Roseflower Creek (26 page)

This book could not have been written without help from above. With deep gratitude to God for planting the seeds…and to His angels for helping them grow.

    Special thanks to Judy Iakovou, who taught me the elements of fiction, and to Harriette Austin for her diligent instruction in the art of suspense, and to her students for putting up with me. Much love and gratitude to each of you.

    Also, to Ron Pitkin and his staff at Cumberland House (especially Lisa Taylor, Stacie Bauerle, Teresa Wright, and Julie Jayne), who loved Lori Jean and believed in her story—without whose faith, dedication, and hard work, these pages, as such, would not exist. My deepest appreciation and warmest regards always.

1. Both Melvin and Ray were raised in the same environment with the same abusive father. Discuss the reasons that Melvin turned out different. What personality attributes did he posses that were decidedly different from Ray's?

2. Prior to her death, Lori Jean suffered the loss of her father, her grandmother, and her best friend Carolee. How did each of these events shape who she was to become?

3. There were several reasons why Lori Jean did not turn Ray in when she discovered he'd stolen the payroll. What was her primary concern?

4. Lori Jean was abandoned by her real father and had to deal with a stepfather who was less than ideal. Did you ever have a father figure who wasn't your real father? What were the challenges you faced?

5. How did MeeMaw influence Lori Jean? How did it make a difference in Lori Jean's ability to handle life?

6. Carolee was a friend who greatly impacted Lori Jean's selfesteem. Discuss the ways in which Carolee's attitudes affected Lori Jean's perspective on life.

7. Nadine chose a poor husband in Lori Jean's father. Why was she so eager to engage in another tumultuous relationship? What do you think attracted Nadine to Ray in the first place?

8. Do you find it strange that Nadine readily followed Ray's demand to have an abortion? Was it fear alone? Are there other circumstances that may have allowed her to let such a thing to happen?

9. How would you describe Lori Jean's relationship with Aunt Lexie and Uncle Melvin? What would her life have been like had she been their daughter?

10. In the 1950s, child abuse was not considered anyone's business. Discuss ways Lori Jean may have been saved from her fate had things been different. What would her choices have been?

11. MeeMaw was adamant when she was alive that Ray was not welcome in their household. Had she lived, do you think Lori Jean's final outcome would have been different?

12. Nadine refused to defend herself at her trial. Why do you think that was? Was it all because of guilt over Lori Jean, or were other factors involved?

13. When Maybelle gets colon cancer, her personality transforms. Is that the only reason for her transformation?

14. Many people find that a tragedy brings a major turning point in their life. Melvin claimed the fire would make a new man out of Ray. Why didn't it?

15. Why did Melvin make excuses for Ray? Was it solely his guilt that Ray had protected him from their father or was there a deeper motivation for his empathy?

16. Lori Jean discovers the reason she wants to forgive Ray for all the sadness he brought to their lives when she discovers how thoroughly he and his mother were abused. Have you had a similar reckoning with forgiveness?

17. Once back in Alabama, what do you think happens to Aunt Lexie and Uncle Melvin? Do they find the happiness for themselves and their children they so richly deserve? Do you see them taking joy in their new daughter, Lori Jean's namesake?

18. Who do you think brought the poison to Nadine at the end of the novel? Lori Jean says it could have been someone who loved her, or someone who didn't. Which do you think it was?

Jackie Lee Miles, a resident of Georgia for over thirty-five years, hails from Wisconsin via South Dakota. She considers herself "a northern girl with a southern heart." Her paternal grandfather was christened Grant Lee by her great-grandmother in honor of the many fallen soldiers on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. She resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and Cape Canaveral, Florida, with her husband Robert, and she is a featured speaker at book clubs, schools, and writer's workshops. When not writing or speaking, Miles tours with the Dixie Darlin's, four nationally published book-writing belles who serve up helpings of down-home humor and warmth. When the Darlin's come to town, they don't just sign books; they give a lively presentation, peppered with advice, animation, and lots of anecdotes. For more information or to schedule an appearance, contact Karin Gillespie at
[email protected]
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    You can write the author at
[email protected]
, and you can visit her website at
www.jlmiles.com.