Life is becoming more complicated for soul reader Honor Melanie “Mel” Sullivan. Her boss needs help with his rebellious teen daughter who believes rules are made to be broken and Mel’s current boyfriend, Homeland Security agent Mick Petrov, is becoming an absentee lover, dropping hints about a major decision he faces. To make it worse, Mel’s ex, 3 Peaks detective “Billy the Kid” McCarty wants her back. And those aren’t the only challenges. When a paramilitary group called New Dawn wants her soul-reading skills, Mel meets five-year-old twins who steal her heart. Unwilling to abandon the motherless children, she strikes a deal with the compound’s charismatic leader. Drawn deeper and deeper into New Dawn’s twisted agenda, Mel must figure out a way to save the twins and herself before it’s too late.
Excerpt
My peripheral vision catches sight of a sudden movement. I walk down the steps and turn right until I reach the edge of the building. I peek around the corner and see a little girl pressed against the rough siding. Her dark hair is braided. Her jeans and jacket are too big and look like boy clothes. Her gaze is fixed on the ground. Her thumb is in her mouth. She’s clutching a stuffed rabbit.
I take a step toward her and smile. “Hi. Are you waiting for your dad?”
She nods.
I take a step closer, trying not to spook her. “I’m Mel. What’s your name?”
Without removing her thumb, she mumbles something unintelligible. I take a step close and squat down until we’re eye level.
“I didn’t quite get your name. Maybe if you take your thumb out of your mouth it will work better.”
She lifts her head and I’m looking into eyes identical to those of the little blond boy. Bright and blue. My heart breaks when I look into her soul. Streaked with pale blue accents, it’s a soft shade of pink and bisected with a jagged black line. This little girl has experienced severe trauma.
“I think I saw your dad and brother go into the hall. Am I right?”
She nods. The thumb comes out of her mouth. “Papa and Gunner.”
“Can you tell me your name again, sweetie?”
“I’m Kimber.”
“Do people call you Kim?”
She shakes her head. “Nope. People call me Kimber, ‘cause that’s my name.”
“Got it,” I say. “How about you keep me company until the meeting is over. I’ve got nobody to talk to and I’m lonesome. We could go sit on the stairs and wait together.”
“Not there. No females. We can sit on the bench, though.”
She takes my hand and leads me to a rickety bench a few yards in front of the porch railing. We sit in companionable silence for a few minutes. I’m dying to know more about Kimber, but don’t want to bombard her with questions.
“This is Blossom Bunny,” she offers, thrusting the stuffed rabbit in front of my face.
Blossom Bunny is not attractive. Her fur is dull gray and splotchy. Her long, floppy ears droop down to her skinny legs. Black, beady eyes peer straight ahead atop a little pink nose.
“Very nice,” I lie.
“I love Blossom Bunny. She has zippers in her ears. I keep important stuff there.”
She lays the bunny across her lap, lifts one of the floppy ears and points out the zipper.
“Very cool. It’s good to have a place to keep important stuff.”
She nods solemnly, unzips one of the ears and pulls out stubby pencil, a little rubber ball and a hair ribbon. Seeing her sparse array of treasures makes me sad.
Interview
Tell us about your book, what inspired it?
It’s book 3 and the final in the series. Consequently, I wanted to write a satisfactory ending, a happily ever after ending. Also, since my main character is a twin, a twin theme was important to me. Finally, I attempted to write two story lines that come together at the end. I think it worked. If not, I’m sure I’ll hear from readers.
What is your favorite scene in the book?
I wrote an epilogue that takes place six months after the final chapter. It is, by far, my favorite scene in the book.
What are your future ambitions?
I’ve started a cozy mystery titled A Woman Scorned. It features an amateur sleuth and starts with a dead body found on the eighteenth green of a golf course named Fairway to Heaven.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
As you may have gathered from the previous response, I like to play golf. After writing ten books, my friends keep asking me, “When are you going to write a book about us?”
How do you react to a bad review of your book?
Mutter some very bad words and then forget it.
The best book/s you ever read?
Too many to list but really loved The Glass Castle and Boys in the Boat. They are both non-fiction. In addition, read a lot of fiction thrillers. I’ve read all of David Baldacci’s books.
Any last words?
I hope you enjoy Hope and Honor. It’s a stand-alone even though it’s book 3. If you haven’t read the first two books, Affliction and Allegiance, give them a try.
Thanks...
Marilee Brothers is a former teacher, coach, counselor and the author of ten books. Marilee and her husband are the parents of three grown sons and live in central Washington State. After writing six young adult books, Marilee is once again writing romantic suspense for the adult market. She loves hearing from people who have read her books. Feel free to contact her at http://www.marileebrothers.com and sign up for her newsletter The Obsessive Page Turner.
Her author page on Facebook is: www.facebook.com/marilee.author and she occasionally tweets @MarileeB. Check out Marilee’s Amazon page here: http://www.amazon.com/Marilee-Brothers/e/B003RL7EWQ/
Marilee’s blog is Book Blather, http://bookblatherblog.blogspot.com where she features aspiring and published authors as well as some tidbits of her own.
Giveaway
Marilee Brothers will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
