism Book Group

COTT: Clash of the Titles's Newest Gems

Clash of the Titles's Newest Gems

This November Clash of the Titles presents a fantastic selection of brand new books to check out.

Add an American classic, a biological science fiction with suspense, young adult, inspirational romance and Amish story to your to-be-read or Christmas wish list

When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell

For most of Millie’s life, being free felt about as unlikely as the mountains moving. But she’s about to discover that sometimes in life, we are given second chances, and that the only thing bigger than her past … is her future.

Dark Biology by Bonnie Doran

Renowned vaccinologist "Hildi" Hildebrandt has set her sights on beating  her brother to a Nobel Prize, and the opportunity to conduct experiments on the International Space Station might just provide the means to obtain that goal. On Earth, Chet Hildebrandt will teach a lesson to his hot-shot astronaut sister, their philandering hypocritical father, and the CDC by releasing what he thinks is a mild influenza strain.

Edna in the Desert by Maddy Lederman

Edna is a spoiled, tech-addicted teen wreaking havoc at her Beverly Hills school. How can she survive a summer at her grandparents' cabin, cut off from cell phone service, Internet and television?

Stone of Destiny by Mary L. Ball

Can a mysterious ring change lives? Taylor’s emotional journey begins; testing a heart cold as stone when discovers a missing heirloom.

Awakened Love by Laura V. Hilton

He’s hiding from a cold-blooded killer; her Amish identity has been stripped away. Both must find a way to balance their hearts, their jobs, and their faith while risking their lives for another.

Voting closes November 19 at midnight 
(Tuesday night/Wednesday morning)

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Another Marc Royce Thriller by Davis Bunn

 Plot Synopsis

 An under-the-radar phone call from the U.S. State Department puts Marc Royce once again on assignment—ferreting out rumors of a clandestine operation stretching from Asia to the Mideast. At stake is Iran’s threat to blockade the narrow Strait of Hormuz, cutting off vital shipping routes and escalating global tensions beyond the breaking point.

Under the guise of investigating money laundering via high-end art purchases in Europe, Royce finds himself in Switzerland with only sketchy information, no backup, and without a single weapon other than his wits.

His appointment with a gallery owner in Geneva is a dead end--the man is on the floor with a bullet through his chest. But it turns out Royce does have backup. The Mossad has sent someone to keep an eye on this undercover op, which is of more than casual interest to the Israelis. And it's someone Royce knows...

Q & A with Davis Bunn

Q: The first two books in the Marc Royce series have been bestsellers and also won praise from the critics. Lion of Babylon won the Library Journal’s Best Book of 2011 award, and Rare Earth won the 2013 Christy Award for Suspense Fiction. What do you see is behind this success?

Davis Bunn: The stories have certainly resonated with readers. I have tried to develop a strong sense of unfolding drama, combined with a unique spiritual theme. This moral structure plays out both in the story and the characters. My aim is to create an inspirational challenge that remains with the reader long after the book has been set down.

Q: This story includes two special components from your early life. Tell us about them.

DB: My mother worked as an antiques dealer. In truth, ‘work’ was not really the correct term, because this was a passion she inherited from her mother. They bonded while my mom was still a child, going to small eastern Carolina towns and hunting around junk stores for the sort of bargains that don’t exist anymore.

Their first love was early Americana, a type of colonial furniture known as Jacobean that predated America’s nationhood. I never really shared this passion, but in two previous books I came to respect and admire those who do.

And so I knew a great delight in re-entering this world in Strait of Hormuz, only this time at the very highest end. Strait takes place in the rarified world of multi-million dollar art, where the richest of collectors vie with museums and galleries for items that are no longer classed as antiques, but rather as treasures

The second special component was the location. I lived in Switzerland for almost five years, and many of the venues were places where I worked, and walked, and came to discover myself as an author.

Q: In what way is the setting important to this book?

DB: The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical waterways. Stretching between Iran and the Gulf States, the strait is home to two US fleets. More than a third of all the oil consumed worldwide pass through these waters. But the story actually begins in Switzerland, before traveling to the Sinai and then into the hotly-contested Strait of Hormuz.

Q: What spiritual theme is the focus of this story?

DB: One growing area of the missionary church movement is with displaced persons. More than five million Iranians have been expelled from their homeland, or been forced to flee the current regime. This includes virtually the entire Christian population. The missionary church movement has made enormous strides in bringing peace to these families and introducing Christ into the world of Muslims fleeing a Muslim government.

Q: What drew you to the missionary church movement as a theme? 

