Destined Blog Tour

PATRICIA HALEY is the trailblazing, #1 Essence bestselling author of seven faith-based, novels, including Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, No Regrets, and Chosen. She’s a project manager with degrees from Stanford University and the University of Chicago. She is a born again believer and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Patricia lives with her husband and daughter in Philadelphia.

Visit her on www.patriciahaley.com or become a fan of Author Patricia Haley on Facebook.

Patricia, tell us about Destined.

Destined picks up where Chosen left off, in the lobby of the family’s business. The oldest brother, Don, has returned from his exile in South Africa at the pleading of his mother and former love interest. Don is torn between coming back and wholeheartedly battling his younger, out of control, half brother Joel for the ministry or maintaining his livelihood on another shore. Ultimately he comes to realize that certain wars are inevitable if one is to fulfill their destiny.

How did you come up with ideas for this book?

Inspiration for the Chosen series came from one of my all time favorite characters in the Bible, King David. He is an imperfect man plagued with family tragedy, personal failures, and constant battles. Yet, he is remembered as someone highly favored by God. I’m equally intrigued by King David’s son Solomon who managed to squander away his noteworthy position, wealth, and godly favor after succumbing to his weakness for women. So it is in Chosen and Destined with Joel, the son of Dave Mitchell. At the conclusion of Chosen, readers weren’t satisfied with only an epilogue ending. They wanted more. So, Destined was born.

Who are your main character(s)?

The main characters in Destined include Madeline, the ex wife of the late Dave Mitchell, and their son Don, the eldest and seemingly rightful heir to the company. Then there’s Sherry the second wife of Dave Mitchell and mother of the youngest Mitchell offspring, Joel. He’s the son chosen by Dave to assume the leadership position in the company, creating a war between the two sets of family. Abigail is Dave’s assistant who finds herself torn between the two brothers due to her love for Joel and deep friendship with Don. These characters were introduced in Chosen and maintain a strong presence in Destined. Naledi from South Africa and Zarah from India also come onto the scene in Destined adding a blend of corporate and romantic drama.

Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why?

My favorite character is a toss up between Madeline, her son Don, and a ‘colorful’ Uncle Frank. Madeline is a sharp tongued, top notch businesswoman who doesn’t easily back down to opposition. Don is the lesser son who finds redemption in South Africa and the freeing power of forgiveness. Uncle Frank is full of surprises, none of which are typically good. The one thing for sure, Uncle Frank is consistent with his shenanigans. He’s entertaining too.

Did you have to do quite a bit of research for this novel?

I had to do some research for this novel, particularly when it came to confirming the Indian marital traditions and practices. Since the South of France and South Africa happen to be a couple of my favorite travel spots, I didn’t have to do much research for those. However, I did have to research what certain African and Indian names meant, which was very interesting to me.

What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading Destined?

I want the readers to be entertained first. Then, before closing the book, I’d like for them to grasp the message that in spite of challenges and dysfunction, a family’s ability to forgive, to love, to forget the pain of the past, and to exercise a tad bit of diplomacy can get them through any situation, no matter how tragic the circumstances.

Okay, a not-so-fun question. How important are reviews to you as a writer?

I truly love and appreciate reviews. They are especially helpful to readers as well as to authors. Reviews are encouraging and can also help writers identify areas where they can improve. However, sometimes reviews can become more of a personal attack on the author rather than the quality of their work. Writers can be thick-skinned, but we’re human with feelings too. We should hold ourselves accountable to our readers and reviewers to the extent that we should always want to deliver a good, well written story. I’m fine with a reviewer not liking the story, or the quality, or the message, or simply giving helpful feedback. That generates good discussion, but if a review ever turned into excessive malicious bashing, I’m sure I would stop reading just to maintain enough encouragement to get the next book out, and the next, and the next.

About the Book

Destined by Patricia Haley is the second novel in the Chosen series, inspired by the popular biblical kings David and Solomon.

Don, the eldest son and rightful heir to the ministry, returns from South Africa after three years of self-imposed exile. With a renewed zeal to reclaim the leadership of his late father’s multi-million dollar ministry, his plans are short-lived when a stock transfer agreement goes wrong, rendering Don powerless. Don’s little brother Joel continues as CEO, careening down the path of personal, professional, and spiritual demise, as he drags the ministry down with him. The only hope to save their father’s legacy is Don’s intervention, and so clinging to his self-worth and faith, Don is torn between fighting for a company he wasn’t chosen to run and fleeing back to his South African refuge, a place where his peace, his growing relationship with Naledi, and his dignity aren’t in question. After much soul searching, Don comes to realize that his destiny is inescapable and that his future lies in his family’s legacy.

Combining spiritual themes with family tension, corporate intrigue, and romance, this series is an exciting addition to the faith-based fiction market.

View the blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/DestinedBlogTour.


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