The One You're With
Everyone lives a day differently… and sometimes the lives of the people living that day intersect.
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As Doc Delaney prepares for his annual party on Christmas Eve in Lake Caywood, so do Jack and Amelia Porter, Ruby Gallagher, and Jasper Lane. The season is one that should be full of wonder and merriment, but a specific box on the page of a calendar doesn’t necessarily eliminate the secrets that exist in a town, nor does it prevent unexpected truths from being shared. Over the course of twenty-four hours, the lives of several locals are changed for both the better and the worse—just in time for the holidays.
The Story Behind the Story
I have these not-old-but-not-young women in my world (my mother, other mother, and other other mother) who are always wanting more.
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They want to know the backstory of things, and the future story of things, and the whys and the wheres and the hows of it all. And so, because I was both tired of these questions and challenged by them, I began to brainstorm a way to share the backstories of Doc, Jasper, Ruby, Jack, and Amelia.
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I knew I wanted their story to be short. I also knew I wanted to release a Christmas novella that would fit neatly into a stocking. Those were pretty much the only parameters... and then The One You're With was born.
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The end.
The One You're With
Discussion Questions
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How does the order of the different character perspectives affect the development of the plot?
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Which character’s perspective was your favorite? Why?
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There are multiple love triangles within the novella. Which love triangle is the most intriguing?
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Whose unrequited love is the most painful to witness?
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What was your favorite scene? Why?
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Who was your favorite character? Why?
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For those familiar with Gettysburg... did you recognize any locations in the text that you believe to be inspired by Hannah Rae's hometown?
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What is your interpretation of the ending when Doc arrives at Ruby’s house?