DB: I came to faith in a missionary church. I was working as a consultant based in Germany. The year I accepted Christ, the Southern Baptist Mission Board founded a missionary church in Dusseldorf. I attended the church, I grew in the church, I studied under two amazing pastors, and one of them returned to Europe to marry us.

It was also where I learned to write. Two weeks after coming to faith, I felt called to writing. I wrote for nine years and completed seven books before my first was accepted for publication. The church, its members, and the elders all played a critical role in bringing me to where I am now. I am living testimony to the vital role played by the missionary church.

Q: All three of the books in this series have given significant insight into the Muslim world, something critics have picked up on. What experience do you have with this region?

DB: For the four years prior to moving to Germany, I lived and worked in the Middle East. I was the only non-Muslim in the management structure of a family-owned company. They had three major arms: construction equipment, shipping, and pharmaceuticals. I rose to become Marketing Manager of the pharmaceutical division.

One of the requirements of this job was to take instruction in the Koran and Islamic history from an imam who taught at the local university. I think this experience played a major role in my coming to Christ.

Q: How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website and blog are at www.davisbunn.com

Subscribe to my blog’s feed (to get my latest posts via e-mail or through your feed reader) at http://feeds.feedburner.com/DavisBunn

Sign up for my e-newsletter (for subscriber-only giveaways and advance notice of my upcoming novels): http://www.davisbunn.com/news.htm

Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/davisbunnauthor

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/davisbunn/ -- check out my “Strait of Hormuz” board at http://www.pinterest.com/davisbunn/strait-of-hormuz/

Twitter: @davisbunn - http://twitter.com/davisbunn

Sweepstakes

Help Davis Bunn celebrate the publication of “Strait of Hormuz.” Enter to win His & Hers Luxury Swiss Watches or a $150 Amazon Gift Card! http://woobox.com/ipi8wk. You can enter once per email address per day. Rack up bonus entries by sharing the contest with your Facebook and Twitter friends!

 

 

 

BOOK REVIEW: Strait of Hormuz by Davis Bunn

My Review 

Marc Royce was fired from his job with the U.S. State Department when he insisted on being with his ailing wife. Now, the same man who fired him, needs him for an unofficial job. This is not the first time Ambassador Walton called Marc back to temporary duty after his wife died. On a previous job he met Israeli Kitra Korban. They have a history that ended with her going back to help manage her family kibbutz and he refusing to join her there.

This story begins with Marc in Geneva to follow-up on rumors that Iran intends to blockade the Strait of Hormuz and cutoff important shipping. Walton cannot go through normal channels for fear of information leaks. Israel is working outside official channels as well and sends Kitra to warn Marc he is in danger.

A team consisting of Marc, Kitra, a Swiss secret agent, a Geneva police inspector, two Iranians, and two Israeli agents emerges. The story moves quickly and the suspense gets intense at times. The descriptions are so powerful you feel you are there with the team and you wonder if the author has firsthand experience with such situations. He knows what he is talking about and he makes what could be a confusing tale understandable and entertaining.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Read Chapters 1-3 of Strait of Hormuz for free

http://statictab.com/j4s7yd8

About Davis Bunn

Davis Bunn is a four-time Christy Award-winning, best-selling author now serving as writer-in-residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Defined by readers and reviewers as a "wise teacher," "gentleman adventurer," "consummate writer," and "Renaissance man," his work in business took him to over 40 countries around the world, and his books have sold more than seven million copies in sixteen languages.

Strait of Hormuz is the series finale of the popular Marc Royce Adventures. Library Journal named Lion of Babylon (Book 1) a “Best Book of 2011.”  Rare Earth (Book 2) won the 2013 Christy Award for best suspense novel and was a CBA top 20 best-seller.

Pictured: Davis Bunn and his wife, Isabella Bunn.

COTT: 2013 Laurel Award Feature--Veil of Pearls

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


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

About Veil of Pearls:

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

PURCHASE YOUR COPY

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

About MaryLu:

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

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

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

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

 

COTT: Clash of the Titles's Birthday Giveaway

Besides giving away a fantastic 

Birthday Bundle of Books,

Clash of the Titles is showcasing another 

can't-pass-it-up new release.

