Final Week: Solomon's Gate Contest

The final week of the Solomon's Gate Contest starts today! One last week to enter for those beautiful Angel Wings Jewelry sets or a $15 gift certificate to Pelican Book Group - where you'll find some of the finest inspirational fiction available! 


Please come. Please enter. And please...send all your friends and foes to enter as well. :)

Review: Vickie McDonough's End of the Trail

End of the Trail

Texas Trails: A Morgan Family Series

(Book 6)

by Vickie McDonough

What a truly wonderful book!

Brooks Morgan is the ultimate slightly-flawed hero with a cocky grin that’s bound to make any female reader fall in love. After a decade of drifting and learning life’s lessons the hard way, Brooks wins a ranch in a poker game. Trouble is, feisty Keri Langston thinks Raven Creek Ranch belongs to her. If she’d known Brooks Morgan held the deed to her property, she might have left him hanging on the end of the rope she found him on, instead of shooting him free and saving his sorry life.

But she didn’t know. She did shoot him free. And now he’s a way-too-happy, far-too-handsome thorn in her side.

The End of the Trail is a hilarious, heart-rending, soul-searching rollercoaster ride. I loved it, and didn’t want the ride to end. But then, I always love McDonough’s work. This author presents stellar writing; wonderful, unexpected humorous moments; touching, heart-wrenching situations that make it hard to know who to root for; and consistently riveting storylines.

I dare you to read this book and not smile! Thing is, you will smile…and get a little weepy…and gasp in surprise a few times, as well.

End of the Trail really is that good.

Author Bio:

Vickie and her husband live in Oklahoma. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four grown sons and grandma to a feisty four-year-old girl. When she's not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, gardening, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie's books, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com

New Zoe Mack Mystery - and Giveaway!

 Zoe Mack & A Case of Fatal Attraction

Book 2, Zoe Mack Mystery Series

LEAVE A COMMENT AND BE ENTERED
TO WIN A FREE DOWNLOAD!

Release Date: June 15

Zoe is thrilled when she lands her first paying case until she learns she'll be going undercover at a local blood bank. The fact that she faints at the sight of blood makes working there more than difficult. Who would steal blood and what would they do with it? Is her creepy vampire-like coworker using it in a cult ritual?

When Zoe learns that Nate will be working undercover with her, she's overjoyed. She soon finds that the gorgeous Rikki's attraction to Nate is too distracting and considers throwing him off the case. Zoe questions his loyalty even as Nate proclaims that she's the only girl for him.

Nothing is as it seems and Zoe has no clue who can be trusted. Who's stealing the blood? Is it the director? The vampire-like guy with the fangs who wears all black? Or, her gorgeous co-worker who has a thing for Nate?

Author:  K. Dawn Byrd

K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational romance and romantic suspense with seven books published so far. Recently, she tried her hand at young adult fiction and found that she really enjoyed writing it, which led to a contract for four young adult books for 2012. 

K. Dawn Byrd is an avid blogger and gives away several books per week on her blog at www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com, most of which are signed by the authors. She's also the moderator of the popular facebook Christian Fiction Gathering group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=128209963444. 

When not reading or writing, K. Dawn Byrd enjoys spending time with her husband of 16 years while walking their dogs beside a gorgeous lake near her home and plotting the next story waiting to be told.

Links:

Blog: www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com

Twitter: kdawnbyrd

Book trailer on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1epz5ezneY

The Solomon's Gate Contest

The release of Gypsy's Game in March marked the conclusion of The Solomon's Gate Series. I loved writing it (and I hope you enjoy reading it...)! 

To celebrate the series, I'm conducting a great contest on my website. I'll be giving away TWO Angel Wings Jewelry Sets, and ONE $15 gift certificate to White Rose Publishing. But I need a minimum of 25 entries to validate the contest...so come on over and bring all your friends with you!

Tag, I'm it! 77, 7 & 7

Tag, I'm IT!

I've been tagged by Marianne Evans! Marianne has challenged me to:

1. Go to page 77 of my manuscript.

2. Go to line 7.

3. Copy the next 7 lines/paragraphs.

4. Tag 7 other writers to do the same.

My seven tagged authors are:

Shirley Connolly

Dana Pratola

Donna Basinow

Carla Stewart

Lilly Maytree

Marian Merritt

Patty Froese

Ladies, share your link with me so I can come read your excerpts!

And here's my 77, 7 & 7 from Gypsy's Game:

She stiffened her spine as the pastor’s words rolled over her in waves of condemnation. She had spoken the truth, and it would serve her well to remember that.

