by Shawna Seed
Stay tuned to www.shawnaseed.com and visit Shawna on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads for updates!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shawna Seed is a writer and editor whose work has taken her to both coasts and several spots in between, working for organizations ranging from The Dallas Morning News to ESPN.com.
Originally from Kansas, she has lived in seven states and every continental U.S. time zone. She and her husband – and their two cats, Gus and Lulu – now make their home in Dallas.
Identity is her debut novel. Her next project, Not In Time, is a suspense novel about looted art.
You can learn more about the author at www.shawnaseed.com
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Cover design: Heather Kern at popshopstudio.com
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My sister, Gaye Coburn, read every variation of this manuscript and offered endless encouragement, which is her special gift.
Lauren Abramo at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management picked me out of the slush pile, provided crucial feedback and deserves much credit for helping me bring Brian into clearer focus.
Belinda Allen, Trish Rodriguez Terrell and Cynthia Wahl are great early readers and even better friends. Barbara Morris designed my website and taught me to tile a backsplash, which has nothing to do with writing a novel but deserves a shout-out all the same. The husband-wife team of Mark Davidson and Sarah Duckers advised me on the Texas criminal justice system and directed me to Brian’s neighborhood. Everything I got wrong is my fault, not theirs.
I am grateful to my parents, Joe and Karen Seed, who never chastised me for having my nose in a book.
Finally, I couldn’t have done this without my husband, Rick Holter, who read the first page I wrote and said, “Go write more.”
Discussion Guide
1. If you could give Sharlah one piece of advice, what would it be?
2. Are Brian's actions noble or foolish? Both? Neither?
3. After the hurricane, what did you think happened to Sharlah? What clues led you to that conclusion?
4. Several characters are motivated by guilt and shame. Can those ever be positive influences?
5. How do you think Sharlah's childhood influenced her decisions? How did Brian's background affect his?
6. Which character do you think changed the most over the course of the book?
7. Which character did you identify with most?
8. Describe your favorite part of the book.
9. If you could ask the author a question, what would it be?
10. Cast the movie: Who would play Brian? Sharlah? Mitch?
11. If you had the chance to create an entirely new identity, what would you do?
12. Which character do you wish you knew better?