Soul of the Rose

by Ruth Trippy

ABOUT THE BOOK:

"And the soul of the rose went into my blood..." This line from a Tennyson poem enchants young Celia Thatcher, who supposes every woman's heart hopes to be the rose that captivates a man. Celia is searching for her own sense of hope after the tragic death of her closest friend. Moving in 1876 to work in a Massachusetts bookstore to start life afresh, she soon catches the eye of not one, but two men: the elite but unkempt Edward Lyons and the charming law student Charles Harrod. One is hiding from his past and from God. The other promotes a religious belief Celia had never before considered. Both leave Celia wondering if either are right for her. When one of her suitors is accused of murder, Celia is challenged with a deeper choice: should she follow her heart or her faith?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ruth Trippy was born in western Michigan to a Dutch family with values similar to the Victorian era she loves. She left home to teach high school language arts in Florida, focusing on American and British literature, and also pursued her interest in apologetics. In addition, she worked as Public Service Director for a radio station in Ft. Lauderdale.

Her writing originated from experiences in her marriage. Her husband was a tough, adventurous Louis L'Amour type individual and needing encouragement in the relationship, she found it in the pages of a 19th century romance novel. 

To learn more about The Soul of the Rose, visit the author at her website: www.ruthtrippy.com

PURCHASE the book

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Clash of the Titles Turns Three!

So we're giving away THREE books

to ONE lucky winner.

Winner announced at www.clashofthetitles.com
Monday, November 11, 2013

ENTER CONTEST HERE

By entering the contest, you understand that:
*The books may arrive in Kindle, Nook, or paperback format, according to each authors' preference. 
*Each author will send his/her book directly to the winner.
*COTT cannot be held responsible for missing prizes.
*Entry in this contest does NOT subscribe you to any feeds, newsletters, or other publications or networks

COTT: Farm Lit, a Genre for Your Inner Country Girl

Before we dive into this week's feature novel, a hearty "hurrah!" for Clash of the Titles's 

2013 LAUREL AWARD

winning novel, Veil of Pearls.

Congratulations to Author MaryLu Tyndall for a job well done!

Stay tuned for a full-length feature on this fantastic book.

AND NOW...

Raspberries and Vinegar

by Valerie Comer

Sweet Like Raspberries ~ Tart Like Vinegar

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Josephine Shaw: complex, yet singleminded. A tiny woman with big ideas and, some would say, a mouth to match. But what does she really know about sustainable living as it relates to the real world? After all, she and her two friends are new to farming.

Zachary Nemesek is back only until his dad recovers enough to work his own land again. When Zach discovers three helpless females have taken up residence at the old farm next door, he expects trouble. But a mouse invasion proves Jo has everything under control. Is there anything she can't handle? And surely there's something sweet beneath all that tart.

PURCHASE

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Q&A WITH VALERIE:

Q: Where did the idea for Raspberries and Vinegar come from?
A: There's a huge interest these days in food issues, and many 20-somethings dream of having a small farm and growing their own food. As a long-time farmer myself, I wondered what it would look like to have idealistic urban young people tackle a farming environment. And the whole Farm Fresh Romance series was born!

Q: They say to write what you know. What do you know about growing food?
A: My husband and I both grew up with moms who had large gardens and cooked from scratch because of financial necessity. Having the same need in our early years, we followed in their footsteps, but we soon came to understand that our food was healthier and tastier than what many families ate. Now we are beekeepers and own a small farm. We grow most of our own meat and vegetables, and source a great deal of our fruit and grain locally. This means a large garden and an intimate knowledge of processing food for winter via canning, dehydrating, and freezing.

Q: Why do you call this novel Farm Lit?
A: Farm Lit has been getting a lot of attention lately as today's answer to Chick Lit. In the current economic atmosphere, women's minds are turning from shoes and handbags to gourmet food and farm-to-table restaurants. Farm Lit http://farmlit.com is any literature that embraces the life of modern-day “new” farmers. These stories can be fiction or memoir, and most often include city-bred heroines who head for an idealized rural existence and (often) find the man of their dreams riding a tractor rather than a horse or a motorbike. As such, Raspberries and Vinegar fits the bill perfectly!

WHAT COTT VOTERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE BOOK:

* Raspberries and Vinegar--Wonderful title and I look forward to reading it. Bless you.
* Valerie, always a great job.
* I look for feel-good reads with wholesome challenges and real, yet admirable characters. Raspberries and Vinegar seems to have it all!
* I chose Raspberries and Vinegar by Valerie Comer because it's her debut book as well as the debut book for ChooseNow Publishing. I'm very interested to see what all the hoopla is about.
* I like Valerie Comer's originality with her genre. There's a freshness about it!

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:
Don't pick up Raspberries and Vinegar and expect the same old blah-blah love story, because you won't get that. What you will get is a well-written, enjoyable, emotional tale that will pull you into the beginning of a series I predict you'll look forward to following as much as I do. Romance, locally sourced foods and interesting, complicated characters all make this a page turner.
~B. Nault

Valerie Comer's Raspberries & Vinegar is a sweet and sassy story that made me laugh out loud, get teary-eyed, and sigh with pleasure at the ending. There's Josephine, a spunky heroine with a heart for her friends, the earth, and the handsome vet next door. And there's Zachary, a veterinarian who cares about animals, his sweet and confused grandmother, and the spunky new neighbor, Josephine.
~Stacy M.

