Mason's Daughter (24 page)
Authors: Cynthia J Stone
“Hello, Daddy.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book never would have been started if my dear friend, Kathleen Niendorff, hadn’t said, “Go and write that novel.” It took longer than I imagined, and therefore I’m grateful to the many close friends who encouraged me and believed in me: Pan Adams-McCaslin, Ann Arnett, Paula Damore, John Fincher, Beth Fowler, Dr. Wylie Jones-Jordan, Gloria Moore, Dr. Suzanne Novak-Nemeth, Sylvia Simpson, and Betty Trimble, among others. Lucky me.
Every writer should belong to a critique group, for strength and help, and to keep you from falling into blind traps and using cheap tricks to get out. My El Gee pals–Rick Bolner, Ray Fuentez, Tosh McIntosh, Muriel Perkins, Laura Resnick-Chavez, and Brad Whittington–deserve medals for the innumerable battles they’ve fought on my behalf.
If you have a friend who can take your ideas, some of which are conveyed by waving your hands in the air, and give you a dazzling design for a book cover, you are doubly blessed. Kim Greyer has vision beyond the written words, with talent and artistry to match. She always says we’re a good team. Lucky me.
Who can succeed at this crazy endeavor without the loving support of family? Writers are notoriously solitary and cranky, even when we aren’t drinking, so our spouses and children deserve all that heaven allows (who first wrote that?). Here’s to Gerald, the man of my dreams and my heart, a husband and soul mate who never expressed doubts or impatience. And here’s to my son Jordan, actor and writer, who shares his own creative streak with so much enthusiasm. Clink, clink.
Readers Guide for
Mason’s Daughter
By Cynthia J. Stone
Readers Guide Discussion Questions
1. Who is your favorite character and why?
2. Why does Sally have such a hard time hearing Colton? The more she tries to fix it, the worse it gets. Do you feel sympathy for her? Why or why not?
3. How does Angelique help Sally learn the hard lessons? Angelique has her own problems, but she unselfishly focuses her attention on Sally. Have you known anyone like Angelique? What did she mean to you?
4. Why does Sally blame Nate for her mother’s death? Her view of family events as a child is incomplete, but she insists Nate never cared about her or her mother. What does it take for Sally to change her opinion? Have you ever changed your mind about a family member or close friend? What caused you to change?
5. Is Nate a mystery to you? Sally doesn’t understand him and criticizes his actions, until Colton opens her eyes. What drove Nate to those drastic choices? Could you forgive him?
6. Did it surprise you that Mike has been in love with Sally? At times, she’s not very loveable, but he persists. What draws him to Sally?
7. Did you feel sorry for Jack, Sally’s late husband? He seemed to get the short end of every stick, but remained optimistic. How could such a nice guy have someone like Big Jack for a father?
8. Does Sally envy Judith and Charlie’s relationships with each other and with their children? They represent the opposite of her and her family situation. How hard is it to be friends with someone who has everything you don’t?
9. Why does Sally talk to her dead mother and mother-in-law? This story has no ghosts or supernatural events, but in some way, Sally feels connected to them. Have you ever felt a presence, asked for help from, or dreamed about a person you have lost?
10. How does suicide reverberate through the generations? It’s a topic seldom discussed openly, yet it can pervade every relationship and every major decision. What are the difficulties in bringing such an intense subject to light?
11. Would Sally have turned out very differently if Nate had been a demonstrative father? Fathers and their influence on daughters is a subject for the ages, and Sally missed out almost entirely. Who filled that void for her and how?
12. Do the losses Sally suffered reflect Nate’s life as well? Compassion is a quality that is, by necessity, painful to acquire. What keeps us from showing it? How would our lives be better if we did?
About the Author
Cynthia Stone believes she and Sting were twins separated at birth, because they share the same birthday and original last name. Since she’s a native Austinite, some complications in proving their kinship are sure to arise. All of which provides creative fodder for the family sagas she loves to write. Cynthia wrote her first story at age five and has continued to indulge that Muse ever since. Her checkered career includes magazine publishing, copywriting, professional fundraising for the fine arts, antiques importing, and interior decorating. She still lives in Austin with her ever-patient husband, Gerald, a restaurateur
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Connect with Cynthia online: www.CynthiaJStone.com
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