I got the idea from my own son, who’d somehow gotten to a televangelist one morning while surfing for cartoons. For days after that he would talk to me about what he heard in that sermon. I had this funny picture in my head of Conner watching this evangelist, his white hair slicked to his head, his hands shooting in the air, and Conner just totally picking up on that, not a thought about denomination or what’s comfortable or uncomfortable for him. Since I wasn’t raised charismatic, I thought it’d be fun to explore how a mom would react to her kid acting like a little charismatic televangelist. And how, in the end, she finds her own faith through something that used to embarrass her.
Vance suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. How did you research this? And what made you decide to give Vance this illness? Are hallucinations like Vance’s conversations with Doug Cantella common to PTSD?
I’ve been interested in PTSD since my experience with the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. I was there for the whole thing and saw a lot of disturbing things but never had any PTSD symptoms—no flashbacks or anything else—except my eyes water every time I hear sirens, fifteen years later. It’s just this weird physiological reaction that happens every time I hear a siren. And that was one of the things that made such an impression on me that day: the sirens never ended. They just kept coming and coming, all through the city. All through the night. I feel fortunate that I was able to come through that without psychological damage. But it gave me a small glimpse into Vance’s struggle with PTSD.
In my research on PTSD, I found a lot of interesting symptoms that coincide with the disorder, including the flashbacks that he experiences, the sounds of the bullets and shattering glass. Hallucinations, however, are extremely uncommon, and there you’re actually bordering on psychosis. But for the story, I wanted Vance to really struggle with reality and delusion and then find faith in between. It fit well for what he’d been through with the D.C. sniper case, which is a case I’d been fascinated with since it happened. I always wondered what it was like for those cops, trying to hunt down what must’ve seemed like a ghost.
Lindy’s mother, Joan, is an intriguing character. She is the proverbial ice queen, yet we see that she truly loves her daughter. How did you develop this character?
Joan was a lot of fun to write. It’s always fun to play with the mother-in-law/son-in-law relationship. I saw Joan clearly from the moment I decided to put her in the story. But what I really enjoyed was ice-picking my way through her coldness, to find her humanity underneath.
Where did you get the motivation for Erin’s character?
She’s a whole lot of badness wrapped into one! She’s misguided, selfish, living for all the wrong things. Rarely does one get this extreme, but I think the thing that makes the bad guy (or gal) so chilling is when we get a little glimpse of ourselves in that character. Erin and Vance both lost their way, but her pride and her own desires kept her from finding the healing that Vance eventually finds.
What do you hope the reader takes away from this story?
The first and most obvious thing is that I want readers to examine what really matters in their lives. It’s so easy to get caught up in the extras of life that were intended as blessings but become harmful when we elevate them over what truly matters. But I also love the story between Vance and Lindy, and how through utter material devastation, they find the compassion and truth they need to restore their marriage. There can be so many obstacles that stand in the way of a marriage thriving, but it is sometimes those very things that cause all the layers to be peeled away so that healing can begin. Lastly, always, always read the fine print!
Discussion Questions
Use these questions for individual reflection or for discussion within your book club or small group. If your book club reads Possession and is interested in talking with me via speakerphone, please feel free to contact me through my Web site at www.renegutteridge.com, and I’ll do my best to arrange something with you. Thanks for reading!
1. At some point, Vance and Lindy realize they may never see their possessions again. How do they feel about losing their things? Do you think it changed what they valued?
2. Lindy tries to convince Vance to let their possessions go. What do you think would have happened if he followed her advice?
3. Have you ever been in a situation where you had to choose between getting what is rightfully yours and letting it go? How did you feel?
4. Lindy and Vance decide that Vance should leave his job and they should move across the country. Why do you think they had to make such a drastic move? Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to pick everything up and move far away? Would it have solved your problem?
5. Early in the story we see Vance sitting at his desk in the police station. His retirement party is over, yet he doesn’t head home. Why do you think he was hesitant to leave?
6. Joe is gruff and somewhat rude when he shows up at Vance and Lindy’s house with the moving van. Why do you think they trusted him to take their stuff? Are there people in your life whom you trust as experts? Are there times when you should be more careful in checking their credentials?
7. Vance quickly signed the agreement with the moving company without reading the fine print. Have you ever found yourself contractually obligated by something because you didn’t read the agreement carefully?
8. Why does Vance go to Chicago to see Erin? Does he have feelings for her?
9. Erin has an unhealthy attraction to Vance. How do you think Vance could have handled it differently? Should Lindy have handled it differently?
10. After Conner came to faith through a televangelist, his parents found his talk about God and his behavior very strange. Has anyone ever thought you were strange because of your faith? Have you found someone else’s expression of faith strange?
11. Lindy and Vance try to protect Conner from everything going on, yet in some ways Conner seems better equipped to handle the situation. Why do you think Conner adapts so easily?
12. Erin holds Vance responsible for everything she’s lost. Is her anger justified?
13. What is on the disc that Vance hides from the authorities? Why was he trying to protect Erin? Have you ever been in a situation where you had to decide between telling the truth and protecting someone you cared about? Would you have handled this differently?
14. Vance continues to see and have conversations with Doug Cantella, but we later learn that the conversations are in Vance’s mind. Why do you think Vance communicates with Doug? What does Doug represent to Vance?
15. When Vance is arrested, Joan believes that he’s responsible for her daughter’s disappearance but later changes her mind. Why do you think she hired a lawyer for Vance? What made her decide he was innocent? Have you ever suspected someone of something only to discover his or her innocence?
16. While Erin is holding Lindy and Conner hostage, her approach to Conner seems to change. Why does Erin tell Conner to help himself to a soda? Did you find it more disturbing when Erin was mean to Conner or when she was nice?
17. When Joan discovers that Vance is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, she gives him medication. Why doesn’t Vance take it? Do you think this was the right decision?
18. It’s obvious that Joan is against Vance and Lindy’s marriage. Why is she so distrustful of Vance? Have you ever been fearful that your children will make the same mistakes that you have? Or have your parents ever shown a similar fear?
19. After Vance arrives at the motel and gives Lindy verbal clues, Lindy walks out of the room, sees the gun on the ground, and shoots through the window. When does she realize that Vance was giving her clues? What does her shooting blindly into the motel room represent?
20. In the end, Conner tells his father that he wanted to come out of the bathroom but he felt a hand pushing him down. How was this similar to Vance’s experience? What do you think held them both back? Have you ever had a similar experience?
THE STORM SERIES:
The Sp
litting Storm
Storm Gathering
Storm Surge
THE OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS SERIES:
Scoop
Snitch
Skid
STAND-ALONE TITLES:
Listen
Possession
Misery Loves Company
Never the Bride (with Cheryl McKay)
Greetings from the Flipside (with Cheryl McKay)
My Life as a Doormat
Troubled Waters
Ghost Writer
NOVELLA:
Escapement (part of the 7 Hours series)
THE BOO SERIES:
Boo
Boo Who
Boo Hiss
Boo Humbug
NOVELIZATIONS:
Heart of the Country (with John Ward)
Just 18 Summers (with Michelle Cox)
Old Fashioned (with Rik Swarzwelder)
The Ultimate Gift
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Possession Page 27