As the book opens, Caroline has just transferred from a private school to her local public high school and she is terrified.  But from the beginning, she shows signs of being much more than scared and intimidated. What are the first signs that Caroline has hidden strengths? 

This novel has lesbian and gay characters, one brief encounter with a trans girl, and straight characters. Each character adds a vital piece to the story. Yet, Hollywood High: Achieve The Honorable does not offer explicit details of sexual acts. What do you think of the author’s decision to include characters with diverse sexual orientations, but no graphic descriptions of sex?

A theme of the novel is defying stereotypes. Some of the stereotypes are racial, sexual and gender based. Some are about other kinds of assumptions. For instance, what does it say about a person if they’re a prostitute, the leader of a gang, a cheerleader, extremely academic? Have you ever felt that others stereotyped you?

The author wrote Hollywood High: Achieve The Honorable in reaction to witnessing gay students bullied in high school. Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever acted as a bully? Have you ever seen another person bullied? How did you handle it? Would you handle it differently now?

A subplot in the book is based on Caroline’s growing up in the film industry. Have you ever been in an environment that was a mismatch for your authentic self? How did you navigate the situation?

From the first chapter, Caroline begins to find friends in her new high school. She builds a friendship group that is racially, sexually and economically diverse. Is that sort of diversity familiar to you? Did any of the diversity described in the novel make you uncomfortable? 

Several characters are hiding secrets – Caroline, The Duke, Valerie. As you learned about their secrets, did your feelings about the character change?

Sexual assault should happen to nobody, but it can happen to anybody. This is a subplot in Hollywood High: Achieve The Honorable. The author chose to give a detailed account of the attempted assault — what was said, the fight between the assailant and the survivor, the aftermath. What’s your opinion on the author’s decision to include so many details? When you read about the assault in the novel, how did you react? (If you’ve been assaulted, do you have the support you need to heal? Please contact a rape crisis center near you, speak to a trusted adult, or talk to a therapist. Your experience is valid, your voice matters, and you deserve support.)

When I’ve spoken to LGBTQ+/straight alliances, I hear stories of adolescents coming out to their families, and getting unsupportive, hurtful responses. I decided to include in my novel one family’s journey to support and acceptance. If someone came out to you, how would you handle it? (If you don’t know how to handle it but want to be supportive, please turn to your friends. It’s okay to ask for guidance.)

Homophobia can show itself in many forms. It can be subtle, obvious, damaging, deadly. Through different characters, the author demonstrates many forms of homophobia, and models different paths to support and acceptance. Did a particular character’s path feel meaningful to you? 

Readers often tell me they’ve picked a favorite character in Hollywood High: Achieve The Honorable. Do you have a favorite character? What draws you to that character?