The Newsmakers (38 page)
3. Erica Sparks is determined to rise to the top in the news business. Do you think she behaves ethically in her pursuit of this goal? For example, she lies about having secured an interview with the Duchess of Cambridge. Is this an understandable “fib” or unethical behavior?
4. Erica is sabotaged by Claire Wilcox, her rival at GNN. She turns the other cheek. Do you think this is the strongest response to Claire's underhanded behavior? Did you want her to confront Claire directly?
5. Erica grew up in poverty, with abusive parents. How did these circumstances shape her personality? How do they continue to influence her behavior?
6. While a student at Yale, Erica grows dependent on alcohol
as a tool to ease her social anxiety. In light of this, is her subsequent descent into full-blown alcoholism understandable?
7. After being fired from her local anchor job for on-air intoxication, Erica hits bottom and puts her daughter's life in danger. Is this forgivable?
8. Erica and Greg Underwood fall in love and by the end of the book they are engaged. Do you think they are a good match? What is your opinion of Greg?
9. Erica has a tortured relationship with her mother. Do you think she is right to cut off all contact?
10. Erica worries about her parenting skills. What do you think is the root of those insecurities? Do you think she is a good mother? If so, why? If not, why not?
11. When she becomes an enormous success, Erica is adamant about treating everyone fairly and ethically, and with kindness. How do these values help her stay focused in the harsh glare of stardom?
12. Erica is obsessed with uncovering the truth. In pursuit of this goal, she puts her own life in danger. Do you think she is foolhardy or courageous? Or some combination of the two? Can you imagine putting your own life in danger in pursuit of a noble goal?
13. In the next book in this series, do you think Erica will succumb to her inner demons and start to drink again? Now that she is wealthy, secure in her work, and has custody of Jenny, do you think she will put her life in danger again? Do you think she and Greg will marry? If they do, do you think it will be a happy marriage?
CREATING A NEW SERIES MEANS
creating new characters, so thank you first to Erica Sparks. You are an amazing character, and I look forward to all of your adventures. Stay safe.
Thank you to all my friends at Fox, who continue to encourage and support my love of writing a good mystery. Thank you O'Reilly, from Wiehl. And Roger Ailes, for hiring a certain legal analyst and bringing me in to the world of cable news at the highest level. Thank you to Dianne Brandi and her mom Dolores.
A big shout out to my friend and bestselling thriller author, Steve Berry, who helped me think through the plotting every step of the way. It is an honor to be your friend.
Thank you to Stephen McCauley, who was an invaluable early reader. And to Michael Borum and Daniel Medwed, who provided wise advice and insight.
How to thank this publishing team? They are almost indescribable. They “got” the idea behind
The Newsmakers
right off the top. Imagine if the people reporting the news were actually the ones making it happen! Daisy Hutton, Amanda Bostic, LB Norton, Becky Monds, Jodi
Hughes, Karli Jackson, Kristen Ingebretson, Elizabeth Hudson, Kerri Potts, Kristen Golden, and Katie Bond.
Special thanks to Todd Shuster, my book agent and friend for many years.
The Newsmakers
would simply not have happened without your guidance.
And thank you to Jennifer Williams, my intern turned producer.
Thank you Sebastian, my collaborator and friend. I love your energy and spirit. Onward!
And always, thank you Mom and Dad. Thank you does not even begin to express how I feel.
All the mistakes are mine. All the credit is theirs. Thank you!
  Lis
PHOTO BY KYLE WIDDER PHOTOGRAPHY
LIS WIEHL IS A
NEW
York Times
bestselling author, Harvard Law School graduate, and former federal prosecutor. A popular legal analyst and commentator for the Fox News Channel, Wiehl appears weekly on
The O'Reilly Factor
,
Lou Dobbs Tonight
,
Imus in the Morning
,
Kelly's Court
, and more.
