COTT: "A Place in His Heart," a New World Romance!

Today's featured novel,

A PLACE IN HIS HEART

 is a historical romance authored by Rebecca DeMarino. 

It's her debut novel and book one of 

The Southold Chronicles.

"I hope my readers find pure entertainment! I hope they enjoy the love story, with all of the ups and downs of Mary and Barnabas. I hope they get lost in a time period that was so far different than ours, and yet so filled with the same emotions – heartache and joy, a sense of belonging and adventure. The takeaway I had in writing this story is that God is with us – He will hold our hand – in all of our journeys, if we ask Him!"

 --Author Rebecca DeMarino

PURCHASE
Amazon
Barnes and Noble 

About the book:
Anglican Mary Langton longs to marry for love. Left at the altar and disgraced in her small hamlet, she is being pressured to marry the eligible son of the London milliner. Puritan Barnabas Horton, the town baker, still grieves the loss of his beloved wife, but he knows his two young sons need a mother.

With tender hearts, Mary and Barnabas take a leap of faith and wed. But when Barnabas’s secret plans to move his family to the New World to escape persecution come to light, Mary’s world is upended. How could she possibly leave her Papa and her dear sister? And will she ever reach the secret places of her husband’s broken heart?

About the author:

Rebecca DeMarino lives in the Pacific Northwest, and inherited her love of baking and gardening from her mother, a love of horses, reading and writing from her dad, and a wanderlust gene from both parents. No one knows where she got her passion for jogging and hiking! A Place in His Heart, is a historical romance inspired by her ninth great-grandparents, Barnabas and Mary Horton, and is book one of The Southold Chronicles.

How the book came about:
"I grew up listening to my mom’s stories about Barnabas Horton, my ninth great-grandfather and how he

came across the pond from England on a ship called The Swallow, in the 1600’s. When my brother became interested in genealogy, we discovered there was a lighthouse named after Barnabas, located on Long Island. I asked my mom if she’d like to go there, and off we went.

"There was a lot of interesting information about Barnabas. He was a baker and a very recent widower with two young sons when he met my ninth great-grandmother, Mary, in Mowsley, England. But I could find very little about her, and I began to wonder about what dreams and motivations she had, and the courage she must have possessed, when she married and then left her family behind for the wilds of Long Island. 

"A few years later, I began writing my first novel in hope that I could give her and the other courageous women who followed their men across the pond a voice." --Rebecca DeMarino

Find more great new inspirational novels at Clash of the Titles.com!

COTT: June's Hot New Releases Clash of the Titles Champion

Thank you, voters and encouragers, for a great Clash of the Titles, June 2014 Release Battle.

We'll begin our champion announcement with the kindness of the voters....

Comments of Encouragement for this Month’s CLASH Authors:

They are all stunning... I love though how Tamara writes in the medieval time... Hard to find clean fiction in that time period :)

Heather Day Gilbert's previous novel convinced me to put any other fiction she writes in the top level of my "to read" list, so this month's choice was easy--even though there are some other books here that are also on my list.

Anytime a book weaves a tale that crosses generations is always a draw for me.  Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert offers that and a peak into WV life with a great mystery.  Love it!

Oh my goodness -- too many wanna-reads in this list, not the least of which are Blind Trust, A Place in His Heart, and Lady of Eve. No fair we only get to vote for one!! ;)

A Place in His Heart is a beautiful story! So amazing that it's based on the author's ancestry.

Jolina Petersheim, I read "The Outcast" and I'm looking forward to reading your new book "The Midwife." I enjoy Amish fiction. Keep up the great work!

Best of luck Heather Gray Jackal is one of my all time favourite books!!

Rebecca DeMarino is off to a good start in her first of "The Southold Chronicles." I am looking forward to the second novel.

And Now, on to our Champion, with a sweet kudos to another clasher:

Sandra, Blind Trust looks intriguing, so I ordered a copy. I've already read Moon over Maalaea Bay at least 30 times. :)

Love Sandra's romantic suspense!

Sandra Orchard, I am looking forward to reading all the book in this series. Love the characters!  Blind Trust looks great!

Sandra Orchard is the best.  I enjoy her books and can't wait till the next one.  Blind Trust is a great book.

Sandra Orchard -- Your cover is fabulous -- I can't wait to read the story.   

And the winner is – Sandra Orchard, and Blind Trust!

Congratulations!

About the book:

Blind Trust

June 2014

Revell, paperback, 325 pp.

$14.99

9780800722234

Revell, e-book, $14.99

9781441245069 

Buy on Amazon 

Caught passing counterfeit bills, Kate Adams races to expose the true counterfeiter before unwitting suspects pay with their lives, but the truth could endanger her most of all.

Book 2 in the Port Aster Secrets series

Kate Adams had no idea she was carrying counterfeit money, and she can’t believe that it came from her sweet neighbor. Or that it lands her in the middle of another one of Detective Tom Parker’s investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor’s innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue that is far deeper than a two-bit counterfeit operation–and strikes too close to home for comfort. As family secrets come to light, her world–and her budding romance with Tom–begin to crumble. To Kate, it’s clear that she won’t be safe until she uncovers all of Port Aster’s secrets. But is it too late for her and Tom?

