CASTING ABOUT
In this beautifully crafted and uplifting novel, the author of the acclaimed Spinning Forward welcomes readers back to the lush Florida island of Cedar Key, where the vibrant shades of hibiscus and azaleas are the perfect backdrop to a colorful, quirky community…
In the four years since Monica Brooks moved to Cedar Key, she’s found a home, a husband, and now a business to love. Taking over her mother’s bustling knitting shop is a welcome challenge, but Monica’s exciting plans are waylaid by unexpected news. Her husband’s ex-wife has been deemed an unfit mother,
In this beautifully crafted and uplifting novel, the author of the acclaimed Spinning Forward welcomes readers back to the lush Florida island of Cedar Key, where the vibrant shades of hibiscus and azaleas are the perfect backdrop to a colorful, quirky community…
In the four years since Monica Brooks moved to Cedar Key, she’s found a home, a husband, and now a business to love. Taking over her mother’s bustling knitting shop is a welcome challenge, but Monica’s exciting plans are waylaid by unexpected news. Her husband’s ex-wife has been deemed an unfit mother, and custody of their eight-year-old daughter, Clarissa, is to be transferred to Adam.
Going straight from honeymoon to motherhood—especially when she’s unsure she wants children—leaves the normally even-keeled Monica doubting herself at every turn. Yet in a place like Cedar Key, nobody goes it alone. With help from friends and relatives, Monica, Clarissa, and Adam begin to forge a close-knit family of their own—one that will need to be strong enough to withstand all the surprises set to unravel…
- Kensington Books
- Paperback
- October 2010
- 352 Pages
- 9780758232052
Buy the Book
$15.00
About Terri DuLong
Terri DuLong was born and raised in north of Boston, and now resides with her husband, two dogs, and three cats on an island off the west coast of Florida. A retired Registered Nurse, she began her writing career as a contributing writer for Bonjour Paris, where she shared her travel experiences to France in over forty articles with a fictional canine narrator. Terri’s love of knitting provides quiet time to develop her characters and plots for her future novels.
Praise
“Poignant, absorbing, humorous…a debut that tugs at the heart.” —Sophia Nash, author of A Dangerous Beauty
“Like a lazy island summer. . .a story of secrets and loss, friendship and recovery, and rediscovered love.”
—Laura Castoro, author of Love on the Line
“Captures the essence of what often lies in each of our hearts. Don’t miss it!”—J.L. Miles, author of Cold Rock River
Discussion Questions
Why do you think Monica was insecure about motherhood?
Discuss Adam’s reaction and feelings when he was granted full custody of Clarissa Jo following his ex-wife’s accident.
In the beginning, how supportive do you think Monica was toward Adam? Toward Clarissa Jo?
Following Carrie Sue’s accident, did you agree with the judge’s ruling in favor of Adam? Why or why not?
Do you feel Grace was a positive or negative influence on Monica with regard to becoming a new stepmom? Discuss her impact on Monica as a friend.
Discuss Saren’s feelings about Sybile’s spirit still hovering over them. Did you feel she could be sending Monica a message, and if so, why?
How would you describe Monica’s behavior toward Clarissa Jo in the beginning? Withdrawn, uncomfortable, fearful, angry, loving, involved? Explain your reasons.
What do you think Clarissa Jo’s feelings were on leaving her mother? How do you think she felt about relocating? How do you think she felt toward Monica?
Did you feel “Billie” was a figment of Clarissa Jo’s imagination? And if so, how did you account for the “coincidences,” like knowing about Atsena Otie, naming her dog Billie, etc.?
Regarding the incident when Clarissa Jo broke the glass bowl that had belonged to Sybile . . . Did you think Monica overreacted? Did you feel there was any possibility the child could have let the bowl slip out of her hands on purpose? Explain your reasons.
Did you think Monica overstepped her bounds as a friend when she told Grace what she had discovered about Tony? Why or why not?
Where, in the story, did you feel was the beginning of the turning point in Monica and Clarissa Jo’s relationship?