COTT brings you "Entrusted" by Julie Arduini, plus Olympia Winner!

Before we bring you our featured novel, Clash of the Titles wishes to congratulate Kelly Goshorn manuscript "A Love Restored" for taking home the crown during our Olympia Awards.

Congrats, Kelly!

The Olympia is COTT's annual contest for pre-published authors.

To learn more about the Olympia and Kelly Goshorn, please visit us at

Clash of the Titles.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~

If you enjoy a sweet romance in a quaint village, you’ll love Julie Arduini’s debut novel. She fills the town with delightful and insightful characters. The story has a good balance of humor, wisdom and love. Buy this book, wrap up in a warm blanket with a cup of team, and snuggle in for a great read.

                                                                    --Amazon customer

About the book:
Jenna Anderson, sassy city-girl from Youngstown, Ohio, plows–literally–into Adirondack village, Speculator Falls, with a busted GPS. She gets a warning from the sheriff but has ideas for the senior center to prove she belongs in town as their director. Town councilman Ben Regan is as broken as the flower box Jenna demolished. He’s grieving and wants to shut down the center before there’s too much change and heartbreak. They work on community projects and build a slow relationship, but the council needs to vote on the senior center’s future. Can Jenna show Ben both her and the center are worth trusting?

PURCHASE

Amazon

CBD

Barnes and Noble

Special offer from the author, Julie Arduini!

Subscribe for free to the Julie Arduini newsletter and receive her novella, Match Made in Heaven plus monthly installments to the sequel, Crumbs and Embers. To subscribe, visit the left sidebar of http://juliearduini.com to complete the form and watch for activation. 

What COTT voters had to say:

--Julie Arduini I love this book & am beyond thrilled to hold your passion in my hands. I am happy to be able to vote for you, but as you know, you've already won!!
--Julie Arduii can't wait to read this book.
--Julie Arduini so excited to see what God does with your book!!
--Love the cover and the novel Entrusted by Julie Arduini.
--Congratulations on your novel Julie Arduini!!!
--Julie Arduini, the setting of your book and the language brings me back home.
--May God keep blessing your writing ministry for Him, Julie Arduini
--Julie Arduini, this sounds like my kind of story. I like the term, "the fir flies."
--Entrusted had it all. I thoroughly enjoyed it and encourage others to check it out. Good job Julie A.
--Julie Arduini has a heart of passion and the gift of penmanship!!! What a Blessing!!
--Love the cover Julie Arduini!!
--Julie Arduini is one of my favorite people-- including one of my favorite authors. Love her book "Entrusted"!
--Just so exciting to watch God work in your life Julie Arduini . Surrendering your writing to Him and Wow look what he does ...and he's not done ! ??
--Julie, I loved the book. Thank you!! Blessings, Jenn
--Can't wait to read more from Julie Arduini! I'm hooked on her Adirondack series, the characters, the setting, and Julie's good writing!

The author shares how Entrusted came about:

My writing includes surrender issues and in Entrusted, Ben and Jenna both struggle. Jenna wants to

belong and Ben’s afraid of loss. They have to surrender those things to their Heavenly Father and trust that He’s taking care of them. Book 2 and 3 also give a clue to the surrender journey with Entangled and Engaged.

