Unpublished WINNER!

*Guest post by--COTT Sr. Editor, April W Gardner

*This clash sponsored by WhiteFire Publishing

The first five hundred words of any story are usually enough to clue us is as to the author's style, the tone the book will take, and whether or not the story will hold our interest. It's those five hundred from two different unpublished novels that Clash of the Titles presented to you last week. 

Will Ramirez's Soul Yearning

and

Nancy Kimball's Chasing the Lion ****

We asked our readers which they would be most likely to continue reading and this is how they voted:

CHASING THE LION

by Nancy Kimball

In addition to a hearty welcome to the COTT family, as announced yesterday, Nancy was invited by Astraea Press to submit a complete proposal for immediate review. Maybe one day very soon, we'll see Chasing the Lion come back to Clash of the Titles to compete as a published novel!

This is what our readers had to say about Chasing the Lion:

*The first excerpt really grabbed my attention- especially since it stirred my emotions... and my love of mystery. 

*What was the answer his mother gave that caused this strong boy to run away? Very well done!

* Who's the dad?!?! I'm hanging off a cliff wondering!

About the novel

Author Nancy Kimball

From the blood-soaked sand of the Roman arena, a divine destiny will rise. For as long as Jonathan Tarquinius can remember, everyone has wanted something from him. His brothers want him dead. His master’s wife wants his innocence. The gladiator dealers want him to fight, and die, for their greed. The humble slave girl who tends the wounds on his body and the hidden ones on his soul yearns for him to return to his faith in God. God wants something from Jonathan, too. Something more than anyone could ever imagine. What Jonathan wants is simple—freedom. The young warrior’s journey will push him to the very limits of human endurance and teach him the only true freedom is found in Christ. The greatest battle Jonathan ever fights will not come in the arena, but deep within himself, when he is forced to choose between vengeance and forgiveness, knowing the fate of all he holds dear hangs in the balance.

***

Monday, March 5, COTT will see the start of yet another unpublished clash. This one however, carries the theme of speculative fiction, a newer genre that's taken the market by storm. Come on by for another opportunity to vote and win a copy of previous COTT Champ Diane M Graham's new novel, I Am Ocilla!

News. Reviews. Previews.

This was a happening week on this little blog guy, but I'm nowhere near finished. If you're reading this at marjilaine.blogspot.com, know that I have moved and will continue to move to marjilaine.wordpress.com. There's a little follow button at the top of the screen. You would make my day if you clicked it.

And though the circumstances of this week jolted up and down, I'm satisfied with what I accomplished. In this weekender, you'll get the chance to see:

• Some amazing articles, hand-picked by me. 
• The articles you might have missed from last week.
• My ROW80 writing challenge update.
• The articles you'll get to see this week.

NEWS

I'm still working on this feature, though because some of my favorite blogs, like KeliGwyn.wordpress.com, RachelleGardner.com, and likeachildforJesus.wordpress.com, aren't showing up. I could add SteveLaube.com and others to that list as well. I'll stay with it.

REVIEWS

I was so pleased with the move to my new blog last week. Right away I started getting more visits at Wordpress than I did at Blogger. But then maybe that's because of the content on Monday when I compared Wordpress and Blogger. (A hard contest!) On Tuesday, I filled my docket with some inspiration from Ephesians. Wednesday, I added my ROW80 update to another observation about Wordpress. We're working through things. So on Thursday, I discussed the things I'm learning about myself and how they compare to the characters I set up. An author review with Fay Lamb rounded out the week on Friday.

ROW80

The requirements of some volunteer work I do intensified this week. Unable to write the first half of the week, I kept struggling to get to it the second-half but found myself out of practice. How can I get out of practice in only a few weeks. I mean I never REALLY stop writing, just stop working on the WIP. But then that's the issue. This isn't a non-fiction book that I can write a section at a time. A novel flows without stopping places - making placing a bookmark or putting the story down very difficult. So in taking a break from it, I really need to carve out a great chunk of time to settle back into the story world again. 

Along with a new goal of writing 1000 words every day, I'm toying with breaking my blog into chunks as well. Not many bloggers set up brand new articles every day, but I don't think I'm giving these articles my best effort because I have to churn them out, usually at night, with little time for inspiration or even editing. (I hate finding the mistakes!)

