Book Blitz Guest Post and Giveaway: Moonbow by Shelia Hollinghead
Author: Sheila Hollinghead
Published: December 17th, 2013
Publisher: AltWit Press
Word Count: 65,000
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Synopsis:
A widow, a doctor, an unborn child. Three lives are at risk in this high stakes suspense. Die Auserwahlten, the Chosen Ones, have impregnated Gisa with an embryonic clone. Is it evil or just a child? It's up to Dr. Rayden Brooks to untangle the web that keeps them captive and save their lives. But will Gisa trust him?
About the Author:
Sheila Hollinghead, an army brat, was born in
Nuremberg, Germany. When she was ten, her father was stationed in
Toul, France where she discovered a treasure trove of books hiding in
the furnace room. The house was rumored to be the former headquarters
of the Nazi Party with bullet holes decorating the foyer as evidence.
The books, sci-fi, mysteries, fantasy, and the classics, opened her
mind to the power of story. Today, she is married and lives on a farm
in south Alabama with dogs, cats, and chickens. She agrees with Emily
Dickinson who said, "I know nothing in the world that has as
much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it until
it begins to shine."Guest post:
Where did your ideas for Moonbow
come from and how did you pick the name of this title.
Many years ago, a vivid dream woke me from a sound sleep. In the dream, a scientist worked in a lab, cloning people, and he asked this question: Are men born evil? What if they got another chance?
The next day, I related the dream to my husband, and he urged me to write it down. After many protestations that I was vastly unqualified for the subject matter, I finally wrote an outline and the first chapters. And then I put it away.
But the story stayed with me, begging me to finish it. New ideas came over time. Sometimes, when I write, ideas appear to be floating in the very air around me, prime for the plucking. However, during the writing of this book, that was not the case. Ideas came slowly and painfully, more as if I were digging them from the hard, cold earth.
Finally, a couple of years ago, I pushed myself to complete the first draft and realized that this would be at least a three-book series. Oy vey! It looks like more painful digging is in store.
As far as the title is concerned, Kahlil Gibran's poem, On Children has always been a favorite of mine. In it, he compares parents to bows from which children are released into the world. Parts of the poem are quoted in the book.
To be honest, I'm not sure when I ran across the term "moonbow." Since the series explores the impact parents (bows) make upon their children, Moonbow seemed the perfect title.
That's not to say this is a treatise on parenting. Instead, Moonbow deals with a mysterious organization in pursuit of a woman whose unborn child may be the very clone of evil. One Amazon reviewer calls Moonbow "an edge of your seat thrill ride."
The working title for book 2, by the way, is Misconception. (That's a clue to the direction of the story.)
EXCERPT:
The man pulled the brim of his cap lower. He knew this woman—she had been his third and there was also a fourth. The other three he had forgotten as soon as he had finished the assignment. But not Adalgisa, or Gisa as she called herself. The other three had made no more an impression on him than a fly buzzing around his head. They had all been annoyances, really. All but Adalgisa.
He had reached his objective with her long ago and moved on. Yet, now he had returned to her, like a hound-pursued deer searching for water. And Oberste had learned of his obsession.
The man was not cognizant of the ways Oberste received information. Regardless, Oberste knew and had warned him away from the woman. The dangers of disobedience were great, but here he was, to understand why something within him would not, could not, allow this.
The man made a plan. First, he would approach Dr. Cochran, discuss the behavior of Brooks. If Cochran refused to put a stop to it, he would be eliminated—regardless of Oberste's orders.
Oberste need not know. The threat of defection among those recruited was always a concern. Oberste would accept his story—that Cochran threatened the integrity of the program. And, of course, Dr. Rayden Brooks would simply be collateral damage. Oberste would be none the wiser.
He had to wrench his eyes away from Adalgisa's laughing face to glance at his cell phone. The meeting was in an hour. Tardiness would not be tolerated. Reluctantly, he left the hospital cafeteria.
He convinced himself he had time for a quick stop before the meeting. He drove to the store. He paused before he entered and smoothed back his blond hair. Placing a practiced smile on his lips, he approached the counter. "Pack of cigarettes," he said to the woman.
She tilted her head at him, and one eyebrow rose. "Brand?"
"Lucky Strikes, unfiltered." Nasty habit, but if he was to continue his surveillance of Adalgisa and Brooks, he needed something to keep his hands busy. It had nothing to do with quelling his fear of Oberste.
He mimicked the woman's tilt of the head. "Sorry, make that a carton."
"Sure. My pleasure."
Yes, Oberste had his methods, but so did he. He would carry out his plan, seek out Cochran, and sever the bond between Adalgisa and Brooks. He fervently wished he could take care of Brooks directly, but the rules forbade contact with those outside of the organization. If a violation occurred, Oberste always perceived the infraction, within hours, if not minutes. No deception was allowed; all worked for the cause.
Still, if the car of Dr. Rayden Brooks was parked in front of Adalgisa's house when he returned from the meeting, he would tear him apart with his bare hands, no matter what Oberste might do to him.
Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
- Signed print copy of Moonbow & swag (US only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Authors love talking about their books! Thanks for letting me share the inspiration for Moonbow!
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