The book came about after my first visit to the real village of Speculator in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY. As I walked the street and drank in the mountain air, the characters came alive. I’m excited to return to Speculator June 12 as I share my writing experience at the Lake Pleasant library. Then, starting June 25th I’m participating in an Entrusted book club in Youngstown where I plan to share exclusive footage of me visiting the places I used in Entrusted.

~~~~~~~

Enjoy this trailer for The Love Boat Bachelor by Jerusha Agen and Theresa Anderson!

Find more great new releases all year at Clash of the Titles!

Six Unforgettable Love Stories

For a limited time only - Six unforgettable love stories 

99 cents! 

Buy now at Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo - iBooks - Google Play

A brand new anthology from six of your favorite inspirational romance authors - no reprints here!

About the novellas:

From New York Times bestselling author Linda Goodnight, historical romance The Rambler's Bride: The kissing cowboy Jericho is bent on revenge, but discovers the truth and falls in love with widow Esther.

From USA Today bestselling author Janet Tronstad, retro romance Lovebirds at the Heartbreak Cafe: Truck driver Buddy wasn't looking for love, but waitress Penny and her quirky family take over the cafe and his heart.

From bestselling author Debra Clopton, contemporary cowboy romance Her Mule Hollow Cowboy: Independent cowgirl Maddie swears she doesn't need help from bull rider Cliff. But the Mule Hollow Matchmakers seem to have other plans...

From bestselling author Margaret Daley, romantic suspense Deadly Hunt: Bodyguard Tess rescues wounded businessman Shane from dying in the wilderness, but can she protect her heart when Shane gets too close?

From fan favorite Camy Tang, romantic suspense Necessary Proof: Reformed ex-con Alex is on the run from those who have set him up to take the blame for a cop-killing. Will tech-expert Jane be able to prove him innocent?

From fan favorite Lacy Williams, contemporary cowboy romance Kissed by a Cowboy: Maddox has given up all his big dreams to care for his niece. When Haley returns to her hometown, will Maddox find a new dream with her?

Special promo - March 17-19 - #SENDAKISS

If you purchase First Kisses during our promo dates and send a special tweet, we'll gift a copy to a friend, absolutely free! Find out more at bit.ly/sendakiss .

What readers are saying:

 Six amazing books from six different authors. They are all Christian fiction set from the 1800’s to present time. Each is a stand alone book with great settings, story lines and characters. All the books had family and faith. Some of the authors were known to me and some I was unfamiliar with. I really enjoyed each book. I can not wait to check out books from these new authors. - Amazon reader

 I didn't know what to expect - I am not a fan of anthologies. Usually I find that the stories are too brief and the plots move too fast and don't go into any detail and don't make a lot of sense. Well, let me tell you that this anthology is not like this, not at all. It is wonderful! I enjoyed each of the novellas immensely. Each one has well developed, thought out characters and detailed plots that move at exactly the right pace. You have suspense, romance - everything in each of the novels. I enjoyed reading each of the novellas and couldn't put the book down. Even though I have about 15 other books waiting to be read - I plan on reading this book all over again in the next week or so - it is just that good. - Amazon reader

A visual look at the collection:





Interact with the authors:
www.inspykisses.com
facebook.com/inspykisses
@inspykisses

Buy now at Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo - iBooks - Google Play

COTT: A Healing Heart, the Latest in Abingdon's Quilts of Love Series

Clash of the Titles brings you the latest in Christian fiction.

If you enjoy fiction, romance, or quilts, you'll want to check out today's featured new release. If you love all three, you'll want to run (not walk!) to your nearest bookstore--or for Amazon.com shoppers, click the cover image below.

A Healing Heart

by Angela Breidenbach

About A Healing Heart:
Will Joel help Mara or take everything she has left? Mara Keegan is an uber-successful mother and a widow of three years. She's been chasing success and all the "good things in life" for her family to make up for the cruel whim God played on them by taking her husband. In an effort to be the perfect mom, she decides to make a photo memory quilt, a graduation present for her daughter, Cadence.

She's not yet finished when she experiences a heart attack. How can Mara trust the one man who nearly destroyed her life and business? While Mara recuperates, she's forced to face her physically and spiritually broken heart. The memory quilt must be finished in time for Cadence's big day, but Mara struggles with her burgeoning feelings for the man who must keep Mara's business going during her recovery, Joel Ryan. Can Joel find his way into Mara's heart and onto Cadence's quilt? Or will he betray a vulnerable woman and her children?

PURCHASE AT:

AMAZON.COM

BARNES AND NOBLE.COM

Praise for A Healing Heart:
“A heart-warming and romantic story of new beginnings and hope through the fog. A story of real life filled with true emotion and characters you can't help but love.”
—NY Times bestselling author, Tosca Lee, www.toscalee.com
Tosca’s latest book: Iscariot

