Clash of the Titles's Birthday Giveaway

Besides a giving way a fantastic

Birthday Bundle of Books,

Clash of the Titles in showcasing another

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

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{About The Soul of the Rose}

In 1876, after the tragic death of her closest friend, 20-year-old Celia Thatcher is sent to work in the bookstore of family friends. Hoping the new surroundings in Massachusetts will help her regain a happy outlook on life, Celia catches the eye of not one, but two men: the elite, but unkempt Bostonian-turned-hermit, Edward Lyons, who is clearly trying to run from his past and from God, and Charles Harrod, a charming Harvard law student who promotes a religious belief Celia has never before considered. With both men vying for her attention, Celia s world is again turned upside down when one of her beaus is accused of murder. Suddenly realizing where her heart lies, Celia is now challenged with a choice bigger than man: should she follow her heart or her God?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{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 Fort Lauderdale.

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

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Clash of the Titles turns three this week!

So we're giving away three books to one lucky winner.

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

ENTER CONTEST HERE

By entering the contest, you understand that 1.) the books may arrive in Kindle, Nook, or paperback format, according to each authors' preference, 2.) each author will send his/her book directly to the winner, 3.) COTT cannot be held responsible for missing prizes, 4.) an entry in this contest does NOT subscribe you to any feeds, newsletters, or other publications or networks

A Chance to WIN BIG from Thomas Nelson Publishers!

Who's excited for fall? Changing leaves, cooler temps, warm drinks, bonfires — and new book releases! Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction have a great lineup of new books slated to release this fall, and you have the chance to win them!

Above you'll find ten of the fall releases with their authors and titles missing. Your job is to figure out which book cover belongs to each author and title. Simply follow the instructions on the widget below.

You have until September 30th, at 11:59 p.m. to get your entries and guesses in. The winner will be announced on the Litfuse blog and will receive all ten releases! (Or better yet, subscribe to their blog [enter your email in the blog sidebar] and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

March 2013 Clash of the Titles Winner

**Guest post by April Gardner. 
 
The winner of Clash of the Titles' latest Clash is:

Congratulations, MaryLu Tyndall, who is now a two-time clash winner!

Special thanks to her competitors for their participation:

Sadie and Sophie Cuffe

Gina Holmes

Christine Lindsey

Noelle Marchand

{About Forsaken Dreams}

They Left Everything Behind to Build a New Southern Utopia

Colonel Blake Wallace has seen enough death to last a lifetime. Weary and disillusioned, he slumps beneath the weight of defeat and loss. With his entire family murdered by the North and his name appearing on a list of officers wanted for war crimes, Blake organizes a shipload of southerners who, like him, long to escape the horrors of war and start a new life in a verdant land called Brazil.

Eliza Crawford can barely remember the days of her youth spent in opulence and comfort at her Georgian home. She can't help but wonder how different her life would be had she not met her late husband, Stanton Watts, a general in the Northern army. Now a war widow, Eliza is rejected by both North and South. Desperate to keep her marriage a secret and escape her past and pain, she longs to start over again in Brazil.

But once the voyage begins, troubles abound. Dangers at sea  and enemies from within threaten to keep Blake and Eliza from the new life and love they long for.

PURCHASE:

AMAZON

Barens & Noble

CBD

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"Just when I think MaryLu Tyndall cannot write a more passionate, page-turning romance...she does! Forsaken Dreams is a worthy addition to your keeper shelf, melding adventure, love, and spiritual truths in soul-enriching ways. A blessed start to a new series!"

~ Laura Frantz, author of The Colonel's Lady and Love's Reckoning

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{Backstage with MaryLu}

Several things inspired me to write my new Escape to Paradise series. First the history is so fascinating. I never knew that so many (tens of thousands) Southerners fled the South after the Civil War for greener pastures. Many went to Mexico, some out west, but several thousand went to Brazil. Their descendants still celebrate there today! Secondly I'm a big fan of the TV show LOST, in particular the jungle setting and the spiritual themes that ran through the show.

I love the supernatural and I saw an opportunity to write a story about a group of settlers who are in a sense, running away from their problems and from God, but who end up being part of an eternal plan that involves a battle between good and evil.   Forsaken Dreams is the account of their voyage to Brazil, during which the reader meets all the characters and discovers their individual reasons for running away.

Themes of forgiveness, bitterness, hatred, guilt, rebellion and even Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome are addressed as the colonists face several disasters that threaten their mission and their lives. During the trip, hints are given here and there that something much larger is at stake waiting for them in Brazil, something that originated behind the curtain of the natural world.

