Discussion
Guide
Summer in Mossy Creek
1.
Mossy Creek Chief of Police Amos Royden isn’t a fan of what he
refers to as the “gray zone” of law enforcement. Why does he hate police
matters that aren’t black and white? For what does he risk stepping into
the gray zone? Why?
2.
Several stories in this collection explore the darker side of
friendship—fights and feuds. What did Grace Peacock and her neighbor Mamie
Brown, Inez Hamilton Hilley and her cousin Ardaleen Bigelow, Sara-Beth
Connelly and former BFF (Best Friend Forever) Carolee Langford, Lila
Spivey and her unwitting nemesis Fryzeen Sneerly feud over? What caused
some of these women to make amends? What prevented others from doing so?
3.
“Louise and Jack” and “Hope and Marle” deal with lost loves
returning to Mossy Creek. What kept Louise and Jack from exploring their
feelings in the past? What keeps them apart now? Why are Hope and Marle
able to reconcile the past with their present and embrace a future
together?
4.
In “Louise and Jack,” we discover that prejudice against
inter-racial relationships existed in the past even in idyllic Mossy
Creek. Do you think either Jack or Louise regrets his or her choice to
give in to societal and familial pressures? Has the South changed enough
that inter-racial relationships and marriages are any easier today? Why,
or why not?
5.
How death affects friendship is explored in “Sadie and Etta” and in
“Laurie and Tweedle Dee.” What legacy does Etta leave Sadie? What does
Laurie leave Tweedle Dee? What things has a dying relative or friend left
you? What life lessons do you think were embedded in these items?
6.
Friendship makes strange bedfellows in a few of the stories. For
example, Laurie and her pet canary Tweedle Dee, Opal and her sisters’
spirits, Lucy Belle and her grandmother-in-crime Inez Hamilton Hilley.
What other unusual friendships were explored in this and other Mossy Creek
anthologies? What benefits do people gain from befriending others far
different from them and their experience?
7.
Relationships between sisters are explored in “Opal and the Suggs
Sisters” and “Therese and the Stroud Women.” How are the sisters in these
stories friends? How are they enemies? Why is the sister bond in Opal’s
story so strong that it transcends death? What other books or movies have
you read or seen that explore sisters’ lives? Why do you think authors
never seem to tire of exploring the nuances of biological and figurative
sisterhood?
8.
Several authors use Southern traditions in observing death in their
stories’ settings. In “Sadie and Etta,” we learn that Ben and Sadie buried
Etta in her favorite spot, under the Sitting Tree, and that they honor her
by putting wildflowers on her grave every year on their anniversary. In
“Therese and the Stroud Women,” Therese learns from Granny Georgie and the
aunts how to care for the graves of her relatives in the Old Baptist
Cemetery. In “Louise and Jack,” friends and family gather at the deceased
person’s house for food and comfort. What traditions do you follow when a
loved one passes? Which of these traditions are related to your family
background; which are related to the part of the country you live in?
9.
Sara-Beth Connelly misses the “You too?” moments she shared with
estranged friend Carolee Langford. Did you ever have a friendship as
strong as the one Sara-Beth and Carolee shared before the betrayal?
Describe one of those “You too?” moments you experienced with your best
friend.
10.
At ten years old, Therese Taylor follows Mayor Ida’s advice to look
for Opportunity. In doing so, she accompanies her grandmother and aunts to
their monthly clean-up at the Old Baptist Cemetery and discovers who she
is. How old were you when you discovered who you are? What special or
ordinary event in your life helped you determine your place in the world?
11. In “Laurie and Tweedle Dee,” Laurie Grey knew she was dying and set
out to spend what remained of her life doing what she’d always wanted to
do—writing stories and sharing them with others. If you were given a
similar diagnosis, what would you do in the time you had remaining? With
whom would you spend your time?
12.
In “Amos and Dog,” Amos decides to let Ida “draw her own
conclusions about if there was or was not a little spark of chemistry”
between them. Will Ida ever admit to feeling something other than respect
or friendship for Amos? Why, or why not?
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