BEHOLDEN Synopsis

As As the people of Galena go about their lives, there is a menace lurking in their town. People are vanishing, leaving families in chaos. Who or what is terrorizing the community? The townspeople are looking for answers and demanding action. Is simple faith enough to combat this darkness that has enveloped the city? Is a police force enough to put an end to the madness?

For the members of the multicultural Wisdom Outreach Center it is business, as usual. They have families, careers and ambitions. They, also, have secrets. Their inner battles and private longings bind them together in ways that are hidden from them all. As people begin to disappear, a terror is created throughout the community that is growing out of control. Pastor Zeke Montgomery and Chief Gavin Palmer and the police squad are under scrutiny as the people of Galena are looking for answers about the evil that lurks in the shadows.

As the citizens of Galena search themselves, they begin to wonder if they are prepared to meet their maker. There are families that begin to ponder if the missing members are finally being made to atone for their sins. Introspection creates thoughts of what would be done if they had a second chance. All the while, fear is gripping their hearts with each missing person and passing day. Are the acts the work of a lone assailant or something more sinister?

Inez Reilly takes you on a journey inside the lives of people who represent us all – people with hopes, dreams, good intentions, regrets, nightmares and ill meaning. As with all of Ms. Reilly’s fiction works, there are guaranteed thrills and surprises. You will be on the edge of your seat, guessing and having to guess again, as you try to solve the mysteries behind the disappearances. 

Background for The Eagle's Nest - Preston Lambert's Timeline

Preston Lambert Timeline:

Born Nov 18, 1973 to Joseph & Kathleen Lambert in Norfolk, VA

2 Siblings (twins): Aaron Lambert and Anise Nobel

1991 – 1995 Attended Undergraduate school at James Madison University where he met Micah Alexander, Garrison Mitchell and Jeremiah Marquette and joined fraternity Pi Kappa Phi; earned a degree in Political Science

1995 – 1998 Attended University of Virginia School of Law, earned Juris Doctorate

1998 Passed the Bar & Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam – accepted into the Bar and licensed to practice law in the state of Virginia

1999 Began working at Brookes & Brooks as a Junior Associate - Stoney Creek Lane, Newport News, VA

1999-2004 built strong client relationships, worked on presentations on litigation building blocks, took an amateur drama course (to help with his courtroom presence & enhance his soft skills), became active in marketing campaigns for the company & Bar Association community activities, honed up on his litigation skills as his area of expertise, and offered assistance to partners on their cases

Nov 2005 made partner in Brookes & Brooks

2006 purchased home Meadowside Dr. Virginia Beach, VA

Jul 2007 appointed as Vice President of Litigation

Autumn of 2008 met Damaris Rhenay, friend of his paralegal Ariel Jackson

Thanksgiving 2008 invited Damaris to meet his family and share dinner

August 2009 proposed to Damaris during Garrison and MJ’s wedding in Aruba (3ct heart-shaped colorless diamond purchased in Aruba)

Dec 26, 2009 married Damaris

Apr 2010 appointed Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors, Brookes & Brooks

2010 began work on prison ministry, El Shaddai Worship Center, and meets Morris Wells

2012 Major life event  (Read Covenant to find out what happened)

(c) Inez Reilly

Beholden's Chapter 3 - Discussion Questions

CHAPTER THREE

1) If you were Mitrice, how would you handle Analise's statement "Forget the budget! Just do what I tell you and shut-up"?

2) Analise wants more. Has there been a time when you wanted more, yet the budget wouldn't allow it? What would you have done in Analise's case?

3) What is your first impression of Ghrelin?

4) What kind of relationship do you think Ghrelin has with Analise?

5) What example(s) of 'self-entitlement' do you see in this chapter?

MORE FUN!

Describe the kind of man that would be best suited for Analise.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Imagine yourself as young Analise's parent. What would the conversation sound like had her teacher called you about the 'pencil case' situation?

Beholden Interactive Questions - Chapter Two

BEHOLDEN INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

CHAPTER TWO

1) What is your impression of the family dynamic of Gavin, Nora & Katriel?

2) What stands out the most about Gavin?

3) If you were Nora, how would you handle the ride home after Sunday service?

4) What kind of relationship does Gavin Palmer and Mavet seem to have?

5) How is the Palmer household indicative of some issues that face families, today?

MORE FUN!

