~A ~
NON-SPOILER EDITION!
Included in this special download are some interesting little tidbits, answers to reader questions, and information
from the guys” point of view on certain topics. There's a second *cheat sheet* for download. This one doesn't
contain spoilers but the other one does.
This download contains all the information that we know of, which CL Stone has released about the Academy.
Some of it has been published in previous downloads but has been included here to provide as complete a
resource as we could.
♥ Just don't tell Mr. Blackbourne we let these out. He hates when we give up secrets. ♥
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– Table of Contents –
Each section heading is a hyperlink so you can jump to the parts you want to read
without having to scroll through the whole document
The Academy World
Writing the Academy Books
The Academy
Ghost Bird Series
Kota
Victor
Silas
Nathan
Gabriel
Luke
North
Dr. Sean
Mr. Blackbourne
Sang
Ghost Bird Group
Marie, Derrick, and Danielle
The Ghost Bird Families
Ashley Waters Cast
Volto
Ghost Bird Plot Points
Academy Series Crossovers
Crossover Information
Wil
Scarab Beetle Series
Marc
Corey
Brandon
Raven
Axel
Kayli
Blake
Kevin
Scarab Beetle Group
Scarab Beetle Plot Points
 Each section of this document has subsections with links as well. The original series has been named the
Ghost Bird Series while the new series is called the Scarab Beetle Series.
 Comments = Comments made by CL Stone about the topic in that section
 GQ# = Questions asked by fans and answered by CL Stone about that section in the Ghost Bird Book with the
corresponding number
 SQ# = Questions asked by fans and answered by CL Stone about that section in the Scarab Beetle Book with
the corresponding number
 (Section) = Top of each Major section such as The Academy World, The Ghost Bird Series, or the Scarab
Beetle Series
 (Top of Document) or (Document) – Takes you to the top of the table of contents
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The Academy World
(Top of Document)
Writing the Academy Books
The Academy
Writing the Academy Books
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 SQ1 (Section) (Document)
CL Commenting on Writing the Academy Books
Writing the Academy Books’ Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 The Academy just started as something I loved, and I haven't stopped. I was in the mind frame of, “I love
these boys; I want to share them, and if no one else loves them, at least I've given them some life.” But, I'm
very happy to hear others like them, too. Makes them come alive for me.
 When I started writing this, I was tired of stories that were love triangles where she felt forced to choose one. I
understand the desire to have one. But, love isn't always so simple. People love more than one person at a
time. Yeah, it is a reverse harem. But, there will be some endings in the future books for people to break off
and like picking who they choose for a happy ending.
 What had me irritated by love triangles was when the second guy was awesome. And you yell at the girl to go
with that other guy. And, she doesn't. And, I'm like, well dang it, just take both.
 I like our plan, where we don't choose. I don't even like choosing between different books. *bucks the system*
Why is it always a contest? Can't someone like Edward and Jacob? (Just as an example.)
 I didn't come up with the reverse harem idea. I was enjoying watching reverse harem anime and reading
manga. When it came down to it, I realized it isn't used much here in the states. It is done, but it is usually
restricted to erotica titles. Like a taboo. And, in Japan, it is used in more sweet/romance titles. I loved the
chance to mix this with writing in an American style.
 This is a reverse harem fantasy. The suspense is in how it comes together and if it will stand the test of time
and social pressures. Sang will go through a lot, as will the boys, figuring this out. It is far-fetched. It is a
fantasy. That's okay. Like dragons and wizards, it doesn't have to be real to be enjoyed.
 I'm not out to change marriage values or anything like that. I consider it just simple fantasy. Guys have had
their “multiple girls” fantasies. This one is just a little more love centric and fun for girls. It's like obsessing
over New Kids on the Block or One Direction. It's a group of guys; just one wouldn't be the same without the
others. And, it's innocent because even if you love them, it is just a fantasy. You know you'll never meet them.
 When I first started, I needed to know who each of the boys were. As I continued to write, I realized that the
boys were something specific when around Sang, and Sang molded and became something for the boys when
around them. And inside each of the personalized dossier files, each of the boys has a phrase that reminds me
of who they are together. Those relationships are listed under each boy's name at the head of their section.
 The idea for Max came from our actual dog Maggie. We had her for 15 years until she passed away a few
years ago.
 I'll be the first to tell you no one [picture] will ever get close to what's in your head. But some people can get
pretty close. Blond boys are very difficult to find just right.
 It's not what color they are. It's how the protagonist feels about them. Victor's eyes are brown, but from how
Sang feels, they're like fire. You feel that and you may even forget what color they are, but you'll always know
he has fire eyes. North's are intense. Also, brown, but he's harsher. Mr. Blackbourne's gray eyes are talked
about as being like steel when he's glaring and like silver when he mellows a bit. You paint one or two
memorable features and leave the rest to the imagination.
 I've been asked if I would rewrite some scenes from the boys' perspectives, but I'm pretty busy trying to write
down new scenes. I may do a vote later to see which specific scenes people want rewritten, but any time spent
on working on the past keeps me from writing what's happening now the Academy world. There are nine
guys! Could you imagine me rewriting the books from nine different perspectives?
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Writing the Academy Books’ Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 I've got tons of playlists that I listen to while I'm writing. It depends on which book we're talking about. When
I'm doing fight scenes, I've got a lot of “angry” music.
 When I'm writing, I start “creating” and words aren't really there anymore. It's like a movie in reverse. The
movie is playing in your head, and your fingers are trying to keep up with what's going on.
Writing the Academy Books’ Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 I know the scenes are good when I'm clapping my hands like a happy seal in the end. If I'm doing that, I know
I captured the guys right. Or, if it's a sad scene, if I'm not crying in the end, it's not enough.
 About the shower scene: I tied a friend to a chair with her phone in her bra and her phone in her pocket to
experiment with placement. Sang normally carries her phone in her bra because she usually doesn't have
pockets. With the way her bra works, the phone can disappear under her clothes so, no one will notice. I had to
have North conveniently berate her about carrying her phone there. Mostly because I figured out it's really
difficult to pull your phone from your bra with just your mouth to access it.
 Each time I release a book, I think about…getting over the panic attack that happens at every book release.
Did I forget to close up a particular plot point? Is that boy sexy enough in this scene? Will people not like this
one? Writing a series on reverse harem…am I insane?
 Panic! Every time! And most of that is, “Is this going to be the one that really ticks someone off and they
start protesting in my front lawn?” Really extreme things that Kota says are nonsense and that I should go
brush my teeth.
 Revenge makes you spend time and effort on people who shouldn't matter. Moving on gets you ready for the
new loves and fun. Don't waste a moment thinking about people you don't care about. The best revenge is
forgetting and finding your own happiness, to the point that you don't care anymore.
 I'm superstitious about putting people in books I plan on killing. Or making horrible things happen to, for that
matter.
Writing the Academy Books’ Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 “A” reports have become very useful to me. I see what the boys are seeing a little better. How about North
examining the construction of the house? That's the stuff he's looking at. It's funny.
 Just so you guys know, the Cajun is up to Book Four in his reading. (He hasn't read them before now.) He
likes Luke. He votes for the underdog.
 He thinks they are girly. But he understands it.
 But he's coming up with cool T-shirt designs. Nathan's shirt. Bob's Diner. Cool beans, huh?
 He also wants to get a 3D printer thing so we can print out things like Victor's necklace and other stuff
that comes up in the books.
 The boys aren't girly. Just the story because Sang focuses on things girls like. Little things she adores. And
I spend a lot of time with the boys instead of on action so that's why he says it is girly. And it is. It's the
crap I like so I write it like that.
Writing the Academy Books’ Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 This is certainly a “love before sex” emphasis series.
 I hate sad endings. Not saying every book going forward will “end” on a positive note (it's an ongoing series
with bad things happening!) but I like happy endings. So in the end, everyone's going to be happy. At least
those we care about will be. So if you see a “sad” ending in one of the books along the way, hang on there. It's
just that book. Not the whole thing. Have to add some drama in there sometimes.
 Some people hate these books outright, some love them, and some only like certain characters. The best story
is your own, the one you make in your head. I'm just glad to be able to provide something to draw your own
inspiration to daydream from. And maybe one day I'll do just North/Raven/Victor/Axel type personalities in a
new story.
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 Ghost Bird Book 6, Push and Shove, will be released June 2, 2014.
 I like that [Book 6] cover.

Writing the Academy Books’ Comments – Scarab Beetle – Thief – Book One
 Scarab Beetle Book 1, Thief, will be released February 26, 2014.
 We're going to try to restructure the titling a bit on Amazon and so forth so it'll be clear which books are
which. The Scarab Beetle cover will also have a slightly different design so it'll stand out a bit.
 My website's down right now, but the forums should be running.
 No worries. I'll be making a 'temporary' page for my home page in a bit. Something happened to my
database on my main page. But the forums are run by a third party.
Writing the Academy Books’ Comments – Series Crossover
 I'm one of those annoying readers that wants to read books the way the author wrote them. So like how I'm
staggering releases, I'd want to read as we go type of thing and not just go through a series. and then read the
other series. And having to explain that Thief goes between Book Five and Six will probably be tricky. Going
to have to release a 'release date list' I think.
Questions About Writing the Academy Books
Writing the Academy Books’ Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Was your writing inspired by anything in particular?
 It came from a variety of things, but for the Academy itself, I was watching shows like Ouran High School
Host Club at the same time as reading books with love triangles (like Hunger Games).
 And, what irritated me about the books was that the weird thing about the girl having to choose one. I was
like, well what if she doesn't want to? Or, doesn't have to? Just for fun.
 How did you come up with the idea of The Academy series? And, is there anything you wish you could
change about the first books?
 The whole thing started last year around this time. I'd been daydreaming about certain things like if I were
back in high school and could change things, what would be interesting?
 At the same time, I was watching things like Ouran High School Host Club and Fruits Basket, which are
reverse harem themed anime series. Plus I was reading about love triangles in books like Hunger Games
and so on. I was comparing how different something like Ouran and some of the more Westernized stories
were.
 And then I was listening to someone talking on YouTube describing how the Japanese have a certain way
of thinking. They separate fantasy and reality. For the reverse harem thing, as an example, in their culture,
they wouldn't usually have one girl and a bunch of guys in a relationship. It normally doesn't work out.
But they let it happen in anime, manga, books, and all sorts of things because it's fantasy. It doesn't matter
because it isn't real.
 And that's something we know about books, but we here in the West don't really accept sometimes. In our
love triangles, we force the heroine to choose the one. Because to us, that's more culturally acceptable. We
can follow the minds of killers all day long with books, but throw in a taboo relationship, and then
suddenly everyone has to have it traditional and culturally acceptable!
 But the moment I stopped thinking about what's acceptable, and deep down, what greedy, indulgent
fantasy I could drum up, it all started to click.
 I thought about my own favorite boy personalities from different places, from real people to anime to
book characters, and in between. I threw a bunch of them in, and the next thing I knew there were nine
guys.
 And I daydreamed about them for a few weeks. I hadn't planned on writing this at all. It was just a secret
little fantasy I had about nine guys and one little girl and what circumstances I could create that would
A
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bind them together.
 Last year (2012), in November, I was planning on giving myself a break. I'd been writing other books
(Smoking Gun/Spice God) and just wanted to take a month off.
 A week into November, the daydreaming of this crew was pretty strong. I gave in and went, “Well, I'm
just going to write whatever I feel like just to see....”
 I wrote Book One in four days. That's how strong this story was. I had so much fun with it; I started
writing Book Two immediately after. I was nearly three books in before I published the first one.
 It was a completely self-indulgent series. I wasn't sure if it would be accepted at all, but the boys, once I
released them, wouldn't shut up, so I kept writing.
 The only thing I'd change about the first three books is probably giving them a bigger problem to deal
with in Book One. I knew introducing a crew this size probably needed a book on its own. I like how it
turned out, but I know it's a cozy read for a first book. Some may see it as slow and a tease, and I agree.
 But at the same time, I like how it is. I wanted to focus a lot on these boys. I needed to know those tiny
details about them, so those images carried in future books without my needing to repeat each of the boys'
finer features every first chapter. When Gabriel messes with the blond bits and shouts, “Oy!” I wanted to
be sure everyone knew exactly who I was talking about.
 Otherwise, if I changed anything I may have held on to Book One for a while, until I was sure books two
and three and so on were closer to finished, and released them closer together. I don't like waiting for
sequels, either. But I was in a hurry because to me, I just wanted it out there.
When you started the series, were you afraid of what people would think about the reverse harem? Weren't
you afraid that a group of 9 guys with 1 girl would be difficult to accept for some readers?
 I knew it would be very difficult to accept. I'm ready for a lot of readers toss the books into the 'ban' pile
when they become completely turned off by the idea. If I manage to get that far, I'll know I've done
something right.
Do you think that some people will put the series in the 'ban' pile when she starts having sex with them all? Do
you think if she loves them all and they all love her, it'll be fine because they are all so different so they can't
compare to each other?
 I think it's just when people realize it is more than one boy for a single girl and started out for teen readers.
And while books with multiple boys and one girl have been done before, I don't know if they've ever all
gotten her in the end. At least outside of erotica books.
Have you gotten any negative feedback about this series? I mean, I, personally, love the series and where it's
heading, but when I've tried to explain to others, some of them have been pretty appalled at the idea of one girl
and nine guys having this developing relationship. Just curious, but what have others had to say about it, if
anything?
 They either like the idea or they don’t. If they don’t, it’s fine, I don’t push it. It’s not going to be
everyone’s cup of tea, and doesn’t have to be. Just like some people don’t care for vampire stories or scifi. I write what I’m interested in!
I always hated those authors who made their characters stay with their first loves no matter what. It works for
some, but a lot of times it gets so awkward that you can tell even the characters are uncomfortable in the
situation.
 Yes! Like you always have to go with the first guy, just because. I've been in that situation before where I
felt compelled to be with the first guy and it's like... no. I should have been smarter. The second guy was
much better. I just let that whole, “he was first” thing decide for me.
I was wondering if all the boys were just normal cute boys or are they vampires or something of that sort.
 If they were vampires, I would have said so in the first book. I haven’t written vampire stories yet. Maybe
one day.
What did the characters and story stem from?
 The characters came from bits of boys here and there, either people I knew or favorite flavors from stories
and movies. I mixed them all up with different personalities, names, and things they liked. I don't know
A
how there happened to be nine. But, I started out thinking, “Okay, if I were back in high school, how
would I change my life? What would I do?”
 So, I took high school events, my old life, and people I wanted to be there. At the time, I was also
watching a lot of reverse harem anime like Ouran High School Host Club. And, was telling me how the
Japanese have a “life is separate from fantasy” way of thinking. It was okay to daydream about nine guys
at once. So, when I was doing all this daydreaming, I let go of that “only one” idea and went, “Why not?
Why would I want to choose one?” And, suddenly everything just kind of came together. I needed a
reason for Sang to need nine guys, so it wasn't just love at first sight, and I needed a reason why the guys
wouldn't just have one guy pick her and then the rest go off and get other girls. So, the Academy became
their reason.
 I read that you were inspired to write “The Academy” series whilst reading Fruits Basket and Ouran High
school Host Club. I've read and watched both (you have great taste), and I would like to know if some of
the personality traits of your boys can be derived from the characters in these? Or are they based on real
people you know?
 They are a mix of TV, movies, anime, games and just personalities I've always admired. Eventually, I
mixed/matched them enough and I ended up with nine that were completely their own and feel like
individual people. Anime and manga tend to use “typical” character types like “cool smart guy” like
Kota or “strong, sporty, silent types” like Silas. So you'll see some traits syncing with this, just like in
real life where people like to place themselves into “categories,” but each of the guys like multiple
things (like Nathan loves karate and horror movies and strawberries) and with who they are, it just
makes for interesting and unique voices for this series.
 Can you please give us everyone's full names?
 I have first and last names. Just no middle names. Dakota Lee, Victor Morgan, Nathan Griffin, Silas
Korba, Lucian Taylor, North Taylor, Gabriel Coleman.
 Can I be honest and say, I haven't put the rest together yet? You see, when I started dreaming up the boys,
I needed first names, and that took forever. Then I needed last names. Then I needed Dr. Green's and Mr.
Blackbourne's first names, but even those I didn't know until Book Two. It took a long time to names that
fit the boys. The personalities were there before I even settled on exact names. It took hours of researching
the first and last names of each one, and Blackbourne's was completely made up because I wasn't satisfied
with other last names for him.
 Middle names have been one of those things I kind of left open, because it would take more research and
like the nicknames, I thought when I got to the point in the book where I needed a middle name, I'd do the
research then and find the perfect middle name. As of now, their dossier files contain a lot of information,
but their middle names haven't come up yet. So, long story short, they are still in limbo with middle
names. And, it will take time to figure out the right name for each. (Imagine having to name nine kids all
at once!) It makes me blush to admit it, because I know some very intimate details about all of the boys.
 Names have to sound natural. Like when I said Gabriel Coleman just by itself, I knew that was his name.
And, Victor Morgan just fits Victor. So, it's like having to go through lists of names and then piecing them
together. Like, I shouldn't give Sang an “S” middle name or it'll sound funny.
 How did you come up with their names, e.g. Kota?
 The names took time to come up with. Some I knew from the start, and others I tested carefully with
the personality. There were a lot of hours of searching through “baby names” on the internet. I had not
to be annoyed with the name that I could go through a long series of books with them.
 Some were picked carefully depending on who they are. Victor Morgan, for example, his last name I
picked because of the “Morgan dollar.” And, to me, being named after money showed his “blood
line,” in a way.
 Nathan is one of the more “average” guys in the group. He ended up with the most average name out of
the bunch, but that also shows a bit through his personality.
 Mr. Blackbourne was completely made up. I don't know if there's a Blackbourne out there spelled this
way, but last I checked, I couldn't find any. And the name just fit him perfectly.
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 Excluding Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne, is each books ~A~ Chapter going to be told in the guys point of
view based on their Academy ranking starting with Kota and ending with Gabriel?
 Including Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne, the A reports are told from the point of view of whichever boy
won't shut up and needs to have his say. No particular order because even if the book's leading character is
Silas or Gabriel, someone else could pop in and need to do something. So no promises on who it will be
each time.
 In the books, we get to see a part of what is going on for the boys of the Academy. For the next book and
upcoming books can you please add more of those sections denoted as A. I love reading those sections! They
are one of my favorite parts of the book so can you please add more? I am not talking about going crazy like
most of the book but maybe adding one or two more sections? Please let me know! Thank you!
 I pretty much do what the boys tell me. Some A reports may be longer or shorter depending on the boy
and what is going on.
 I was also wondering if you have a plan to rewrite some scenes from the boys' perspectives, i.e. when
they first met her.
 I've been asked to do this by several people, and it's a tough thing to do because I'm trying to
continually move forward rather than go back. I have to weigh if I want to spend time rewriting
scenes we know about or move forward and maybe write A reports from different boy's perspectives
and try to do more that way. I may, eventually, try writing some things from the boys' perspectives
from previous scenes, but I'm not sure when that will happen. Trying to write two series at a time is
keeping me pretty busy.
 I was wondering if you had any thoughts about creating a prequel to the series. I think it would be really cool
to learn about how the boys met or some adventures they had before Sang got involved with them.
 I don’t have any current plans to write a prequel, but we will learn about how the boys met along the way.
Writing the Academy Books’ Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Is Sang going to get a definitive love interest or interest(s) as the series progresses?
 The answer to this is actually at the A report in Book Four. This might be where some people will be super
excited, or I'm going to piss some readers off.
 But pay attention: Two of the guys are going to find the Academy group that had a single bird in an all
dog group. His answer hints at where this series is going.
 There's also a hint in what he is saying as to what's coming up in the Academy universe, not just how it
relates to Sang and this particular group. Is this enough to keep people re-reading the chapter several
times?
 I was wondering if you designed the Academy logo? How did you come up with the idea?
 The badge? It was a team effort. I can’t take full credit. The Cajun (the other half here) does a lot of the art
work for the current version. I designed the first “fancy A with the heart” for the covers and then he
refined it later.
 Who is on the cover of the second book? Is it supposed to be Kota or Mr. Blackbourne?
 For the new covers, it isn't really supposed to be any of the boys in particular. The reason why we changed
from the original covers was because people were never happy with the “boy” we put on the cover.
Everyone has their own ideas as to what the guys look like. We discovered it was best to have a general
“theme” and a cool look vs. trying to reflect actual people in the book.
 So I guess the question is, “Do you think it looks like Kota?”
 How do you get the covers? Do you explain or design what you want and the publisher does it?
 The Cajun took over making them. I made the first ones. Then he goes behind me and fixed them, and
started making them from Book Four onward. He fixed my A I designed so it could increase in size
without pixilation. I usually pick out the stock art.
 The Cajun has been reading them.
 He’s a fan of Luke. They’re girly but he thinks the espionage stuff is clever.
A
 How do you find all the foreign phrases and words all the boys use? Do you use something like Goggle
Translator? If so that might become my new friend as I love finding out what is said
 Japanese, I know mildly but I double check meanings with some folks. I have a Greek buddy that I ask
how to say things (Although he hates it when I use aggele mou. He says it's corny, but he's macho Greek.)
The Russian is mostly cursing so I just have to look up Russian curse words. And for the German, I 'start'
with Google translator and then I bring it to some people who know German (fans) and say, “What does
this say? Help me fix it.” And then they help a lot.
 So I go with sources, usually trying to find someone fluent where possible. But I try to make sure, even if
I use German in a book, that the boys or someone try to follow up in their responses so you get the gist of
what was said.
Writing the Academy Books’ Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Reading these books, I was impressed by the punishment scenes. Sounds bad but I do like books where there
are elements that are realistic and those punishments could be. What I wanted to know is how did you research
these ideas and the effect it has on the body? For example, the lemon juice & vinegar concoction & the whole
shower scene.
 The punishments were a mix of research and then, at times I had to experiment.
 For the vinegar and lemon juice, that's an internet rumor on how to destroy your vocal cords if you wanted
to get out of like speech class or something. In Sang's universe, her “step-mother” uses it to stop Sang
from being able to talk on the phone or to anyone.
 In her twisted mind, she tried to come up with punishments that wouldn't look like abuse if she went to
school. Kneeling in rice wasn't a bruise on the face. Destroying her voice, well, on the outside Sang would
look like nothing was wrong and anyone else probably would have thought it was laryngitis.
