Blog Tour: The Weeping - Guest Post by O'dell Hutchison

Welcome to The Weeping blog tour. Today we have a guest post from the author, O'dell Hutchison

Twenty years ago, Catherine Whitley was the victim of a horrible crime. Betrayed by her friends, including the boy she loved, she was left to die when the Rock Harbor Opera House caught fire, taking a disturbing secret with her to her grave.

Seventeen-year-old Heath Ingram was driving the night his Jeep careened off the road, killing three of his closest friends. Once a popular, outgoing athlete, Heath now suffers from severe depression and crippling anxiety. His parents decide to send him to stay with his uncle in Rock Harbor, Oregon for the summer, praying that by getting away he will be able to put this awful tragedy behind him.

When Heath starts working at the newly renovated Rock Harbor Opera House, he meets Molly, a young dancer who awakens in him a desire to start over and move on. But, when he begins having visions of a half-burned girl in a white dress, he starts to think he may be slipping even further over the edge.

As the apparent hauntings become more intense, Heath begins to fear for his safety. With the help of his friend Josie, Heath discovers an unsettling secret that ties the mysterious girl to both their families. When two of their friends die unexpectedly, Josie and Heath realize that something, or someone, is after the children of those who wronged Catherine, and they are next.

Top Ten Fictional Characters You'd Like to Add to Your Novel

1. Katniss from The Hunger Games - There would have been a lot of flying arrows in that theatre. Someone would have lost an eye.
2. Tris from Divergent - She would have given Josie a run for her money for the tough, smart-ass friend award.
3. Izzy Lightwood from The Mortal Instruments series - The book would have ended very quickly. Izzy would have gone in and kicked Catherine’s ass with her whip and walked right out.
4. Anna from Anna Dressed in Blood - If Anna had been the ghost, everyone would have died early on. Catherine is much more passive in the beginning.
5. Henry from The Time Traveler’s Wife - Since Henry can time travel, he could have gone back and prevented the fire from ever happening, saving Catherine’s life and changing the entire outcome. Of course, this could have set off an even crazier chain of events.
6. Nancy Drew from any of the Nancy Drew books - Nancy likes a good mystery. She may have been able to help Heath figure things out much quicker, but then the climax of the book wouldn’t have been very intense.
7. Jessica Wakefield from the Sweet Valley High series - Actually, Jessica is quite a bit like Julia, so not much would have changed.
8. Moaning Myrtle from the Harry Potter books - If Myrtle had been the ghost haunting the theatre, it would have been a lot less sinister.
9. Hagrid from the Harry Potter books - Can you imagine Hagrid in Uncle Vic’s spot? I can only imagine the type of show he would direct.
10. Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web - Can you imagine how different the book would have been if every morning the characters walked into the theatre to find a spider web spelling out messages to them? I imagine them saying:

Yo - There’s a ghost
Hey, depressed kid. Go home.
Seriously, you need to leave
Stupid Humans! You’re going to die.

Thanks to O'dell and Book Twirps for the fun guest post!

O'Dell Hutchison was born in a small rural town in Idaho. After attending college in the Pacific northwest, he found his way to the Houston area in 1997. He currently lives in Katy, TX with his dog, Gia. By day, he is a Business Systems Analyst. In his free time, he tries (and fails) to work out regularly and eat healthy. He also acts and directs at various theaters around Houston.