{More About Marylu Tyndall}

A Christy Award finalist and best-selling author, MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of tall ships and swashbuckling pirates during her childhood years on Florida's Atlantic Coast. With over a dozen novels published, she continues to pen her romantic tales while managing a home, husband, six adult kids, and three cats who have decided that her keyboard is the best place to sleep!  She believes that without popcorn and chocolate, life would not be worth living, and her sole motivation in life is to bring others closer to God.

For more information on MaryLu and her books, please visit her website at http://www.marylutyndall.com or her blog at http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/ or you can find her on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall-Swashbuckling-Romance/175344859169475

A New Contest For Unpublished Authors

Get Ready to Spar!

Clash of the Titles Unveils a NEW annual literary contest, 
THE OLYMPIA
and it’s strictly for unpublished writers! 

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

Submissions open September 14, 2012, 

As always at COTT, the outcome of the contest 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. 

Olympia 2013 Submission Rules

The OLYMPIA provides an opportunity for unpublished novelists to have the first two chapters (or 3,500 words) of their work judged and critiqued by readers that are well-versed in Christian fiction yet not a part of the CBA industry.

ELIGIBILITY: Any author whose novel-length work (30,000+ words) has not been previously published in ANY format is eligible for entry. That includes the manuscript being submitted as well as any other manuscript the submitting author has written. One entry per author. Co-authored entries accepted. The manuscript should not contain profanity, graphic sex, or other objectionable material. Clash of the Titles staff reserves the right to reject submissions not meeting this requirement.

FEE: $10 payable via Paypal

Paypal account: contactcott@gmail.com

If Paypal is not an option for you, please contact senior editor, April Gardner at contactcott@gmail.com.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: All entries must include a single-spaced one page synopsis of the manuscript immediately followed by the first two chapters of the novel. Word count limit is 3,500. Prologues are accepted, so long as the word count limit is not exceeded.

FORMAT: Manuscripts must be in Times New Roman, 12 pt font, double-spaced with pages numbered. One inch margins in Ms Doc (not Docx) or Rich Text Format (RTF). Insert a header which includes the novel’s genre and title, and nothing more. Judging is anonymous. Do NOT include your name anywhere in the document or in the title the document is saved under.

Entries not following the submission and formatting specifications will be returned. Entries may be resubmitted prior to the deadline. Entry fees for returned entries will not be refunded after the contest entry deadline has passed.

JUDGING: 

Round One begins November 02, 2012. Entries will first be judged by Clash of the Titles staff, which includes published authors and writers experienced in judging. During this round, COTT staff will be looking for those excerpts which do not meet content standards listed in “Eligibility” above. Because COTT wishes to send only the best quality of writing to its judges, in addition to content eligibility, they will be reading for a higher level of experience in the craft.

Round Two begins November 30, 2012. By this date all entrants will have received an email notifying them whether or not their manuscript has moved on to Round Two. Manuscripts making it to this round will be read by a group of judges who are comprised of your average reader of Christian fiction and that are in no way associated with the CBA industry. This includes agents, writers, avid reviewers, publicists, editors, etc. They are, in short, your audience.

Round Three begins January 21, 2013. By this date, all remaining entrants will be notified of whether or not their manuscript will be moving on. Only three manuscripts will be chosen for this round. Finalist will be announced January 18. Judges pending.

Authors will receive an anonymous digital copy of each of their judge’s scores and comments. Under no circumstance should comments given by a judge be used for publicity or promotional purposes without the express consent of the judge.

PRIZES: One first-place winner will be chosen. He/she will receive a special feature on Clash of the Titles' blog. A tour through COTT’s Blog Alliance. A dedicated page on COTT’s site for a full year. A podcast interview with author and CAG board member, Cynthia L. Simmons. A beautiful plaque. Additional prizes pending.

DEADLINES: Submissions will open Friday, September 14, 2012. All contest entries and fees must be received no later than 8:00 PM EST Friday, November 02, 2012.

All entries will receive a confirmation e-mail. If this has not occurred by 8:00 PM EST November 03, 2012, the entrant should e-mail COTT senior editor, April Gardner at contactcott@gmail.com.

The winner will be announced Friday, March 01, 2013

Stay tuned for updates by 
subscribing to COTT's blog and “liking” our Facebook page.

COTT's Winning May Release Christian Fiction Novel

Today's host: Jennifer Slattery


This has been an exciting clash! Two debut authors--Katie Ganshert with Wildflowers from Winter and Dineen Miller with Soul Saver--entered the ring, sparring with three of Christian fiction's greats, the very talented, multi-published Deborah Raney, Martha Rogers, and Lynette Eason. Talk about an exciting clash! 


