"If you like "The Help", you will love " A Rainbow in the Dark". There are a handful of books that satisfy every emotion as this one does. It carries and left me with a responsibility for extreme kindness and the profound effect it can have on a human life."

                                                                                                                     -Mag (an anonymous reader)

     A Rainbow in the Dark is a literary-fiction novel based on the true story of an African-American boy who overcomes the enormous obstacles of racism and poverty to turn a life filled with chaos into a life of prosperity. Set in rural Oklahoma in the 1940’s, the story showcases the life of “Kirk” (Dr. Henry Kirkland). Due to a strong twist of fate, his family abandons Kirk at the age of 14. Left to fend for himself, his beloved hometown of Atoka now seems cold and indifferent as Kirk is initiated into a world of self-reliance. This right-of-passage story illustrates Kirk’s coming of age as he is forced to work three jobs, attend school, and care for himself without the security of his family. 

     Kirk’s life is significantly altered when he encounters Mr. Carney, a white pharmacist who takes a chance and hires Kirk to work at the town’s drugstore. In an era when African-Americans were forced to sit at the back of the bus, Kirk’s employment at this venue creates dissention between the people of this small town and Mr. Carney. Even Kirk struggles to understand Mr. Carney’s motive for risking so much by hiring a “colored boy”. 

     This story takes a breathtaking twist when Kirk innocently learns that some of Atoka’s most respected town fathers have been embezzling money from the Nazi prison camp, located in nearby Stringtown. This discovery brings serious consequences into Kirk’s life and thrusts him into harm’s way when Butch, the leader of these white-collar criminals, uses bigotry to fuel his vengeance and attempts to permanently silence Kirk.

     The story’s emotional ending occurs at the bus station in Atoka. Having persevered through colossal hardships at such a young age, the departure from Atoka is bittersweet for Kirk. While anticipating what his future outside of Atoka will offer, Kirk struggles to part from the man who has made it all possible. As the bus pulls out of town, it signals a victorious end to the struggle and the beginning of endless opportunity.

      The gift given by Mr. Carney has been carried forward by Kirk, who went on to earn his Doctorate and become a noted university educator. Dr. Kirkland took me under his wing and encouraged me to pursue my education in the field of medicine. His encouragement has been instrumental in the development of the careers of many doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, and other health fields. I’m certain this story will inspire others as well. The novel was partially motivated by the odd discovery that Dr Kirkland’s grandfather was a former slave raising his family in the same small Alabama town that my great great grandmother was raised by her uncle, one of the largest slave owners in Alabama prior to the Civil War.

     Rainbow in the Dark is co-written by noted author Patrick Chalfant.  Chalfant has authored two novels, published by Hawk Publishing. When The Levee Breaks (2003) fictionalized the plight of the American farmer.  Bury My Heart at Redtree (2005), eloquently combined Chalfant’s pride in his Osage Indian heritage with his passion for penning stories that capture the essence of life in America’s heartland.