--host April Gardner
Ever wonder what an author thinks about his own writing? Which sentence, paragraph, or chapter she is most proud of? A particular passage that makes her cringe remembering how difficult it was to pen? I don’t plan to talk about the last (grin), but during this Clash we will discuss two authors’ favorite passages from their own novels.
For the next four days, the voting box will be open for you and your friends (spread the word!) to let us know which is your favorite. In addition to that, we wonder if there is a particular LINE from either of these two that you find exceptionally compelling. If so, let us know in the comments section!
Remember that leaving comments, posting to Facebook or Twitter, or following our blog will earn you extra entries in the drawing that will be held right here on August 12th. One copy of each of these books will be given away.
Happy voting!
EXCERPT A
“Do you see that black Hyundai behind us?” Mallory’s tone carried with it an element of fear.
Colton glanced at the rear-view mirror. “The one two cars back?”
“Yeah, the SUV. It’s the same one that was behind us when we left the Golani Junction.”
“A lot of people travel these roads. It’s probably just a coincidence.”
The SUV suddenly accelerated after a car passed by. CRACK. A bullet-sized hole tore through the windshield, barely missing Mallory and Colton.
“Floor it!”
Another bullet punched through the windshield. The SUV rammed them from behind. Colton turned the wheel hard when a dirt road appeared. The jeep bounced as it went from asphalt to spongy brown grassland.
In a hail of dust, the black sports utility skidded from the roadway, fell in swiftly behind them and began to accelerate.
A thin crack sounded and another bullet-sized hole tore through the windshield.
The jeep lurched forward as Colton slammed his foot on the gas. The vehicle violently shook as it sped across a host of tractor ruts cut in the dried mud that made up the poor excuse for a road.
The SUV rammed them again from behind, slamming Colton’s head against the headrest. He spun the wheel, keeping his head as low as possible in a desperate attempt to lose them. It didn’t work.
The driver slammed into their rear bumper again, causing the jeep’s tires to spin freely on the loose alluvial dirt before regaining traction. An ear-piercing gunshot went off beside him. He turned to see Mallory twisted in her seat, her gun pointed at the SUV behind. In the rear-view mirror the bulky vehicle careened back and forth.
“Can’t this thing go any faster?!” she yelled.
From the corner of his eye, Colton spotted a sloping bank that angled up a large hill quickly approaching. He jerked the wheel over, gunning for the spot. In his mirror he watched the bigger, heavier SUV steadily lose ground.
A spire of rocks jutted from the top of the hill. If he got the jeep over the rise, he was sure their pursuers wouldn’t make it.
Mallory looked back at the same instant, her eyes growing wide. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
All four spinning wheels hit the near vertical bank at just over fifty miles an hour. Mallory and Colton’s heads snapped forward in unison as the engine growled angrily. The jeep roared, sputtered, then crested the rise. Mallory grabbed Colton’s arm and swore in terror.
He clenched his teeth as the jeep’s tail end rotated above them. The tops of trees passed by in a blur before everything went dark as they toppled end over end through the air.
EXCERPT B
“Excuse me. I’m looking for Chief Russell.”
Jordan’s stomach did a nosedive at the familiar voice of her soon-to-be-ex-husband.
“You found her,” Frank answered.
Jordan looked up just as Sam smiled. “Indeed I have.” He started toward her desk.
Colleen barged through the opened door. “Chief, there’s an Agent Russell here to see…oh, I guess you found her.”
“Agent Russell,” Frank repeated. He turned back to Jordan, “Isn’t Russell your married name?” He then shifted his gaze back to Sam, “That must mean you’re her husband.”
“Not for much longer.” Jordan hurried around her desk and ushered Frank out the door. “You’ll be hearing from me.” She closed the door and looked at Sam. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here at your request.”
“I specifically requested someone from the Charlotte field office.” Anyone but him.
He looked at her with the gorgeous smile that used to make her go weak in the knees. “And they forwarded that request to Agent Haines, who assigned me.”
“We’ll see about that.” Jordan marched back to her desk, and was four digits into Haines’ cell phone number when Sam pressed his finger down on the button and disconnected the call. Eighteen and a half months of built-up rage boiled to the surface. She doubled her right fist and spun around with lighting fury.
Sam, just as quick, stopped the fist within inches of his jaw. With his free hand, he took the phone from her left hand and placed it back in its cradle. Jordan felt his hot breath on her face as he peered down at her, and was keenly aware of the heat generating from his body through the hand which tightened around her wrist.
“Let me help you, Jordan…please.”
She swallowed hard, summoned all her courage, and met his smoldering gaze. “I need a profiler who can tell me exactly what I’m up against here.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve lost your touch.”
She ignored his smirk. “I need a fresh pair of eyes who can look at this guy objectively.”
“Who hasn’t allowed themselves to get too personal?”
“I just need someone other than you,” she spat.
“Too bad, you’re stuck with me. Now, what do you say I release your hand and you don’t take my head off? Or we can continue to provide the day’s entertainment for your co-workers.”
Jordan shifted her gaze to the glass separating her office from the command center. A half dozen familiar faces scattered like rats. She twisted free from his grip, grabbed her cap from her desk and shoved it down over her head. “Fine!” She was already halfway out the door before she realized he wasn’t with her. She turned back and found him smiling at her. “Are you coming or not?”