 The shower thing was because she didn't want to hear her again. For some reason she remembered she
really couldn't hear when Sang or Marie was in the shower, so she was sure she wasn't going to hear Sang
in there if she tried to complain. And she was really “high” on her pain meds and stuff so a lot of that was
just illogical thinking on her part.
 But it took a lot of research and figuring things out on if this stuff would work. I had to come up with
something different without her mother physically beating her.
 On the book cover, why is the girl a brunette when Sang has dirty blond hair?
 The covers I had to make a decision about. Everyone has their own ideas about what the guys and
Sang look like and I didn't want to ruin that image. But I had to make covers that were really cool
looking. It was too difficult to find girl models with Sang's hair.
 Not enough chameleon-haired models on affordable stock art. So I had to make a choice when going
with specific stock images. In reality, the models on the covers are all completely different girls. You
just can't tell because we cut off half the face. Which makes it perfect; any stock image we really
wanted to use for a cover could be done as long as we positioned the girl just right.
 We had that debate early on, but everyone likes picking their own pictures up of guys with who they think
fits the boys in their heads. The old covers used to have the boys, but everyone had their own idea of what
the boys looked like and they didn't like my picks. So I had to go in a different direction. We opted to not
do covers of the guys and just have mostly just really attractive covers that draw attention. Now the boys
can be whoever you want. You can pick your own portfolio.
 It's okay though. It's like other covers that don't totally portray the image of the guys/girls in your head
for books. Everyone sees the characters differently. So the covers don't really reflect the characters
themselves, just the situations. And we're trying to grab a new reader's attention to come try the series.
 Will you write more in Kota's point of view?
 The A reports should continue to contain a point of view from a major male character. Everyone will get a
turn. Kota will get another point of view A report in an upcoming book.
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Writing the Academy Books’ Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 When are the rest of the books being published in paperback? Where can I buy them?
 We're working on this now. All four books should become available in December. They should be
available on Amazon, and CreateSpace. We're hoping, moving forward, that the printed books will be
made available shortly after the e-books are released.
 Side note: books one and two are now available in paperback at many bookstores and online retailers such
as Amazon and Barnes and Nobel. CL Stone is still working on getting books 3-5 printed.
 In the newsletter, I saw that it was possible to buy a signed edition of the paperback; I would like that but on
the website I saw only a link for the kindle version of the book on Amazon. Could you please tell me where I
can buy it and if it's available internationally?
 I am trying to make delivery of these books available worldwide. I'm looking for the lowest possible cost
for the books themselves so I can keep stacks here, and you'd only pay for the cost of the book plus
shipping for delivery worldwide. I may also do this as an option to those living outside the US. I would
like to have lighter swag/bookmarks and things that will be cheaper to ship. So the option will be there to
get a signed physical copy, but if you'd like to save money, buy the books locally and then you can order a
signed bookmark from the website.
 I'm just wondering if there is any way to get a signed copy of any of the books. And if so how much would it
cost?
 I'm trying to get caught up on getting prints available and then I'll start keeping stock here in Academyville. I think I should make it available on the website sometime. I don't have a set date yet though. Sorry!
I'm hoping by summer I'll be caught up on all of it.
 Is there a way that we can get it autographed books? I saw on one of my author's pages, that she was charging
a little bit extra to have her books signed. I’m not sure how the whole thing works, but is that going to be a
possibility for Academy books? Where I live we never have author convention's where I can get them signed
and it always bums me out
 I don't charge extra for book signage. I was going to do the 'buy book from my website and I'll sign, but I
don't want to do that because it is more expensive for folks. Basically, we're going to do, "If you send a
SASE [Self Addressed Stamped Envelope], I will fill it with sticker/bookmark that I signed."
 And I'll do signed book giveaways whenever possible. But they become pricey after a while. I wouldn’t
want to ruin your books with my signature anyway. Mine’s all messy.
 . I’ll set something up on the official website so you just print it off and mail me what I need, and then
whenever I get around to it, I stuff the envelopes with whatever things I’ve got sitting around I can sign.
 I thought the only way would be to buy the book and actually send it to you.
 I was trying to figure that part out, too. I was looking at the cost to get print books from the publisher
mailed to me so I could then mail them out. Then I have to try to add up all that plus international and all
that. If we just do bookmarks/book plates or whatever I get printed up, you guys don't spend any extra.
These print editions are already expensive enough. And if you really want a print copy signed, just hang
on to them until I can make it to a con of some sort. I'll be going to RT in New Orleans this year and I'll
try to make myself available where possible.
 If you are going to head out, I will for sure be there on Saturday, and I know there will be several authors
there, too. So you can catch a number of them in one place. If you spot me, I will have things! If I am at
anything, I will try to announce it. I've got other projects I’m working on, too. So trying to balance things.
The Cajun's going to be around a bit more to take care of all the boring business things so I don't have to
look at it any more. Yay!
 Can I Kota’s autograph too?
 Boys will sign if you like. I may have you fill a form that tells me who your favorite boy is and there may
be ‘messages’ from them.
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 Give me until next week [March 19, 2014]. Will set something up and make official announcements and
everything. This is a first come, first serve, when I get to it type of thing. And I’ll make the Cajun stuff the
envelopes. I just sign them.
 No need to pay, although you people outside the US will need to send those international reply coupons.
I’ll write out instructions so they’re clear. Basically, for an envelope and a stamp, I’ll send whatever I’ve
got. I’ll even doodle on it if you want. I draw snails, flowers, hearts and sometimes stars and swirls.
 Let me write out a thing-a-ma-bob. I have to work out details; I just know that’s how some other authors
handle signatures. Since books are expensive to ship around. By the way, the Cajun occasionally pops in
and reads our shenanigans. He thinks you guys are hilarious.
Is CL going to put her books in libraries? I don't know what the process is for that, but I think the books have
literary merit or whatever. They should be in libraries!
 At many libraries all that has to happen for a library to get a book is having a patron request it. Then,
when it comes time to order new books if there is enough money, they’ll order it.
 Yeah, a patron just has to request a book, or if someone has extras, you donate. Or, someone can donate it.
I think I've donated a few locally. But the ones that are in print should be in the “library store” and then
the libraries buy them. BTW, I kept my prices as low as possible for everyone on those prints, and with
the way the system works, I don't make a penny on library sales. Just to make it as cheap as possible.
 Per a Librarian fan, “We order our fiction through baker and Taylor so if the book is available we can buy
it. Our Young Adult rules are very stringent-must have three positive reviews from professional
publications like ‘Kirkus’ in order to be put in the collection. That's why I've been trying to get them in the
adult section. There are other factors and every library system is different, like not all donated books get
put into circulation, sometimes they just go to the book sales.”
So far, which book have you enjoyed writing most?
 It's always the one I'm working on right now, and I'm writing the rough draft for Book Seven now. Very
entertaining to see how the boys pull themselves out of the trouble I set them up with.
 Out of the ones that are out, Book Three was fun. I think that was mostly because of that slumber party
and the shopping scenes where I could play with the boys together.
How do you plan what you are going to write? Keep track of all the details?
 The Dossier Files
♥ Some people know I keep a continual running dossier file for this series. Each boy has his own
section. Each book has its own section. and I develop, map and plot as I go.
♥ I thought it would be interesting to share a glimpse as to what goes into some of the dossier pages.
Below are some elements I thought you all might enjoy.
♥ You can download an image from the section of the dossier on Book Four.
What did you mean at the end of Forgiveness and Permission, when Blackbourne and North were at the house
in the middle of nowhere talking to Mr. Anderson about bringing Sang into the group, and he said that they all
have to love her? Do you mean love her as in a familial way or in a deeper/more personal way? I am mainly
just worried that there will be a sex scene. If there are going to be sex scenes, I would love a warning so I
could skip them and still read the books.
 I completely understand and plan to make it so that you will see any sex scenes in the book coming a mile
away. I don't suspect there will be full on sex scenes until this series transitions from “young adult” to
“new adult.” I will be placing a little marker at the end of one of the future books when that happens that
says, “This book series has made the journey from “young adult” to “new adult.” Be advised the books
going forward will be intended for mature readers.” Or, something like that. And, even then, I believe it
will be completely obvious when any sex scenes are coming.
Will there be situations that are more sexual as the books progress?
 Regarding the intimate scenes, it will be very slow progress, but I expect there to be a lot of details. It will
take a number of books and you should see it coming a mile away. If you read it and see it starting to
happen, I plan for it to conclude by the end of the chapter, so it shouldn't be a problem for those wanting
to skip those parts in the story. If you see it happening, skip to the next chapter, and it should be
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concluded. Gives it a nice way for those who don't want it to skip and still stick with the stories ongoing.
But, so far four books and no kiss. So it is a slow series regarding this all together.
 A while ago, I saw on the Facebook page that there was a sentence removed from the sample chapter for Book
Five at the end of Book Four. What was the sentence that was removed and why was it removed?
 “Oh so now they got interested when Nathan thought it was important.”
 It sounded too condescending toward the others and Sang's not that type. When I re-read it later, I
removed it.
 Is Book 5 going to be long like Book 3?
 Book Five will be about the same as three or Book Four, so around 130k words (vs. Book One, which was
60k).
Writing the Academy Books’ Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
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 How many books do you intend to write in the Ghost bird series?
 Over twenty for year one alone, I think. It is intended to be an ongoing series.
 This series has at least twenty books plotted, but Book Two and three were meant to be the same book so
there might be more wedged in and rearranged.
 This is a long running series, only because there's so much going on. Gabriel by himself I think requires at
least twenty books.
 I do have an “ending” point in mind, but it will take a long time to get there. There's a very particular
scene that I'm writing toward, which will give the optional I can end it here and be satisfied moment.
However, if people want more, I will write more.
 There are also future books beyond the twenty I have outlines for, scenes that I want to write about.
 So the truth is, I don't really know. A lot! I'll write as long as people are interested in reading. However, if
you get bored, after a point, all you need to do is stop at the last chapter and don't read the A report and
onward. You can even use this to “imagine” the happy ending you want. If you get to the point to where
you're satisfied, don't read that A report and you can pretend that's the ending.
 It may not answer all the hanging questions, but it gives a jumping point.
 Would you allow your series become a TV series?
 Absolutely, though you know whenever it happens, it'll probably get ruined, because books are better than
the show or movie. They'll change the boys or what not. That'll drive me crazy. I wouldn't want to watch it
until I was done with the series because I'd hate the idea that I might try to change my characters to fit the
personalities they'd place on TV.
 If you would let your book series become a TV series, who would you cast as the characters?
 I'd probably want fresh actors who haven't been in anything. And then I wouldn't want them in any other
TV shows or movies because I want them always to be the guys.
 I don't think anyone could play Gabriel. That would take a manhunt.
 But I have my own ideas of what the guys look like. And when I show them to others, they'll go, “That's
not what I have in my head.”
 I think everyone just gets their own idea in their heads, and I just provide the paintbrush. So I don't want
to ruin that image.
 How's that for not being able to choose?
 Anime! I think it is the only way I'd be happy with the result of a TV series. Sure, they might skip over a
lot of the details, but what's more important is that the guys look and sound like they are supposed to. And
anime is the only way to go really. Which means I need to put out a manga. Gah, more work.
 I realized today the reason why I love the Academy so much. It's the way you take people from abusive
situations and make them go from Victim to Victors... What inspired you to write your stories this way?
 I think anyone who has been in an abusive situation sometimes daydreams about things like this. Of
overcoming your past and figuring out, even through struggle, where your future is. Sang and the boys
have been through a lot, and they aren't done yet with what they have been going through, but it is a
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process. I think it's a good thing to talk about. Happily ever after isn't about one day waking up and Prince
Charming has shown up, and the bad things are gone forever.
 Happily ever after is a continuing movement to become better. I also like showing that while everything
seems bleak, there're always others around you willing to step up and help. You have to give them a
chance though. And you also have to find the right kind of help. It isn't always easy to figure out the good
from the bad. The boys may help Sang, but they push her to help herself, and they get her to work out a lot
of it. They may tuck her away for her own protection, but they do things like how Dr. Green gets her to
assist Gabriel and clean up after. He didn't cuddle her, though he wouldn't have been opposed to it. He
knew sometimes doing good for other people can help heal.
I hope you don't mind us ripping certain things apart, for me it adds consolidation and extra enjoyment to the
whole Academy experience. I can't wait for the journey to.
 No worries. I have to prepare for that on my end because if you look close, I'm sure there are many, many
ways people would do it better. I can't slow down the action in the books by describing Mr. Blackbourne's
reasoning all the time, though. And we aren't in the boys’ heads to figure things out, so a lot of stuff gets
lumped into the dark. There're only Sang's actions and what she sees going on.
 I try to keep things simple as we go because Sang is still new to this so she may find the “simple
reasoning” but I leave it at that for now. There're a lot of discussions on this end, though. I relay my plots
to other people and I get others to poke at the holes. And a lot of the time there is a lot more going on than
you guys see, but for the sake of simplicity and entertainment, I leave it in the dark and let people “get the
general idea” but don't go into the details. That way you get to fill them in on your own.
 I only provide the outlines in the coloring book. You guys fill them in with your imaginations. It's a
mutual creation.
Have you ever thought of adding music to your books?
 The tricky part about music and adding it to your book is that you must own the rights to it. Not that it
may not happen in the future, but if I added music, I'd also want to add pictures, voice, and sound effects.
And then I'd have a complete visual novel. This may happen in the future, but it might take a while.
Are there going to be, or are you going to make, movies or webisodes for the books?
 I honestly have little to no influence or control over when and/or if a movie or a TV show will be
made of the series. What TV studios look for depends on popularity and if the work could translate
well into a show.
 Personally, I've got my fingers crossed for a TV series, but I'm also terrified of any studio picking it
up because of how you know they'll change it from the book. I think the only chance it has of being
close to the original is if any indie YouTube team might be interested in developing it into a series.
Personally, I'm hoping for an anime series. Or, a video game series. I'd rather play with the boys than
just watch them.
Why wasn’t the preview for Book 6 at the end of Drop of Doubt!
 I hadn't finished it up yet. I was hem hawing on how to start that one. So we pushed it off. And people got
mad at me for it! So that won't be happening again. People love those preview chapters now.
Oh, I thought you had left it out because there were too many spoilers for Thief. At least that is how I took it.
You did it on purpose that way!
 That's true. These two were pretty unique since the timeline was set up like that. That was difficult.
Have we got a date for the next Ghost Bird book to be out?
 Early June for Book Six, I think. I need the time to get through a ton of rough drafts.
 June 2, 2014
 Trying to give myself time to write a few books ahead of myself. Thief took a lot of time to figure out.
Could the books be put up for pre-sale or something so you can buy it before the release date but it won't be in
your library until the release date?
 The only pre-order I think I've got access to is iTunes, and I've put it up for preorder there. iTunes has a
tendency to have backed up review times and this makes sure it gets in early.
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 For Amazon, I don't have access. You have to be invited to do that and I've heard right now Amazon is
trying to work on the program a bit.
Why isn't Book 6 going to be published until June?
 I'm trying to get ahead of myself as far as rough drafts and take some time to do the print versions and
play a little “catch up.” I write fast, but I like being ahead of myself as far as books are concerned.
 We're hoping if I catch up with writing, from June forward, we're trying to go with a release around every
three to four months. So taking time out now to make waiting shorter later.
What's the title for Book 6?
 I don't know yet. I'm the worst at titling, both books and chapter headings.
 Push and Shove
What do the characters at the top of the A Report Logo on the March 2014 newsletter mean?
 The Japanese is, "Girls are stupid; throw rocks at girls." Only Academy girls will appreciate this so I
thought it'd be okay. A little shout out to Nathan for that.
Perhaps I have missed it, but I am surprised to find no people of color as characters in your books especially
since they are set near Charleston. Are you planning on including diversity? Thank you.
 There’re a few people running around “in my head” through the whole school, but sometimes when I
describe people, I end up describing features rather than skin color. A couple of the teachers are people of
color, some of the other students in Ashley Waters are. But unless they are “main characters,” I tend not to
give too many physical descriptions at all. I guess I need to describe a few more because they are all in my
head but I just don't mention it too often.
 If you read the first chapter in Thief, the target she pickpockets (his name is Kevin) is actually African
American. I don't know how well I translated that in his description. I tend to put a lot of detail in the boys
I'm focusing on, like there's Silas who's got an olive complexion (Greek), and then in Thief there's Kevin
and then Axel's got a deeper Mediterranean/American Indian mix of color.
 You'll see a number of them running around, but I'll try to be a bit more descriptive.
Why did you change [the cover for Book 6]? I liked the other one too, but I’m more interested in what’s in the
book.
 We had teenagers emailing saying their parents wouldn't let them buy it with the old cover. We got so
many, we were wondering how many others weren't emailing to say this. So we thought we'd change the
cover. And if you still want the old cover, it's easy to replace, or just ask me and I'll give you one with the
old cover on it. Whatever's easier. You can also make custom covers for your books if you want if you run
them through Calibre. But I thought it'd be easier to give a new cover to people who want it than try to
teach people how to use that program.
I preferred the old cover, I think it would blend in better with the first 5, however I understand the cover must
change if it's stopping readers from being able to buy and enjoy the book!
 Thanks everyone! I know it is a bit cuter. Since we felt we should change it, tried to make it look like
Sang's wall and everything. The Cajun put it together without telling me he did it when I was thinking of
what to do to change it. Came up with it all on his own.
Writing the Academy Books’ Questions – Scarab Beetle Book One – Thief
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 What is the deal with the new book that's coming: Thief (The Scarab Beetle Series)? Is it a different
series? Will Sang and the boys be in it?
 Thief is a series that is based in the “Academy” universe but features a completely new cast. The lead
girl is Kayli, an 18-year-old girl struggling to survive who figured out pickpocketing could help her
pay rent for her deadbeat/drunk father and her brother, who is still young and in school. She'll meet up
with a new crew of Academy boys who will try to help her.
 This series will allow me to show a different side of the Academy than you could see from Sang's
perspective. You may see the boys crisscross across series boundaries on occasion with cameo
appearances but most will just be “mentions.” Most often, you'll just see Academy people outside of
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both teams making appearances in both books.
 Why are you calling Series 2 the Scarab Beetle series?
 Check out Russian tattoos and their meanings…for the beetle.
 According to the Canada Border Services Agency tattoo handbook, Russian Scarab Beetle tattoos are a
symbol of good luck/protection for thieves.
 How many books do you plan on writing for your new series?
 With the new cast (Kayli's), there are a lot of possibilities, so I'm hoping for a long series, too. But, it
depends on how the cast develops and gets along. If it starts to get boring, I'll stop and do something else.
 Actually, I don't know how many books are in each series. I just know there's a lot and I don't know until
we get to the end where it's going to be. I have ideas but you know these boys. They like doing their own
thing.
 Is the Scarab Beetle series going to be like the ghost bird series? How many books will there be? And will
there be any more interaction between this group and the other group with 5 guys and one bird?
 A lot of books. And we will see them again, the older group.
 The new group with Kayli is a different group and we'll be seeing a bunch of them, too.
 If people like them, I will write a lot of them.
 About Thief. As this team will be older than the one in the Ghost Bird series, will the series be classified as
New Adult from the beginning?
 The new series will be New Adult from the go. There're mild sexual situations in the first book but only
because I could only toss in so much around the plot and introducing new characters. But we'll see a lot of
progress quickly.
 How long until the new series comes out?
 I want to wait until after Book Five. Book Five and this book coincide with each other a little. I'm thinking
February 2014. But, it depends on how quickly Book Five is released in January. If this one for some
reason looks like it should go first though, it'll come out sooner.
 So I do disaster planning and response. My area of focus is health and medical. Can I say that I was surprised
at how pertinent the issue was in Thief! I just worked on a similar 'outbreak' of a tainted batch in Colorado late
last year....did you get the idea from the media, CL? There have only been a handful of this type of situation so
far, but they will be getting worse.
 I don't watch the news, but I hear things. One of my editors actually commented on the topic. She used to
serve the warrants that were issued to do raids at places to get these synthetics. But I've seen these
synthetics around and I've seen the results. The things people will do to themselves for a high is crazy.
 We recently had hundreds of patients present at emergency departments over about a three-week period
ranging in age from 13-76 due to a bad synthetic drug…and pot is legal here.
 That's crazy! I’m like Kayli, why get the synthetic? But that stuff they're producing, I’m not really sure
where it is coming from. I blamed the cartels in the book, but again, I wouldn't think they'd want to draw
that much attention to their operation.
 I noticed Marc do the karate chop thing to Kayli in Thief. The boys in the Ghost Bird series do that all the
time Sang. So where did that originate? And the boys from the different groups had to be exposed to it. It's a
unique gesture.
 It's one of those things unique to different writers. I watch a lot of anime, and they chop each other on the
head a lot in those. I grew up with poking, chopping, stabbing phone buttons, hitting the fridge door with
your butt, etc. Other people grow up with different quirks.
 While I try to keep stories fresh with new features, some of these little gestures and movements are just
how I see people doing things. This is, I think, what makes even similar plot-driven stories interesting
when two different authors write. They will have different quirks that crop up now and again.
 When will the next Scarab book be out?
 Liar, Scarab Beetle Book Two, will release in August.
Writing the Academy Books’ Questions – Series Crossover
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 Why did you pick South Carolina as the setting for the story?
 I was familiar with the Charleston area, have lived there off and on over the years. I wanted to pick
somewhere different than what I've read about and Charleston's got a lot of culture to play with as
the story progresses.
 I like the area. It isn’t Tiny Town USA and it isn’t New York or another city with a lot of major problems.
However, it’s easy enough to ‘get lost’ in this town and be forgettable. Plus the weather is awesome. And
beaches.
 Did you live in Charleston? And, if so for how long? You seem to know these places you speak of quite well
so I wondered if they were your regular haunting grounds
 I lived in Summerville from age ... 12 to about 16. And then I moved back when I was 23 and lived on
Folly Beach for a long time. Thinking about moving there again. I've gotten lost and found my way back
from all over that town.
 Also, would I be able to look these places up on a map to make sense of it all or are some of them made up?
