Wait for Me

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The story is told through a dual timeline, jumping between Marijohn Shaw’s life in 1991 and Elle Harlow’s past. How did this narrative structure affect your reading experience? Did it change your understanding of either character?

2. What was your initial reaction to the meteor strike? How did your understanding of its significance change as the story progressed?

3. Which character’s journey resonated with you the most, and why? Was it Elle’s fight for her art, Marijohn’s search for identity, or Lazarus Wright’s changing ambitions?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Elle and Marijohn both turn to songwriting during difficult times. Have you ever used a creative activity to cope with difficult emotions? How did it help you?

2. Lazarus eventually realizes that a professional music career is not what he wants. Have you ever pursued a path before realizing you wanted something different? What changed your mind?

3. Abe Shaw’s gas station museum is filled with objects he believes connect Marijohn to her past. Have family stories or treasured possessions influenced your sense of identity? How?

4. Elle learns songwriting and folk healing from her mentor, Merry. Has a mentor ever influenced an important decision or interest in your life? What did you learn from them?

5. Elle and Luke Weston find privacy and companionship in their remote cabin. Have you ever had a place where you felt free to be yourself? What made it special?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Arlo Weston pressures Elle to adopt a marketable “cutesy girl” persona rather than perform her own songs. Do female artists face similar pressures in today’s music industry? What has changed?

2. How does the novel use the backdrop of the Vietnam War to explore the marketing of music? Consider how a fabricated wartime romance is used to promote Josie’s career.

3. Merry practices traditional Appalachian folk healing. What does the novel suggest about the value and limitations of these practices? How are traditional forms of knowledge viewed today?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the novel use hands to explore healing, craftsmanship, and artistic identity? Consider Merry’s healing practices, Weston’s instrument-making, and Elle’s guitar playing.

2. The wilderness of Appalachia is a space of duality, representing both sanctuary and danger. What roles do the woods and river play in Elle’s story?

3. What is the significance of the broken mandolin as it passes from Merry to Elle and finally to Marijohn? What might the instrument represent for each woman?

4. Elle disappears twice during the novel. What motivates each disappearance, and what are the consequences for the people she leaves behind?

5. Amy Jo Burns explores fame and artistic theft in the Nashville music scene. What similarities and differences do you see between Wait for Me and other stories about fame, such as the film A Star Is Born?

6. Arlo Weston helps launch musical careers but also seeks to control his artists. What does his character reveal about the conflict between commercial success and artistic freedom?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you are a music producer releasing Elle’s Merry album for a modern audience. How would you promote her music while respecting her artistic vision?

2. If you were to create a playlist for this book, what three songs would you choose to represent Elle, Marijohn, and Lazarus? Why would you choose them?

3. The novel ends as Marijohn prepares to move to Nashville. Imagine her life five years later. What kind of musician has she become, and what might her relationships with Elle and Lazarus look like?