Ever wonder what an author thinks about his own writing? Which sentence, paragraph, or chapter she is most proud of? A particular passage that makes her cringe remembering how difficult it was to pen? I don’t plan to talk about the last (grin), but during this Clash we will discuss two authors’ favorite passages from their own novels.
For the next four days, the voting box will be open for you and your friends (spread the word!) to let us know which is your favorite. In addition to that, we wonder if there is a particular LINE from either of these two that you find exceptionally compelling. If so, let us know in the comments section!
Remember that leaving comments, posting to Facebook or Twitter, or following our blog will earn you extra entries in the drawing that will be held right here on August 12th. One copy of each of these books will be given away.
Happy voting!
EXCERPT A
“Do you see that black Hyundai behind us?” Mallory’s tone carried with it an element of fear.
Colton glanced at the rear-view mirror. “The one two cars back?”
“Yeah, the SUV. It’s the same one that was behind us when we left the Golani Junction.”
“A lot of people travel these roads. It’s probably just a coincidence.”
The SUV suddenly accelerated after a car passed by. CRACK. A bullet-sized hole tore through the windshield, barely missing Mallory and Colton.
“Floor it!”
Another bullet punched through the windshield. The SUV rammed them from behind. Colton turned the wheel hard when a dirt road appeared. The jeep bounced as it went from asphalt to spongy brown grassland.
In a hail of dust, the black sports utility skidded from the roadway, fell in swiftly behind them and began to accelerate.
A thin crack sounded and another bullet-sized hole tore through the windshield.
The jeep lurched forward as Colton slammed his foot on the gas. The vehicle violently shook as it sped across a host of tractor ruts cut in the dried mud that made up the poor excuse for a road.
The SUV rammed them again from behind, slamming Colton’s head against the headrest. He spun the wheel, keeping his head as low as possible in a desperate attempt to lose them. It didn’t work.
The driver slammed into their rear bumper again, causing the jeep’s tires to spin freely on the loose alluvial dirt before regaining traction. An ear-piercing gunshot went off beside him. He turned to see Mallory twisted in her seat, her gun pointed at the SUV behind. In the rear-view mirror the bulky vehicle careened back and forth.
“Can’t this thing go any faster?!” she yelled.
From the corner of his eye, Colton spotted a sloping bank that angled up a large hill quickly approaching. He jerked the wheel over, gunning for the spot. In his mirror he watched the bigger, heavier SUV steadily lose ground.
A spire of rocks jutted from the top of the hill. If he got the jeep over the rise, he was sure their pursuers wouldn’t make it.
Mallory looked back at the same instant, her eyes growing wide. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
All four spinning wheels hit the near vertical bank at just over fifty miles an hour. Mallory and Colton’s heads snapped forward in unison as the engine growled angrily. The jeep roared, sputtered, then crested the rise. Mallory grabbed Colton’s arm and swore in terror.
He clenched his teeth as the jeep’s tail end rotated above them. The tops of trees passed by in a blur before everything went dark as they toppled end over end through the air.
EXCERPT B
“Excuse me. I’m looking for Chief Russell.”
Jordan’s stomach did a nosedive at the familiar voice of her soon-to-be-ex-husband.
“You found her,” Frank answered.
Jordan looked up just as Sam smiled. “Indeed I have.” He started toward her desk.
Colleen barged through the opened door. “Chief, there’s an Agent Russell here to see…oh, I guess you found her.”
“Agent Russell,” Frank repeated. He turned back to Jordan, “Isn’t Russell your married name?” He then shifted his gaze back to Sam, “That must mean you’re her husband.”
“Not for much longer.” Jordan hurried around her desk and ushered Frank out the door. “You’ll be hearing from me.” She closed the door and looked at Sam. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here at your request.”
“I specifically requested someone from the Charlotte field office.” Anyone but him.
He looked at her with the gorgeous smile that used to make her go weak in the knees. “And they forwarded that request to Agent Haines, who assigned me.”
“We’ll see about that.” Jordan marched back to her desk, and was four digits into Haines’ cell phone number when Sam pressed his finger down on the button and disconnected the call. Eighteen and a half months of built-up rage boiled to the surface. She doubled her right fist and spun around with lighting fury.
Sam, just as quick, stopped the fist within inches of his jaw. With his free hand, he took the phone from her left hand and placed it back in its cradle. Jordan felt his hot breath on her face as he peered down at her, and was keenly aware of the heat generating from his body through the hand which tightened around her wrist.
“Let me help you, Jordan…please.”
She swallowed hard, summoned all her courage, and met his smoldering gaze. “I need a profiler who can tell me exactly what I’m up against here.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve lost your touch.”
She ignored his smirk. “I need a fresh pair of eyes who can look at this guy objectively.”
“Who hasn’t allowed themselves to get too personal?”
“I just need someone other than you,” she spat.
“Too bad, you’re stuck with me. Now, what do you say I release your hand and you don’t take my head off? Or we can continue to provide the day’s entertainment for your co-workers.”
Jordan shifted her gaze to the glass separating her office from the command center. A half dozen familiar faces scattered like rats. She twisted free from his grip, grabbed her cap from her desk and shoved it down over her head. “Fine!” She was already halfway out the door before she realized he wasn’t with her. She turned back and found him smiling at her. “Are you coming or not?”
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