 If you want/need a map, I pretty much planted this whole thing around Charleston, SC, the real thing. So
Google maps will work for this.
♥ For example if you want to get an idea how far Wil travels to school, you want an idea of how this is
placed, go find “Citadel Mall” and then to get an idea of a distance he's been travelling, go to Stratford
High School in Goose Creek. Driving directly may only take 40 minutes, but on a bus system, it'll take
a while because of stops and stuff. For a 'round number' and to be more dramatic, I wrote two hours
but it probably isn't exact.
♥ But like the Sergeant Jasper is a real place, as is the lake next door to it, the marina, etc. You could
take a virtual tour of the neighborhood via Google Maps and see exactly where they were.
♥ Blake Coaltar’s house is ‘South of Broad,’ across the street from White Point Gardens.
 Will you recommend that readers to read both series or will the new readers discovering Thief will be able to
enjoy it fully without reading the Ghost Bird series?
 People who read Thief and forward with that series should be able to read it without needing to read the
first series. However, if you read both, you may catch a lot more going on than you would with just
reading one. It's just that if someone didn't like Sang, they might like Kayli. They could stick with that
group and still understand what's going on.
 Is it stressful to release a book? On Feb. 25 will you be making last minute changes and sending e-mails and
stuff? Or, will you be hanging out with a Coke and a smile waiting for us to read about Kayli? I'm just curious.
 Release day is move day. There's a few buttons to push on my end. Then, I'm monitoring all the uploads to
see when links are produced so I can put them in the newsletter for the next day. There are also Twitter
and Facebook updates.
 Most of the day, I tell myself I'm going to write and focus on the next project, but a lot of the time I'm
lingering around waiting for a disaster to happen. Most of the time I just swallow fear and keep going. I
get over it, eventually, and then I have fun reading emails, answering questions and talking about the
books. I'm excited to finally be able to hear from folks who have read and get to fan girl along with
everyone else.
 Do you like Firefly? I thought of that when I read “shiny”!
 Jayne! And Captain Mal!
 When does the newsletter come out? Is there a set date like every two months or is it just whenever?
 It's usually whenever I get around to it. Although we should have something coming up in a few weeks.
We'll do a Thief Q&A cheat sheet and I'll throw in some spoilers as usual.
 Most of the questions asked in the forums get answered. Eventually. When I've got time to pop in. So you
if you hang out in there you could get your answers.
 I'd like to formally suggest moving both release dates for the new books up to April. Please.
 If you want them completely unedited and possibly not finished. Otherwise, I have to wait on editors and
proofreaders.
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The Academy
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CL Commenting on the Academy
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The Academy Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 Blackbourne and Green may have graduated, but the rest of the team hasn't. All new teams are monitored.
Now Blackbourne's team is specially monitored because they're exposing the Academy in a long-term way
with this Ashley Waters case.
The Academy Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 Gabriel, Kota, and now Victor are out of favors officially. They have to earn more favors to gain them back.
 I mentioned that in the last part of Book Four, in the A report, there would be some very important
information that would let people know about what was coming up in the Academy universe. There two parts
here. Here's the passage that may shed some insight as to which part of the A report I was thinking of:
 “Do you think you're the first pair of dogs I've seen coming to ask me about a bird?”
The Academy Comments – Scarab Beetle – Book One – Thief
 What about that Dr. Roberts and his awesome appearance? It's one of my favorites when you realize that's
him.
 Dr. Roberts is the awesomest. He's the one that put Dr. Green on track to being a doctor.
 I want to volunteer, to be one of Dr. Roberts’ adopted kids. We'll have to start a thing. “Adopted by Dr.
Roberts.”
Questions about the Academy
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The Academy Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 Why are the girls called birds and the boys are called dogs?
 Because cats and dogs don’t get along. And that’s the Academy answer any time anyone asks.
 Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green have graduated from the Academy, right?
 Yes, Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green graduated at like age 12 - 13 or so. Youngest graduates ever. And
how they did that that's a long story, which they'll tell later. They've graduated now but they took on the
boys, and the boys are all in debt. So technically the team is in favor debt. Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green
are still graduates but are trying to catch the boys up. However, they are failing miserably thanks to Sang.
The Academy Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
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 What does each of the buttons on the phones do?
 The big black button calls without an emergency signal. Green calls with the emergency signal and
also pushes calls through, interrupting any current calls and putting your emergency line on. White is
a text message, a white flag, you are uncomfortable and need help. Red sends an emergency text
message along with a GPS approximate location.
 You said that the black button is for non emergencies, green is for emergencies interrupting any current calls
to push the emergency calls through, white is for white flags that you're uncomfortable, and red is the shocker,
GPS signal, emergency text button. But, do the special buttons on the boys phones serve the same functions
for all the Academy teams, or does it vary?
 The boys have added buttons along with the usual four. There are a couple of others that are more
emergency notifications to “Academy members within range.” So it won't just call their crew but anyone
nearby. Along with the GPS tracking, etc. So they aren't different, they just have a few extra.
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 Are we going to know the purpose of The Academy?
 Eventually. The Academy itself is complicated; a network that I think you can guess is more than just a
school. This is why it will take a lot of books to cover their interests and purposes.
 What are the “debts” they have with The Academy?
 There's a lot to the debt, but I'll tell you about one as an example.
 So let's talk about Kota's debt. When you join the Academy, you get a favor debt of something like 10
favors and a $10,000 financial debt.
 You can't pay off your financial debt directly. It can only be through work from the Academy. Recovery is
their team's way of making money for the Academy, so they recover stolen goods (one of their many
jobs), and the reward goes to their Academy accounts.
 Favor debts are harder to earn back, because it requires you knowing a skill someone else is willing to
give you a favor for, or gaining a favor from the Academy in general. If you gain enough that you have a
positive number of favors, so you have extras, you'll have graduated from the Academy.
The Academy Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
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 I just realized Victor is the first to admit to Sang that he likes her, but she didn't completely understand what
he was implying! Then Nathan interrupted them, and she never got to say anything in return! It's so
frustrating.
 They get interrupted a lot. No wonder they don't have girlfriends. Imagine a “normal” girl hanging out
with Victor and all of a sudden, he has to leave during an intimate moment. And he can't tell her where
he's going other than, “I have to go to the Academy.” “You have to go to school?” “Now?” Yeah.
Relationships are tough for Academy crews.
 Why doesn't Sang have a lock on her phone? I get that it would be easier without one in an emergency, but
with the ever-vigilant academy boys, it seems odd.
 When she first got the phone, having a phone in the first place was enough to get her in trouble, so she had
to hide it no matter what. And since it was for emergencies, she needed to be able to reach out right away
without fiddling. Afterward, I mean the boys don't have locks, either. They don't use them because when it
comes to their phones, they never text about Academy business and there's limited phone discussions
about Academy over that kind of stuff, anyway. Communication within the Academy, for anything related
to it, is just like when Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Roberts go to the restaurant. Places where they're less
likely to be noticed/overheard. Live discussions that aren't recorded.
 It's getting harder, but they're pretty careful.
 Where did the ambulance come from in Book 3?
 Dr. Green commandeered it from his hospital. The Academy has spares. But, it's all the way downtown,
which was where he was during that whole time. He had to drive down and get one.
 When the boys “do an hour,” it is a form of group punishment. So does the Academy explain ways to punish
your group, or does each individual team decide how they want to punish each other?
 Everything is individual depending on the team. The 'hour' for Kota's team is to remind them all of what
they've been through together and that they are in this together no matter what.
The Academy Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 If the boys were all young when they started with the Academy, why did they really want to be in the
Academy? How did they know enough details to know they wanted to be a part of it?
 Mr. Blackbourne caught the original five (Victor, Kota, Nathan, Luke and Gabriel) doing their
shenanigans at the elementary school. (Makes you wonder how Mr. Blackbourne found out!) The original
five would be of particular interest to the Academy because they worked together. And, while they were
bending the rules, they did it for the right reasons usually. At such a young age, the Academy would work
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with them for a few months to show them what the Academy means, in their own cryptic way, without
allowing them to join.
 Part of learning about the Academy and getting to the point of going through training is actually learning
as you go, and picking up the answers. Essentially, if you come up with a logical conclusion about the
Academy on your own, you're allowed to learn about that part of the Academy. This is why Mr.
Blackbourne can answer Sang's specific questions about the Academy. He can only answer the ones she's
asked, or comes to know about, but he can't offer up new information.
 Kota doesn't answer her questions because he doesn't want her to know certain things (he'll get over that
eventually). But, you see how Kota presents problems sometimes and waits for her to answer the
question? That's Academy. They present the issue. If your answer is right, they will tell you. And, you
can't advance until you answer it all correctly.
How did Gabriel, Kota, and now Victor rack up so many favors?
 Part of the answer to your question will be coming up in later books, but it all has to do with their families.
 Kota had family issues early on even after he joined the Academy. His father was abusive. The Academy
took care of it, which used up nearly all of the available favors he had. You max out at around 30 favors.
After you are negative 30 favors, you can't ask another favor unless you borrow one from another family
member. You also have the option to go to a group of other higher-ranking Academy people in order to
present your case as to why you need this favor.
 There's a lot that goes into it, but most of Kota's debt comes from dealing with his father, and favors
pulled for his mother and sister. He has been working to gain back favors through odd jobs, but funnily
enough, favor debts are the hardest to settle because something always crops up that requires you pay out
a favor for assistance.
 Favors are only counted against you when you're asking the Academy for help. It helps prevent people
from just asking for help all the time. Family first, one of the rules of the Academy, has a dual meaning.
Your family is important, so if it comes down to helping your family or doing an Academy job, the
Academy pushes you to help your family.
 But it also means turning to your own family first when you need help. It won't cost you favors to add to
your debt. Help yourself the best you can before asking the Academy.
You said that the Academy pays for member's families” needs such as private schools or house projects.
Where do the families think the money comes from? Also, what do the parents think the Academy is?
 It's different for every situation! Let's take Jessica as an example. When she needs to go to a private
school, the Academy funds it. As far as Jessica and her mom know, Jessica was awarded a scholarship for
her private school funds. Erica does pay for some things, but not as much as she would have paid for
without the Academy's help. Parents are only told the Academy is a school. There are very intricate truths
they relay to them that convince them that their kids are being educated, and the special private school has
awarded their son or daughter a scholarship. Erica thinks it is the best school ever, but it is, to her, still a
school. Parents who do actually care only see their child behaving and improving, and they usually don't
complain about free education at a prestigious school like this.
 If Erica ever needed expensive house repair, the labor and materials would come from Academy stuff.
Does everyone in the Academy know one another or of one another. Not personally, necessarily, but
professionally? The Academy seems so big with many past and present members.
 The broad scope of the Academy means that someone could be in the Academy and walk by someone else
in the Academy without realizing he's in the Academy, too. It's not as big as you think; there's just a
significant concentration in the area where Sang lives. So like with Marc, it's highly possible he may never
see/know Sang in the Academy, so he easily makes the assumption she is in it. And since she was
“helping” Dr. Green that just confirmed it more. A young girl as an intern to a doctor (he didn't know Dr.
Green was still getting started himself) is just something Academy worthy.
So, I'm seeing where you've said that Thief will overlap Drop of Doubt, but in the “A Report” at the end of
Book 4 Kayli and her boys are already married and such. Then the first chapter of Thief is written as if it's just
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now happening. Maybe I need to wait and read Thief but I just can't picture in my head how that works. Is
there going to be a time jump in Thief?
 In the end of Book Four, North and Mr. Blackbourne do go out and visit an older team who has
successfully kept a bird on an all dog team.
 But this team warns them that they often get other dog groups coming to them asking the same question.
He was warning them that they might fail, because they haven't seen another team successfully do this.
 Thief is the introduction of a new dog team, that's been going along doing their own thing, just like Sang's
team. They run into Kayli for the first time as seen in chapter one of Thief.
 So when Mr. Anderson says, “you're not the only dog team,” this was my hint that other teams come face
to face with this same problem sometimes. For all the same reasons Mr. Blackbourne points out in the end
of Book Three, it often doesn't work out and thus why the Academy often convinces teams not to do this
because it can ruin their family teams.
 But I hope that answers the question. It isn't Mr. Anderson's team. Their team is already happy and tucked
away in their happily ever after. You may see them again from time to time, as you'll see other members
of the Academy filter in and out of both series.
 But with the new Scarab Beetle series (starting with Thief), you'll be able to get to see a side of the
Academy you weren't able to with Sang's team. In Scarab Beetle, the team is slightly older (18 through 21ish), so they're able to spread out, travel, not worry about parents so much, etc. The team has all graduated
from the Academy, too. Whereas Sang's team, only two have graduated and the others are still struggling
to graduate.
The Academy Questions – Book Five – Drop of Doubt… and Beyond
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 What would have happened if Silas (or another boy) had broken the rule and kissed Sang?
 This is the thing about the Academy: there are only a handful of actual rules, and the rest depends on a lot
of factors. Namely, it is up to Mr. Blackbourne how far he wants to go if a team member breaks a rule
they've made as a family. This is why the Academy's family teams are monitored so carefully. It’s not a
judge and jury of people who don't know you, blindly trying to pass judgment; it’s your family, who
knows you intimately.
 At the same time, you need to regulate fairly. It has to be done in such a way that when you face an
Academy council and tell them about it, you can tell the truth and be honest with yourself about whether
you did the right thing. It takes a particular type of person to accept when they’ve done wrong and be
willing to take the consequences and to do whatever it takes to make things right.
 Most of the time, Academy council doesn't have to intervene. However, the boys swore and Mr.
Blackbourne has to hold them accountable for it. So it is ultimately up to Mr. Blackbourne what he
demands of the boys and what he thinks would be fair consequences for breaking this particular family
rule. And we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
 Do other Academy people know about Sang, other than Dr. Phillip Roberts’ team?
 Dr. Roberts’ team is only one. Other Academy members may know of her and that she’s on the ‘closed
adoption’ list. But there’re a lot of those in the Academy so they won’t get interested unless something
happens to draw their attention.
 Minor players do, but in an offhand way. Right now, she’s just adopted by this team, which isn’t a new
thing for teams to do, so she’s not really a significant blip on the Academy’s radar. She’s being tracked
because she’s been in the Academy hospital, but core members aren’t particularly interested in her file.
 Does the Academy have an archrival (like an Anti-Academy, or like an organization that's sole purpose is to
destroy the Academy)? Do the boys have a rival or any enemies?
 You mean besides Mr. Hendricks and McCoy? The Academy tries not to present themselves so openly to
the public. Generally anyone who gets “caught” by the Academy and as they work to setting things right,
those people, like Hendricks and McCoy, come to oppose the Academy and want to find their core
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organization and pin them with blackmail or whatever they can. Kind of hard to do that with Academy
folks. They tend to blend in really well so it is hard to pick out who is who.
 Do the boys have a rival or any enemies?
 You mean besides their parents? Uh. Well, they don't think of people in terms of enemies. There's Mr.
Hendricks they're dealing with right now, and they're trying to figure out his whole scheme. There's Volto,
who seems to have the wrong idea of who they are and is dangerous so they're trying to figure that out. It's
mostly either people who they're working on or people who figured out only so far about the Academy
(like Volto) and got the wrong idea.
 Where have the boys been doing their schooling? If this is the first year being in Ashley Waters then how does
Victor know how Danielle behaves in the school hallways? This goes to the answer he gives when Kota and
the guys are discussing who to ask to infiltrate Sang's home. And they say how difficult she is.
 Danielle is a grade older than the boys, and Derrick and the lot all went to the same school before the boys
went off to the Academy.
 As far as where the boys have been doing their schooling, read Thief. Axel spills it.
 Note: It’s in the chapter called Inside the Academy at Location 2790 (if you have a Kindle). Or you can
search for, this phrase: “When I went into the Academy….”
 Is it an Academy requirement to have cameras in your home and have wires on you? Or does it just depend on
the team?
 The wires are usually inside their phones. The cameras are dependent on if there's a security reason to
have them there. In places where there's a higher risk, there's more cameras. Nathan's house has a number
of them, as does Victor's. Usually boys who are younger, living with relatives that could be threatening
have more cameras.
 If it is like the Scarab Beetle team, they're less likely to have cameras, since only trusted Academy people
live there. But all of them are able to use cameras if they feel they need them.
The Academy Questions – Scarab Beetle – Book One– Thief
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 Does the Academy have anything to do with the military? Are some/a lot of Academy members from military
families? I could really see the Academy getting started with military “families” taking care of each other.
 The Academy is not affiliated with any government organization or military, though. They have some
particular people in places they want to be in, but in general, you can't join the military and be in the
Academy. It splits loyalties. They do some similar training techniques but they require their people to
think individually and locally.
The Academy Questions – Series Crossover
 Will we “see” the inside of The Academy?
 You already have.
 If The Academy could've been your life, would you have chosen to do it?
 Always. Without question.
Ghost Bird Series
Kota
Victor
Silas
Nathan
Gabriel
Luke
(Top of Document)
North
Dr. Sean
Mr. Blackbourne
Sang
Ghost Bird Group
Marie, Derrick, and Danielle
The Ghost Bird Families
Ashley Waters Cast
Volto
Ghost Bird Plot Points
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Kota
She is his passion.
He is her backbone.
CL Commenting
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Kota Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 I can tell you why I fell in love with Kota. After weeks of seeing this beautiful, haunted girl in the
neighborhood, he risked alienating her by chasing her down with his dog to make sure she didn't run away and
get killed. Just to protect her and against what Mr. Blackbourne probably would have told him to do. He felt
instinctually she was a good person.
 If anyone fell in love at first sight, it was Kota. And every single time she says she will do it by herself, he
steps up beside her: kneels with her in the rice, bows outside her door at her darkest moments, tells Mr.
Blackbourne to let her return home, and won't leave her side. Whenever she is at her worst, he draws the
best from her. She won over his heart from the go, and he would risk everything to prove it to her.
 But that's why I love Kota. No one else has to.
 I can't tell you want was going through Kota's head when he first met Sang. ! Wait until Book Six or read the
spoiler sheet.
 I just can't get over him on that first night going, “Just... just... just stay here and like... sleep in my bed.” And,
a lot of it was for purely selfish reasons. He could have helped her sneak back into her home or encouraged
her to do so. And, she could have if she really wanted to. It was just, they both didn't want her to.
Kota Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 Kota likes Sang to wear “cute” clothes.
 There was an actual contest that Kota won to become the leader.
 Like Kota's trying to get close to Sang in the beginning (he had his reasons), and Kota thinking about her
naked ... I mean he is a guy. He's a teenager, too. And he wouldn't want her to go through all that and/or to
have seen her like that in a hundred years. If he had a choice, he'd have not seen her and had her be safe. But
what has been seen can't be unseen. He just happened to get the full light and a “stuck” moment reaction.
 I wanted to show he did actually have feelings for her, and he was holding back in his “A” report. But like
by now, they've all seen her in her underwear at least. But at the same time, I could explain it, but it's just
emotions. We all end up with our own favorites. Some people may not like Gabriel telling Sang what to
do all the time. Some might not like how Kota handles things. It’ll happen.
Kota Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 I like how Kota bought “the kids” water guns. The other guys went to play basketball.
 He had a hunch that he needed to get away from Sang before he'd have to go away and handle things during
training…and you couldn't blame him.
 Kota, he's more just flat out direct. When he does compliment her, it's like in passing, because to him it's just
established. And, unflowery. “You get into trouble because you're cute. Go sit with North so he can watch out
for you.” Things like that.
 By the way, when Kota's stressed, he's counting. He'll drop his head or cover it, and he starts counting off
numbers. Normally sixty so he gives himself a minute. Sometimes it is a hundred or however long it takes. It's
how he allows himself to stress and then gets over it to do his job.
Kota Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 Kota is going to be Kota, mistakes and all. I write what I love about him and all the others. But love is a
choice, and you can love and think how you want. Just like some won't like the series because they need the
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girl to have only one love. Don't spend time dwelling on things or people you don't like. That's what they
Academy teaches, and that's what all nine guys stand by.
 Kota's nickname for Sang will be 10.
 When he counts heads within Academy ranks, he's one. The others are a particular number. Sang's last, so
she's 10 (also for 10 toes and 10 fingers). He loves counting so go figure.
 Sang will call him 52 (Inside looks like a heart, depending on the font.)
Questions about Kota
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Kota Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 Simplify this: 9x-7i > 3(3x-7u)
So it would read:
9x-7i > 3(3x-7u)
9x-7i > 9x-21u
-7i < -21u
i♡u
 Kota's already done some math on something like this
 Does one of the equations on the blackboard translate to I love you?
 It's the heart curve.
 Victor's had binary on his cover.
 When Sang and her family moved in to the neighborhood, was it a during the night move-in thing? Like
hoping no one would notice them?
 No. It was normal and they moved themselves in. Mostly Sang and her father moving stuff in, with Marie
only helping until her stuff was in her room and then she disappeared. The mom kind of barked orders. It
didn't take long. They didn't have much.
 Of course, this drew the attention of Kota and later Nathan when he realized someone had moved into that
house. Kota saw what was going on a bit and was curious, but sparked from needing to know who was in
his neighborhood. He's a little protective of his space.
 How long was it between when Sang moved in and when Kota managed to meet her?
 I think it was a few weeks, possibly as long as a month. There was a generous amount of time for her to
wander around the woods and get the attention of both Kota and Nathan, who recalled seeing her around
before the first night she bumped into Kota.
 If Kota's house is a one-story house, why are there stairs?
 I think almost every house on the street where Sang's house is located (IRL) has a FROG (Finished Room
Over the Garage). I've been in half of them, and unless it was just a strict one-story house, it usually had a
Frog. Kota's was weird because his bedroom has a set of stairs inside the door. My aunt's house was like
that, too.
 What was Kota thinking when Sang said she would stay the night that first night?
 He was happy she said she would stay. He had been trying to talk to her for weeks and finally got the
chance, and it's the middle of the night. So, he didn't want to let her go.
 In Book One, during Kota's intro, after he gives her clothes to change into she says she mustered up her
warmest smile, and his expression changed but she couldn't get a read on him. What was he thinking? Was he
just kind of bowled over by her smile?
 You've pretty much got it. For like that whole time, he's a nervous wreck because he's sure she's going to
run off. She carries that haunted look all the time. When she smiled, it was like he finally saw what he
thought was really her, she was beautiful, he wanted her to stay, and it was really melting his heart that
night.