Until I read this book, I'd never heard of "farmlit," and didn't know what to expect. Romantic, fun, with refreshing values, and small town atmosphere, readers will enjoy this romp on the farm!
~Tara

Each December I pick my favorite reads of the year and right now Raspberries and Vinegar is a top contender. If you love strong characters, a great message, a clean romance and the country, this book is for you.
~J. Arduini

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her characters enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie writes Farm Lit with the voice of experience laced with humor. Raspberries and Vinegar, first in her series A Farm Fresh Romance, released August 1, 2013. Visit her at http://valeriecomer.com.

www.ClashoftheTitles.com

The ultimate literary challenge, where authors battle and readers judge.

COTT: A Novel to Dance About

If you're a fan of "Dancing with the Stars," have dreamed of being swept across a ballroom floor, or if you're any sort of lover of romance, you'll want to know more about this week's featured novel! It's volume one in the Sisters of Redemption Series and is a resource for those seeking to recover true joy in their lives.

This Dance

by Jerusha Agen

ABOUT THE BOOK:

No love, no pain. No God, no games.

A tragedy three years ago destroyed Nye's rise to the top of the dancing world as an upcoming tango star, and in the process destroyed her reason for living. She survived the pain and built a new life resembling nothing like the one she left behind, determined never to hurt again.

Nye's emotional walls hold up perfectly until she meets a handsome lawyer and an elderly landowner. They seem harmless, but one awakens feelings she doesn't want and the other makes her face the God she can't forgive. Will these two men help Nye dance again?

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

Q&A WITH THE AUTHOR:

Q. What issues do your characters face that will speak to the heart of your readers?
A. Where do I start? Nye’s story hits on a lot of pertinent issues that I think most of us have to deal with in our lives. On the basic level, there are the issues of grief and loss, as well as fear of experiencing more loss in the future. While Nye likes to think she has control over her life, she’s really being controlled by her repressed grief and fear of being hurt again.
Then there’s the issue of joy. Nye has lost whatever enjoyment she once had in life. Her fear of pain keeps her from seeking anything that might bring her joy, while her sorrow prevents her from believing there could be anything that would bring her happiness ever again.
I hope that readers who are struggling with a painful loss, who know the fear of being hurt, or who have lost the sense of joy in their lives will find hope in reading Nye’s story.

Q. What advice based upon scripture would you give a reader who is dealing with the issues that are front and center in your current release?
A. Remember that God is in control and that He’s a loving God, who will work out ALL things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). You can try to control your life like Nye does and try to avoid things that might cause you pain. It might seem to work for a while, but, sooner or later, you’ll realize that you can’t control anything.
That might sound scary, but it isn’t when you know the God who is in control, when you know that He’s good, that He loves you and has the wisdom to see the big picture that you can’t see (Jeremiah 29:11). As much as whatever you are going through may hurt right now, cling to the truth that God is there and that, in the very end, everything, no matter how awful it seems now, will be turned into victory (1 Corinthians 15:54).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jerusha Agen is a lifelong lover of story--a passion that has led her to a B.A. in English and a highly varied career.


A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, her fiction and nonfiction have been published in various journals, magazines, and newsletters. Jerusha is the author of the Sisters Redeemed Series. Book One, This Dance, released in August 2013. This Shadow, Book Two, will be released in February 2014.

Jerusha is also a screenwriter, and several of her original scripts have been produced as films. In addition, Jerusha is a film critic, with reviews featured at the website, www.RedeemerReviews.com.

Jerusha relishes snowy Midwest winters spent with her large, furry dogs and one little, furry cat.

Visit Jerusha at the following locations:
 www.SDGwords.com
Follow Jerusha on Twitter @SDGwords
Facebook (Jerusha Agen – SDG Words).

The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman by Carole Brown

How far would YOU go to avenge the murder of a daughter?

 

Caralynne Hayman is angry and bitter over the abuse and death of her eleven-year- old daughter from the hands of her religious group, The Children of Righteous Cain. When her husband suffers a sudden heart attack, she does nothing to help him. In her eyes someone needs to pay, and if that means all of the men in the group, then so be it.

 

Dayne MacFarland is sent away to college by the senior elder of the group to learn ministry. When he returns after finding salvation, determined to bring the truth to the people he’s known all his life, he rediscovers Cara and realizes the love he once felt for her is still deeply embedded within his heart. 

