It's a label she alternately hates and hides behind, and as The Shark Curtain matures in tone and theme, so does Lily's awareness of the cost of her anonymity. The big stuff can't be avoided, however, and Lily must face the addictions, infidelity, and death of loved ones, as well as the surreal challenges of puberty, the ghost of her dead dog, and the unsolicited company of a restless and often annoying Jesus.
Safety, inclusiveness, and a "normal" future come with a price tag, even when you're a weirdo. What must Lily give up to join the others at "the watering hole"? Will she ever be welcome there? And who, or what, is she without the stories she writes, the art she makes, the patterns, numbers, and fantasies that give her cluttered mind peace?
Who are any of us without a creative life?
The Shark Curtain was a big part of mine for years, and now, as I write about it here, I feel the pull of Lily's world again. Certainly working with autistic, schizophrenic, sexually abused and emotionally disturbed kids has left its mark on my writing as well as my psyche, but so have other influences. I've written since I was a kid, and now, retired from teaching and silk-screening and a dozen other minor careers, I also create at my art table, play the piano and cello, and travel with my husband. I'm happiest where I've always been happiest: alone in my room—the door to my imagination wide open, making stuff and writing stories.
Just like Lily.
—Chris Scofield
Discussion Guide
1. Lily feels safest in her room, and yet it isolates her with her visions and fears. Why does she feel safe there? What is she afraid of? What is YOUR safe place like?
2. It is not uncommon for children to have an imaginary playmate. How is Jesus different? . . .Do you find the use of Jesus, as a character in The Shark Curtain, improper? Why or why not?
3. One of Lily's mantras through out the book is "Things get out if you're not careful, things get in." What do you think that means to her?
4. The Shark Curtain is set in the middle-late 1960s, against the backdrop of changing values, the struggle for civil liberties and the Vietnam War. How does the "news of the day" impact the book's characters?
5. Beauty, the white horse, is clumsy and old and drawn to the rim of the pit. The author hints at both the attraction and danger of riding so close to the edge with the expression "Emptiness pulls." What does that expression mean to you? Why is Beauty's death so devastating to Lily?
6. What is Lily's fascination with Frog Boy? And Martin Hornbuckle?
7. How does Lily's view of the Savage boy change over the course of the book?
8. Do YOU think Lily is a "weirdo?" What do you think is really going on with her?
9. Why does Mrs. Wiggins continue to haunt Lily?
10. What are some of Lily's rituals and what does she get out of them?
11. Why do you think Jesus crawls through a tear in Lily's window screen instead of walking through her door?
12. Why did the author title the book The Shark Curtain? What does the 'shark curtain' represent?
With Thanks and Love To:
My mom, dad, and sister. I was so lucky to have such a loving family! Thank you all.
Kid Cadillac. My daughter, my heart.
Readers of early drafts of The Shark Curtain, who believed in its good bones and urged me to continue—you know who you are.
Ursula K. Le Guin, who taught me the only rule to writing is “numbering your pages; the rest is up to you.” Thanks for taking me under your literary wing a millennium ago, for flattering me by arguing with me about a poem I wrote (the bullet in my purse, the merit of the word “Polaroid”), for strolling with me along the beach. You liked my work and treated me as an equal. Mind. Blown.
Tom Spanbauer, who schooled me at Haystack then invited me to join his Dangerous Writing table in Portland. Thanks for your support and encouragement, for your exceptional gifts as a writer and a teacher, for your courage, modesty, and generosity.
LitChix pals Val Brooks and Patsy Hand. My talented “sisters” in work, in soul, in play, who keep me honest and challenge me to invest each page with hard work, imagination, and clarity. I love you madly.
My agent Carrie Howland, who loved Shark from the beginning and worked hard to find it the right home. How can I thank you enough?
Jessica (J.L.) Powers, a beautiful writer and editor extraordinaire. Brilliant, caring, accessible—you knock me out. Fingers crossed I’m lucky enough to work with you again someday.
Johnny Temple and Johanna Ingalls at Akashic Books. How did I luck out to have rock ’n’ roll publishers who print smart, edgy, original work? I’m flattered to be on your roster.
Lily Asher, my fictional heroine. Thank you for trusting me. I hope I haven’t embarrassed you or sold you short.
CHRIS SCOFIELD is a novelist and short story writer. She’s worked with authors Ursula K. Le Guin and Tom Spanbauer and is a former special education, art, and preschool teacher. Scofield studies cello, travels internationally, and lives in Eugene, Oregon, with her husband and two goldfish.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, including mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the publisher.
Published by Akashic Books
©2015 by Chris Scofield
Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1-61775-313-8
eISBN-13: 978-1-61775-369-5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014955097
First printing
Black Sheep/Akashic Books
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E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.akashicbooks.com
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