 So, when Sang stayed while Kota went to make hot chocolate, was Kota doing a happy dance inside?
 Ha! Probably. He was kind of worried she'd run off. But, he'd gotten her this far. Just in time, I think. The
moment her mom found out that her dad took off would have brought down Sang if she didn't have the
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boys. But, yeah, Kota was uber excited to get to know this girl finally. And, the crazy invites her to stay in
his bed. Kinda just happened.
When Kota came back upstairs, did he watch Sang sleep for a bit before he fell asleep?
 You know Kota watched her sleeping. She was a mess, but he still thought she was adorable and was like,
“I can't believe she stayed. I've got to figure out what's going on.” Like really adored her.
Did Kota notice Sang was awake in his bed before Victor got there (in the Victor chapter of Book 1)?
 No. Kota went downstairs while she was still asleep. He was doing chores and picking up around the
house. He didn't even know Victor was on his way so early. He thought Victor was going to show up later.
What was Kota thinking when he found Victor on top of Sang that first morning?
 Kota was like “Uh oh. Busted!” I mean he guessed Victor thought it was him. Victor thought for sure
when he moved the blanket that it would be like Luke or Nathan or someone. And, then “Surprise! Girl!”
I wonder if Victor really was thinking “Kota? With a girl in his bed?” And, when Kota asks for Sang to stay
over again, was Nathan thinking “Again? Like she's stayed here... with Kota?” And, Kota was probably sorta
smug like, “Yep. She's slept in my bed!”
 Yea, pretty much!
What exactly was Kota apologizing to Victor for at the food court?
 Victor was just irritated by Kota being Kota. They were discussing the classes that Kota would like to
take. Kota had an interest in a high-level physics class, and Victor mentioned that the course was
theoretical, and there was no practical use for it. Kota was explaining how such physics could be practical.
 It got to the point where Kota was talking over Victor's head, discussing physics that Victor didn't
understand. But it's like whenever anyone talks over your head about things, and with Victor having little
patience, he thought the easiest way to stop the conversation was to get up and walk away. Victor kept
trying to cut him off, saying essentially, “Fine, take whatever classes you want.” Kota was still trying to
clarify himself.
 Victor just needed to break off the discussion. It wasn't really important which classes Kota took, but
Victor relented, wanting Kota to take whatever he wanted. Kota felt he still had to defend why he wanted
to take it. But, Kota eventually started talking over even Victor's head. Victor's smart, but he's not into
theoretical physics. Eventually, Victor got lost and gave up. Kota thought maybe he had said something to
Victor to get him mad at him. Victor wasn't mad. He just couldn't follow the discussion anymore.
 Kota thought that maybe he said something wrong that made Victor mad at him. Victor wasn't mad at him.
Kota was just talking over his head at one point about physics things, and Victor wanted to stop the
discussion because he wasn't following. Kota thought maybe he offended him somehow, maybe even
embarrassed him in front of Sang or something. Victor didn't really care; he just wanted Kota to stop
talking about stuff he didn't know about. That's his impatience. Victor doesn't care about theoretical
physics, so he got bored really quickly and wanted to talk about something else.
Why are they suddenly having meetings at Kota's house?
 For the seven boys, it's more convenient to meet either at Kota's or Nathan's, especially with the diner
being set up right there. They always used to meet at Victor's, but it became more complicated the more
Victor was written about in the papers and interviewed. Gabriel's place and Silas's are too small, and the
Taylor residence is... being repaired.
Does Kota or Mr. Blackbourne really need glasses or is there another reason they wear them?
 Both Kota and Mr. Blackbourne needs glasses and prefer those over contacts. They could wear contacts
but they're kind of ... clean freaks? In a way. Mr. Blackbourne more than Kota. But they both don't like the
idea of sticking contacts in their eyeballs. They've heard too many dirty contact horror stories and don't
like to use them unless they are brand new.
 They will for Academy purposes and they have some, but they generally just use their glasses. They'll use
them for assignments if their 'disguise' requires it but usually they don't need to.
I know the boys have people they hang with more or get along with better within the group, but does Kota as
team lead have a Dr. Green counterpart in one of the other guys that he can/does share everything with?
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 Kota pretty much is 'best friends' with Nathan and Victor. Like how Gabriel and Luke are besties forever
and North and Silas have been friends for a long time.
Kota Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Did Kota really say that Sang was a “beautiful angel who has her heart on her sleeve, and we have to keep her
safe” or was Dr. Sean taking liberty with the words to give Sang a hint of how he felt?
 Kota said the beautiful part; the angel part was the doctor. The doctor was paraphrasing. But, Kota was
saying like, “She's beautiful, and it'll be hard on her at this school. They'll tear her apart.” Type of thing.
As like trying to emphasize why they have to protect her.
 What was Kota thinking when he had Sang on his lap? It was one of those moments I thought I would love to
know what he is thinking
 The first time... was... I think it was at school, wasn't it? Rubbing her shoulders? He was trying to help her
out and still trying to be friendly. Trying not to freak her out.
 And, before his mom showed up, he was really enjoying holding her on his lap. He could have given her
pillows or a phone book, but she'd sat in his lap before. Perfect excuse to do it again.
Kota Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What was Kota's job to do while Gabriel and Luke stayed with Sang that first night after the shower?
 He had to organize the cameras and equipment and get started with internal security for Sang. He'd take
Luke's map and pencil drawing, add in all the places and angles for cameras, and send those schematics to
Victor…who would do all the computer work. He had a handful of other tasks, too, such as helping Mr.
Blackbourne juggle everyone's schedule with family tasks and Academy things.
 What did Kota say after Gabriel showed the guys her new look, and they were all speechless?
 Mostly mumbling. This is the first time he's really seen her as something “sexy,” instead of the cute. He
was trying to say she looked good, but she looked really good so it all kind of fumbled together.
 What did Kota mumble after he saw Sang in her new outfit? She said her heart was thundering in her ears, and
she couldn't hear. Just wondering since he was blushing and everything when he said whatever it was.
 Kota was really mumbling something like, “You look great.” It was on the tip of his tongue to say
something encouraging right off, but once he saw her for real he lost it, and it all just kind of tumbled out
along with a “holy cow,” “wow,” and stuff.
 Was Kota the only one to see Sang on the monitor when she was naked?
 Yes. Kota was watching the screen. He called Mr. Blackbourne over but by the time he got to the laptop,
Sang had the towel on. (We had to time it on this side.) Sang pretty much went for the towel right off
because she knew the cameras were on. The others saw her in the towel but that’s it. They got the gist of
what he saw, though.
 How does Kota feel about seeing Sang naked on the video feed?
 Kota feels guilty about seeing Sang naked. But, I guess it kind of shows he's human after all. He got an
eyeful of her naked and was shocked. It was afterward that he really had his “holy crap; she was naked”
moment and thought about it. And, he couldn't help it. Like Sang probably thinks about Nathan's butt all
the time now.
 In Book 3 when Erica is talking about Sang and Kota going on a date, what is going through Kota's
mind?
 He was embarrassed that his mom was basically asking her out for him and wished she would stop. He
was worried she was embarrassing Sang.
Kota Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 .How did Kota used to treat his younger sister back when he was younger that made Erica always point out
how he should be nice to her like Nathan was?
 Kota's always been responsible, but sometimes he gets a little rough with Jessica. When he was younger,
he got used to playing with Nathan and when he included Jessica, he just forgot to take it easy. Nathan
was gentler. That's just a boy's nature.
 I thought it was really weird that Kota thought it hurt when Sang bit his finger, like she bites Nathan's fingers.
 She put as much pressure as she did with Nathan, but Nathan's a little tougher in the fingers. Thicker skin.
Kota's not a soft boy by any means, but his hands are a bit softer. And, yes, I have done it before.
 If Kota has to show Sang how to work the camera on her phone at the football game, how did she take a
picture of her hand for the pinkie swear with Luke in Book 1?
 The text message had a camera icon that she was able just to click and take a picture to attach. She didn't
know how to use the camera app itself.
 What happened to Kota during the training scene? Lapse in judgment?
 Yeah during the training scene, Kota started to crack. He's got a lot of his own issues to work out, too,
with her. He blames himself for getting her into trouble with Hendricks and McCoy. But, the more time he
spends with her, the more he wants to crack and he gets so close but then he can't. He swore to follow the
rules, like everyone else. His head and his heart are just fighting it out.
 But, I think his mom butting in was a very good thing for him. Now she's seen how interested he is; she
had a suspicion, but I don't think she really put it together until she saw Sang sitting on his lap. Erica sees
this struggle, and she's going to push at it. She feels that Kota's trying to do things slow and sweet, but she
can see that Sang likes him, too, and doesn't want Kota to be a turtle in this relationship. She doesn't want
him to blame himself later for going too slow so that she gets swept up with someone else.
 What was going through Kota's mind when Sang touches him behind the ears during the training
session?
 It’s a hot spot for him. He got turned on by it.
 Why does Kota leave his house in the middle of the night to go to Victor's house?
 Kota was taking his tail for a ride. He was being slightly interesting to leave kind of a “useless” trail...if
that makes sense. Doing random things that don't mean anything
 In the “A” report of Book 3, Kota recognizes, at least to himself, that she doesn't reach for him. In Book Four,
she's reached for him at least twice…the pinkies at the football game double date and then touching his face in
the attic. What does he think about that?
 He is so happy she's finally reaching out to them. And, she is trying to make a conscious effort to do it. So,
like when she's reaching for his pinkie, and he knocks it out of the way and takes her hand. He's showing
her it's okay to take his hand. Anytime she makes that little effort, he gives it back a bunch. Like if you're
comfortable enough to want my pinkie, I'm going to give you my whole hand.
 Why doesn't Kota want Sang or his sister to join the Academy?
 The Academy assignments can be dangerous, and Sang (and his sister) are kind enough and eager enough
to jump in on those assignments. He doesn't want to see them hurt. And also because the Academy itself
isn't for everyone. Kota's sister in generally probably wouldn't be admitted because she is Kota's sister.
Normally siblings and relations don't join the Academy. As in, if your dad is in the Academy, it doesn't
always mean your kids will get in. It doesn't work like that. It depends completely on your individual
wants and needs, and it takes a high caliber of person in order to get in. There's a high level of testing
involved, and you really have to want to be in there to succeed.
 Let's talk about Kota and his effort to incorporate Sang into their group without including her in the Academy.
Also fighting his “passion...” Futile? Successful? Do you like his attempts to stay the ever-dedicated leader or
prefer when we see the cracks in his demeanor that are now permeating the series?
 He is statuesque until he's alone with her, and then he falls apart. Drives me crazy how his reasoning
works to keep her outside of the Academy though. I think Mr. Blackbourne sees what's happening, which
is why he's working so hard to figure out if he needs to cut this all off now, or what. That is why he
dragged North with him in the middle of the night the moment he found out where this other team was.
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 Kota tries to hold his emotions in like Mr. Blackbourne does; but he's not Mr. Blackbourne. And even
though Mr. Blackbourne has that cool control, he knows when to give Sang some kind words or to touch
her. Kota tries to put her in the friend zone sometimes but is like dying for her to make those first moves.
Like when she stares at his mouth, he turned it back around and stared at her mouth. He was trying to
show her, “If you do it, I'll do it back.” Poor guy, trying to stick to the rules.
Kota Questions – Ghost Bird –Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 . What were Kota's thoughts when Owen calmed Sang down in the office? I mean, I know he was angry, and
worried about her. But the boys haven't ever really seen Owen interact with her. What did he think about that?
 Mr. Blackbourne could sense the tension right when he walked into the room. His main concern was that
Sang was shutting them out, and his first goal was to get her to open up again. That's why he was insistent
on hearing her side of what happened with Luke. He needed to hear her talk and understand that she
wasn't trying to retreat into herself. She was just upset about the situation. Getting her to talk was kind of
like Dr. Green getting her to work with her hands. It was kind of like therapy.
 He also gave Kota the chance to see the full picture, not just what he saw on his end. This time of Sang
“working to fill in Mr. Blackbourne about the mission” gave everyone a chance to calm down and realize
what happened with each other fully. And why Kota had to explain what he was “seeing” on his end.
 With everything out in the open, Mr. Blackbourne coached Kota to tell Sang how he felt honestly. And
then he leaves them to deal with it, knowing Kota and Sang were good and would sort it out. They just
needed a starting point. He had a lot of issues to deal with, and I always think its cool whenever he takes
time out to take care of her. Mr. Blackbourne may cut people off with regulation and such but he's a
sucker for her.
Victor
She is his kindness.
He is her compassion.
CL Commenting on Victor
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Victor Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 When Victor first met Sang he loved her eyes, but her wild hair, pale face, and Kota's big clothes on her body
made her look way young…mostly due to her small size. So he didn't understand this at all. It wasn't until she
came downstairs, her hair was out of her face, and she was in her own clothes that he became impressed.
 After taking Sang to the mall, he often touched the spot on his neck where Sang “bump kissed” him. She's
very sweet and doesn't care about his money (she didn't really know anything about that). The fact that she
loved the same music that he loved really impressed him. Most girls hate it. By Book Three, he's not in
love with her yet, but he really is “twitterpated” and he is trying to pull her away from the others so he
could stand a chance.
 Victor is the “almost famous” piano prodigy. Local celebrity. But, Ashley Waters” people wouldn't care.
Victor Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 Victor, with his beaten up face, was so adorable.
Victor Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 Victor is turning into a “yes man.” If she yelps or something, he's like on alert and he's telling them to take it
easy and do whatever she wants.
 Erica makes the best pancakes, according to Victor.
 Touching lacy underwear, at the Victoria's Secret store, kind of hints that Victor likes her in clothing that is
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more elegant.
Victor Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 Victor calls Sang Princess. She will nickname him Mr. Victor.
 See what Victor's House looks like.
Questions about Victor
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Victor Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 What did Victor think about Sang being in Kota's bed on that first morning?
 She was a real mess with her hair all over and wearing Kota's clothes. And for a moment, she looked a lot
younger than she really was. It was because of the baggy clothes and everything. So he was really
confused. And he couldn't ask about her with Erica around downstairs. It wasn't until she got dressed and
came downstairs in her own clothes that he really was impressed by her.
 In the first book of the Academy series, when Sang meets Victor for the first time she thinks his voice is
familiar as a singer. Has Sang heard Victor perform without realizing it? Or was it just a coincidence that
his voice sounded familiar?
 Victor doesn't really sing that often. He's not professionally trained at it but he's not bad. He may hum a
few bars here and there. She's never heard him sing, his voice is just familiar to a smooth tone she's
heard before from other musicians.
Victor Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What's the necklace/medallion around Victor's neck?
 It's a gift from his mother: A heart with a triangle shield. Keep your heart protected. Their family is rich;
she didn't want to see him falling for girls who are only interested in their money.
 Did Victor know what Dr. Green said to Sang in Japanese on the first day of school?
 Yes. He knew, and he was ticked off. He thought Dr. Green was being a flirt and playing with Sang's
heart. He lied to Sang about not knowing.
 What does kirei-na hito-midane mean?
 Kirei-na hitomi-dane. = You have beautiful eyes. Japanese. There are other ways to say this in Japanese
but this one is the male version, I believe. (From my limited understanding of Japanese. I am also not
Japanese so I could be wrong.)
Victor Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What was the quiet protest that Victor gave while Sang was in the MRI?
 Victor just wanted to put this thing off because Sang was uncomfortable and cold and he babies her. It was
him putting up a small complaint. Something like, “She's been through enough. We can at least give her a
blanket.”
 Do the guys realize she's terrified of showers now?
 Victor's the only one who thinks something's fishy with her, but it was a passing thought, and he hasn't put
two and two together yet. No one else has a clue.
 What did the sales lady at Victoria Secret think about Victor buying Sang all that stuff?
 The lady thought Victor was the rich boyfriend and that he was trying to buy her a bunch of things to wear
for him. The guys were kind of bumbling around Sang, so she was trying to pinpoint which one was hers.
The lady had a few of those in her day, so she was just used to it. And, she saw it at Victoria's Secret all
the time.
 What favor does Victor want from his race with Sang?
 He's hanging onto that favor, but he's eventually going to ask her the favor of attending one of his charity
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events with him. A black tie event. He thinks he'll have to ask her as a favor, but he really doesn't need to.
 Will Sang and Victor get to go out on a date after the party? Just them?
 Sang and Victor will get to do a lot of things together in Book Five, but there is so much going on ... can't
explain yet. No worries. There will be cute moments with them. It'll be great. I just can't say one without
ruining the whole book.
 What exactly was said between Kota and Victor at the slumber party? What caused Victor to walk out to the
driveway? What did Gabe mean when he told Sang to be easy on Victor?
 Victor was trying to tell Kota he couldn't treat her like that. Kota was doing the exact horsing around he'd
do with his sister; so, to him, it was like saying he could do that to his sister but not to Sang. It seemed
silly to him. Victor didn't have the patience to explain himself. He really liked Sang at that point, so he's
really into babying her. Like the whole cheating thing. He didn't fuss too much about it. He just gave in
and let her do what she wants. But Kota basically said go chill out and then come back and talk to me if
you feel that strongly about it.
 This will be an ongoing “Kota vs. Victor” battle. Kota doesn't baby her that much or submit to whatever
she wants, and Victor does everything she wants to do as long as it doesn't hurt her.
 There will be battles with North and Luke, North and Silas, Nathan and Kota, and I think Dr. Green and
Mr. Blackbourne. Oh and Victor and Gabriel. Maybe more cross pairs, but those come to mind. It's just
them butting heads every once in a while.
Victor Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 When Victor called Kota at the football game, did he really need Kota or did he call him first because he knew
Kota was at the game with Sang? Did he hope Kota would bring Sang with him, not knowing Kota would
leave her with Nathan?
 Victor wouldn't want Sang to be brought over when he's stressed out. His father was giving him a hard
time so he wouldn't want to put Sang in the middle of that. Not that he wouldn't have really wanted to see
her, but he had to deal with his dad and stay “perfect” for the press. So, he needed someone there. He
thought of Kota, because…well actually, that's who he calls first these days.
 What happened to Victor to make Kota leave the football game?
 Victor has a hard time at his concerts especially with his dad. So Kota went to intervene and remind his
dad to back off. Victor needs to keep a perfect image in public and his dad pushes his buttons a lot.
Kota didn't want Sang going because they didn't want her meeting Victor's dad.
Victor Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Was the song Victor played Sang to get her to sleep an original composition, or just the first song that came to
his mind to play for her?
 There's a Chinese song called Silk Road. That's the one I imagine in my head that Victor is playing.
 How did Victor know Sang was passed out in the shower?
 He'd opened the door to ask her something about clothes since she didn't really have spares there. He was
saying something about wearing one of their shirts. He called to her; she never answered. He called
louder; she didn't respond. So he checked really quickly, not trying to be a pervert but because it was kind
of spooky and then there you go. Scene.
 When will the rest of the boys find out about Sang's issues with the shower, since Victor said he would keep it
quiet for now? Will he actually be able to do that, since they generally tell each other most things, especially
as it pertains to her well-being?
 Victor's promised to keep it quiet for now, and since it isn't life threatening, as usually Sang can take a
bath; he's waiting for a time to talk to her further about it. He intends to keep his promise but he wants the
opportunity to talk to her when they're both calm and he can tell her it is okay to tell the others. He's a
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sucker for doing whatever she wants though, so he was quick to go along with what she wanted, especially
after seeing her so upset.
 But again, since it isn't life threatening so much, he's willing to wait to push this issue. But it's on his
mind. He just wants to keep his promise. If it were more dire, he'd push to have her confess. At the very
least, he'd confide in Mr. Blackbourne about the issue, with her knowing he'd go to him.
What was Victor thinking when he saw Sang in the bathroom naked?
 He was panicked that she was passed out. A little too wrapped up that something happened to her. After
their terrible night the night before, and after the nightmare, this was just full out panic. When he thought
about it later, he couldn't even remember the details other than her closed eyes and the terror in her face
when she woke up. By then, he'd had her wrapped in a towel, and she was wrapped up the entire time
after. So in honesty, Kota's still got the “full monty” view of her over everyone else. Technically, he saw
it, but too panicked to stop and even really think. (Unlike Kota, who hadn't been expecting her and she
surprised the crapola out of him.)
What was Victor going to say in the bathtub to Sang before his father interrupted?
 He doesn't even know. It was half trying to say he'd love to play music for her and would love for her to
stay with him, half trying to compliment her about her beautiful eyes, and lots of mumbling, trying to
figure out a way for her to tell him how she felt, wanting to kiss her right, etc.
Why is Victor so sweet and thoughtful when his parents are so cold and downright mean?
 Victor's golden heart is thanks to actually his father forcing him to go to public school. Kota and Nathan
set them straight and when it came down to it, Victor was a good kid. His mother wasn't always so cold.
She has her tender moments, but she's not always available. When you're on display in front of a bunch of
people, you have to act very nice and sophisticated and she'd been doing to for so long that she carried it
with her everywhere. A lot of her requests she makes of Victor are to protect him from public scrutiny.
My question is about Victor and all the money he spends. Do his parents mind or ever get mad at him for
spending so much money?
 Not really. His mom would be concerned if she saw a credit card charge at Wal-Mart, because she’d be
concerned about why he was in ‘such a place’ rather than what he bought there.
Why does his father let him spend money so freely when his father acts like he can't stand him?
 Victor's mother has control of the money as well. She issued him a credit card at a young age. The family's
CPA is well aware of what Victor spends and takes care of all payments to the card. He only monitors for
unusual purchases (e.g. something that's charged from overseas when Victor wasn't there) to make sure
the information hadn't been compromised.
Where does Victor take Sang on their first date?
 He hurt his back the night before their first date in a minor car accident, so he does a random, “Let's go to
the spa.” He's okay. He's just a little tense. He loves the spa. The spa is one of the things that Victor really
likes. It's one that she didn't think of as a date until afterward when Gabriel pointed it out. Victor does
think of it as a date. He probably would have done something much fancier, but due to circumstances, this
just kind of cropped up. He'll save fancy for when they aren't busy. She also asks the others to indulge her
in things they like to do.
What was Victor dreaming about when he was knocked out and moaning Sang's name?