N.B. Each book in this series is a stand-alone mystery featuring Kate Adams, a herbal medicine researcher turned amateur sleuth, and Tom Parker, Port Aster’s newest detective. Together the three-book series reads as a romantic suspense, with Kate and Tom’s romance and an underlying suspense plot arcing the series. For that reason, and because book two is a spoiler for book one, we recommend the series be read in order.

A review from Booklist:

The second of Christian romantic-suspense author Orchard’s Port Aster Secrets novels, Blind Trust finds Kate Adams still reeling from her friend’s murder as she attempts to get her life back in order. However, what begins as a seemingly small-time counterfeit operation soon spirals into something much bigger, with Kate at the center. Detective Tom Parker has his eye on Kate, and not because she’s a suspect. His feelings for her continue to grow, as does his desire to protect her, but Kate’s determination to get to the truth on her own means that Tom is often getting her out of trouble, rather than keeping her from it. When the action shifts from mere counterfeiting to poisoning, theft, and decades-old secrets, Kate insists on researching her way to the facts. Orchard infuses romance with suspense and keeps the excitement coming page after page. Readers will love the ever-deepening mystery as Kate extends her investigation and finds herself and her long-dead father tangled up in an international corporate conspiracy. Will Kate be able to clear her father’s name, and stay safe?    — Carolyn Richard

About the Author:

Sandra Orchard is an award-winning author of inspirational romantic suspense/mysteries with Love Inspired Suspense and Revell Publishing. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America and The Word Guild (Canada). A mother of three grown children, she lives in Niagara, Canada with her real-life-hero husband and writes full time…when not doting on her young grandchildren.  You can learn more about Sandra’s books and bonus features at www.SandraOrchard.com or connect at www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard

Drones Are In!

TV thrillers such as 24: Live Another Day and others are including drones more now than ever before. CBS's 60 Minutes did a story of the increase in drone use for fun and commercial endeavors.

Just look at some of the recent books on Amazon with "drone" in the title:

·         Drones (An International Romantic Thriller) (The Maliviziati Series) by Johnny Ray (Nov 17, 2013)

·         Drones: Their Many Civilian Uses and the U.S. Laws Surrounding Them. by Jonathan Rupprecht (Apr 17, 2014)

·         Drone Entrepreneurship by Jerry LeMieux and James Poss (Dec 4, 2013)

·         DRONES: The Truth About Unmanned Ariel Vehicles by Brenda Foster (Jul 23, 2014)

·         Drones: The Real Truth: What You Need to Know About Unmanned Aerial Vehicles & How They Might Affect Your Life... by Sam Cossman (Jul 13, 2014)

·         DRONE by David James Sullivan (Jun 22, 2014)

·         DRONES (SPECTRAL FUTURES) by Olsen J. Nelson (Apr 16, 2013)

·         DJI Phantom 2: How to Fly Drones, Quad Copters, and The Phantom 2 by David Oneal (Apr 10, 2014)

·         Drone: Test Run (A Superhero Short Story) by Jay Stone (May 8, 2013)

·         UAV Pilot - How to Be Ready for the Coming Drone Pilot Job Boom by J.J. Best (Nov 12, 2013)

·         Drones Over Seattle: Wade's People by R.W. Clark and Elliot Whiting (May 8, 2014)

·         The Amazing Potential of Friendly Drones by James Barton and Jonathan Todd (Jun 4, 2014)

The Vengeance Squad Goes to England

My latest novel, The Vengeance Squad Goes to England, includes a drone. The vengeance squad's Chris McCowan put his drone together on the cheap with a toy helicopter and some creative use of webcams. He laughed when he used the word "drone" in talking about the contraption. But it worked.

Here's an excerpt:

I revved up the helicopter's engine with the remote control then realized I didn't have a plan for entering the house. When the woman closed the door, I rushed back to the van so fast I forgot to check the window. I knew Jane had broken it and Virgil had opened it. But was it open wide enough for the drone? Was the curtain out of the way?

I had to go back.

I turned off the motor and grabbed my phone in case Tex said anything. I ran back to the house and stood outside the window listening for a few seconds. Since I didn't hear anything, I opened each side of the window covering as far as possible. I reached in and slid the curtain to the side. The helicopter could probably make its way through the flimsy drapery, but as long as I was here, I might as well make it easier to fly in. I just hoped the woman wasn't in the room where the window was. Knowing Virgil, I didn't think the woman would call the police, but she may have a weapon.

"Look out!"

I jumped while searching for danger around me before I realized it was Tex on the phone in my jacket pocket.

I retrieved the phone. "What happened?" My heart pumped harder now, even though I knew the danger was there, not here. I checked my surroundings again before I moved quickly back to the van with the phone held tightly against my ear.

"We're okay now," he said. "Liz sort of ran off the road."

"What? What do you mean? Are you still moving? How close is Virgil?"