This competition was very close. Soon after we opened the poles, our two debut authors rose to the top. The victor won by one vote. 


You, our ever-faithful readers, have spoken.


The winner of our May Release Clash is ....

Katie Ganshert with Wilflowers from Winter! Congrats, Katie! You've been automatically entered in our prestigious Laurel Award contest and sent directly to Round 2.  

Wildflowers from Winter:

A young architect at a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces Bethany to come up with a new plan.

Handsome farmhand Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps so carefully locked away.

For Bethany, making peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not even sure exists?

Read the first chapter here. 

Praise for Wildflowers from Winter
“Katie Ganshert knows how to wring the heart of a scene in order to place her reader within a character’s pain and wonder. Wildflowers from Winter is a romantic beauty-from-ashes story – and a promising series starter from this debut author.”

- USA Today

“In this novel rich in details and well-thought-out characters, Ganshert offers something for everyone: romance, secrets, a few laughs. The reader will come away with the knowledge that even in the arms of grief, hope emerges after loss.”

- Romantic Times 

“Themes of loss and redemption, believable characters, and a realistic view of life’s challenges make this debut a worthwhile, gut-wrenching read. Recommended for fans of Francine Rivers.”

-Library Journal 

Buy the book at: 
Amazon: Paperback Kindle
BarnesandNoble.com


Get to know Katie:
Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the Midwest, where she writes stories about finding faith and falling in love. When she’s not busy plotting her next novel, she enjoys watching movies with her husband, playing make-believe with her wild-child of a son, and chatting with her girlfriends over bagels. She and her husband are in the process of adopting from the Congo. You can find her online at her blog and on Facebook.  


Q & A with Katie 


If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Hands down, I wish I could apparate like the witches and wizards in Harry Potter. In case you don’t read those books, apparition is the ability to think of a place you want to go and *poof* you’re there. Do you know how amazing that would be? Seriously. No more spending time in traffic. No more paying for gas. No more ears popping in planes. And if I wanted to write a story set in Novosibirsk, Russia, do you know how easy it would be to research? Okay, so maybe my editor is happy I can’t apparate. 

If you could witness any event in history, which event would you choose?
Something to do with Jesus. Either His birth or His resurrection. I don’t think I could handle His death.  

If you could be an animal, what animal would you be?
I’d be an octopus. They don’t have many predators, do they? Or maybe a jelly fish. Something where I could explore the depths of the ocean and meet Nemo. I also want to know if mermaids are real.

What was your favorite book growing up?
Hands down, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It was the first book that swept me up and transported me into a different world. I absolutely could not put it down. I have so much nostalgia for this book that when I taught 5th grade, I read it to my students each year. The story has so much word play and symbolism that went over my head as a kid, but I can appreciate now as an adult. Plus, the message is beautiful. Don’t let the old-fashioned cover scare you off. It’s such a fun book. 

When did you start writing?
In third grade I wrote this epic, life-changing story about Mr. and Mrs. Leaf. In fact, it was so epic and life-changing, my 3rd grade teacher read it out loud to the class and everybody clapped and cheered. Okay, so maybe not. But it was at least good enough to read out loud. And so a love-affair was born. I found something I could do well. From there on out, I wrote all kinds of stories and bless my parents for being so patient, they listened as I read every single one of them out loud (sometimes with an accent).

Where do you get your ideas?
Usually in church. While most of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are listening and self-reflecting and confessing and pondering the vastness and greatness of God, I’m the weirdo who’s thinking, “This would be a great spiritual arc for my character.” 

What are three of the hardest things about being a writer?

• Sitting in the chair and putting my hands on the keyboard on days when inspiration refuses to cooperate. Talk about torture.
• Waiting. There’s always something to wait for on this journey. And since I’m an impatient person, this doesn’t come easily.
• Sharing my stories. Enter fear and trembling. Because what if people don’t like them?

What are three of the best things about being a writer?

• Sitting in the chair and putting my hands on the keyboard on days when inspiration flows so fast I can’t catch it all. What a rush.
• Waiting. Because through the long moments of nothing, I’m reminded again and again to surrender my hopes and dreams to Him.
• Sharing my stories. Enter excitement and anticipation. Because what if people like them? 

Thank you to all of our talented competing authors who helped make this a phenomenal (nail-biting) clash! 


Voters, what hooked you most, the blurbs or the covers? For me, it was a combination, but the intriguing covers really grabbed me. ALL of these novels instantly moved to my "must-read" list.  

COTT's New Contests!

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.

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.

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.

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