 He felt her kiss and remembered her being right there even while he was drugged up. I don't know if you
all ever have had to go under sedation in a hospital, but your brain sometimes can't determine what was
five seconds ago and what was hours later.
 He was “aware” Sang was right there like a second ago. He just couldn't vocalize when she was right on
top of him. Once he'd gotten himself “up” a little out of the drugs he was under, he was calling out to her.
First, he wanted her, and second he was warning her because he was sure he needed to about ... something.
Remember, he was drugged up so his thoughts weren't coherent at all.
 Mr. Blackbourne was able to get to him and wake him up enough though. Thank goodness. It required
both of them to get to Sang and Muriel in time…before they both ended up taking a tumble down the
stairs.
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Silas
She is his voice.
He is her strength.
CL Comments on Silas
Comments Greek GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Silas Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 When Silas first met Sang, he immediately thought she was adorable, but she's so tiny! He's always afraid he'll
break her. He's dying to talk to her but doesn't know what to say. He rarely talks much, and he's dying to talk
to her all the time. He dialed her number (both times in Book One) like twelve times before he finally pushed
the green button to connect the call. He just couldn't think of what he wanted to say. He was absolutely asking
her out every time. If no one was going to make a move, Silas wasn't going to wait.
Silas Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 His nickname for her is Aggele Mou or just Aggele, which means My Angel, or Angel.
 OMG Silas on the floor with ten people sitting on top of him. She knocks one off and then boom he's up, and
the game is totally over!
Silas Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 Silas likes her in sporty clothes
 I love when she doesn't know who she's calling in that scene (shower scene Book 3), and all you hear is
“Aggele Mou.” And my heart broke right then along with hers. She's so happy, and she's crying for him...and
he knows he has to go get her.
 Can you imagine big Silas holding a baby? Just thinking about it makes me melt.
Greek Interpretations
Comments Greek GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Aggele Mou/Aggele - My Angel/Angel
 M'aresei o tropos pos gelas - You have a beautiful laugh
 Makari na bouousa na se filiso - My Angel, I wish I could kiss you
Questions about Silas
Comments Greek GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Silas Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 What was Silas thinking when he opened his door, and there was a girl (Sang) standing there?
 He thought it might be for someone next door, not for him. It's why he asked if she was lost. Beautiful.
Little. Small. A little wish that maybe she moved in nearby or was single. But he really had no idea, and
he was kind of struck by her.
 Silas uses such odd phrasing sometimes; it's not often that I hear someone say that a person is twitterpated.
 I think it's his lack of English, and he's still learning. He picks up weird words in places and uses them. He
retains a lot, so even if the phrase is old he'll still use it if he thinks it fits. Like you and I wouldn't use it
normally, but he does because he doesn't realize what's old.
Silas Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
Comments Greek GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What does aggele mou mean?
 This is Greek for “My Angel.” Sometimes he shortens it and it's just “Aggele” which is “Angel.”
 In the chapter “Flirting,” did Silas notice Sang's foot resting on his once he relaxed and put his foot back under
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her chair?
 He noticed. And he loves it. They do it all the time now for class. He finds really cute.
Silas Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments Greek GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What were North and Silas arguing about in Greek as North tried to wake Sang up at the slumber party?
 The first Greek thing Silas said (he was waking up, so his English wasn't working yet) was, “What's
wrong with her?” and North replied in English (so we know he understood, and you get a hint at what
Silas is asking) “I don't know.” But then later when Silas is yelling at North in Greek, it's to curse him out
without Sang knowing what he's saying. But he's yelling at North to calm down and not do that to her. He
didn't want Sang scared of North. North was trying to tell him to pipe down because something was wrong
with her, which Silas took offense to. So, they started beating each other in true manly style to settle the
argument.
 Does Silas still have lopsided sideburns after he plotted and carried out the “pout” plan with Sang?
 He'll have those until Gabriel can't stand them anymore and will make him sit down so he can fix them.
 As of the end of Book 3, has Silas ever slept over?
 Yes, He did it in Book 3. He slept in the attic space and then woke her up because she was shaking.
 I admit that I would be really interested in being in Silas and North's heads during the sleepover when they
went to sleep with Sang between them at the sleepover in Book 3?
 Silas and North were fully aware that the other boys were going to fix up Sang's room in Book Three.
They were keeping guard over her. So placing Silas next to her so she couldn't peek over his shoulder and
see the boys were gone was what they were up to. North was half-awake. He'd worked hard that day, as
did Silas, so they were supposed to be relaxing. Of course, North couldn't sleep because his team,
including his brother, was out, and he was partially listening for Erica, as well.
Silas Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
Comments Greek GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 When did Silas first show up with the boys? Did he speak any English at the time?
 He knew some English. He showed up when he was 10 or 11. North showed up a year later.
 Do we find out how Silas met and merged with the group:
 Yes! Eventually, the boys will start to rattle off about their life together as we get farther along in the
books. I'm breaking it up a bit, so it isn't all back-story.
 Did the boys pick Silas as Sang's school boyfriend without discussing it with Sang?
 Silas picked himself as her boyfriend without talking about it with anyone, but it wasn't totally his fault.
The guys in the locker room after football practice were talking about Sang, and Silas claimed her to save
her reputation. It wasn't until this moment that he realized everyone claiming Sang wasn't going to work.
Too many people were paying attention. He had to do it and then had to tell the others later. But he is a
logical choice. As Silas becomes more respected with the football team, she'll be more respected and
“looked out for” by the football team. It would help stop some of the rumors going around about her.
 What did Silas and Nathan think about North's ranting after he was drugged?
 Silas was like, “Don't talk to my girlfriend like that.” That type of attitude toward it. Nathan was, too. But,
it's not like neither of them had thought about doing things with her. They're guys after all. But, they were
worried about North to. And, also if he's going to turn Sang off with all his talk. They were upset by the
situation, didn't want Sang to hear all this, and ticked off at North even though they knew he couldn't
control it. Like they couldn't blame him for thinking things, but assuming your pal thinks those things and
actually hearing them say it are two different things.
 Does Silas encourage Sang to sleep on his arm when he sleeps next to her, or does that just happen?
 It happens when they are both asleep. He, by his sleeping habits, will stretch his arm outward. She, her
sleep-induced brain thinking that this is her pillow, puts her head on it. So they kind of wake up thinking
the other person did it, but it's really just how they naturally sleep when they are together.
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 After the sawdust pile and the fight with North, Sang had her breakdown in her room. How would each of the
guys handle her doing something like that?
 One of Silas's flaws is guilt. That might help.
 CL Stone posted a silly doodle conversation that she said was between Silas and Sang
 Did you just kill off Silas in a doodle?
♥ She just stabbed him in doodleville.
♥ He totally kicked dirt on her first!
♥ He'll live. Silas had a conniption laughing about it.
Silas Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
Comments Greek GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What does this mean: “Aggele mou (My Angel)” makari na borousa na se fili so”? Sang started to ask but
didn't get to.
 My angel, I wish I could kiss you. In my very barbaric understanding of Greek.
 What happened in the car with Silas? It was expected yet wasn't at the same time. Is Silas still struggling with
his feelings?
 Silas was doing the thing where he was trying to loosen her up (because she looked nervous) by getting
her to laugh. When Silas rubbed up against Sang's “sweet spot” (one of several), it really surprised Sang
and then the whole mood changed. So Silas did that thing he does where he gets “This Close” and just
hovers and waits. He's not good at subtle. This is him trying to get so close that all she has to do is brush
her lips up against his and that counts (in his mind.) He's technically breaking the rules because they're not
supposed to intimidate her into kissing. But, in his mind, this isn't breaking the rules if he never actually
does the first touch thing. Again, he's not good at just stepping around a subject. If he wanted to kiss her,
he'd kiss her flat out. He's Greek. Greeks don't wait.
 What was going through Silas's mind when he was in the car with Sang?
 He wanted to kiss her. Well at first, he was just hanging out, wanting to make her laugh. But he would
have kissed her in a heartbeat if he thought he wasn't going to break one of those rules. And he would
have said, “Screw the rules” except he didn't know what would happen if he did. So he was trying to bend
it as much as possible to make it acceptable by Academy standards.
 OK, Sang and Silas are in the car, and he says, “I didn't know” What did that mean? He didn't know he was
getting her all hot and bothered?
 Exactly. He was trying to get her to laugh and then he passed by that “hot spot” and he didn't realize and
didn't know how to react to it because it was kind of out of left field. She didn't know either. It's like you
can touch your own back a hundred thousand times but when that hot guy touches it, suddenly it's a hot
spot. Silas, at first, thought she was trying to bite back laughter but then realized what he did. So it
changed the mood… But, notice how he was trying to take advantage of that “spot” when trying to get her
to kiss him? So Greek!
 Does Silas try to stop the others from tickling her now since that's how he found her “hot spot,” so the others
don't get wise to it too?
 Silas doesn't care to claim the spot so much as he's going to make use of it and not tell the others about it.
Later on, he may get a bit more possessive. I don't think he cares if they use it, as long as they don't do it
in front of him.
Nathan
She is his softness.
He is her hero.
CL Commenting on Nathan
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Nathan Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 When Nathan first met Sang, he found her cute. He didn't normally go for “cute” girls, but this one was over
the top beautiful. He liked that she was out early and walking around (i.e. active!). He'd been on a couple of
tough assignments before meeting her, and this was his first real day off in a while. Definitely started crushing
on her in the pool and thought things were going well, but when he learned Kota knew her and had met her
earlier, he started some self-doubt about if she might actually be into him. Is Kota interested in her? He didn't
want to step on Kota's toes. And he was completely sad about that! Nathan doesn't show it, but he has issues
with jealousy. It'll become clearer later as he falls for her more.
 [Compared to Silas] Nathan isn't as tall or wide. Just structurally, Silas is a big guy. Wide bones and
shoulders. But Nathan's more physically defined. Like Silas's muscles are smooth vs. Nathan's that have a lot
of details.
Nathan Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 The Nathan scene where he got beaten up and then Sang went in to “recover” him was pretty good, I think.
Nathan Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 Nathan likes her in sporty clothes.
 I like when they're shopping and Sang is overwhelmed, and he's giving her a pep talk. “Go get 'im, tiger.” Like
he's done this a billion times with Gabriel, and I think; it's probably the first time she realizes this isn't just
exclusive to her. Gabriel does this with everyone. In a strange way, it was even better, because it was like she
was getting that little bit closer to everyone else, and she didn't even realize it until Nathan told her.
 Nathan will sleep nakedly but he'll wear boxers or boxer briefs during the day. He'd go commando every once
in a while under his clothes, but it isn't often.
Nathan Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 I like how Nathan will play with the “kids,” like with the water guns and then when you get him with Kota,
he'll do his homework and be quiet and serious. And then when you get him with North, he'll grunt and be part
of the “big boys.” He's a lot like Sang, molds himself to fit in wherever he is.
 And I love how Nathan will play with Gabriel and Luke, and then when he's with Silas and North, he's all
quiet and does his work. When he's with Kota, he's thinking critically. He and Sang are so much alike. When
they move from person to person, they adjust to become who they need to be to fit in. Nathan drifts between
the “inner” groups. He's still himself, but he joins in every time.
 In my head, Gabriel, Luke, and Nathan were the Three Musketeers, but then North calls them “stooges.”
 I like how he floats around the boys. Like you see him reserved and doing homework with Kota. And, then
Gabriel and Luke show up, and he becomes part of the three stooges. And, then North calls on him to do
manly construction stuff when he and Silas need his help.
 He's the middle ground. He adjusts himself to who he is hanging out with. So, with Kota, he's quiet and
thoughtful, or he jumps up and does tough guy things with Silas and North.
 Nathan totally flailed telling his little story. He's like trying to explain things to her, and he can't tell her about
their little agreement so he's like trying to tell her something else. And then, getting jealous about Derrick is
cute.
Questions about Nathan
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Nathan Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 What was Nathan thinking when he found Sang stuck in a tree?
 Silly girl. How in the world did you get in the middle of that?” And then he gets her out of there, and it's
like “Oh, My God” those eyes.”
 What was Nathan thinking when he was jokingly telling her to take off her pants, and she started to do it?
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 Holy cow, she’s crazy. I can’t believe she’s doing it. But then he stopped her because he wasn’t being
serious. He was just teasing her.
 He expected her to go home and get a bathing suit but didn't want her to leave yet. Couldn't believe she
was going to. Crazy girl. No wonder she ended up in a tree.
 What does the shirt Nathan gave Sang really say…? I'm assuming it doesn't really say, “Girls are stupid.
Throw rocks at them.”
 It's just a sports shirt with a slogan in Japanese that says something like, “Let's go do sports.” Something
like that. Nathan doesn't know, he just told her whatever.
Nathan Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What did Nathan grumble before he broke the stool (while rescuing her from the shower in Book 3)?
 Mostly it was cursing at the situation and he couldn’t believe this was happening.
 He was letting loose a slew of curses at her mom, too. Some small thing about wishing he'd checked the
bathroom sooner, too.
 A lot of cursing at her parents, really.
 Why did Nathan need to get out of the house the day they walked into the stinging nettle?
 They'd been in school and working and Nathan's an outdoorsy type. He thought it would be a good day to
show Sang those woods, since he promised her.
 Did Nathan used to have a crush on Danielle, or do the guys like teasing him because she obviously has/had a
crush on him?
 The small relationship with Nathan and Danielle was mostly on Danielle's end. Nathan wanted to like her,
but she was too ... Danielle. But he tried to be friendly because they were friendly with Derrick, too. And
they're always willing to give people a chance. However, Danielle took things too far with Nathan, who
didn't really like her in that way. Nathan feels guilty, like maybe, he might have led her on a bit, but didn't
mean to. Danielle wanted to use him pretty much like she uses Marie. His dad's gone a lot. So she was
thinking they could use his house for parties and things.
 And what the story behind Nathan and the whole skinny dipping fail with Danielle. Did she just start taking
her close off or did she just try to convince him to do it with her?
 Danielle was egging Nathan on a lot that day, but it wasn't so much the stripping. It was from before that
point; Nathan was trying to be nice (because he is nice) and try to include her because she was trying to
get along, even if she wasn't perfect. But Danielle was taking things too far, even when he specifically
said he wasn't interested. So when this incident was going on, he was pretty on edge already and told her
off for trying to do that type of thing.
 While in Victoria's Secret (Book 3), was Nathan blushing “cause he was trying not to picture Sang in sexy
underwear, or just because he was a boy in a lingerie store?
 Both. He's the guy who wouldn't carry the Victoria's Secret bag. He'd do it, but he's kind of a guy's guy,
you know? He felt awkward in the girls” part of the stores, but felt really awkward in the underwear store,
which is probably half the reason why Victor shooed them out. That and Gabriel was trying to load up
clothes for Sang. (Gabriel was picking out some of the sleepwear.)
 What was Nathan's point of view when Sang showed up at his window? Did he know she saw the reflection?
 Nathan was surprised she showed up, but happy to see her. A little embarrassed he was caught sleeping
naked though. He had no clue she saw him in the window and it is likely she may never mention it.
 What does Nathan go to say to Sang in Book Three on the bed?
 He wanted her to stay. He wanted to kiss her. It was too soon, though. He had a weak moment just waking
up and wanted to be completely selfish and keep her there all day. He just couldn't do it. He remembered
his own arguments about first kisses and it was completely the wrong moment.
Nathan Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
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 Why was Nathan so upset when he got off the phone with his dad? What did his dad say?
 His dad is really mean, and I think he was lecturing Nathan on cleaning the house and other kinds of
nonsense things. He sometimes calls because the “electricity bill is too high” even though it was the same
or lower than the last month. Nathan puts up with it over the phone but on occasion, he starts yelling back
because his dad is just mean.
 Do the other boys know how Sang sleeps with Nathan? And if they do know, how do the other guys feel about
it?
 They don't know how close he sleeps next to her. To be honest, if they did, they'd probably try to do the
same thing.
 On the day of North and Silas' second game (the day after the McCoy attack), Sang was exhausted and fell
asleep as soon as she got home. When she woke up, Kota was in bed with her and Nathan was on the floor. If I
remember correctly most of the other times when more than one boy sleeps in the same house as her, both
boys end up in the bed (e.g., Silas and Nathan with Sang in Nathan's bed, Gabriel and Luke with her in her
bed, North and Luke in North's bed, etc.). So, here's the question. How did Nathan end up on the floor?
 The only reason why, like, Nathan wouldn't sleep in the bed with Kota and Sang would be that there
simply wasn't room. If it is Nathan's bed, or someone's bed is pretty big, they share. It's not that the group
minds if Nathan sleeps nakedly, but he won't do it if he's sharing the bed anyway. And, he won't do it with
Sang, and they trust him to know better. He's been sucking it up because normally he doesn't like wearing
anything, and he puts at least boxers on for her.
 If it were Sang's bed, Kota and Nathan couldn't sleep in her bed together, even if she wasn't in it. It's
bigger than it was, but they aren't that cozy. Luke and Gabriel just don't care, and they'll sleep back to
back and all that kind of stuff. Not that Kota and Nathan wouldn't, but yeah. Luke and Gabriel will just
fling arms and legs on top of Sang without even thinking about it. Three Amigos right there.
 Why was Nathan so insistent that they spend the weekend at his house?
 I’m not sure what this is in reference to, but he kind of likes her staying over a lot. His house is usually
the only one that is empty so it becomes easier to use that as a place everyone can escape to.
Gabriel
She is his muse.
He is her fresh air.
CL Commenting on Gabriel
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Gabriel Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 When Gabriel first met Sang, he hated her hair. (A mess after the pool) Hated her clothes. (They didn't fit.
Ugh.) He liked her green eyes, though. Victor had talked about her on the way over, but he really thought
Victor had been dreaming to call her “cute.” Well, her face was cute, but with her hair messed up, it was hard
for him to focus because he couldn't stand her hair. It felt broken, so she was broken. He sympathized with her
situation, and to make her feel better (and Kota gave him a signal that she needed to go away so they could
talk), he took her to wash her hair. He didn't really get to like her until they were in the bathroom. He liked her
butt.
 Gabriel thinks he doesn't stand a chance with her at all, so in the beginning, he's put himself in the friend
zone. This perspective changes after a while, when she's showing interest in him (playing with him,
holding his hand, doesn't tell him off).
Gabriel Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 Gabriel has Sang's poem at home, by his guitar.
 Why do I love Gabriel? He's a hot firecracker from the wrong side of the tracks, but when he sets his heart on
something, nothing will stop him. He never really fit in until he met up with his friends, and they taught him to
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love the differences and actually utilize them. When he falls, he'll fall so hard, and he'll never let go. He eats
sleeps and breathes talent from all angles, but he's the most humble person about it. He'd rather make other
people shine brighter than himself. I love his crazy hair, and those earrings and those fingers that can wash my
hair any day.
Gabriel Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 He likes vivid colors and whatever the latest fashion is.
 I like when he opened the door to wash her hair, and she was in the towel. And then he argues with North
about it. I have a weird thing where I like it when the boys do their scuffling.
 Gabriel calls Sang “Trouble.” She calls him, “Meanie.”
 She's just lucky Gabriel's nickname didn't involve cursing. Although, Sang loves Gabriel's cursing. Most of
the boys that do curse do it rarely until they are mad, and then they're cursing a bunch. (North for example.)
For Gabriel, it doesn't matter. Happy, sad... all the time.
 It makes me giddy to think about it (Gabriel's reaction to “the pout”). He had the comb in his mouth, and he's
like dropping it and everything else and like. “Oh, my God! I broke her.”
Gabriel Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 I cried writing that thing (scene in the closet with Gabriel crying and begging Sang to say with him because he
needs her)! And, he surprised me with that.
 I have soft spots for all of the guys, but there are times for Gabriel when his soft place in my heart is extra
squishy.
Gabriel Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 The boys make Gabriel kill spiders usually. But, he hates spiders and doesn't like to. They just like to see him
make a fuss about it.
Questions about Gabriel
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Gabriel Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 Why didn't Gabe go suit shopping?
 Gabriel had put the order in, so the guys only needed to get them fitted. And Gabriel didn't need to go for
that. He was probably busy with other Academy things, or was hanging out with Luke. It's why Kota
asked Sang her opinion about the shirt. Kota was getting a second opinion on Gabriel's choices.
Gabriel Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What was going on in Gabe's head when he licked her in the attic (Book 3)?
 He was flirting/being a goof nut. And, when she giggled, he had heart-flipping moment. She was pretty,
and he had her to himself for a bit. And then her face was like right smack in front of his and he couldn't
resist. Got caught up in the moment.
 Why was Gabriel so quiet after picking out the swimsuit?
 He surprised himself at how he responded to Sang's flinching. He liked her. He wanted to help her.
 Now suddenly this was way more. He was really struggling with his feelings, telling himself that he
couldn't like her that much, because Sang wouldn't want a guy like him.
 He's also way bossier around her after this point. He tells her what to do all the time.
 Why did Gabriel turn partially away at the end of Sang trying on the swimsuit?
 He's hiding the fact that he's really turned on. He talks a big game, but Sang's still a hot girl. He tells
himself he'll treat her almost just like the guys when it comes to dressing her. He thinks/hopes he can dress
her and maintain that “professionalism.” It's meant to make her feel comfortable. But he's going to fail
miserably. He likes her too much, and she's too pretty for him to ignore.
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 Does Gabriel's old blue hair dryer belong to his mum? There was something about the way it was described
made me feel like it was important to him and I don't know too many guys who need to write their surname on
stuff like that.
 He's only had it for a few years, and it was an old one from his stepmother. The boys generally don't keep
hair dryers so he totes this one around with him when he's planning on doing haircuts and stuff like that.
 Would love some more insight into Gabriel's breakdown in the closet. Especially the part where he keeps
telling Sang, “I need you.”
 Without rewriting the scene (which would take time!), Gabriel's mimicking the same things that bring him
back when he's on the edge. They've all gone through their own troubles, and the way they “come back” is
discovering someone else needs them there. Kota and the others have done this for him. Mr. Blackbourne
taught them how.
 But there's a dual meaning for Gabriel. The more he learns about Sang, and the more the others discover
about her, the deeper involved he feels. She's like this missing piece in their life right now. They didn't
realize they needed someone like her until she was there. Now suddenly she's becoming that soft spot on
their team. They fight over her. They take care of her. She is starting to take care of them.
