Just 18 Summers

by Rene Gutteridge

  Thank you to my dear friend Irma Torre for your gracious offer to draw our logo. I am stunned by your talent and see why Disney animation valued your work so highly.

  Thank you to the friends and colleagues who took time out of your busy schedules to read and endorse the book. You’re the best!

  I’ve been blessed by some special friends who have been my brainstorming pals and my constant encouragers as I’ve worked to put the Just 18 Summers brand and book together. Thank you to Margaret Skiles, Jenny Cote, and Lori Marett for always being there.

  One of my biggest blessings has been to have a team of people who have prayed faithfully for me and for the Just 18 Summers concept. There are not enough words to thank you adequately for what your prayers have meant to me and to this project. God bless you all!

  Thank you to my husband, Paul, who is my biggest cheerleader. Our boys couldn’t have had a better dad! Thanks for loving me and encouraging me to chase God’s dreams for my life.

  And last—but definitely not least—thank You to God for allowing me to be part of this Just 18 Summers journey, for the precious gift of those eighteen summers with each of my three sons, and for the blessing of watching as my sons and daughters-in-law enjoy their eighteen summers with my sweet grandbabies: Anna, Jack, Ava, Eden, Ethan, and the new little one who will arrive in a few months.

  Thank you so much for reading Just 18 Summers. Rene and I hope that you’ll enjoy it and that you’ll make time to enjoy each of those priceless summers with your children.

  About the Authors

  RENE GUTTERIDGE is the award-winning and bestselling author of twenty-two novels, including her latest releases, Misery Loves Company (suspense), Greetings from the Flipside (comedy), and Heart of the Country (drama). Her recent suspense titles also include Listen, Possession, and Escapement. She has novelized six screenplays, including the upcoming release Old Fashioned. Never the Bride, a romantic comedy with screenwriter Cheryl McKay, won the Carol Award in 2010 for best women’s fiction.

  Her indie film—the comedy Skid, based on her novel—is in postproduction and due to release in 2014. Rene is a creative consultant on Boo, a film based on her beloved novel series, which is in development at Sodium Entertainment with Cory Edwards attached as director and Andrea Nasfell as screenwriter. Rene is also a cowriter in a collaborative comedy project called The Last Resort with screenwriters Torry Martin and Marshal Younger.

  Find Rene on Facebook, Twitter, or at renegutteridge.com.

  MICHELLE COX is the author of seven books with content ranging from inspirational nonfiction to cookbooks to humor books. Just 18 Summers (with coauthor Rene Gutteridge) is her first novel.

  Michelle is the food blogger for Fox News personality Todd Starnes (toddstarnes.com) and a contributing writer for WHOAwomen magazine, and she has been published on FoxNews.com. She has done interviews and written movie reviews for ChristianCinema.com and has written for multiple publications at Focus on the Family. She has been a guest on numerous radio and television programs, including Hannity, The Harvest Show, and Focus on the Family, and is a speaker at many events. Michelle is on faculty for a number of Christian writing and media conferences. She has also taught webinars for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild and written scripts and designed book trailers as associate producer for Book Preview, a division of Tentmakers Entertainment. Whew, she’ll figure out what she wants to do eventually.

  Michelle and her husband, Paul, are the parents of three sons and grandparents to five perfect grandchildren (with one more on the way). They’ve owned Cox Masonry for the past thirty-nine years and have spent thirty-five years working with teens and single young adults at Trinity Baptist Church.

  Join Michelle for “Encouragement with a Southern Drawl” on Facebook (MichelleCoxInspirations), Twitter (@michelleinspire), and her blog (michellecoxinspirations.com). And visit the Just 18 Summers page on Facebook or just18summers.com for Michelle’s family and parenting blog.

  Discussion Questions

  Jenny Browning’s death had a big impact on the people in her life. Have you experienced the loss of a family member or close friend? How did you get through that time, and how did that experience change you?

  Jenny’s prayers and daily example touched her daughter’s life in many ways. What examples of Jenny’s influence do you see in Ava throughout the story? What things can you do to be a good example to the children in your life as you go about your day?

  When Larry and Beth Anderson receive the news that their daughter is getting married, they are stunned to realize that two of their children will leave home at the same time. How do you think parents can best prepare their children—and themselves—for this kind of transition? If you’re a parent who has reached the empty nest stage, what would you say to parents of young children?

  Larry and Beth have very different reactions to their children leaving home: Larry decides to have fun with the kids and make memories, and Beth worries that she hasn’t taught them enough to be prepared for adult life. Whose approach do you relate to most? During times of major change, how do you respond?

  Like most expectant parents, Daphne and Tippy are nervous about the birth of their first child, and Daphne’s fears easily run away with her. When have you found yourself overwhelmed by worries, whether about parenting or another area of your life? Looking back, did God teach you anything during this time?

  Charles and Helen Buckley have put their focus on providing monetary things for their children—and yet what the children really want is to have time with their parents and to feel like they are important. How do you see this family—both the parents and the children—struggling to understand one another? Have you ever faced a similar struggle to balance priorities?

  Butch wasn’t involved much with Ava before Jenny’s death but now has to learn all the necessary skills to care for his daughter. How do you see him growing as a dad throughout the story? What can we learn from this father and daughter as they work to build a close relationship?

  Franklin Hollingsworth is extremely wealthy and successful in the business world, but he realized—too late—that he had missed the important moments with his son. Looking at your life now, are there areas where you’re not fully present or living the way you want to? What steps could you take to avoid regrets later on?

  Inspired by his wife, Butch starts the Jenny Browning Project to build a house for a homeless dad and his daughter. How does this project impact other lives, too? What skills do you have that could be used to help others? How can you inspire your family, friends, or church to help someone else?

  If you’re a parent, how many summers do you have left with your children at home? What are you going to do to make the most of them?