“A Healing Heart is an emotional story of learning to let go of the past and embracing the future. Angie Breidenbach deftly creates lifelike teenagers, a frazzled mother, and a caring hero you will love. This charming book tugs at your heart and encourages you to reevaluate what’s important in your life.”
—Vickie McDonough, author of 25 books and novellas, including End of the Trail

About the author:
 Angela Breidenbach is a captivating speaker, coach, and author of A Healing Heart, April 2013 from Abingdon Press in the Quilts of Love series. Her family tradition is to create the life story on a photo memory quilt for each graduating senior. She is certified in mentor/peer counseling as a CTA life coach, as a Stephen Minister, and a weight loss/nutrition coach. Follow humorous #Muse (the cat) posts as he prowls around facebook and twitter.
http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com
Twitter/Pinterest: @AngBreidenbach
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/AngelaBreidenbachInspirationalSpeakerAuthor

COTT: Love Unexpected -- May New Releases

Summer is here, and we've got some great new releases to fill up those camping trips, car rides, and lazy days on the beach.  Our May suggestions are intriguing and ready to pull you into stories of faith, love, and adventure.

It will be hard to choose between these five wonderful romances.These books are sure to captivate your imagination, from overcoming great odds together, to chance meetings with a dashing earl, switchboard encounters of the handsome kind, a mysterious vanishing, and a prince's choice.

Vote for the one most likely to make your summer To Be Read pile by voting below. Don't forget to send some love and encouragement to our authors via the comments section.

Happy Voting!

Their lives are worlds apart; he's a royal prince and she's an ordinary girl, but everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation. It's the ultimate choice: His kingdom or her heart…God's will or their own?

When Mitchell's wife, Jill, kisses him goodbye, he has no idea that he may never see her again. When the police can't find her, Mitch asks his neighbor, Shelley, for help, but as weeks turn into months and Mitch and Shelley grow ever closer, he wonders how he can honor his vows to a woman who seems to have vanished off the face of the earth.

Switchboard operators, otherwise known as "hello girls," must conduct themselves according to strict--and often bewildering--rules, which include absolutely no consorting with gentlemen while in training. Hannah Gregory has never been good at following rules, but she doubts it will be difficult to keep that particular rule--until a handsome young lawyer starts getting under her skin.

A chance meeting and a bullet wound change everything, and Madeline St. James must trust that the Good Shepherd has led her to the altar to marry a dashing stranger, Lord Devonshire. Madeline's unwavering faith intrigues and exasperates the stubborn earl, but can the compromised couple forge a true bond before the next disaster strikes?

After their professional athletic careers are sidelined, Tara and Ryan must find purpose and fulfillment in their new lives. With the help of the Junkyard King and a mechanical bull, can Tara and Ryan find the courage to climb Heartbreak Hill together?

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

COTT: Clash of April Releases!

Beach trips, mountain jaunts and lazy days in the swing on the front porch. Tis the season to enjoy a great read outdoors. Clash of the Titles’s got five brand new April releases to recommend. It’ll be difficult to choose from these three romances, a mystery with suspense, and women’s fiction. The stories tell of a woman who falls in love with an Army veteran with PTSD; a kidnapped doctor accused of murder; a woman yearning for a family; a lady with a heart attack and spiritually broken heart; and three unwed mothers from three different eras. All will tug at your heart. But please select the one you most want to get lost in. Then vote for it below.

Cindy Waymire, a college senior in search for a topic for an upcoming sociology paper, finds more than a topic when she meets Army veteran and college freshman Danny Flynn outside the student union. An undeniable attraction to this troubled veteran leads her on a difficult and winding path that brings her to a crossroads—get into a relationship with a man who has serious mental health problems or turn her back on one of the best men she’s ever met.





Dr. Matt Newman escapes from kidnappers only to land in the ICU then awaken to find the police are convinced he’s a killer, and he’s still a target. Can attorney Sandra Murray and he find the truth before it’s too late?

Terri Hayes owns a thriving Day Care but hungers for a child of her own  while  writer Steve Evans has all the family he needs. Will harsh words and sneaky plans drive them further apart, or does God have another plan?








What would you do if the one man who can help is the one man you can’t trust? A heart attack has stopped workaholic Mara Keegan in her tracks, but Mara’s heart needs to be healed in more ways than one—will Joel Ryan help her or take all she has left?

Three women from three different eras face the aftermath of unwed pregnancies, desperate for hope. Can it be found in the memoirs of Anna, who ran a home for unwed Moms in the 1890’s, or is there no link to their cries for help and their source of hope?

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

COTT: Lexi's Heart, A Romance for Mothers

LEXI’S HEART

by Delia Latham

COTT’s Image Creator, Delia Latham, is excited to announce a new e-Novella in the ongoing Heart’s Haven collection she co-writes with three other Pelican Book Group authors: Tanya Stowe, Marianne Evans and Mary Manners.

