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Contents ( 109)
  1. CONTENTS
  2. ONE
  3. Sylvie
  4. TWO
  5. Sylvie
  6. THREE
  7. Thomas
  8. FOUR
  9. Sylvie
  10. FIVE
  11. Thomas
  12. SIX
  13. Sylvie
  14. SEVEN
  15. Thomas
  16. EIGHT
  17. Sylvie
  18. NINE
  19. Thomas
  20. TEN
  21. Sylvie
  22. ELEVEN
  23. Thomas
  24. TWELVE
  25. Sylvie
  26. THIRTEEN
  27. Thomas
  28. FOURTEEN
  29. Sylvie
  30. FIFTEEN
  31. Thomas
  32. SIXTEEN
  33. Sylvie
  34. SEVENTEEN
  35. Thomas
  36. EIGHTEEN
  37. Sylvie
  38. NINETEEN
  39. Sylvie
  40. TWENTY
  41. Thomas
  42. TWENTY-ONE
  43. Sylvie
  44. TWENTY-TWO
  45. Thomas
  46. TWENTY-THREE
  47. Sylvie
  48. TWENTY-FOUR
  49. Thomas
  50. TWENTY-FIVE
  51. Sylvie
  52. TWENTY-SIX
  53. Thomas
  54. TWENTY-SEVEN
  55. Sylvie
  56. TWENTY-EIGHT
  57. Thomas
  58. TWENTY-NINE
  59. Sylvie
  60. THIRTY
  61. Thomas
  62. THIRTY-ONE
  63. Sylvie
  64. THIRTY-TWO
  65. Thomas
  66. THIRTY-THREE
  67. Sylvie
  68. THIRTY-FOUR
  69. Thomas
  70. THIRTY-FIVE
  71. Sylvie
  72. THIRTY-SIX
  73. Thomas
  74. THIRTY-SEVEN
  75. Sylvie
  76. THIRTY-EIGHT
  77. Sylvie
  78. THIRTY-NINE
  79. Thomas
  80. FORTY
  81. Sylvie
  82. FORTY-ONE
  83. Sylvie
  84. FORTY-TWO
  85. Thomas
  86. FORTY-THREE
  87. Sylvie
  88. FORTY-FOUR
  89. Sylvie
  90. FORTY-FIVE
  91. Thomas
  92. FORTY-SIX
  93. Sylvie
  94. FORTY-SEVEN
  95. Sylvie
  96. FORTY-EIGHT
  97. Sylvie
  98. FORTY-NINE
  99. Thomas
  100. FIFTY
  101. Sylvie
  102. FIFTY-ONE
  103. Thomas
  104. FIFTY-TWO
  105. Sylvie
  106. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  107. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
  108. connect online
  109. What’s next on your reading list?

Thanks also to Steph’s super-smart assistant, Courtney Paganelli—you are a delight to work with and I value your ideas and input. My thanks to Levine Greenberg Rostan’s foreign rights director Beth Fisher, business manager Melissa Rowland, and contract attorney Kirsten Wolf. And thank you to Debbie Deuble Hill at Agency for the Performing Arts—working with you is a dream come true.

This whole writing thing has been a gift in so many ways. I’ve met incredible people in the publishing industry who love stories and work diligently to champion them. I’ve been given the opportunity to spend time with other authors, share our work, successes, and heartaches, and develop real friendships. And I’m part of an Instagram community that provides encouragement, thoughtful reviews, book suggestions, and gorgeous photographs.

To all my early readers—Henry Fischer, Dawn Weeman, Laurie Forest, Judy Frey, Karen Ford, Erin Burnham, Elda Orr, my sister, Sue Bishop, and my folks, Jane and Art Richardson—having your feedback and support means the world. Seriously. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough, but it’s all I have!

Some of It Was Real is a novel about purpose, love, acceptance, and the belief that anything is possible. I wish every reader all of those things . . .

READERS GUIDE

Some of It Was Real

Nan Fischer

READERS GUIDE

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  1. Sylvie and Thomas both struggle with Impostor Syndrome—the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved. Have you ever suffered from Impostor Syndrome? If so, how did you overcome your fears and embrace your abilities?

  2. Early in the novel, Sylvie calls Thomas “Doubting Thomas” because he only believes what he can see, touch, and prove. Do you require proof to believe things, or can you rely on faith?

  3. Sylvie has no memories before the age of six until she unlocks her past. What is the earliest memory you have? Have your first memories shaped your perception of who you are in the world?

  4. Have you ever visited with a psychic, tarot card reader, or palm reader? What was that experience like, and did you leave with answers or more questions?

  5. Where does the tension between Thomas and Sylvie stem from, beyond Thomas’s desire to prove she’s a fraud?

  6. At the start of the novel, Sylvie is unsure about her psychic abilities. What was your perception of her gift at the beginning of the story? Did it change by the last chapter?

  7. Sylvie convinces herself that she’s still a good person because even when she researches audience members, she’s helping them overcome their grief. Do you believe Sylvie’s intentions make her actions ethically good, or did you disapprove because of her ulterior motives?

  8. Sylvie discovers a massive lie that changes the way she remembers her upbringing. If you had a happy childhood and learned as an adult that you were told a lie that might change your perception of your life, would you want to know the truth? Or would you choose to preserve your memories at any cost?

  9. If you had the chance to sit in Sylvie’s audience and she called on you for the final reading of her show, whom would you want to connect with?

  10. Thomas realizes at the end of the novel that believing in Sylvie and her gift is a choice. Do you agree? How has this novel influenced your thoughts on whether or not psychics are legitimate?