Delilah Blue Lovett has always been a bit of an outsider, ever since her father moved her from Toronto to L.A. when she was eight, claiming Delilah's mother no longer wanted to be part of their family. Twenty now and broke, but determined to be an artist like her errant mom, Delilah attends art class for free—by modeling nude at the front of the room, a decision that lifts the veil from her once insular world. While she struggles to find her talent, her father, her only real companion, is beginning to exhibit telltale signs of early-onset Alzheimer's. And her mother, who Delilah always assumed had selfishly abandoned them, is about to reappear with a young daughter in tow . . . and a secret that will change everything. Delilah no longer knows which parent to trust—the only one she can really rely on is the most broken person of all: herself.

In a new novel as witty, sparkling, and poignant as her acclaimed Inside Out Girl, author Tish Cohen uncovers the humor and heart within the most dysfunctional of families.

2.  How necessary was it for Victor Mack to keep Lila isolated from friends? Did he overreact in that regard? How do you think Lila's isolation helped or hindered their relationship?
3.  Is it possible for a child to play a role in such a crime as parental abduction? Is it possible for both sides to be at fault for such a crime or is the abductor the only guilty one?
4. Do you like Victor Mack as a person?
5. Why do you think Kira so obsessed with missing children? Is this Elisabeth's fault? How much influence do you think an absent sibling has on the one left behind?
6. In Lila's childhood, which parent do you think should have been given custody, if either? What other ways do you think Lila could have been protected?
7. How does the cabin in which Victor chose to raise his daughter relate to the story? Do you see a parallel to the characters' lives?
8. Does Victor's reluctance to offer physical affection to his daughter help or hurt her ability to model nude? How can physical cues and experiences children have affect the way they handle physical experiences as adults?
9. Should Lila have forgiven her father? Should she have been more empathic toward her mother? How do you think you would have handled the situation if you were Lila?
10. What role did the coyote play in the story? How does his story parallel the Mack's story?
11. Is Lila too harsh with her mother, given all Elisabeth has lived through?
12. How does Lichty's criticism differ from Elisabeth's? Is one type more damaging to Lila than the other? Has there been a time in your life when criticism kept you from pursuing a dream?

This book is on these lists:

• January 2012 Indie Next List
• December 2011 Indie Next List
• November 2011 Indie Next List