First in a collection of four Heart’s Haven Holiday romances, LEXI’S HEART is the Mother’s Day feature. Follow-up holiday stories will include Independence Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Here’s a blurb:

Forty-three-year-old Lexi Carlisle’s abusive marriage ended three years ago. Deeply scarred by the experience, and helplessly watching her beloved mother succumb to Alzheimers, Lexi is devastated. After selling her fancy home, she rents a cottage in Heart’s Haven, a special place unlike any other. Slowly learning to live again, she despairs of ever delivering the message of love that burns within her heart for her ever-worsening mother. But Mitch Gaynor, a handsome Christian author, reminds Lexi that with God all things are possible, planting within her battered and distrustful heart the seed of hope for a miracle. But can she open her fortressed heart to God? And is Mitch a part of His plans for her future?

Her Heart. His faith. Love Reborn.

The Heart’s Haven Collection started last October with Delia’s book, Jewels for the Kingdom, followed by Evans’ Operation Breathless, Stowe’s Leap of Faith, and Manners’ Dance with Me. Each Heart’s Haven e-Book is set in Angel Falls—a lovely but fictional small town in East Texas. More specifically, all stories focus on the tenants of Heart’s Haven, a one-of-a kind cottage-rental complex owned by a crotchety old guy named Andrew Hart. Folks ‘round those parts believe old Hart actually sees and speaks with angels, and that Heart’s Haven is a favorite hangout for the heavenly creatures. The taciturn gentleman has never come right out and corroborated that rumor. ‘Course, he hasn’t come right out and denied it either.

But then, lots of things are said about Heart’s Haven. Some folks think the place makes folks fall in love. And to add grist to that rumor mill, each little cottage on the property sports a sign hanging over the gate, carved with the sweet blessing: May love find all who enter here.

Thing is, it usually does.

You’re invited to hang out with the Heart’s Haven gang any time. Come on over and find out who’s falling in love with whom, and what the angels are up to around Angel Falls, Texas. We’re not hard to find—Angel Falls isn’t big enough to get lost in. If you don’t find us kicking back in the rec room at Heart’s Haven, we’re probably having a barbecue…or wedding…or something else we came up with so we could all get together at one of the following places:

Heart’s Haven Blog

Heart’s Haven Facebook Page

We love company, so don’t bother to knock—just come on in!

Born and raised in a place called Weedpatch, DELIA LATHAM enjoys multiple roles as a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings. She’s got a “thing” for Dr. Pepper and absolutely loves hearing from her readers. Delia writes inspirational romance, and is currently contracted through White Rose Publishing and Vinspire Publishing.

You can contact her at an of the following locations:

Her website

Her blog

Facebook

Twitter

Love Lives On – The Reviews Are In!

I am always surprised when I read book reviews and see what readers have to say. Many see things that I hadn't thought about or, at least, hadn't verbalized. I wish I could hire some of the reviewers to write publicity for the book. I also wish I'd had some of the reviews to use for the back cover blurb.

There are 54 reviews for the prequel, Where Love Once Lived, and they are still coming in. Those are much more varied than the eight five-star reviews received so far for Love Lives On. However, I'm sure we'll see a variety of reviews for the new book as time goes by.

Here's what we have so far on Amazon.com:

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Jim C. -- My reading had pretty much been confined to books about investing, computers, or medical science. That all changed when I learned about the books written by Sid Frost. I have just completed reading his most recent work Love Lives On. The story is quite interesting and I really enjoy the way that he uses real places from the Austin area and his use of characters that we have gotten to know from his previous books. The mystery and surprises keep coming, right up to the final page.

Lisa L. -- What I love about Sid's work is that he explores relationships between older people. How do those of us experience life from the point of having "been there and done that"? We approach life with certain expectations and experiences, and when we embark on a new relationship, how do we meld what we are with another person? And when crises hit, as they inevitably do, how do we chose to allow our spouse to help us, or can we learn to respond in a new way?

Love Lives On pulls together characters from Sid's other series to help Karen and Brian when she's sued in an emotionally and financially-draining frivolous lawsuit immediately after the wedding ceremony. Karen and Brian must figure out how to work together when aspects of the lawsuit become threatening to their physical welfare, as well as when an unexpected health crisis strikes Brian's family. I loved their honeymoon in Europe - I felt like I was there with them. Sid allows both Karen and Brian to tell the story from their perspectives. There's drama, there's romance, there's barbecue, there's danger and excitement...what's not to love?

Sid's story-telling comes from his personal experiences which he lovingly transfers to his characters. Karen and Brian are real people who learn to rely on each other besides the God whom they both trust. Don't we all want a piece of that?