"Whoa. We're okay. We're in the park. The road is narrow and there are no obstructions along the sides. Liz took a shortcut by going straight where the road curved. That's all. Scared me, but we're okay. Sorry you heard me."

"What about Virgil?" I asked.

"He's gaining on us. I hope you can finish your job at the house so we can call the police to help us with Virgil or at least scare him off. How's it going there?"

"Okay. I have the windows open and I'm ready to fly the drone into the house." I didn't want to worry the others with the fact that there was a woman in the house. He had all he could handle there. I could tell him later, after I got the bank information.

"Good," Tex said. "We're counting on you, Doc. Liz, you're on the grass again. Do you see those cows?"

"What is she doing now?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. She's completely off the road and we're heading toward the edge of the cliff. Right where you told us not to go." His voice rose. "Watch the edge, Liz. There are no barriers there. What?"

"What'd she say?" I asked.

"She saw some people there and thought Virgil might act differently with a few witnesses around."

"Okay. That's a good idea. Be careful. I better get this helicopter going. Keep this line open."

"You're too close, Liz. Turn, turn, turn. No, not that way!" Tex was yelling. "Hit the brakes! Stop!"

I couldn't quit listening to their venture long enough to do my job. But, I had to. I needed to get to work finding the bank information. After all, that was the reason my friends had put themselves in danger. I started the helicopter engine, wondering if the fuel tank was full.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

"Tex! Are you there?"

There was a long pause.

"We're okay. For now. The front two wheels are hanging over the cliff. Liz has it in reverse but I think we're stuck here. Virgil has parked and is walking toward us."

"What about the people Liz saw there?" I asked.

"They're still a hundred yards away. They're walking toward us now. Some are running."

"Any chance the bookmobile will fall over the cliff?"

"I don't think so, but we moved to the back to weight it down."

"What's Virgil doing now?"

"He's pushing on the back of the bookmobile."

"With his body?"

"Yes."

"Is it moving?" I asked.

"No. Not at all. With two wheels off the ground, it'll take more power than that to move this monster."

"Good. Ask Jane to use her phone to call the police so you can keep this line open. I've got to get this helicopter into the house before it runs out of fuel."

"Uh-oh," Tex said.

"What's happening?"

"Virgil is in his car and he's trying to use it to push us off the cliff. He'd actually kill all of us if he could. Don't worry, it's not working."

"Chris, Jane here. How do I call the police?"

"The emergency number in the United Kingdom is 999," I said, wondering how I knew. Having an over-achieving memory was sometimes fun and sometimes a benefit, but often unnerving.

I heard Liz hollering in the background, but couldn't make out what she said.

"What's Liz saying?" I asked.

"She says there are three of us and we should go grab him and arrest him until the police get here." It was Tex back on the phone.

"Tell her to wait," I said.

"Liz," Tex said. "Take your suitcase. Knock him down like you did in Stratford."

I heard the sound of a gunshot through the phone.

"Everybody get down!" Tex said.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"Just a minute," Tex said.

I waited, but he was silent. The helicopter was ready. I couldn't wait any longer. "Tex! Is everyone okay?"

"No one's hurt. We're just hiding. Liz had just stepped out when Virgil pulled a gun and fired at her. The bullet hit her suitcase. Probably went through it. She dropped it and fell back into the bookmobile. She's okay. Looks scared, but that's all."

"What about the people who were heading toward you?" I asked.

"I'm not sure where Virgil is now and I'm already up pretty high because of this chair. Jane, can you see where the people are now?"

There was another pause and I could hear Jane's voice faintly.

"They've turned away," Tex said. Probably heard the gunshot. I suspect they'll call for help. There's not much on the hill in the way of cover."

I heard the sirens from where I stood, not sounds over the phone. "Someone called for help or Jane's call got through. I hear sirens."

"Good," Tex said. "I hope they get here soon. To scare Virgil off."

More gunshots.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Several gunshots came through our back window." It was a stage whisper.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked.

There was no response. I stared at the phone to see if I still had a connection, but there was none. Tex may have dropped his phone in the excitement of being shot at. Or perhaps, it was worse. I wanted to call back, but I had to finish my mission. Every fiber of my body said I should jump in the van and go to them. Help them. But I couldn't. They were counting on me. They were in harm's way so I could do my part of the job.

I heard sirens, hoping it was help for my friends. I stared at the phone one more time and looked in the direction of where I thought they were. I had no other choice. I grabbed the remote controls, guided the homemade drone into the air and turned it toward the open window at Virgil's house.

Want to read more? Order it here: http://www.amazon.com/author/sidneyfrost.

$229 Kindle Giveaway

It's time for August's $229 Kindle Giveaway Hosted by I Am A Reader. 
Enter to win 1 of 2 great prizes both valued at $229. 
Winner’s choice of a Kindle Fire HDX or $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 Paypal Cash! The first prize is available via the rafflecopter below. The 2nd is available only to those share this giveaway. You can find info on how to enter the 2nd giveaway in the rafflecopter.

   

Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)

Kindle Fire HDX 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)

  Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

  Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)

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