In my novel, The Robin’s Greeting, the Amish family’s neighbor, Virginia, had kept her past hidden from others because she felt ashamed of how she had treated her children. Is there something in your past that you have shared with only a few people, or perhaps no one, because you were afraid of people’s reactions? Is it important to share past mistakes with others, or would it be better to keep quiet about our mistakes, even if someone could benefit from knowing?

In my novel, The Robin’s Greeting, Sylvia postponed her wedding to Dennis for a few months in order to help her mother, Belinda, in the greenhouse. Do you think it was necessary for her to do that, or should Belinda have insisted that her daughter keep her original plans as they were?

Have you ever set an important plan or event aside for the good of someone else? If so, how did it make you feel? Or perhaps a friend or family member rescheduled their plans to help you with something they felt was important. Did you accept their help willingly, or insist that you could manage on your own and ask them not to cancel or change their plans?

In my novel, The Sugarcreek Surprise, the main character, Lisa, faced a terrible tragedy at the age of seven, when her parents and paternal grandparents were killed, along with their driver. Lisa was the only survivor of the accident. She was sent to live with her maternal grandparents, who lived in another state. Despite their loving care, Lisa became an introvert and feared the unknown. It was difficult for her to form a bond with anyone, fearful that something tragic might happen to them. Do you think this was a normal reaction? Have you, or someone you know, ever been in a similar situation when you’ve gone through a tragedy? If so, how did you cope?