With the changing landscape of daytime dramas, Wisner Washam, long time head writer of ALL MY CHILDREN, has turned to novels. He has published a controversial novel, "The Cloning," based on the premise that ancient DNA can be used to clone the original donor. In this case, fragmentary DNA is discovered on the famous Shroud of Turin by a young American scientist who believes that he may be replicating Jesus of Nazareth.He is given access to the sacred relic by a new forward-thinking Pope, a twenty-first century product who has recently been elected to the Throne of Peter. The young scientist has no interest in the spiritual aspects of his assignment, but he must find a suitable womb in which to gestate the baby, and the choice of a female becomes a hotly contested international battle. The winner happens to be a pretty, young, rebellious Hispanic girl, daughter of a banana republic dictator, who has as little interest in religion as the scientist himself.