Laura N. -- A sequel to Where Love Once Lived was highly anticipated by me. Being curious as I am, I simply had to know what would be happening in the characters' lives. Love Lives On answered the questions in my mind, with humor, a bit of romance and much mystery. Sidney blended the stories and characters into an exciting novel.

The occurrences in Love Lives On are very "real to life", and I am sure most readers will find themselves somewhere in the book; most could happen to anyone in one form or another. Yet, the manner which Sidney wrote this story, had me sitting on the "edge of my chair" at times. The characters blended so well; some the reader will like, dislike or plain "yell out loud" at the nasty things they may do or say.

Love Lives On brings hope, love, forgiveness and faith to the reader. I highly recommend this book, and anticipate the continuing adventure of Karen and Brian in the next novel.

B.J. -- You'll want to read both novels Where Love Once Lived and Love Lives On. Though both books can be read alone, if you're like me, you'll want to know more about what happens to the characters. I love series. You first meet Karen in Where Love Once Lived along with other characters who show up in Love Lives On as friends who help her in her time of need.

Love Lives On evoked emotions and made me laugh and cry at times. About midway, I didn't want to stop reading because I wanted to see what happened, and I had to make myself put down the book and go to bed with only five remaining chapters, which I quickly finished at my next opportunity. Karen's life becomes endangered and so do others as they try to help her, especially her friend, Cathy.

I loved the way the ending wove together for a surprise with forgiveness and God's purpose, as Karen insisted on discovering. While she could have chosen to throw money at problems to make them disappear as her new husband Brian offered to do more than once, she refused to do so because she wanted to know the whys and God's purpose. Why did God allow her to be sued? What possible good could come out of it? I won't include spoilers, but I'll just say that much good overcame evil.

I also loved how the author illustrated how easy it sometimes is to con trusting or vulnerable women. There's more than one surprise in this work of art. There is foreshadowing along the way.

This novel takes you on an adventure and a journey. I've never read one about Germany, a place I've never been. I found the places visited on their honeymoon interesting. To describe Love Lives On in a sentence, I'd say Love Lives On is a novel of love, learning to trust, and forgiveness. The ending was touching, and I loved it. There are some page-turning exciting incidents along the way as well. Grab both reads and enjoy them as I did.

Chris G. -- Love Lives On is a very surprising book with many unexpected twists in it. And of course it has the bookmobile in it, and the Squad in it. And a very unusual love story.
In a few places the story got confusing to me. The overall story was fast paced, suspenseful, and a great read.

Rollo N. -- Although this book is clearly a continuation of Frost's earlier Where Love Once Lived and brings back some characters from The Vengeance Squad it is a fully complete stand-alone novel. In the first few episodes of Love Lives On the story itself quickly and thoroughly introduces main characters, establishes the setting and sets the tone and pace (fast) for the novel. But, for anyone who enjoyed the first two this new one will be an absolute delight.

To avoid giving anything away I'm not going to comment on the plot's twists, turns and surprises but I do want to observe that the writing is solid throughout and the dialogs are exceptionally effective. Character's fears, aspirations, intentions, attractions and feelings are often revealed by what the characters do and say. Rarely does the narrator tell us what the actors' motivations or expectations are. In general the verbal interactions are natural, believable and totally in character. A consequence of this is a tendency for the reader to forget they are reading and to just absorb the story. Speaking as a reader that is great fun.

Carol B. -- I loved this book! What a fun combination to put romance and thriller together!

The romance part was very sweet. I thought Sid did a wonderful job of dealing with the real life reactions and issues a couple in their "mature years" would encounter--aging parents, children on their own, crazy ex-partners all while trying to have a honeymoon! He skillfully helps the reader feel the tension of the main characters as they put their college romance back together after a 30 year separation. A separation that was unnecessary if they had only talked to each other at the time!

You worry with them over things not said that should have been--an old pattern they both want not to follow them into this relationship. You feel the angst of trying to protect each other. Both main characters are aware of their knee jerk reactions and the effects on the other and yet, it still happens. Sid effortlessly weaves their faith into the dialogue so that it adds to the overall story. I appreciated that forgiveness, kindness, thoughtfulness and faith was consistent throughout their daily lives; it wasn't just a Sunday thing or turned to only in an emergency.

The thriller part? It kept me coming back. :) Just when you think life is going to settle and they can major on the romance another curve ball! And isn't that life? You can't leave Karen hanging upside down in her seatbelt! You have to know how all this crazy stalking ends so these people can have their honeymoon!