 What was going through Gabe's mind in the closet with Sang while she was naked?
 I don't think, with the situation being what it was, he was thinking about it at all... it wasn't like with Kota,
who saw the whole deal in light.... Gabe saw her as vulnerable, abused, disoriented, and retreating into
herself, which is why he was telling her to come back to him. Because he needed her. I don't think he was
looking at it in terms of “I'm in here with a naked Sang. Hot!” It was, “I'm in here with a Sang who is
naked, scared, abused, and vulnerable. If I could, I'd marry her, so that she would be legally mine, and I
could take her away from here forever.”
 First time around, I definitely wondered if Gabe would be checking her out while she was naked!
 Not in the situation she was in, Gabriel was just concerned. Afterward, he did think about it, but because
of the situation, he hates thinking about it. Same with Kota. He shouldn't have had to have that moment
(on the monitor) as the first time he saw her naked…if it were going to happen at all. He can't help
thinking about it sometimes, but really, he wishes it never happened in the first place. Not like that. When
they both think about that part, they blame her parents. And worry Sang may be uncomfortable with them.
She's not. Totally doesn't blame them. It's just a thing.
Gabriel Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 I know that some readers still see Gabriel as the “gay best friend who isn't gay” and have a hard time seeing
him as a real love interest like the other guys. Do the guys in the group see him as a challenger in this situation
(for those who haven't agreed yet to the “share her or lose her” motto) or does he seem harmless to them ?
 Let's talk about the gay thing really quick. Are we saying we can look at someone and know a few things
they like, and that's how we define gay? Because I know guys who grew up liking to ice skate to the
Village people when he was younger, and he's not gay. Happily married to a wonderful girl and never
really was into guys at all (points fingers at Hank Green of the Vlog brothers). I had a friend in high
school that was totally into hair. We spent several conversations discussing particular shampoos and their
effectiveness. Not gay. Had girlfriends throughout high school. I've also known burly football players who
were gay, and you wouldn't have known looking at him or knowing those guy things he was into.
 Actions, likes, clothes, and hair doesn't make you gay. If you are a boy and you like boys, you're gay. If
you're a girl who likes girls, you're gay. And you don't even have to fall into a “zone.” There are bisexuals.
There are people who love shoving apples up their butts. Doesn't matter. Love what you love.
 Now let’s discuss Gabriel. Gabriel likes clothes, learned how to mess with hair, and is into fashion. Guess
what? His stepmother is a beautician! He grew up with this. Gabriel also has self-confidence issues. The
Academy taught him to take advantage of his knowledge (this stuff he learned to love and grew up with)
and helped him become who he is without fear. The guys, when you see them chuckling because he's
trying to paint nails, don't even think, or consider that it is a gay thing. They just find it amusing when he
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gets all riled up over something so surprising. He does that a lot. Get him to go kill a spider, and he
throws a fit and they find it funny.
 Right now Gabriel is so obsessed with Sang that he can't even dream about anything else. And telling
himself he'd never win her only works him up more. As for the guys, they actually see him as greater
competition! He gets her to play with him. She lets him into the bathroom when she's half-naked. He plays
with her hair. He's the closest of any of them, and he's so chock full of talent that it's driving them all
crazy. Victor, when he says he couldn't compare to a lot of the other guys, he's in thinking about Gabriel
in particular.
 What was Gabe planning to do for Sang's birthday if they had had the opportunity to celebrate it the right
way?
 If it were up to Gabriel…. At first, he wanted a tower cake, with lots of new clothes from a new shopping
spree,, and a big party. Like he was spending a lot of time watching “sweet sixteen” types of things and
trying to figure out what Sang would like. But really, the more he watched those things, the more he
realized they wouldn't be to Sang's taste.
 That's why he had such a hard time with that and why Luke was saying, “I don't think she'd like this.”
Sang's quiet. Sang doesn't want much. He had no real idea what Sang would have liked because he was
stuck thinking, “all girls like this.” Turns out, she just wanted to hang out and what they did for her
birthday was perfect for her. Chalk it up to experience. Gabriel now realizes when he does things like this
for Sang he has to think more intimate, which is actually the exact kind of thing he likes.
 Gabriel sings in his sleep, why?
 Because people do that sometimes. And Gabriel happens to be one of those people.
 He can't control it. Like sleep walking or talking in your sleep. It just happens.
 Why was Gabe so emotional after he beat the crap out of Greg?
 Greg could have killed Sang. And by golly, Gabriel wasn't going to let anything happen to that girl. He's
lost enough family.
Luke
She is his fantasy turned real.
He is her dreams.
CL Commenting on Luke
Comments GQ1 QG2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Luke Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 Luke got the text message about Sang but had no idea how to respond for a while. He waited until he could
talk to Gabriel and asked what was going on first. Gabriel lied his butt off and said she was ugly. (Teasing
Luke instead of insulting Sang.) Luke's pretty good looking, so Gabriel, despite thinking he's doesn't stand a
chance, didn't want Luke interested in her if there was a chance at all. Luke was going to ask Sang to send a
picture of herself, but couldn't figure out how to do it without feeling rude.
 It wasn't until he saw her sitting alone staring after the church that he watched, studying her. He had been
worried about her being ugly...even though he was sure Gabriel was lying, because Gabriel really doesn't
call anyone ugly. (He's nicer than that, wouldn't do that to people.) Luke just wasn't prepared at all. Luke's
a daydreamer, so he had this vision of what she looked like. She completely shattered that image in a good
way the first time he saw her.
 These days, Luke is more interested in spending time with Sang than just day dreaming about her. In a
weird way, he's become more focused when he does Academy jobs, because the faster he gets through
those gigs, the faster he can get back to her.
 Luke is like North's complete opposite.
Luke Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
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 Luke will do hair loops in your hair if you sit behind him…and don't trust him with a can of hairspray and a
lighter.
 He can run and jump to the roof all ninja like. But, he can't swing a sledgehammer to save his life.
Luke Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 Luke goes commando a lot.
 Luke would probably be a nudist if he could. He barely tolerates wearing anything and that's why his shirts are
usually half-undone. Luke will sleep naked if given the chance.
 Luke likes for Sang to wear cute clothes.
 He'll kiss your foot and then try to kiss you in the closet.
Luke Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 Sang will have a whole new level of experiences with Luke coming up ( in Book 5)
Questions about Luke
Luke Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
Comments GQ1 QG2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 How did Luke know Sang would be at the diner that morning, or was it fluke?
 Luke was showing up at the diner to check out what needed to be done. So, was North. When Luke
spotted her, though, he sent her a text. Just to make sure it was her. Like, he didn't even know. He just saw
this girl sitting there. He thought it was her but wanted to make sure. And, he was glad it was her because
she was like, really pretty.
 Are Luke and North half-brothers or stepbrothers?
 Stepbrothers. They're still family.
 Who is older, Luke or North?
 Luke. By a few months.
Luke Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
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 What is Luke's poem about in Book 2?
 It was probably daydreaming and romantic…or about pancakes. Or both.
Luke Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
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 With all the boy drama, I didn't realize that Marie had it easy until, Luke pointed it out
 Luke notices a lot. He's a smart cookie
Luke Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 In Book 4, Luke appears upset at the idea of Sang working at the diner - is it just because he's afraid of
losing her to another Academy team or is there another reason?
 He's afraid another Academy team will pop in and try to lure her away from their team.
 It is always a risk, even with their own members. Family is a choice.
 Was North listening to Sang and Luke? Is that why he interrupted them?
 North “caught” Luke hanging over Sang in the attic; he wanted to stop it, so he was yelling at Luke to take
it easy. That's why Luke backed off.
 Did Uncle want Sang to be with Luke, or did he just want one of his boys?
 He didn't really care who got her; I should say. So if North said she was his, he wouldn't have batted an
eyelash. But he'd be worried about the same thing if Luke went sweet on her in front of him.
A
Luke Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
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 Does Luke tell the others about stealing stuff from her panties?
 Uh, no. There're certain things they don't tell each other. Like him nuzzling on her in the attic. That's his
little tease with Sang now.
 Whose house did Sang and Luke break into and are the pictures on the camera going to be important?
 You have to wait for this one. The answers are in Thief. There's a timeline overlap. You'll see.
North
She is his dream.
He is her foothold.
CL Commenting on Nrth
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
North Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 When he first heard of “Sang” from Silas, he thought Sang was a boy. Silas didn't say much, since he wanted
to keep the secret for now because he already kind of liked her and wanted to ask her out before the others.
When North got the text from Kota, he didn't think much of it. Some dog they picked up? He didn't want
another one in their group. It was too big as it was. That's why he's so confused at first when Sang tells him
who she is in the church kitchen. Then he was kind of miffed with Silas (which was why he was kind of
grumpy) because he doesn't like surprises.
 But wow, with that light in her face when he caught her. He's mad Silas thought of “Angel” before he did,
because that's what he was thinking without saying out loud. Also thought she wouldn't like him. When he
found out what her parents were doing to her, he was willing to kidnap her.
 I love North.
North Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 He's can't believe it every time she smiles at him or when she did the heart over the yes in his note. He was
joking, expecting her to go “ha ha.” He didn't expect it back. He still has that note in his room.
 North kept Sang's pink blouse after she told him to hang on to it for her in Book Two. It's tucked in the back
of his closet.
North Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 The gold hoop earring has no meaning. It is just a sign of his rebellious nature since the Academy doesn't like
public identifiers. When the Academy said, “no identifiers” he got one that was small enough to go unnoticed
by most people just to do it. Boys and authority don't mix well, but if you give him that little leeway and let
him have his minor rebellion, he's done and will comply.
 North has the best hearing out of the bunch, outside of Sang. Sang can hear things sometimes before the other
guys, but she's not good at identifying where it's coming from. North has the best of both. Excellent hearing
(he's the first to react in most situations hearing something) and he can pinpoint where it's coming from. I call
it his hunter's instinct.
North Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 He was losing his restraint in the car. It's a good thing Nathan and Silas stopped him because he wouldn't have
wanted their first kiss like to be like that. He would have hated it worse later.
 He's the night guard.
 I love when Sang and North argue! Like if North talks to you because he cares, look at how much he cares for
Sang.
A
 I love how she failed to fight off Mr. McCoy. She failed. And, then when she did [flip] North, it was
bittersweet because it was like yay she did it! But, then it's like, “aw... poor North.”
 North likes her in anything black, as long as it isn't in only black. And he's into the sexier styles – Although he
doesn't like her wearing it anywhere else unless she's in his sight.
 North shows this like big bit of growth by asking the guy from the other Academy group if he was happy or
not that really changed his mind. That's North though. You have to let him grumble about it but then when he
gets over that part, he starts thinking smarter.
North Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 The fleur-de-lis is a symbol often used on a compass to mark the North direction. Also, a guy I knew told me
that the boy scouts used the Fleur-de-lis since it symbolizes pointing true are a ton of uses and meanings for it
but I thought it was a nice little educational tidbit to put in.
 North is one of the best mettle testers I've got! He's survived so far. No complaints from him yet. Just a lot of
grouching, but he does that anyone so not much difference there.
Questions about Nrth
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North Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 What does the pendant around North's neck mean? The one with the Japanese writing?
 It says, “brother.” Luke gave it to him when they were twelve I think.
 What was North thinking when he went to take Sang for a ride on the motorcycle?
 She was so small he was sure she would fly off the back; she almost did. And, he thought he would scare
her but she was willing. Braver than he thought she would be.
 What was North smiling about after they got to Kota's and she and Luke went downstairs to make pancakes?
 North smiling because he really was starting to like this strange girl he just met.
North Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
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 Based on the comments from Kota about North falling asleep in class, knowing more than the teachers, as well
as North glancing at Sang's homework, does he have a photographic memory?
 It's not photographic per say, but he retains a lot. They're all smart. North gets really bored when he's
relearning the same stuff, and he's been through all these classes already, so he really feels like he's just
there to warm the seat. And, when he checks Sang's homework, he's checking for spelling and making
sure it didn't feel like she phoned it in and gave wimpy answers. But, she's not like that. He's just playing
mama bear.
 In the beginning of Book 2, how did North know that Sang was softening the truth after getting in trouble for
being in Kota's house?
 Sang's the worst liar on the planet. She'll talk really strongly until she lies and then her voice gets all soft
like she's unsure of what she's saying herself. It doesn't come out in the text right now, but yeah. Worst liar
ever. And, North just had a feeling. Especially after the vinegar and lemon. He highly doubted things just
smoothed over.
North Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
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 Is English North's native language?
 Yes.
 How do you say baby girl in another language please?
 Moro mou is my baby in Greek
 Punčka is baby girl in Slovenian
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 Cailin leanbh is baby girl in Irish. Cailin being a girl (buachaill = boy) and leanbh being a baby. If we
want to say something like beautiful baby or beautiful girl we would say cailin alainn.
 Nene in Filipino but if the baby girl is a little sister we call her ading.
 If you want something that's sort of an equivalent in Russian, you say "mushka". Means "little fly". Cute.
For Japanese, you would say the name use a more familiar 'title'. For anyone you don't know, you'd say
"Nathan-san". If you're friendlier, you may say, "Nathan-kun" (Kun to younger or same age boys as you,
but boys only)
 A Japanese woman may call her husband "anata" which is like saying "hey you" but sweeter. They don't
say "I love you" openly or easily. They may say "dah-ling" or "sweetie" but it's taken from English.
Did North get too excited with Sang on his lap?
 Yes! At the party, she's squirming and touching his chest, a sensitive spot for him. He had to deposit her
with Kota and ran upstairs to “deal with it.”
Why is North so sensitive about getting touched on the chest?
 Guys, like girls, have different spots that turn them on more than other spots. If someone they like brushes
it, they get super excited. Kota's is behind his ear. North's is his chest. They all have different spots.
In Book 3, Sang is telling the boys about her sort of first kiss and North says, “huh....” I was wondering if
there were more to it. Like maybe that was him that tried to kiss her in the 3rd grade?
 Nope! Wasn't North. He was over in Europe at the time. That would have been cute, though. North just
didn't like to think of Sang in the closet with some bozo boy. No, the boy in the closet was just a kid from
her old school district who had a thing about kissing girls. Probably why he got called in from recess.
What was North mumbling when Silas was trying to wake him up the morning of the sleep over?
 Basically, he's in the “don't really care” camp at that point. He had Sang wrapped up with him and felt
cozy and didn't want to get up. So, he's just muttering like, “Good. I'll take her home and sleep.” Probably
a lot of cursing, too.
In Book 3, when North and Sang are in the bathroom together in towels what is North thinking?
 She’s hot. Mad at Gabriel for being in there with her. Wants a razor. Sang’s hot. He tries to be nice to her
after yelling at Gabriel and the scared look she gets.
Why did North say their time on the roof was a date?
 North, he was trying to weasel his way into her heart by calling it a date.
North Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 Does North hover over his phone waiting for Sang to call?
 He's got this new habit of keeping his phone in his hand if he isn't around her. When it came to Silas
hearing Sang when she was tied in the shower, it could have been just one second, and she’d dropped the
phone or worse. Now... the phones they've got themselves are special anyway of course, with Academy
things. But, to him, it's that split second, and he feels like he has to carry his phone in his hand at times.
He'll do it later. He does it when she's not around now, and he sort of calms down about it. But later you
may see him just holding it. He forgets he's hanging on to it.
 Did North call Luke in order to get him to stop kissing Sang's hand in the attic?
 Luke didn't have his phone on him for that scene, so he (North) was snooping around looking for him.
Luke's phone was in Sang's room, and that attic is supposed to be more soundproof so they couldn't hear it
going off. So, North was poking around looking for him. He could have just called Sang, but it was just
odd for Luke not to have his phone on him, so he was just going to find him quickly. He wasn't looking
for Sang that time; he was just looking for Luke. And then found him kissing on Sang, and he barked at
him for it.
 In the fourth book when Nathan, North, and Sang are at the party playing foosball, Nathan calls her peanut,
North then asks him to repeat himself. What did hear the first time?
 Penis. It’s what his mind reverted to when he didn’t hear the whole word.
A
 What North was thinking leaving Sang alone in the bathroom at the party. What if someone was waiting
outside and grabbed her? And it bugged me that he let Jade touch him knowing Sang was so close by and
unprotected.
 There's a couple of issues playing on this scene. Jade didn't touch him until Sang walked into the room.
Before then, it was mostly the guys egging on North, who was simply saying no. They tricked him into the
room in the first place saying he needed to see something. North thought it would be really quick and
when they pinned him, he thought Sang would either wait in the bathroom or go find one of the other
boys. He was looking for a way to leave without being on bad terms with the team (the whole reason why
he was there at the party in the first place was to get along with the team).
 Why did North take the red cup from Sang after he told her not to drink from it, only to drink it himself?
 He drank it because she was arguing with him, and he didn't want her to try to snatch it back and prove her
point that it was fine.
 How far into the car scene, with North, was it before the drugs kicked in?
 Probably when North knocked her onto her back. After that, it was what he wanted to do unrestrained by
worrying about Academy rules.
 What does North say while he's high and rambling in the backseat of Silas's car? Because, Silas covered
Sang's ears and North's ranting got cut off. I was wonder what he was saying.
 North was saying dirty things he'd like to do to Sang, and a lot of cursing. He's saying exactly what he
wants to do. He wanted to kiss her and have sex with her in the car. And he was describing exactly
what he was going to do to her.
 Silas was protecting her from it.
 Also getting distracted by Silas or Nathan punching him to shut up and cursing about Jade almost ruining
things and a whole heap of other stuff mixed in. Nathan got him good during the cop scene.
 How much of North's drug induced ranting does he really remember? And, does everyone in the group now
know what he said during the ranting?
 North remembers most of the major events but is blurry on the details. The guys will fill him in later. He
will have a chat with Silas about it because North will demand to know exactly what happened and how
much he (Silas) thinks he (North) screwed up. It's why later, after Sang talked to him, he was grumpier
and thought she must hate him; she was really just being nice to him.
 What happens between Sang passing out in Kota's arms after the fight with McCoy and waking up in bed with
North in the room? Dr. Green take a look at her? Why was North there? Did he think she hated him? Did Kota
give the order for him to stay?
 When North calmed down, he realized he was just in super panic mode because of what happened, which
made him super paranoid about her and her feelings right then. Once Mr. Blackbourne talked some sense
into him, he was posted as her night guard while Kota and Mr. Blackbourne were busy trying to locate Mr.
McCoy after he took off. But he didn't feel comfortable just going to sleep or anything. So, he was sitting
there. When she woke up, he didn't want to spook her so he stayed quiet, thinking she'd fall back asleep.
The boys will never really leave her alone. Not now.
 Wouldn't North know how close Nathan sleeps to Sang because he checks up on her to make sure she is
breathing? And, wouldn't he care?
 North doesn't mind Nathan or any of the boys sleeping next to her, because if he can't be there, he'd want
one of them nearby just in case she stops breathing again. Most of the time, he's listening to her breathing
on the device in her phone. He only listened in when he was nervous and wondering if she was breathing
or not.
 Sometimes he would kind of watch her, but it's hard to see sometimes with the cameras at night. Depends
on where she is. But, North will turn on her phone, and if it is nearby, he can often hear her breathing. If
she's in a good spot, he'll watch her. And, he absolutely tries not to be a pervert, so he tries to do it only
when she's really sleeping.
 What was North’s point of view when Sang flipped him? As well as the others?
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 North was stressed that Sang was rejecting him. The others were pretty stunned and wanted to back off
from Sang since she was angry. No one really knew what to do to calm her down, or if they could. They'd
never seen her like that before. North was terrified she'd never talk to him again. It took Kota talking him
into going home and giving her some space.
What did the guys think of North disassembling the vehicles?
 They were like, “Oh crap, don't get in his way.” Luke was monitoring, but he wasn't going to stop North.
They probably would have gotten car parts thrown at them if they tried. It's why they needed Sang to go in
there.
Why does North have so many cars?
 He likes cars and he works on them regularly. He doesn’t love cars, but he likes working with his hands.
So if it’s construction or under the hood of the Jeep, that’s what he likes to do. As a consequence, you’ll
see him with a number of ‘unknown’ vehicles. Sometimes they’re other cars that belong to people in the
Academy that he’s fixing up. Sometimes … we don’t know where he gets them.
What's bad about North? He is just being a guy!
 No, you are right; he's being a guy. But, you know; guys do those guy things that irritate girls sometimes.
Is North sleeping any better now?
 He will sleep better because he'll adjust his sleep schedule a little bit to be around to when Sang is awake,
and the boys are taking care of her. And also sleep around her more often. He's going to turn into a nap
fiend.
Why did Mr. Blackbourne take North with him during the “A” report?
 North would have been the toughest one to get to accept it (the relationship they are going to have to have
for Sang to join their team). Now he and Mr. Blackbourne will have to wait and see if the others will
accept this.
I would have thought North would be the hardest to crack?
 I thought North would, too. But, he cracked first. Although, he still is kind of like hesitant now, too. So
love confessions may be something to look out for.
North Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
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 How was North able to sleep without his phone on or without him being cuddled up to Sang? She didn't say
anything about him looking overly tired or being extra grumpy. I figured he would reach his breaking point
when he couldn’t check on her or sleep…especially with her being in danger.
 He did reach his breaking point after seeing the pictures. He'd just promised her he wouldn't lock her in a
bubble a minute ago .And then, right after the photos, he's locking her in a bubble. Doesn't care what she
thinks.
 He was annoyed not to be able to use his phone, and he had to rely totally on the guys being with her to
make sure she was breathing when she slept. He was holding his phone a lot (even if it wasn't on) out of
habit. He did sleep the night she went out with Luke, although it was Kota who woke him up in a panic
looking for her.
 What did North and Mr. Blackbourne think when they saw the pictures of Sang naked in Nathan's bathroom?
 North was already seeing red because of Sang looking petrified. There was only a small handful of her
naked. And in the rest, she was in her underwear, getting dressed, bad angles, etc. But he saw some that
were of her naked. North saw them, but he was flipping through pretty quickly. But what caught his
attention was the angle of that camera. So, when he was staring at them, he wasn't even looking at her. Mr.
Blackbourne saw them, too, but he was looking at those odd angles.