Yet she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze from Jal’s. Only his grip on her hands kept her upright. Only the sureness in his touch, the—whatever that something was in his dark eyes—kept her from running screaming back down the aisle and out the door.

“Rings, please,” the minister said, and Jal’s best man placed a familiar wedding band into his hand. Gypsy gasped, recognizing her mother’s ring. When had she given it to Jal?

He slid it on her finger and spoke to her. Only to her, as if they were alone in the room. “I give you this ring to wear with love and joy. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my wife this day and forevermore.”

Gypsy swallowed hard.

He spoke with such sincerity and truth. How could she do this thing, here in the sight of God and all these witnesses?

Because I must.

Clash of the Titles' monthly clashes 
have received a makeover!

Our focus is now on novels new to bookstore shelves. COTT's readers will always have the most up-to-date information on the best and newest Christian literature.

Also...

Thanks to you, our faithful readers, Clash of the Titles’ new unpublished authors literary contest has been christened—

THE OLYMPIA

The path to publication in novel length is the most difficult a writer will embark on. For most, it’s a steep, uphill climb littered with deep crevices and seemingly insurmountable boulders. Often, it feels as though the summit of that mountain is on the move, keeping one toehold ahead of even the most relentless writer.

Ancient Olympia, Greece *Attribution 

In classical times ancient Olympia was the site of the original Olympic Games. It sat at the foot of Mount Olympus, the tallest, most formidable mountain in Greece. The first Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeus, but at Clash of the Titles, we give all honor to the Most High God and wish every contestant His greatest blessing!

Authors, submissions for The Olympia pen October 29, 2012. For preliminary details, please visit The Olympia page.

If you would like more information on how to be a part of our monthly New Releases Clashes, 

please visit our Submissions page.

*Attribution: This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. United States Public Domain.

A New Literary Contest Comes To COTT

Get Ready to Spar!

Dust off those swords (in the Spirit, of course) and put on that literary armor, because Clash of the Titles has an announcement.

The Laurel Award is expanding, and we know you’ll be excited about it.

We are creating a NEW annual literary contest, and it’s strictly for unpublished writers! 

Also, authors will no longer need to be a previous Clash Champion in order to compete for the crown. 

Submissions for this contest open October 29, 2012, 

but first we must name it. That’s right! We want your help naming this exciting, new branch of Clash of the Titles. After reading about it, please take a moment to click on which name you think most fitting for this contest—The Spartan OR The Olympia. (Use survey below.)

About this new contest:

All never before published writers of Christian fiction
may submit their work.
$10 Entry fee.

First two chapters will be judged.

Final scoring by a select panel of beta-readers.

Prizes: 

Special feature on Clash of the Titles' blog.

Tour through COTT’s Blog Alliance.

Page on our site for a full year.

Podcast interview with Author and CAG board member, Cynthia L. Simmons.

A beautiful plaque.

The outcome is in the hands of readers,
not industry professionals.

You’ve written the book of your dreams, now what do readers think? Enter the arena and find out. 

Stay tuned for further dates and details by 
subscribing to our blog and “liking” our Facebook page.

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

Review: Heart's Key (Woodland Series #4)

(Click to purchase)

I read this book out of sequence in the Woodland series, but that little error in no way lessened my enjoyment of the story.

Having watched Tyler Brock and Amy Maxwell tiptoe around their feelings for each other in Heart’s Surrender, I was pleased to revisit this couple in the heartwarming finale to the Woodland Series. Amy’s abusive marital situation bursts into existence from the first page. Her courage in the last moments of that mistaken union puts the reader firmly on her side, and longing for something better for her and her adorable little girl, Pyper. When Tyler, now a rapidly rising Christian music artist, re-enters Amy’s life, the sparks from five years earlier burst into flame.

This author has an incredible insight into human emotion, and what makes people tick. She makes it easy to feel Amy’s hesitation about entering Tyler’s Nashville-colored world, and her simultaneous longing to be with him, wherever he is. Little Pyper’s heart-breaking fear of men, fostered by her father’s shameful abuse, is poignantly painted and beautifully handled. Tyler’s constant and undying love for Amy, his gentleness with Pyper, his consecration to Christ…he’s a beautiful picture of Christian dedication and true love in its purest form.

Once again, I am utterly “wowed” by a Marianne Evans novel. Evans knows how to write, and how to keep readers reading. Absolutely, unequivocally, unconditionally, without question…recommended!