 

Dayne faces men unwilling to turn their backs on the cult training he despises. Cara faces men who follow their leader in abuse toward their wives and the young girls of the group. Cara is considered rebellious and inappropriate to befriend. Dayne is the apple of Elder Simmons’ eye—until he takes a stand against their teachings.

 

Can Cara overcome the feelings that have governed her most of her life? Can she learn to trust Dayne, and most of all a God whom she sees as uncaring—if he’s really there at all? Only Dayne’s prayers and love can reach Cara and show her the way to redemption, and Cara must recognize and accept God’s love and forgiveness before she goes too far.

 

The setting for “The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman” is rural West Virginia, where the ugly monster of abuse dwells alongside country roads, mountains, and beauty.

 

Order Here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1938499948/

 

Carole Brown:

 

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?

 

Connect with her here:

Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/browncarole212

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sunnywrtr/boards/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown

 

I also am part of several other blogs:

Geezers Guys and Gals:  http://geezerguysandgals.blogspot.com/

Stitches in Time:  http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/

Barn Door Book Loft: http://www.barndoorbookloft.net/

 

Book Trailer:

 

http://animoto.com/play/bQJDmaqIEVppBw1YCWdbDg 

 

First Page:

 

The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman

Carole Brown

Chapter One

 

Twenty years earlier

The shadow creatures on the wall shook their wings and legs. Heads with horns nodded. Scary, dark faces watched.

The little girl clasped her floppy-eared rabbit against her chest and stared into the dark.

“Mmm …” Mommy’s murmur reached to her through the walls, and the giggles from her mother tiptoed in, shooing the fear away.

Whoosh. She blew out a breath and squeezed her rabbit tighter. “Mommy has a friend with her, Ramsey. She loves me just like I love you and will give me hugs in the morning after the man leaves.”

Ramsey said nothing. She ran her fingers over his face and could feel his black button eyes staring at her, trusting her to protect him.

“And she’ll read to us and I’ll sit on her lap and we’ll snuggle—all of us together.” She nodded and tugged on Ramsey’s left ear then rolled over.

Real live whispers and laughter floated into the room.

Opening her mouth in a wide yawn, she patted Ramsey’s tummy and whispered again, “Don’t be afraid. I’m right here.”

“Please. That hurts.”

“Mommy?” The little girl frowned but her eyes wouldn’t open. Just like they did when she and mommy put cucumbers slices on their eyes. 

“Stop it—”

       Rubbing at her eyes the little girl sat up. Mommy had never sounded like this before, and neither had any of the men—the men who brought flowers and candy and money.

 

COTT: September Clash Champion and Laurel Finalists Announced!

This week, COTT announces TWO great events!
September's Clash Winner
and the 2013 Laurel Finalists.

We'll start with the Clash.
And the winner is....


The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots

by Author Karla Akins

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Pastor’s wife, Kirstie Donovan, lives life in a fishbowl, so when she hops on the back of a bright pink motorcycle, tongues start to wag at the conservative, century-old First Independent Christian Community Church of Eels Falls. 

Kirstie loves roaring down a road less traveled by most women over forty, but she’s not just riding her bike for the fun of it. Kirstie has a ministry. However, certain church members have secrets to hide, and when God uses Kirstie’s ministry to fill the pews with leather-clad, tattooed bikers, those secrets could be exposed…and some will stop at nothing to hide the truth. 

Join Kirstie and her motorcycle “gang”—two church matrons and a mouthy, gum-smacking non-church member—as they discover that road-toughened bikers are quite capable of ministering to others, and faith is fortified in the most unexpected ways.

PURCHASE:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Karla Akins is a pastor's wife who rides her own motorcycle. She is the mother of four boys and one step-daughter, and grandmother of five. She lives in North Manchester with her husband who is the pastor of Christian Fellowship Church, her twin teenage boys with autism, mother-in-law with Alzheimer's and three rambunctious dogs. Karla and her husband have been in ministry together for 30 years.

AND NOW FOR THE LAUREL FINALISTS!

The entries have been read and the scores have been tabulated. Our unique panel of judges, comprised strictly of readers, has determined our three finalists. And they are…

Ruth Reid's "An Angel by Her Side"
MaryLu Tyndall's "Veil of Pearls"
Delia Latham's "Gypsy's Game"

Congratulations to all three!!

Thanks you to all our Laurel entrants for participating—the panel enjoyed reading all of your excerpts! 

The three finaling submissions will be returned to the same panel of judges for a final vote. The winner will be announced on October 18, 2013.