So as much as I'd like to continue with some of the daily plans I have, like my cool A2Z blog hop, (Second time through the alphabet!) I think I need to find a tighter niche for my writing. No big changes yet, but I'm looking for inspiration. I could use prayer for that!

PREVIEWS

Like I said, nothing really changes this week. On Monday, I'll be highlighting the Clash of the Titles winner from this week. Such a great way to get a chewy morsel from a book, like a sample off a cookie tray, to see if it resonates! Tuesday will be my regular A2Z article, but this one is extraordinary. I literally shed tears over it. Definitely a must-see. On Wednesday, I'll share another update and take you along on my journey for a bit. Thursday's offering will likely be linked to Social Media as it is beginning to consume every spare moment. And on Friday, I hope to have a new author interview to share with you.

So what are your plans for this weekend?

Yea for the Almost Kiss Winner!

*guest post by Raquel Byrnes

The Almost Kiss clash has been a whirlwind of romance, breathless moments, and possibilities! Your responses to the excerpts were amazing.Both books were great examples of riveting Christian Fiction available out there, but there can be only one winner and I am happy to announce that book is...

A Thyme for Love by Pamela S. Meyers!

Pamela's winning Almost Kiss excerpt was full of sparks and surprises.  Here's a small snippet of the great scene:

...Marc tipped my chin up with his index finger. “April, you’re sweating.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed my forehead. I had nowhere to look but into his eyes and, once there, I couldn’t pull my gaze away. Good thing I didn’t want to. His eyes went to my mouth and he leaned closer. I lifted my chin in anticipation. So much for the boss’s orders... 

He brought his mouth closer, and the tiny elevator started to spin. Then everything went black.

If you missed it, drop by Clash of the Titles to take a peek at One Breathless Moment... We received positive reader response for this spunky romance. "Great tension! I was riveted to every word!" "Love the anticipation and butterflies in the almost kiss scene..." "The setting was marvelous, the tension leaped off the pages." A Thyme for Love is a wonderful example of the awesome Christian fiction available.  This week, an exciting new Unpublished Novel Clash begins. It's hosted by our very own April Gardner! Make sure you come by for another chance to vote and WIN a free book!

Amish Clash

*guest post by Delia Latham
It's been an edge-of-the-seat, flashing-swords kind of Clash between Vannetta Chapman and Beth Wiseman. These gals elicited some genuine response! It is beyond clear that both authors are well loved, and that their writing touches hearts. This was an Amish clash, and if you missed it, you'll definitely want to check out the excerpts, as both were excellent examples of GOOD Amish fiction. Beth Wiseman's The Wonder of Your Love elicits a whole tangle of emotions, with a dreaded meeting between an Amish woman and her deceased husband's Englitscher mistress.


If you missed our interview with Beth, be sure to stop by and check it out. Vannetta Chapman's Falling to Pieces, on the other hand, paints a poignant picture of loss and confusion after the death of a loved one, all wrapped up in a stack of gorgeous Amish quilts.

And here's our interview with Vannetta. I'd love to post every reader response, because I didn't see a single negative one in the overwhelming number we received…but in the interest of space, I had to choose just a few:


Please don't stop writing...because your gift transports me to another place, away from all the stresses of life and encourages me!

I love Amish Fiction. Both of these excerpts make me want to dive into these ladies' lives.


Hearing an Amish story takes me back to my childhood in the mountains of Kentucky. We read by lamp, the Bible mostly. Everything we ate we grew in the garden and canned on a wood stove for winter. The outhouse was about fifty yards from the backdoor. Thanks to both of you for taking me back. God Bless. 


I love the Amish Clash as I love to read Amish stories. Having been in the homes of Amish people and corresponding so many years, my home has a room with all Amish figurines and dolls. Keep writing Amish fiction. 


Keep writing! We all need encouragement to live more simply like the Amish! 


I was drawn into the stories immediately, and now those characters are going to be following me around all day! 


We are so grateful for this feedback from our readers! It's your involvement that gives Clash of the Titles its purpose. So, which sword-wielding author came out on top? As much as I'd love to name both of them (since they're so obviously both WINNERS!), we can only have one victor per clash. That victor, this time around, was:

BETH WISEMAN

The Wonder of Your Love

CONGRATULATIONS, BETH!

A brand new clash is now underway, and it's the kind that will curl your toes. Head over to Clash of the Titles and vote for the best Almost Kiss!