If you were to envision the layout of Gavin's study, what would be the most prominent feature?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

If you were a family counselor, what kind of measures would you take to help Katriel deal with the stress in the home?

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We've Built It

The hustle and bustle that accompanies the preparation is intense. We go from moment to moment wondering what the next productive move will be and then we lunge for it. The frenzy picks up, as books are ordered, plans are etched in stone (then scraped off and re-imprinted).  The mind races, and then slows to a tortoise’s crawl; only to ramp up just before the event. Questions come in and out of focus. Prayers are recited, Hail Mary’s are offered up and fingers are crossed. “Please let the reader turnout be great.” We begin to hope that the movie quote is true, in this instance, “If you build it, they will come.” 

Haven’t we built it? The weeks, months and sometimes years of time spent on our work, should account for something. The dedication and precious moments missed with family and friends should speak to our dedication to the craft. The money spent, the hairs lost, and the deprivation of sleep is the foundation for a Book Fair. We pack up the car, book the plane tickets and hotel rooms (or call dibbs on our brother’s sofa bed) in hopes of being appreciated by the one group of people that mean more to us than … (well, you decide). 

Haven’t we built it? We allow our imaginations to run wild or open up the secret vaults of our lives for the reader. We paint pictures with our words and have other people critique it in hopes to produce a work that is worthy of their time. Our fingers are steadily tapping away at the keyboards and our pens are running out of ink as we create a ‘masterpiece.’ Surely, we have built it, right?

The day arrives and we are excited. We lug boxes, cases and duffle bags filled with the cement blocks that are to be used to build this Book Fair; our books. The hosts of the fair walk anxiously about, silently praying they have done enough advertising and marketing. They see our faces. They can sense our expectation. It mimics their own. They, too, want this to be a success. Their name is on the line. It is their reputation that is at stake with the authors in attendance. Surely, they have built it …

Authors and Book Fair hosts need the reader. We need them to come out and support what we have built over time, over our lives. We need them to understand the sacrifice it takes to please them – the intimacies shared and the testimonials given and the creative channeling that takes place in order to entertain, inspire and motivate them. 

Yes, we have built it … Readers, we need you to come.


Ubawa Annual Book Fair (c) 

A Look Into the Life of Zeke Montgomery, Beholden

Zeke Montgomery

It is early Sunday morning and I cannot sleep. What can I do to make the situation better? I don’t understand what the hold-up is. I look over and Ziva is sleeping so peacefully. She is the love of my life. Even at 50, she is still the most gorgeous woman, in my eyes. I will do anything for her, and she knows it. Since the beginning of our courtship, she has never doubted it. There have been many opportunities for her to raise an eyebrow, at the women who throw themselves at me. Yet, she remains steadfast in her knowledge and dynamic of our relationship. I must admit, I would like to see a small fire of jealousy brewing behind her eyes, every now and then. Nonetheless, I am a blessed man to have a woman be so completely safe in her position. Her confidence is amazing. It always has been. It took a lot of personal ego boosting to get up the nerve to approach her, in the beginning. I was surprised she gave me the time of day, but I am so glad she did. I couldn’t ask for a better companion in my life. She is my rock! I wish she had something more to offer me, though, when it comes to the issue at hand. I want her to brainstorm with me and take up the charge to bring in more people. This is one area that she just seems to not understand. Ziva sees the glass as half full. She believes that more will come, in time. I am filled with anxiety and worry. She tells me to settle down. Whenever we talk about it, she takes my hands and kisses them and tells me to have faith. I have faith. I just want to see some results of all my hard work and dedication. This vision is my life’s work. It should be bigger than it is, by now. There should be more people. It smacks me in the face every time I stand up on the podium and see empty seats staring back at me. It is distracting. The vacancies are more disturbing than the lackluster participation of most of the congregants. I just want the seats filled, is that too much to ask for? I don’t think so. I have to do something…but, what?

Well, Ziva is stirring and the sun is beginning to rise. It is time to get up and begin to prepare for the morning. I’m just not feeling it today. I want to lay here and not have to face those empty seats. But, duty calls. I turn over and put my arms around my beautiful wife and watch her as she opens her eyes. A smile illuminates her face. I brush her beautiful chestnut hair with my hand and smile.

“I love you, Zeke.”

“I love you, Ziva.”

