Never Alone - Linn B. Halton - Book Tour

My guest on the blog today is author Linn B. Halton, writing about her new book, Never Alone. Welcome Linn!

The fun thing about a virtual book tour is that you get to visit friends old and new. It’s great to be here with you again Lindsay, thank you so much for being a part of my Fiction Addiction Book Tour!

I’m here to talk about Never Alone, which is hot off the press. As a new author I’m still trying to up my game with each book I write and this is my fifth. After a departure to write a true story and then my first chick lit, I’m back to writing with a light psychic touch. I say ‘light’ as I wouldn’t class this as a ghost story. Because the incidents in the book are based on real experiences it’s more subtle, as is often the case with psychic phenomena. However, the story is really about life and love, about making decisions and being honest with yourself if you aren’t happy with the life you have. 

It begins with Holly describing her perfect life and counting her blessings, but from there on she’s riding an emotional rollercoaster. Gradually her life falls apart and it’s hard to see how she can pull it all back together.

Holly is an Estate Agent and she’s just had an unexplained experience in a house she’s been showing. It’s been a bad day and she climbs back into her car to go back to the office…

There’s an odd chill in the air. I notice it the moment I click the driver’s door shut. My eyes search for a sign that confirms I’m not imagining the change in temperature. I know it’s crazy, so I try to pull myself together and start the engine. I can’t stop glancing at the house as it disappears in the rear view mirror. Finally I turn out of the cul-de-sac and onto the main road that will take me back to the office. It’s over; my body sinks back into the seat with relief.

Turning on the radio to help me relax a little seems a good idea. Who wouldn’t be spooked? But the noise adds to a sense of confusion that continues to hover around me. I have to turn it down low, because suddenly the effort required to drive requires all of my concentration. Thoughts are still spinning around inside my head. I’m making silly mistakes, forgetting to indicate and not checking my speed. What’s gotten into me?

I glance in the rear view mirror when I hear a motorbike speeding up behind me and then I see it. A shadow, large enough to be a person, sitting in the backseat. A split second and then it’s gone. Frantically I apply the brakes, which is the last thing the bike rider travelling close behind me was expecting. He manages to overtake me, shouting obscenities as he screams past me at speed with only inches to spare. I’m shaking like a leaf. As soon as I manage to stop the car, I scrabble at the door handle to climb out.

                  I run over to stand on the grass verge. I can’t take my eyes off the car, as if I’m half-expecting someone else to step out. I need to check the back seat, but my heart is pounding savagely in my chest and my body is heavy. My arm and shoulder are so painful, I long to curl up somewhere safe and comfortable. Why is this happening? Am I simply freaking myself out?

                  A car driving past slows, then pulls to a halt. A young woman winds down the passenger window. It’s not someone I recognise.

                  “Hey,” she calls out, “are you OK there? Broken down?” I walk towards her car, hoping that when I open my mouth a coherent sentence will come out.

                  “Yes, broken down,” I repeat, parrot-fashion. What am I doing? I can’t stand here all day, although I have no intention of getting back into my car.

                  “I’m heading towards Stroud; can I give you a lift?” She’s already moving items off of the passenger seat. She leans across to pull the handle to open the door for me. My brain is racing; this is stupid. What am I going to say when I arrive back at the office? I have no choice because I’m too scared to drive back in my own car. I press lock on the key fob in my hand and climb into the passenger seat.

                  “Thank you so much. I’m Holly Atherton,” I introduce myself. I can only hope the look on my face is composed.

                  “Hi, Holly, I’m Sam Watts. Always a pleasure to help out another motorist. I broke down once on a roundabout in Gloucester and I was so grateful when two people came to my rescue. Mind you, I only stop for women motorists. You have to be safe, don’t you?” She smiles back at me and suddenly, in the blink of an eye, a sense of normality returns. I can’t explain why or how; I only know that whatever it was that was with me, has now disappeared.

                  We talk all the way to Stroud and I hope I made sense, because I can’t for the life of me remember a word I’ve been saying. Sam kindly takes a small detour and drops me in Ardington High Street, a couple of hundred yards away from the office. The silly thing is I didn’t even grab my bag out of the car, so I can’t offer her anything. I’m embarrassed and say so, but she dismisses it with a smile and tells me to return the favour if I ever see someone broken down.

                  I watch her pull away, and wave. The reality of what I’ve done hits me. There is nothing wrong with my car and I’ve abandoned it, fifteen miles away on a country road. I’ve left everything, including my mobile, in the car and now I’m back here at the office and I don’t know what I’m going to say.

Linn’s links:

Website 
A loveahappyending.com author
Signed by:http://www.sapphirestarpublishing.com/linnbhalton
Twitter: @LinnBHalton
Facebook: Linn B Halton
Romantic Novelists’ Association page

Amazon.co.uk (buy)
Amazon.com (buy)

Thanks to Linn for her guest post today, and to Shaz for organising the FABT posts.