The writing -- It is a good writer who can put you in his characters shoes so that you feel their experiences! The action kept going. Secondary characters received adequate development so that you felt you knew them as well, and maybe even understood them in a way. I didn't feel the story line ever went flat and the editing was excellent. You pulled for the good guys and wanted to put the bad guys away! A nice ending leaves you wondering if there is one more coming.

It's an excellent read for those who like thrillers, or romance or both! I will be recommending Sid as an author. Everything he has written has been well done. I give it 5 stars!

L. Scribbler -- In Love Lives On, the second in the Christian Bookmobiles series, Sidney W. Frost continues to develop the story of star-crossed lovers Brian Donelson and Karen Williams introduced in Where Love Once Lived. Problems arise in the opening pages at Brian and Karen's wedding. An unexpected lawsuit awakens unhappy memories in Karen's past, and dealing with it causes conflict in their new marriage. A mysterious photographer trails them on their honeymoon; the driver of a black pickup terrorizes Karen. The suspense continues to build to a satisfying climax. Frost has the knack of moving the plot along with both mysterious and humorous incidents. His characters leap from the pages as real people with distinct personalities. Brian and Karen, two intelligent, loving, devoutly Christian, yet flawed individuals, have the maddening propensity for failing to share vital information in a professed effort to "protect" each other. Brian must come to accept Karen's desire to be independent, to follow her sense of what God is telling her. Members of the Combine and Liz, the lovable librarian, are back, along with Liz's team from Frost's The Vengeance Squad. Though written as a sequel, Love Lives On stands alone as a thoroughly entertaining read.

===========

Thanks everyone. These review were all five stars and all warmed my heart and gave me new insights into the story. I've also received a number of emails praising the book. I'll post those later.

 

COTT: Featuring Books By Clash of the Titles Staff

Clash of the Titles adores featuring new releases from Christian authors all over the world, but we'd be remiss to forget the authors on our very own doorstep. COTT is run by a bevy of talented writers--several of whom are published. In fact, in the last year alone, COTT staff has celebrated the release of no less than seven novels!

And here they are...

 A miracle of love lurks within the branches of a solitary aspen tree.

****

School teacher Judy Winters sets out to solve the mystery surrounding her only living relative’s murder.

****

Her past isn't pretty, but it can't be changed. Will it destroy any possibility of a future with the man she loves?

****

Death in rural Wisconsin is only the beginning to new chaos in Robertsville. What do a stolen piece of revolutionary agricultural equipment, a long-buried skeleton in the yard, and an old quilt with secrets have in common?

****

Simon Hale finds the reclusive Rosetta both beautiful and intriguing, but when she seeks out the truth behind Shadow Bay Hall’s unexplained happenings, he is torn between hope for the future and his need to protect a dangerous secret.

****

When Ivy Preston roots up her entire life to start over in Apple Grove at the urging of her cat-loving friend, the mayor, and meets the love of her life, True Thompson, can their romance survive the sudden rise in crime?

****

She needs a temporary husband. He wants a forever love. Can even Solomon's Gate find a way to join these two hearts?

COTT: December Release Champ

The Champion of the December New Releases Clash is:

A Promise to Protect, by Liz Johnson

Her novel takes the honors but it went up against some formidable competitors:

The Song of the Tree, Lotis Key

Mind of Her Own, Diana Brandmeyer

Counterfeit Cowboy, Lacy Williams

The Knitting Fairy, Jaime Marsman

Thanks to all for showing up and playing with COTT this week. The voting was amazingly close for a few days, and we had well over 200 voters. Congratulations to our readers and supporters!

A few of the comments from the survey say:

I absolutely love inspirational fiction. Thank you all for your books... I seem to always find one that speaks to my needs.

Keep on creating and inspiring.

ALL of the titles sound fabulous! It was a tough decision. Thank you for writing such awesome books!

Anything about our Seals is a definite buy!

Sometimes it seems unfair to have to choose. All the books look interesting. But I picked the one that I would pick up first.

What a wonderful list of books! Great job, everyone!

The books all look very interesting and well worth checking out. It was very difficult making a choice and all 5 authors should be encouraged for doing a great job.

Liz Johnson is one of my favorite authors. I love how she develops her characters in such a way that I not only want to know what happens in the story but I am emotionally invested in the characters.

About the Book:

Navy SEAL Matt Waterstone knows about keeping people safe. When his best friend’s sister is attacked, Matt promises no harm will come to Ashley Sawyer–not on his watch. But Matt’s not the only protective one. Ashley will do anything to safeguard the residents of the battered women’s shelter she runs. She’s sure she can handle the threats she gets in return. What she can’t handle is the way Matt scales the walls around her heart. Yet when she falls prey to a crime web more sinister than she’d realized, trusting Matt could be the only way to survive.

