Wish Upon a Rainbow Star
by Jamey Moody
Released: Feb 22, 2025
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Why this book and why now?
I’ve always been interested in the stars and love stargazing. I wrote two standalone books in a row last year and decided it was time to do another series. My love of the stars is romantic and not at all scientific, so I traveled to a dark sky area of Texas and visited the McDonald Observatory. What a thrill! The telescopes are huge, the information was so far over my head yet entertaining as well. I wanted to set the series here in the small town at the bottom of the mountain where the observatory is located. The ideas began to form just like the baby stars in the star nurseries I learned about. Wish Upon a Rainbow Star is the first in the series and we get to meet Celeste, who is on the brink of a big discovery in astronomy. She’s traveled all over the world studying the stars and is reunited with her mentor and friend who is the superintendent of the observatory. Never believing love was for her, Celeste is surprised when Esse Perkins, the local hotel owner steals her heart. But Esse seems reluctant to give her a chance. Celeste and Esse discover truths about themselves that are somehow opposite of what they thought they wanted. It’s romantic, enlightening and oh, so much fun.
Would you and your main character(s) get along?
Yes! I have a southern drawl just like Esse and happen to live in a small town. I understand her desire to leave the small town and discover what’s in the world, but somehow she’s exactly where she belongs. Celeste could teach me more about the stars I love to gaze at most night, but not so much so that I can’t understand it. I try to create characters I’d want as friends and Celeste and Esse would be my besties.
Do your character names have special significance or meaning?
Yes, both of these characters names mean “star”. Celeste means heavenly or celestial as in the stars. Estelle means star and comes from Latin. I chose both of these names because I thought they were perfect for the story. Celeste is doing research on two stars that are moving closer to each other. Their names go right along with the story.
Is there anything you wish readers knew before diving into this book?
There is nothing too technical in the book as far as the stars go. I describe and Celeste studies two stars that I found in the Cassiopeia constellation which is one of my favorites. Depending on when you see it in the sky it forms an M or a W.
What’s one fun fact about your book that most people wouldn’t know?
When I got back from my research trip at the observatory I started following certain stars in the night sky that I could easily find looking up from my backyard. I almost bought a telescope, but instead decided to stick with binoculars. They are easier to manipulate and for now I’m able to see what I want to see. I may eventually invest in a telescope. Since my trip I have gone outside and gazed at “my stars” nearly every night. I’ve found a new passion from researching this series and will be a stargazer for life.
Were there any scenes or characters that surprised you as you wrote?
There is a scene at the end of the book where Celeste is trying to get back for Esse’s art showing. Celeste arranged the whole thing and has had to leave for her research. She promises Esse she’ll be back in time, but her flight is canceled and the next flight will get her there too late. I was thinking of ways I could get Celeste back just in time when an idea came to me that would not only be fun, but also emotional and moving. I can’t give it away, but she comes zooming in right down main street in quite a spectacle. It was so fun to write! I could just see it in a movie.
Did any of your characters surprise you by developing in unexpected ways?
Esse has had her heart broken over and over because women come to her small town for a short time but promise to take her with them. I knew she’d be reluctant to date Celeste even though she would be in town for quite some time. It took longer than I thought for her to come around to the idea that she could have a future with Celeste. It meant changing her expectations, but it also made her examine what she truly wanted in her heart.
If you could spend a day with one character from the book, who would it be and why?
I’d want to spend the day with Celeste because we’d get to use the huge telescope that only astronomers have access to. I can’t imagine all we’d see!
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book.
Woo hoo! Celeste, Esse and I would have to have a Purple Passion. This is a drink Celeste and Esse share when they first meet. As described in the book, it’s a pretty purple drink with vodka in it. They recreate the drink in several scenes later in the book.
What song does your character put on to start your book launch party?
LUNCH by Billie Eilish is their song. From the beginning of the book until the end.
Do you outline your books in detail, or do you prefer to discover the story as you write?
I don’t do a specific outline. I have a general idea of what I want to happen in the book. As the book begins I will add notes on upcoming scenes as I go along. I generally know the key points or events that take place in the story, but add things to get the characters to those places. Those are oftentimes the best parts of the book because they reveal things about the characters or things they discover about themselves in order to get them there.
Were there any books, movies, or personal experiences that influenced this story?
My research trip had a lot of influence on the book. I could imagine my characters in the small town or in the mountains of the area. Of course the observatory and what I learned there influenced the story. The way of life in that area is weaved in the book. Because it is a remote, rural area everyday life is different from more populated areas. The townspeople are a tightknit group and I hope that shows through the book.