This inside look is taken during the first part of the book BEHOLDEN. See where this is going – http://inezreilly.wix.com/iamsproperty#!online-store/c1ztk

Beholden Interactive Questions

BEHOLDEN INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

CHAPTER ONE

1) When you first encounter Mavet, what is your impression of him?

2) Why do you think Mavet has such an issue with Ziva Montgomery?

3) What do you notice about Maren Dane? What makes you feel that way?

4) What is the dynamic between Zeke Montgomery and Mavet?

5) How is the Wisdom Outreach Center much like the churches, of today?

MORE FUN!

If you were to draw a picture of Mavet, what would he look like?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

What types of outreach initiatives would you employ if you were looking to increase the membership of your group or fellowship?

ADD YOUR ANSWERS TO THE COMMENTS SECTION AND SEE WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY.

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Just-A-Taste Free Promo

Congratulations Inez! Your excerpt has been chosen for our Just-A-Taste Free Promo Booklet. Just-A-Taste gives readers a peek inside 20 must read books before you die. We received dozens of submissions, but only chose the best.

While there is no compensation for this feature, it affords you free exposure, not only for yourself but for your books as well, by connecting you with new readers in the metro Atlanta area and across the country. Free copies of this booklet will be available at the fair on a first come, first serve basis. Additional copies can be ordered via our website at www.ubawa.org.

An Analogy of the Writing Process

I smile at the thoughts, before anything ever happens. I close my eyes and I can see the scene play out before me. I start watching the clock just as the morning gives way to the afternoon. The steady and predictable movements of the second hand give my eyes something to pay attention to because my mind is racing. There is no rhyme or reason, no sense of fast or slow, so the clock becomes my meditative focal point. Telephones are ringing, people are talking, and deadlines are looming overhead. All of this attempt to distract me by overwhelming me.

Car horns blaring, people cursing, pedestrians moseying across the street. The longing grows and I tap my fingers on the steering wheel. I turn on the radio, and then turn it off, again. I smile at the thought of the text message I received, whetting my appetite further. The temptation to re-read it is great, but I resist. There is little safety in going back, when there is so much left to do; so much further to go.

With just one more corner to turn, a gentle rain begins to fall. I smile. It is just like the clock, this afternoon. It provides a sense of staccato, keeping time for me. This should not be rushed. The raindrops roll down the windshield creating patterns that could obscure my view. I turn on the window wipers. I need to focus and the sound is enough. The water sloshes to the side of the window and slide off the side of the car. When I pull the car into the garage, I can smell dinner cooking. I sit back and allow the aroma fill my nostrils; steak and potatoes. It would seem that it would be too much to indulge in with the after dinner plans requiring so much energy. Not for us. We need the sustenance. We are giving ourselves what we need to do what we desire; what we have longed for all day long. The anticipation is part of the success.

The table has been wiped clean and the dishes are put away. Total attention can be paid to the way we choose to end our day. He takes my hand. It’s warm, and so am I. We turn off the lights and start the assent of the stairs and the descent to the bed. Yes, this was worth the wait. It was worth the distractions and the wading through the water. It was worth the preparation of a good meal and the putting away of the dishes. It was worth it to see his smile. It was worth it for him to see mine. Climax…round one.

Beholden Reviews

“BEHOLDEN is quite interesting and it puts one in the frame of mind of watching televised drama … that has all the characters come alive right in front of your eyes as you continue to read about them. The character of the first lady (Ziva) and that of her husband (Zeke) is one that you definitely will find in some, but not all of today's congregations... Overall, this novel is noteworthy and a MUST READ for everyone. I was honored to be able to go on this journey with Ms. Reilly as she is on track to becoming a world renowned author.” Esther Womack, Dr. Bobby Jones Music

“Inez Reilly's creativity takes center stage as she describes each character/scene with great clarity. BEHOLDEN takes on a mystery/’shriller’(a book that unfolds in a shrill manner, leaving the reader with strong, piercing emotions…you can see and hear the scenes in your head, as you read) effect as some of the people of Galena disappear unexpectedly. The members of this community were frightened because they had no idea what was happening. It seemed as if a force to be reckoned with was shaking up their small town. Inez Reilly has the reader on edge waiting to read the next chapter just to see what else will transpire. As the story unfolds, an unexpected twist has you reeling and looking over your shoulder. A MUST READ!” Sandra Lott, Author of Temporary Power Outages