 They both have copies tucked away now, but they're too angry to look at them. They were pictures taken
when she's vulnerable, and it felt pervy to look at them after they figured out what was going on. Just like
Victor, when he saw the pictures on his car.
 There's going to be an “off stage” meeting later where they all vote to destroy them. Once they figured out
how to secure their camera feeds, they wanted to get rid of the pictures for Sang's sake. There was no need
A
to keep them.
 Still, I can't say for sure, if, in the back of their minds, they're not sometimes daydreaming about her and
occasionally can get a better picture of what she looks like naked. Because boys do that. They're only
human and they really like Sang. And I do that too because I know what they look like naked.
Dr. Sean
He is her light and tender heart.
She is his focused determination.
CL Commenting on Dr. Sean
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Dr. Sean Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 Dr. Green had spotted the guys surrounding Sang and was watching in the hallway during registration. When
the boys lost sight of her, and she bumped into Mr. McCoy, he stepped in to help. He was enamored from go.
She was adorable, and while a little young for him, she was clever. It made him curious that the boys were
interested.
 The reason he straightens her clothes is because he was going to bring her in the back anyway. He was
looking for a reason to keep talking to her. He was delighted to find out she wanted to learn Japanese. But
he knew Mr. Blackbourne was in the office. So he “cleaned her up” a little to, hopefully, get Mr.
Blackbourne's approval. Like passing the “best friend” test. Mr. Blackbourne is his best friend and is
highly critical of everything.
Dr. Sean Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 He's always going to go save Mr. Blackbourne... from detention, from beating up the coach…
Dr. Sean Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 “It's okay. I'm a doctor!” That's a line from some movie I don't remember, but that's what I'm thinking when
Dr. Green is changing Sang in Book Three.
 Dr. Green likes Sang to wear “cute” clothes.
 Sean's so fun. He wants his playtime with Sang, but he works so much, between the school and his internship
at the hospital. And now every time he's around Sang, it's when he's trying to save her or something.
Dr. Sean Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 Dr. Green has a lot of hidden awesome right now. He's so sweet.
 In Book 5, Dr. Green and Sang have their first date, and it involves minor surgery.
Dr. Sean Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 Sang calls him Dr. Sean.
 He gets major roles in Book Five onward. I don't know why I waited so long, but there was so much going on,
I didn't have much room. But it's okay. Different getting to know you times.
 Dr. Green is susceptible to giggle fits.
 Dr. Green is all bubbles under the surface. He's also Luke's consultant when it comes to pranks.
 Dr. Green would totally hold Kota's hand. Though Kota would probably get very weirded out. Dr. Green
would find that very amusing
Questions about Dr. Sean
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Dr. Sean Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
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 What does Dr. Green mean when he talks to Sang in class? “Kawa….Kimi ga ite shiawase?” Koi ni ochite
shimatta?”
 “Kawa” was the start of a sentence that Victor cut off. Victor had said something along the lines of her
being cute, and Dr. Green was starting to tell him how to say it in Japanese. “Kawai” means cute and
“You are cute” in Japanese is “Anata ga kawaīdesu.” I think this is formal; there is probably a simple way,
as well. The full sentence translates as, “You make me happy. I am in love.” - He was flirting with her.
 She will figure it out later, but she won't say anything until after the finals are finished by the end of the
school year.
 Did Victor know what Dr. Green said and just didn't want to tell Sang?
 Victor knew what he said (maybe not the entire thing, but he heard “in love” and he knew he was flirting).
He didn't want to tell Sang because he didn't want her to get all teacher crazy. This is jealousy talking for
Victor. He also doesn't think Dr. Green is being serious, so he thinks it's wrong to play with Sang like that.
 I know you said Victor knew what Dr. Green said, but what were Dr Green's thoughts during that scene? You
know he knew that Victor understood what he said....
 He was mostly playing with Sang. But, he was teasing Victor, too. He wanted to show him it was okay to
show affection. Victor didn't have to worry about his image here so much. Victor didn't get that part. He
was just a tad jealous.
 What does Dr. Green's app say?
 It's Japanese for Green, pronounced Midori.
 How can Dr. Green be a doctor at a young age?
 He graduated with a doctorate and MD at the age of 17. (He had a lot of help with the Academy allowing
him to test out early for classes, so he had a head start at an early age.) He's currently doing a residency in
conjunction with Dr. Philip Roberts.
Dr. Sean Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
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 How about Dr. Green [is he in love with Sang]? He really seems to want to get closer to Sang. He did ask for a
hug this last time....
 Dr. Green is as twitterpated as Victor. Especially when he caught on about her dedication to schoolwork
and eagerness to learn Japanese. He loves smart girls. He's dying to get more time with her.
Dr. Sean Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 Will Dr. Green have a more prominent role in Book Five?
 Yes
 I have to admit I did have a soft spot for Dr. Green from the go, but I was worried he was friend zoned. To be
honest, I think Sang at this point hasn't even thought of him like that yet. So, what I need is for the doc to put
on some moves!
 He will! His problem is that he's got the school and work. And the days he has off, he inevitably is saving
Sang. So go figure.
 Will Doc ever get a day off?
 They'll spend more time together in the next two books. He's going to get his chance. They have a nice
“date” in Book Five.
 Dr. Green might show the boys a few moves. Once he has a day off.
Dr. Sean Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
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 What exactly happened in that story Dr. Green was telling Miss Jenny when Sang went looking for him in the
Academy hospital that first time? He said something about being naked, covered in seaweed, and scaring the
boys.
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 It was a camping trip he was talking about and he was scaring Academy boys. He's crazy.
 What did Dr Green mean when he said he had to leave or he'd get in trouble after hugging Sang in his
office?
 Dr. Green is liable to give kisses and do other things if he sticks around too long. He'd get in trouble.
 What was Sean's answer to the lady in the hospital when she told him Sang was a “lucky lady and to treat her
right”?
 “Always have, always will. Now shush and get some sleep. And no more chainsaws on the ladder. Call
someone next time.” Not that she would listen.
 Does Sang know her “date” with Dr. Sean is date because so far she hasn't a clue!
 Sang feels like she's almost being “babysat” by him so she's not thinking of it. But, Dr. Green will
comment about it during the date so she'll get an inkling. ...But is he kidding? She doesn't know. She can't
take him seriously.
 Will Dr. Sean and Sang now share a bed when she stays at his condo since they shared one at the hospital?
 *Goes to answer but Dr. Green stuffs hand in mouth* Mmrugoiua.
 Why did Dr. Green have Sang treat Marc's wound?
 He wasn't being serious when he told her to do that. He was egging her on thinking she would balk and tell
him to do his job. He would have done it; he was just waiting for her with some weird joke in his head
trying to be funny. He didn't know she would do it. And then, when she did, he didn't want to scare her
into thinking she did something wrong, so he guided her through it. Besides, pulling out the nail was the
most “doctor” part to it. The wound wasn't that bad.
 What did Dr Green mean when he said he had to leave or he'd get in trouble after hugging Sang in his
office?
 Dr. Green is liable to give kisses and do other things if he sticks around too long. He'd get in trouble.
 In the chapter “Susceptible,” after they exit the elevator and are talking Sang asks Dr. Green if it's okay that
she doesn't know who she is. When he tells her there are only 3 things she needs to remember, he tells her the
first two but before he says the third he pauses. ““His eyes focused on me and his lips parted as if he was
going to say something smart again. He stopped. His lips shut. An eyebrow arched, as if he saw something he
didn't expect.” What did Dr. Green see, and/or think, at this moment?
 He was going to make it a joke but she was serious and needed to know where she fits in, so he curbed his
joking nature to give her what she needed. He changed from his joke to something more heartfelt.
 What did Dr. Green say to the nurse when Sang was helping him with Gabe?
 He was saying Gabriel was her brother (because in hospitals, if you're family, you're allowed in a lot of
places others aren't) and that he was going to keep her hands busy folding towels and scrubbing the room
down. He'd stay and watch over her. The nurse was sympathetic and left them alone.
 Dr. Green has a condo right? Does he share it with Mr. Blackbourne? Or does Blackbourne have his own
place since he is kind of a lone wolf even among his own group.
 Dr. Green does have a condo. He doesn't share it with Mr. Blackbourne. Mr. Blackbourne has his own
residence within the city.
 Does Dr. Green or Mr. Blackburn live in the same building as the “Thief” guys?
 Dr. Green lives in a condo close to the hospital. Mr. Blackbourne has his own residence.
 In Drop of Doubt, Dr. Sean makes a comment to Sang that the last time that he had a day off was when “she
invited all of them over to her house and they told her parents to give them to her or else face the
consequences.” Did that really happen, or was it just a joke that he told saying that he hasn't had a day off?
 It was his 'joking' way of saying, “that time we rescued you from your mother locking you in the closet.”
 What kind of car does Dr Green Drive?
 It’s something like this. Pretty plain.
 They have so many cars now; I need to keep track.
Mr. Blackbourne
He is her doting master.
A
She is his greatest prodigy.
CL Commenting on Blackbourne
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Blackbourne Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 Mr. Blackbourne was going to ream Dr. Green for hitting on a student. Thought she was pretty, but would
never admit it. Her confessing to wanting a harder class schedule and her interest in violin made him curious.
And Sang admitting to that she knew Kota made him think Kota was possibly interested in her as his
girlfriend. So, he was willing to approve the classes for his sake.
 The fact that Kota hadn't mentioned her did throw him off. He won't admit he likes her. He'll have a
heated discussion with Dr. Green that night to talk about this girl.
 He doesn't want to like her. She's beautiful, intelligent, and sweet. The more he finds out about her, the
more he's fighting what he really thinks of her.
 Mr. Blackbourne is precision! I couldn't picture it any other way.
 Mr. Blackbourne likes to be formal. He calls Sang Ms. Sorenson and she calls him Mr. Blackbourne.
Blackbourne Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 I like scary ones. I think I was scared of Mr. Blackbourne for a while. And, I think I still am. In a different
way, though. I kind of thought of Mr. Blackbourne as scary genius that puts Sang off but secretly harbors that
whole “brings you to your knees” type of look.
 Mr. Blackbourne likes elegant clothing.
Blackbourne Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 Owen told her to get close to him using the context of what Mr. Hendricks was wanting, but you know he
meant it the other way.
 I love his scenes. I never know what he'll say until he's there. And then he steals the show every time like at
the end of Book Four. He really surprised me in that book, both at the lake and then in the “A” report. In my
opinion, he stole the show right out from under North.
 Mr. Blackbourne's 4 rules of the Academy.
 1. Trust your family
 2. Family is a choice
 3. Family first, Academy second
 4. When your family can't be there for you, the Academy always will be
Questions about Blackbourne
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Blackbourne Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 Why did Mr. Blackbourne agree to take her on as a student and teach her violin?
 He saw her potential and also wanted to know why Kota was interested in her. Never tell an Academy
member you want to learn something. They will always find a way to help you learn, if you're willing
to put in the work.
 You mentioned that that Mr. Blackbourne would have a heated discussion with Dr. Green the night of school
registration concerning Sang. How would the discussion have gone since there is some shifting of emotion
from cold disdain to curiosity after he learns that Sang knows Kota, and she reveals that she'd like to learn
how to play the violin?
 The first part is trying to figure out who she is in correlation with Kota. How much does she know? Mr.
Blackbourne will scold Dr. Green for hitting on a student, thinking this isn't going to go well if he's going
to be teaching classes at the school. School year hasn't started yet, and he's already flirting.
 He'll have to point out to Dr. Green that if Kota is friends with Sang, there's probably a reason, and it
might be he's interested in her. To which, Dr. Green would say Kota would have said something if he had
A
a girlfriend. He would also hope that Kota's interest is minor because she's really adorable, and he's a
positive thinker. Mr. Blackbourne will work hard not to entertain the idea that Sang could possibly be
interested in him. He's pessimistic in this instance.
 Mr. Blackbourne will work hard not to entertain the idea that Sang could possibly be interested in him.
He's pessimistic in this instance.
 The other part is...should they approach the boys about the fact that they know? Should they make a big
deal about it when, from their point of view, this might not be a big deal at all? There wasn't time for a
family meeting between Book One and two; so t, it isn't until Book Two that Kota's and the boys' interest
comes to light for both Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green.
Blackbourne Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What does Mr. Blackbourne's violin look like?
 I know the colored ones aren't really the best, but in my head (in fiction world), he has one like in this
picture. But at the same time, he has more than one violin. I just picture having at least one elegant dark
gray violin he plays on. He'll have others, but there's that one that just looks beautiful. Even if it isn't his
best sounding one. And he knows it. But in my “fiction world,” he makes it sound beautiful every time.
He can just do that. But with Mr. Blackbourne, you could probably give him two pots to bang together,
and he'd do it beautifully.
Blackbourne Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Does Mr. Blackbourne have an older mentor in the Academy like Dr. Roberts is Dr. Green's mentor?
 Dr. Roberts is mentoring Dr. Green as a resident for the Academy hospital wing. It's kind of a requirement
by law. Mr. Blackbourne doesn't require supervision because he has graduated from the Academy now.
But when he checks in as an Academy contact for his crew, the people he checks in with will continue to
monitor his progress and that of his team. When you're in the Academy, you're never alone.
 In Book 3, Mr. B asks Sang if either of her parents had touched her inappropriately. What was found in her
mother’s room that prompted this question?
 He wanted to know the extent of abuse since no one has asked her this.
 In Book 3, when Sang is alone with Blackbourne in her room after the whole episode with her and her
stepmother locking her up in the shower she notices some scar on his hand. Is there any significance behind
this scar?
 This is her looking for little things with the guys. The boys are full of little scars all over from being boys.
Although this one from Mr. Blackbourne happened from his gardens.
 Was Mr. Blackbourne fighting attraction to Sang already when he was talking to her in her room about her
mother having cancer?
 He's always fighting his attraction. His touch his actually testing her a bit, too. He says it later in the “A”
report that, “She'll…let you touch her, even if she's uncomfortable or unsure, because she doesn't want to
disappoint you.” What he doesn't know is that she does want those touches; she just doesn't know how to
respond. And, like with Mr. Blackbourne she feels like she can't. There's like this barrier there, and it is
the one he put up himself. He's been the lone wolf, even with his own team. It's just how he operates. He
uses formality as a barrier.
 What did Mr. Blackbourne think when he heard about Sang not breathing when she slept?
 He kind of assumed, like Kota, she would have been fine. Holding your breath while sleeping can happen,
and eventually your body will start breathing again. It's just a deep sleep reaction thing. He didn't like the
idea. It kind of made him okay with the boys continuing to sleep next to her.
 Does Mr. Blackbourne know about Sang's nightmares?
 He demanded to be informed of things like this, and at most family meetings, they catch each other up on
everything they know.
A
 How did Mr. Blackbourne get an ambulance for Sang's mother in Book 3?
 They were climbing up and down the roof back and forth. Like Gabriel was up there with them and then
jumped down for Sang. Then Luke left to trade places with Nathan for something, I forget. So, like Kota
and Nathan were up there for the last part.
Blackbourne Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 When Sang accidentally sprays Mr. Blackbourne thinking it was Victor what were his thoughts? What was he
thinking when she did that.
 Nice shot. Did she just jump over my car? How in the world did she do it so elegantly? Is she hurt? Nope,
not hurt, she just sprayed me with water.
 He pretty much says what he thinks. He considers her for gunmanship training.
 After Mr. Blackbourne knocked out McCoy, was he fighting his emotions? Did he want to take her away
instead of the boys?
 How cool is Mr. Blackbourne? Right? Took McCoy down with one hit! And then, checking with her to
make sure she's okay right after. If North and Kota weren't on the way, he'd have been carrying her out of
there and would have called the others to clean up McCoy. His first instinct was to protect her and then
make sure McCoy never got that close to any girl again, let alone Sang.
 Who told Mr. Blackbourne about the “fight” between North and Sang and that she flipped him? What was his
initial reaction?
 Luke filled in Mr. Blackbourne after the fight. Victor was busy with his favor, and Kota was busy with
Sang. Mr. Blackbourne tried to call North, to get him to explain it, but he wasn't answering. There was a
small family meeting sometime during the night (which was why Kota wasn't there in the morning). They
got all the details together, and kept an eye on North while he was busy dismantling the Jeep.
 How old was he when his mother passed?
 He was pretty young when his mother died. It was before the Academy got to him.
 Whatever happened to Mr. Blackbourne’s father? Is he dead or in prison or does Blackbourne not know or
even care?
 Mr. Blackbourne is no longer in contact with his father and doesn't care to be. He doesn't know for sure
where he is.
 Mr. Blackbourne has no idea where his father is right now. I haven't gotten quite that far with his story, so
it may pop up later.
 Why does Mr. Blackbourne keep people at a distance? Is it just the way he is, or did his mother's death bring
this out in him?
 A lot of this was from his mother and wanting not to “feel” close to people. He uses propriety to keep
people at arm's length. Dr. Green has been his closest companion for a few years now. The boys feel
affection for him as an “older brother” but allow him to stay distant. You'll see, though, as time goes on
how he shows he cares. It's usually how he looks after them.
 Is Mr. Blackbourne getting closer to Sang?
 Yes! The more he talks to Sang, the more she's starting to realize she can go to him for help, where before
she would have hesitated.
 Did Mr. Blackbourne and Luke watch the whole time when Sang and North were talking in the garage?
 Mr. Blackbourne was watching to make sure he didn't make a huge mistake and that she didn't get car
parts thrown at her, like what happened when Luke and he tried to go talk to North, so he could intervene
if he needed to. He saw the whole thing, and he didn't approve of her drinking but didn't question her after.
He thought it was part of some plan of hers. She had no plan. She was just winging it. He wasn't listening.
He doesn't snoop that much. When it was clear North wasn't going to kill or injure her (he didn't think
North would, but he wasn't going to take that risk because he knew North had been drinking), he was okay
with her just being there. He left shortly after it was clear that North had calmed down, leaving her to
North and Luke for the day.
A
 How did Mr. Blackbourne get the pictures he shows North in the “A” report of Book 4?
 He got them when he was transferring the pictures Sang took of Mr. Hendricks's office from Sang's phone
to his.
 Has Mr. Blackbourne told Dr. Green about what they learned in Book Four? (The whole “we have to all love
her or lose her”). Or is he waiting for Dr. Green to fall in love?
 Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green tell each other everything. Dr. Green is Mr. Blackbourne’s sounding
board about this kind of thing. If Mr. Blackbourne is being too strict or if Dr. Green is taking things too
lightly, they tell each other.
Blackbourne Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 When they found Sang after she was kidnapped, did Mr. Blackbourne have to hold himself back from hugging
her like the other guys did?
 Yes, Mr. Blackbourne was holding back wanting to “touch her” to assure himself that she was really okay.
He also wanted to make sure she wasn't scared but the boys were already on it with the hugs and
everything.
 Mr. Blackbourne talks to Dr. Green later (when Dr. Green was out of surgery) and caught him up with
what happened. They both blamed themselves for the events but they were both busy with trying to figure
out the next move and making sure their team stayed safe since Volto sounded like he was threatening to
harm the team. He'd proven he was more than capable of figuring out Academy security protocol.
 Does Mr. Blackbourne have a degree in psychology or does he just speak from personal experience? He seems
to be able to know how Sang is feeling and helps to explain it to her in ways she understands without making
her feel like an idiot for not knowing. He also seems to understand her in such a way that he can help the
others see things from her point of view and vise versa like with Kota in his office
 Mr. Blackbourne is networking with a set of doctors and psychologists (of which Dr. Roberts is one) and
basically managing not only Sang but also his team. He's been through this type of thing with the boys and
for himself. But he also has that way of just being very frank and not letting too many emotions play into
what's going on. And he can get you to do things you may not have been willing to do a moment ago just
because he's asked you.
 In Book Five Mr. Blackbourne asked Sang how she knew it was him in the dark room. She told him she
smelled him. Irish soap. Then he was quiet for a long time. What was he thinking after she told him that?
 Remarkable.
 Really, it was something he didn't know she could do, and suddenly she's got this new skill that he wasn't
expecting. He's thinking of ways now how this might be valuable in the future and train her to do this
more.
 I want to know what was wrong with North. Mr. Blackbourne seemed overly concerned about him during that
last part in Victor's house.
 North got a super dose of that knock out stuff. Not knowing how to use those needles, one could easily do
a lot of harm to a person. He also didn't want to be gone and have Muriel or the masked guy come back,
see Mr. Blackbourne had escaped, and then take it out on North. So his first concern, since North couldn't
protect himself, was to get North to safety.
 That's why he sent Sang after Victor. He didn't think Victor got as bad of a dose, and it was possible she
could wake him up and get him to move out. Mr. Blackbourne's original plan was to get them all out first
before he went in and took on Muriel himself.
 Was what Mr. Blackbourne said to Sang at the concert a love confession?
 I will probably get this question forever now. But just so people know, he was planning to deflect the
question anyway. Mr. Blackbourne's a hard case in regards to feelings because he cuts it off.
 Mr. Blackbourne knows how to woo. He's attempting to win her over for his team because he knows full
and well that the Academy will pressure her to join another team, and he wants to secure her as theirs.
A
Sang
She is his: Passion, Kindness, Voice, Softness, Muse, Real–life Fantasy, Dream, Light and Tender Heart, Greatest Prodigy
He is her: Backbone, Compassion, Strength, Hero, Fresh Air, Drams, Foothold, Focused Determination, Doting Master
CL Commenting on Sang
Comments SQ1 SQ2 SQ3 SQ4 SQ5 (Section) (Document)
Sang Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 And, the guys get to be awkward with her. Cute!
Sang Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 Sang's not a talker. Everyone asks why she doesn't talk for herself. She doesn't talk. At all. She's not used to it.
She spent 15 years not talking. It's not a habit for her just to spill the beans. She says what is important, and
she shuts up. That doesn't mean she's not brave. She is brave. First page of Book One she's running away from
home, facing the night to test her own strength and to tackle the world. She'll get into a fistfight, or she'll poke
the guys in the arm or whatever. She doesn't say much. She's very short with whatever she says. This is her
advantage. Her not spouting off at the mouth allows her to listen. People don't listen very well when they're
talking.
Sang Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 I loved how they all looked at her after they figured out she had been hiding the punishments, and she's like,
“What, isn't that normal?”
Sang Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 Sang couldn't rat out McCoy because the school might want to call in her parents which she can't have, and if
Hendricks found out about her parents being gone, he could hang it over her head.
