Today, we’re excited to be kicking off the official blog tour for Baby Doll by Hollie Overton, an exciting new psychological thriller that’s being compared to Gone Girl and Girl on the Train. Our stop includes a chance for you to win a copy of the book, but first Hollie stops by with a guest post about her own personal experiences that inspired the book.
As an identical twin, I’ve always been fascinated by the bond I have with my sister, Heather. We’ve been best friends our entire lives, relying on one another for everything. But we also struggled to find our own identity. When I read about the three Cleveland women who were kidnapped and held hostage for ten years, I couldn’t stop thinking about what my life would be like if my sister had been taken. I simply couldn’t imagine my life without her. What would I do if she vanished? How would something like that change both of us? And what would happen once we were reunited? Those were all the things that inspired BABY DOLL.
We also grew up in a house with an addict. Whenever our father was drunk or high, he would lash out at my mother and later, my step-mother. His violent rages had a profound effect on how I saw the world, especially when it came to power dynamics between men and women. I found out later in life that my father was a member of the Overton Gang a crime gang in Austin, Texas in the 1960s and that he even spent time in prison for manslaughter. In many ways, my father lived a double life, which was something that really informed the antagonist Rick Hanson. I believe everyone hides pieces of themselves from the world and that’s what I found so intriguing when writing Rick.
“What a compulsive read! A brilliant first novel that kept me transfixed and entertained until the very last page.” — Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Die Again
Escape was just the beginning.
Held captive for eight years, Lily has grown from a teenager to an adult in a small basement prison. Her daughter Sky has been a captive her whole life. But one day their captor leaves the deadbolt unlocked.
This is what happens next… to Lily, to her twin sister, to her mother, to her daughter—and to her captor.
For fans of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, BABY DOLL is the most tense thriller you will read this year.
In stores July 12th: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-million |Google Play | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo Books | Indigo
LEARN MORE:
- Visit Hollie Overton’s official website
- Follow Hollie Overton on Twitter or like on Facebook
- #BabyDollBook
A tense, unique psychological thriller, Baby Doll is a remarkable first novel from TV writer Hollie Overton, who has worked Cold Case, The Client List, and the new Shadowhunters on ABC Family.
Debut author Hollie Overton was raised by her single mother, and Hollie—an identical twin herself—draws on her unique childhood experiences for her first novel, Baby Doll. Overton’s father was a member of the notorious Overton gang in Austin, Texas, and spent several years in prison for manslaughter. Hollie is a television writer and resides in Los Angeles.
- Monday (July 11) Hollie Overton stops by NovelNovice.com to introduce Baby Doll and share her personal experiences that inspired the book.
- Tuesday (July 12) Hollie Overton guest posts on TheReadingDate.com to talk about being an identical twin herself, and who her favorite fictional twins are.
- Wednesday (July 13) BookingMama.net shares a Q&A with Hollie Overton, and divulges on her writing process, book #2, and what are her current reading recommendations.
- Thursday (July 14) Hollie Overton – a TV writer for shows such as Cold Case, The Client List, and Shadowhunters – stops by Chapter-by-Chapter.com to talk about the difference between writing a novel and writing for the screen, and how her TV experience helped her draft a suspenseful and multi-perspective thriller.
- Friday (July 15) Read an exclusive excerpt from Baby Doll on OnceUponaTwilight.com.
We’re giving away one copy of Baby Doll to one lucky winner, thanks to our friends at Redhook. U.S. only. Contest open through midnight (PT) on Monday, July 18th. To enter, tell us in the comments below, what is the most intense thriller you’ve ever read. Then fill out the Rafflecopter form to complete your entry and earn more chances to win.
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Novel Novice 
anything by William Hjortsburg
I did enjoy Gone Girl. I thought the book was much more effective than the movie (no surprise there). Baby Doll looks like a really good one too, thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Gone Girl