Lovers of Paranormal discussion

Selkies!!!

[*selkiesselkiesselkiesselkies*]

Now THAT is a paranormal critter you don't see every day! The First Lie by Virginia King is rated General Adult.



"What if the truth was hidden where you’d never ever find it?

When Selkie Moon reclaims the name her mother gave her, she unwittingly triggers a series of events so bizarre, she’s forced to delve into the murky depths of the past and face the shocking truth about herself.

Selkie Moon was named after a fairy tale – one of her dead mother’s extraordinary ideas. The selkies are the seal people of Celtic folklore who peel off their skins and dance in the moonlight on human legs. Ironic, since Selkie almost drowned as a toddler and has been afraid of the sea ever since. A fact her step-mother rubs in on a regular basis.

Now Selkie has run away – from her life in Sydney, from too much control and not enough love – to start over again in Hawaii. Suddenly she’s all alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Without a life raft.

Soon her refuge begins to unravel and she's running from something else entirely. Someone is trying to kill her. No tangible evidence, just a voice in her head – not that she’s psychic, no way. But the messages multiply and the threats escalate until she’s locked in a game of cat-and-mouse with a mysterious stalker. As a sleuth Selkie’s an amateur and her first instinct is to keep running. But is she running from her past? Or her future?

With as many layers as a psychological thriller, 'The First Lie' is both a complex contemporary mystery and a romance of flight and redemption. Peppered with memorable characters and a touch of quirky humour, this highly imaginative and unpredictable story will keep you in suspense until the final scene..."

Are you reading The First Lie? Shout it out in the thread below so other community members can read along with you and drop your comments into the thread. Just be KIND and use the spoiler html so you don't ruin the fun for somebody who isn't quite as far along as you are.

Be epic!

Anna Erishkigal
LOP Fab-5 BOTM-MOD

Ah I read this book about a year ago and absolutely loved it. Full of interesting characters, twists and turns. Looking forward to more from Virginia King.

I keep trying to find time to read it because I'm full-blooded Celt and we have some nice stories about Selkies. It's not your usual paranormal critter :-)

I'm well into it and love the mix of cultures--the Hawaiian stuff, the Celtic, and then the entities ...

finished reading it. an excellent story. Will definitely read the next one.

Hi Everyone
I'm thrilled that The First Lie was chosen as the April read and thanks so much if you've read it or put in on your to-read list.

For your information:
1. FREE GUIDE ON MY WEBSITE
You can dowload a free guide to the "labyrinth of layers" behind The First Lie, called Messing with Mythology. It does not contain spoilers and it's a wry look at the symbolism in the book and how I wrestled various elements into the story :-) http://www.selkiemoon.com/subscribe-f...

2. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
I've listed some discussion questions about The First Lie at the bottom of this post. If anyone's interested in a discussion they may be useful, once you've read the book. I'd be happy to join a discussion/Q&A if anyone feels inspired.

3. EBOOK ON SALE TILL APRIL 30
The First Lie ebook is on sale in the Kindle store until April 30 for US$1.99. It will be available in a print version in a week or so.

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/First-Lie-Selki...
Amazon Aus: http://www.amazon.com.au/First-Selkie...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Selkie-...

Cheers and thanks again, Virginia

Discussion Questions for The First Lie
1.What did you think at first, when strange things started happening to Selkie?
2.What do you think of Selkie’s character and her relationships?
3.Who are your favourite minor characters and why?
4.What is your most memorable scene?
5.In what ways is this a psychological mystery?
6.Discuss the surreal elements in the book and their impact on Selkie's journey.
7.Discuss any elements in the book that could be improved. How?
8.What do you think of the end? Are the resolutions to the strange events satisfying? Give reasons.
9.What do you hope might happen in the next book, The Second Path?
10.Does The First Lie remind you of any other books? Discuss the similarities.
11.In what ways is Selkie’s "battle with demons" like the journey of every woman?

.What did you think at first, when strange things started happening to Selkie? That this is both real and in her mind at the same time.
2.What do you think of Selkie’s character and her relationships? I found her to be an envigorating character to spend time with--fully developed,original. So many female protagonsists in fiction seem like mere plot points, or seem alike (romantic lead; noir tough dame; clever amateur sleuth) I really appreciated Selkie's unique personality and her capacity for deep friendship.
..Who are your favourite minor characters and why? Derek. I want him for MY friend.
4.What is your most memorable scene? The red footprints.
5.In what ways is this a psychological mystery? No spoilers. I'll just say it provoked profound, insightful, healing dreams when I read it before sleeping. I'll miss it, now that I'm done.
6.Discuss the surreal elements in the book and their impact on Selkie's journey. Still working on the surreal painting and how it fits.
7.Discuss any elements in the book that could be improved. How? Super picky little thing. Some Americans have sort of British/Australian names (I think these men were American)--Nigel, Alister. Not common for Americans.
8.What do you think of the end? Are the resolutions to the strange events satisfying? Give reasons. Yes, satisfying--because it stayed mysterious in a way, yet had full closure.
9.What do you hope might happen in the next book, The Second Path? The resolution is so strong and whole ...the only threads I can see that might be open for continuity: a certain gentleman, Selkie's career taking off, and what became of Coral? (I liked Coral.)
10.Does The First Lie remind you of any other books?Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives Discuss the similarities.
11.In what ways is Selkie’s "battle with demons" like the journey of every woman? I'll let someone else answer that!