Buy the book on Amazon, or Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Liz Johnson graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in public relations and works as an editorial and marketing manager at a Christian publisher. She is a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist, and A Promise to Protect is her fourth novel with Love Inspired Suspense. Liz makes her home in Nashville, TN, where she enjoys theater, exploring the local music scene, and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her two nephews and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings.

Keep up with Liz's adventures in writing at www.lizjohnsonbooks.com, Twitter @LizJohnsonBooks, or http://www.Facebook.com/LizJohnsonBooks.

Upcoming book news: Ashley's brother, Tristan, gets his own story in SEAL Under Siege, which will release in September of this year.

Making Dreams Come True – Part 4

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

If you haven't read the previous parts, you may want to do so first. See:

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 1

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 2

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 3

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

I sent queries to many agents and publishers

After the book was complete, I sent queries to many agents and publishers. I never did find an agent, but in April 2008, White Rose Publishing, a company that publishes only Christian Romance, read the beginning and a synopsis and asked to see the whole book. That was something none of my writing friends had experienced yet at the time. I sent the manuscript to White Rose immediately. As I had learned in class, I started working on a new novel while waiting to hear back from the publishers.

Planning a trip to the Holy Land

My wife Lois and I were leaving soon after sending the manuscript to the publisher on a trip to the Holy Land. However, I knew the publisher would need at least 90 days to decide, so I wasn't concerned about the book. In fact, I was looking at the trip and good way to keep from thinking about what the publisher might say.

Soon, I forgot all about the book.

Just a few weeks before or planned departure we learned that Lois was too ill to go anywhere.

She had been having minor respiratory problems off and on since we got back from China in the summer 0f 2007. The doctors had not been able to find anything wrong. Then, during a routine check just before our departure, her dermatologist said she was jaundiced. Again, we thought it must have something to do with the China trip. We had taken a river cruise on the Yangtze and had visited a number of smaller towns. I had been banned from donating blood for a year because of the possibility of malaria. Lois' doctor checked her for malaria. The test was negative.

In the next post, I'll tell you what happened when Lois had endoscopic surgery.

Making Dreams Come True – Part 3

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If you haven't read the previous parts, you may want to do so first. See:

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 1

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 2

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In the last post, I told you the bookmobile novel idea changed as I learned more about writing. Once I understood the book was about Karen and Brian and how they get back together after thirty years, and Liz the bookmobile librarian was a supporting character, and once I had taken several writing classes, the book began to take shape. It began to look and feel like a novel. In fact, I felt more like all I had to do was write about what the characters were feeling. They took over and told the story.

I set the story in Austin, Texas, because that's where I grew up. While a student at the University of Texas, I worked as a bookmobile driver part-time for the Austin Public Library. Brian, who had sold his business in California before returning to Austin to pursue Karen, bought a bookmobile to impress her. As it turns out, it does the opposite. I used the bookmobile in a third of the scenes to make the setting smaller and more manageable. Supporting characters come aboard the bookmobile as needed.

Is it a romance?

The story is told by the two main characters, Brian and Karen, alternating from one to the other so that the reader can see what's going on in their minds without one character knowing what the other is thinking. With two protagonists and the points of view alternating between male and female, plus the title of the book (Where Love Once Lived), early readers thought the book was a romance. Not knowing any better, I went along with that belief. I joined the Romance Writers Association and, in 2007, the manuscript won several contests. It took first place in the romance division at the Writers League of Texas contest and first place in the inspiration division in New Mexico. Plus a third place in Houston and finalist in California.

The book talks about going back to where Brian was last happy. He sells his company, moves from California to Texas, buys land and builds a house at the same location where he and Karen had once been happy together, he buys a bookmobile because that's where they had been together so many times. The title, Where Love Once Lived, seems to be describing these actions. However, I soon learned the story is really about where the love of God had once lived in Brian's heart and his struggle to regain his faith.

In the next post, I'll tell you about trying to find a publisher.