 Like how Sang goes up to her room and bawls and then has to sleep before she's really comfortable again.
That's pretty much what I do.
 I like Mr. Blackbourne sneaking into the bedroom and she's all like, “I hear you coming, bucko.”
 Sang's got some more talents up her sleeves and the boys will teach her a lot, too. And the boys will have to
learn there are things girls just do better. Like Luke telling her to do that super silent thing and she's like all
“What? Tiptoeing?” She's quieter than the rest of them.
 Sang will get better. And she'll learn to do it her way.
Sang Comments – Ghost Bird –Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
 She's brave, but she doesn't say what's on her mind. She's too used to just keeping it to herself, assuming that's
the right thing to do. And that actually can be a good thing. She'll wait and listen to the others; her ability to be
quiet and listen makes her much more observant. You can't think and listen when you're talking. Like, if she's
in with Mr. Hendricks and trying to figure out what he's up to and flies off at the mouth about him bugging
her, she'd never catch things going on.
 Sang picks up scents as she notices them. She 'smells' a lot, but sometimes her senses get overwhelmed.
Sometimes they can be sitting across the room and she picks up on it because the room is still, etc. Sometimes
she has to be on top of them to notice because there's wind trajectory or other overwhelming scents going on
that she doesn't think about. (Cleaners, wood, outdoor breezes, etc.)
 I'm totally like Sang. I notice smells a lot.
Questions about Sang
Sang Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
Comments SQ1 SQ2 SQ3 SQ4 SQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Are Sang's ears pierced?
A
 No.
 Does Sang have an accent?
 I grew up in Illinois and Indiana and then moved to Summerville, South Carolina when I was like 12. I
didn't get an accent until the last summer I lived there. At 15 years-old, when I was at camp, there was this
one girl from Tennessee with a really strong accent, and I liked it so I mimicked it for a while. Sang may
be similar.
 Is there a particular reason that Sang likes A Princess in Disguise best out of Grimm's tales?
 It's a story about a princess who is disguised, but the prince sees her who for who she really is and falls in
love with her despite her pulling away.
 Who does she choose?
 Did you really want her to choose one?
Sang Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
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 Did Sang think Gabe was gay when she tried to divert the bullies” attention away from him and onto herself in
that first fight?
 She doesn't think he's gay because he's always talking about how he woos the girls. Like when he says
“girls love this stuff” when he's writing his sad bit in his poem. Things like that. Sang thinks he's got
buckets of girls at home for some reason.
 How did Sang occupy her time while sitting on the stool or kneeling in the rice? She's a very introspective
person, but it seems like the psychological damage of just sitting there would be as acute as the physical
punishment.
 Sang spent hours of time in her room alone, listening to music or just daydreaming. Some teenagers
choose to do this. Sang's an introvert by nature and doesn't find discomfort in spending time alone, even
without music or entertainment. Nothing wrong with that. Introverts actually enjoy being alone and that
makes for no psychological damage from this.
 Sitting in “punishment” wasn't so bad for Sang growing up. She likes getting out of the house, but even
when she did, she spent time alone doing it. Sitting or kneeling for a couple of hours only hurt when she
couldn't change position. So it wasn't spending time alone, it was just being uncomfortable for so long that
bugged her. When she'd had as much as she could stand, she would sway on the stool or make noise for
someone to remember she was there. Usually her mom would come out and tell her to go to her room.
 Most of the time, she would just think of what she'd do when she got up. She'd plot how she wouldn't get
into trouble again. Things like sneaking back into the house quieter or how she answering her mother
better next time so she wouldn't punish her. Sometimes she “sang song lyrics” in her head or thought
about the book she was reading or just daydreamed. If she was kneeling, sometimes she could get away
with lying on the floor but she had to listen and jump back into place if her mom came out and spotted her.
Sometimes the TV was loud enough that she could listen in on the news playing in the other room.
 You'll never find Sang complaining about being bored, though. She's been plenty bored growing up.
Anything outside of staring at a wall for hours is entertaining for her.
 What does Sang's violin look like?
 I picture Sang's violin looking something like mine.
 Does Sang learn to play the violin? Will she and Victor play together? Does it not happen because she is a
ghost bird?
 Sang will eventually learn to play the violin. Mr. Blackbourne made a promise and, of course, he'll keep it.
But, there will be a lot of delays. Victor and her playing together won't happen publicly. But, that's okay.
Victor hates his concerts. This will be perfect. The only people they need to play for will be each other.
Sometimes you learn to play just because you love the music, and the only audience you'll want to play for
is you.
A
Sang Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments SQ1 SQ2 SQ3 SQ4 SQ5 (Section) (Document)
 In Book Three, how long was Sang passed out for before waking up in Nathan's room?
 The guys rescued her around 1 in the morning, and she woke up at 8 or 9 in the morning. So, she was out
about 8 hours before waking up.
 Can Sang really not sing, or is she just saying that to be modest?
 She's never sung in front of anyone. Maybe when she was alone with the radio kind of thing. She's never
had lessons. Gabriel may fix that one day.
 Will Sang ever learn how to whistle?
 No. She can't do it. The boys will tease her about this.
 Does Sang ever get the shirts back from her sister and Danielle? Do the boys keep on giving her more of their
clothes?
 The boys would give her whatever she wanted if she'd wear it, but Sang steals Nathan's shirt back quietly
off screen. If Sang made a big deal about getting the shirts back, Marie would wonder why. She just
waited until it popped up in the laundry and stole it. Luke doesn't care about the return of his shirt. He
would give her whatever she wanted. Sang may steal back the original later, though. (And Danielle doesn't
know it was Luke's shirt. She didn't really care. She just liked it.) Luke could go get the shirt back, but he's
kind of not really worried about it. He'd just give her another shirt. Or all of his shirts. He's not fond of
wearing much clothing anyway.
 How did Sang get out of the closet in 3rd grade without kissing the boy? She never finished her story...
 She dodged his kiss and he kind of tried to push her. Then they kind of fell over, and he was like trying to
wrestle her into kissing him. Like, he just wanted to kiss her mouth so bad. But, she managed to wriggle
out and then go into the classroom. And then after, I think she got to a place where there was another kid,
so she hung out by him and avoided this kid who tried to kiss her. Once this recess was over, she never
really was alone with that kid again, so he didn't try it again.
 In Book 3, when Sang is in the bathroom looking at the heart on the bracelet Victor gave her she says
that it opens. What does it say/have in it? Does Sang still have the bracelet or did she lose it in one of
her mishaps?
 It doesn't open. I don't know where that came from. She was just touching it. She didn't lose it; it's just
at home. She doesn't like wearing it too often because she's afraid of losing it.
 Do you have Sang only wear shorts and skirts on purpose? I notice she never wears pants or long skirts
or dresses. Will that be changing as the weather becomes cooler, or will she still keep the style that
Gabriel gave her?
 She wore some jeans in Book Five, and as it gets colder, she'll change a bit. But, the boys (especially
Mr. Blackbourne and Gabriel) will encourage her to wear skirts and dress up a bit. She actually
prefers skirts as it feels freer and shorts are easier to move around in. Gabriel will help her keep her
style through the winter weather by having her wear short skirts and long stockings, long boots, and a
nice coat. South Carolina isn't too cold so she can get away with it more there.
 Are we ever going to get any more background on Sang's real mother or Sang's history?
 Yes. Sang's history will be revealed more as time goes on. Along with who her real mother is. They're
really busy right now, so the clues that will show up will be here and there. This is actually going to work
in Sang's favor, because it will come in digestible bites. She'll be able to accept it easier.
 Sometimes she seems so fragile, but other times I think she would do better if they could tell her more. She
feels so confused. Will they ever figure that part out?
 She will soon get to a place where she will know to trust the boys, and they will trust her with
information. It's just building up trust as time goes on. It won't be overnight obviously.
 Does Sang have mental health issues?
 Sang suffers from avoidant personality disorder, but on a highly functional level. If that makes sense. The
guys are fully aware. From my very, non-doctor opinion about Sang, here's her diagnosis from her dossier:
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 Avoidant personality disorder due to rejections from family.
♥ Self imposed social isolation
♥ Extreme shyness
♥ Avoids physical contact Low self esteem Emotional distancing
♥ Sang's nightmares are the result of repeated isolation and emotional/painful punishments put
together by her mother.
♥ Results: Nightmares
♥ Risk eccentric (Lack of respect for her own life, not suicidal)
♥ Results from being tied up in shower:
♥ Afraid of standing in the shower, spray on her face. She can tolerate baths, but most often, she
prefers a “hobo bath” from the sink.
♥ Can lead to agoraphobia
Sang Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 Can the boys and Sang do more together now that her parents are gone?
 There will be freedoms and problems for all of them going forward.
 What was Sang doing during that week she missed school between books 3 & 4? Why didn't the school check
up on her just to make sure she was testing for The Academy like they thought she was doing?
 Mr. Hendricks oversees anything going on with Sang. He tells other administration inside the school to let
him handle her and anyone else he is particularly interested in; this also includes the boys. The boys have
special permission to get out of class, skip class, etc. They don't skip, in general, unless there's something
more important going on. That week was only a three-day week anyway because that Thursday and Friday
they had school off. So, Monday she skipped because she was locked up in the closet. Tuesday was kind
of for recovery and, since they had a long weekend, they just took that Wednesday off, too. Gave her a
good week to see where she was mentally before sending her back to school.
 Will we ever know the significance of Sang's dreams?
 Sang's dreams regulate how she's feeling. They got worse after her parents left because she was feeling
lost and didn't know how to handle things. They got worse again when the boys' lives were threatened.
Sometimes she's so overwhelmed; she doesn't know how to feel. Her dreams show her. North is trying to
keep a record. They had to go through the same thing with a few of the guys.
 You know how Sang is so easy to read. Does that mean each boy knows when she's thinking about kissing
them during the intimate moments they share?
 They so do. They're stronger than you think. Especially Kota.
 Why are they waiting if they know she wants to kiss them?
 Because she has to kiss them first, or at least say so. They can't just go on instinct. Kota knew it; that's
why he grabbed her face and was like looking at her lips and just waiting. You'll see Silas later where he'll
zoom in and hover nearly nose to nose with her. He's just right there and waits. She'll not know what to do
and will back up. They're trying to get her to kiss them first, so it's “legal” as far as their promise is
concerned.
 Does anyone tell Sang about the touching restrictions/guidelines?
 No, but she'll figure it out.
 Why do so many people bother/ become interested in Sang? She barely ever talks to anybody, outside of the
boys, and at her old school, no one really showed much interest in her. At least none that she saw.
 She's a little more open now that the boys talk to her. Like with Mike in Book Two, he was goofing off.
Rocky likes her. Jay's meh. He tolerates her but not really interested. She's a new girl who is sweet and
nice. That's the key though, is that she's nice. There're boys that like that and are very interested in girls
like that.
 What are the rumors going around about Sang? Do they think she'll “do” anyone, or just that she's being kinky
with those 7?
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 There's the Ice Queen rumor that she's snotty and doesn't talk to anyone, but that's from the girls. For the
guys, they're all wondering if she's sleeping around. That's why Silas claims to be with her with the
football team. So, they'll squash some of those.
Will Sang start sticking up for herself outside of the group? Jade is already elbowing Sang on purpose and
Sang just takes it. Sang did try to stick up for herself with McCoy a little, but even with that she took more
than was safe. I guess what I was trying to ask was if Sang will stick up for herself like she does for the boys?
I'm afraid if she doesn't that, in addition to having lots of rumors about her, she'll become a target for physical
violence.
 She will stick up for herself. She's used to being uninteresting to people who cause trouble in school. That
was her method of defense. She saw a few bullies in her old school, and if they breathed a word at her, she
simply ignored it and they moved on to someone else. These kids at Ashley Waters just don't know how to
leave her alone.
Has Sang lost her ghost bird status since she talked to the policeman, and he took notes?
 The cops don't have her (Sang's) name. He never wrote it down. He only had Silas's name and car tag. The
cop was making sure she was okay. And then, after North was acting crazy, he wanted to make sure no
one else got a dose of what he got and tried to drive home.
I was surprised she didn't pass out when Luke was washing the sawdust from her face.
 I had thought that might trigger it, but then it's be the same as her taking a bath and having that scoop of
water rather than droplets. And, Luke's soothing fingers probably helped. But, then, I had the same thing
happen with rain droplets. When I first wrote the rain scene, she didn't feel weird about it. I had to go back
and fix it because one day I was out in the rain, and I was like, “Man, Sang wouldn't like this.” And, it's
horrible, too, because she used to like to walk in the rain.
In the fourth book, when Sang refuses to talk to North anymore and she has her “emotional meltdown” in
her room, do the boys check on her through the cameras and can they see her sobbing? If they do, what
are their reactions?
 They don't check on her because they pretty much know what's she's doing. Kota went up to sit outside
her room and could hear her crying. They all knew she was crying up there. They were all heartbroken.
They blamed North for it, but Kota told them all to clean up, go home, and let him take care of her.
What did Silas and Kota think about her crying? And did the others know she was?
 They all know. They couldn't stop her if they wanted. Kota knew best. Give her time and let her calm
down. It's what she needed.
When she went to take a bath after throwing North down, did she hear a motorcycle or helicopter?
 It was both. The helicopter left once the crew taking out the sawdust pile arrived, and North left.
Why doesn't Sang push Kota more about the Academy when she talked to him in the attic after the argument
with North?
 Sang kicks North's butt and then when Kota meets up with her upstairs, she's still not talking, but she
made it very clear she was mad. “I'm still going to be mad at everyone, go wait in my room.” And, when
she's finally talking to Kota, check it out, she's arguing with him about wanting to join the Academy. She
just gets quiet when she realizes right then probably wasn't the best time. He'd just proven her point, when
she almost died in the sawdust pile. So, she did need to wait. He wasn't going to change his mind just then.
Girl intuition right there.
What did you mean when you said, “He [Kota] had just proven her point when she almost died in the sawdust
pile?”
 I meant he'd just proved his own point about being wary about things out there and how she puts herself
into dangerous situations, so she couldn't argue with him on that. He was right. He'd been right. He had
every right to feel scared for her. She doesn't even know the Academy very well and how dangerous it
could be. She was in no position to argue and she didn't really want to argue her way through it because
that just meant they would both be disappointed. It was best to wait, and maybe find a compromise in
some other way.
How do the boys get Sang to stick up for/defend herself?
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 She's already started. She not only flipped North over, but she has completely honest conversations and
asks questions with Mr. Blackbourne. She feels she can ask him anything. She is just trying to figure out
what to ask first and there's usually a limited amount of time they spend together. She argued a little with
Kota at the end of Book Four but realized she wasn't going to get anywhere, because she'd just been saved
from the sawdust pile, and everyone was very defensive right then. That's girl intuition; she knew she
wasn't going to win her argument to join the Academy right then.
 But sticking up for yourself doesn't always mean arguing or even saying what you want every single time.
She doesn't want to do what she wants all the time. Like choosing where to eat. Sometimes she's in the
mood for something, and sometimes she really doesn't know what she wants and will look at one of the
guys to help her out. And she is highly interested in doing what the boys want to do.
 Sang does a lot of sticking up for herself, but she doesn't always say what's on her mind. And they don't
always understand her. Sang may seem like she's not responding to things, but she's really listening and
learning from everyone. She stuck up for herself with Mr. McCoy, with the waiter that tried to give her his
phone number, and when Jade tried to get North into the closet. There are lots of instances.
 Sang is a quiet girl by nature, but she's really not as shy as she thinks she is. It's only with the guys that
sometimes she's trying to listen and learn from them. And she's got a sweet, eager to please personality. I
don't think she'll ever be without that. It's what they love about her.
 What they will need to understand, eventually, is that just because she's quiet doesn't mean she won't
speak up for herself if she really believes in something. Sometimes it's just that she doesn't know what she
wants. She'll say it if she knows.
 But don't mistake her being quiet for being unable to defend herself. She'll voice her opinion a little more,
but she'll always be a sweet, quiet, observant person and always considerate about what the boys want.
Sang's only slept in Kota's and Nathan's beds (and now North's).
 Yup. She hasn't strayed too far yet. And at first sleeping with her in her bed was mostly a necessity. But
that night Gabriel and Luke started in the attic. Then Gabriel was like, “Screw this, her bed's more
comfortable.” And Luke was like “No! We can't do that.” And Gabriel didn't listen. And then Luke
followed.
How does Sang feel about the boys?
 Sang's very into trying to make them all happy for helping her. But she floats between them so often that
when she is with one; she feels that tug on her heart for him. And then when he has to go and she's with
another one, it's the same feeling. Very confusing. She thinks she's not supposed to have feelings for all
the guys. She'll deny feelings for a while because she's pretty sure this isn't how it is “supposed” to work.
What do the guys think about Sang not talking to/trusting them?
 Your frustration is exactly what the guys are feeling for Sang. But even you get her rationalization as to
why she's not saying anything. The guys don't. So imagine how frustrated they get, and why Victor feels
like he has to bribe her with a bracelet and pretty things just to get her to talk to him. She starts making
changes in Book Five. Sometimes it's sticking up for herself. Sometimes it's the silent treatment/glaring. I
think if I had her opening up by Book Two, she would seem like a completely different character. Book
Four was her breakthrough. She realized she could stand up for herself and the boys wouldn't leave her.
This will take getting used to. Sang can't get what she wants all the time, but she'll learn to voice her
opinion and the boys will start trying to listen. That's the other part. Listening to her.
So, the boys, being the “fix it” type, use that to try to gain her trust. Does she ever figure out she is stronger
than she feels?
 It's like they don't want to present her with more problems like letting her know about her dad wanting to
put her in a crazy boarding school. They're like, “Why scare her when we'd never let her go and would
almost kidnap her before that happens.” Some don't like not telling her, but at the same time, so much is
going on, too. Like Sang, they get busy, and they're so focused. They've got the “we're going to make her
safe” stuff, the Ashley Waters' problems, and then home problems keep cropping up. Eventually, she'll
hear a little bit here and a little bit there and will figure it out on her own. Like, she's piecing together what
the Academy is through little bits of what the boys tell her. Eventually, she will know she needs to ask and
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speak up. They'll tell her if she asks. The problem with having nine guys, sometimes is that information
splinters here and there.
 Does Sang ever question them and their motives? Start saying, “stop excluding me,” etc?
 Yes. They are being guys! You know how guys are. They see a problem; they start fixing it with or
without you. Some of Sang's hesitation will be that some secrets are Academy related, and she's not
allowed to know so she thinks she can't ask some things. And then there's some stuff that the boys don't
want to answer just halfway. Like with Kota and Blackbourne downstairs in Book Three. They knew
things, but Kota didn't want to give Sang a half answer. It's because he hates half answers. Mr.
Blackbourne knows better, though. He'll play a bigger role in bridging this trust issue. It's just learning
from each other what the others can handle. Sang is tougher than she looks to them, but they are boys and
want to protect her.
 When is Sang's birthday?
 October 6th! Same as mine so I never forget
Sang Questions – Ghost Bird –Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
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 I was surprised Dr. Green wasn't called in to check Sang out. Pneumonia would be a possibility after inhaling
all that sawdust.
 True! They got her checked out by the doctor after (between books). He wanted to check out her lungs.
Probably should have made it a lot sooner but there was a lot going on. In my “author rationale,” I put it
off until later.
 I know you said that Sang's knowledge about sex is from things she read in books but she's a straight A
student and she took biology class at some point right? So wouldn't she be aware of her body “s response to
Silas? Also, would she consider in the future going to Kota's mom to talk about this? She's a nurse. Or maybe
someone she feels okay around like Karen, right?
 Sang's experiences with her body are limiting and she has no one to talk to about it. You can read “about
sex” in books, but it is completely different feeling it. What she doesn't really understand, she reads but
she kind of skims over it because she has not life experience to know what the person is talking about.
This is like going through Sex Ed in high school and then having sex. Not the same thing by any means.
And just so you guys know, Sang was “sick” the day the sex talk came in fifth grade at school. A notice
came around school about it asking parents if it was okay to have kids in this class to do an early
education Sex Ed, and Sang's mom just had her skip that day.
 Sang knows that sex exists but what she gets are snippets from movies (where they “fade to black”) and
from books (but with books that usher you out the door). She knows the basic mechanics... kind of.
 She doesn't know what it meant with Silas. She's touched the same spot on her body before but never had
such an experience. And for the moment, because of everything that has happened, she's put off those
thoughts and feelings.
 What she does know is that she didn't hate it. She actually really enjoyed it. It just surprised her and she's
not sure what she's supposed to do. Like anything that has to do with the boys, whether it is kissing or
touching or what, she's not really sure how she's supposed to respond. A lot of her own reaching out for
them has only been her mimicking what they're doing to her.
 And she won't talk about it with other girls. She doesn't really know what to ask. And as far as who she
would turn to, she's more comfortable with boys at this point than with girls.
 Why are the different boys keeping Sang's secrets from each other? Like Victor and the shower thing or North
and the dreams. Is everything going to come out in the open?
 North doesn't keep the dreams to himself. He chronicles them in a journal and reports in to Mr.
Blackbourne for anything that seems repetitive or anything that stands out. The others know. This is
why Kota wasn't surprised in the car at hearing Sang relaying the dream to North and why Silas says,
“they are getting worse” in Book Five.
 Victor had a temporary setback in convincing Sang to tell the others about the shower thing. In the
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moment, he was just trying to calm her down because she was upset. He was going to give it a couple
of days and some time before he brought it up to Sang again. Although, he did promise Sang that he
wouldn't discuss it with the others and he will keep this promise, this won't stop him from trying to
convince her to tell the others about it. If he felt it was completely dangerous and risked her welfare,
he'd mention it to Mr. Blackbourne and the others at once. He doesn't want to do it without her or
behind her back.
Does Marc know who Sang is or does he really think she's in the Academy?
 Marc was high as a kite, and he hardly remembers what happened in there. He fully trusted Dr. Green and
assumed Sang was in the Academy. It's an Academy hospital, so he had no reason to think otherwise.
So, I noticed that in Drop of Doubt Dr Green mentioned several times that Sang doesn't eat enough. Does he
bring this up because she's small & it's obvious she doesn't eat well? Or, have the boys passed on their
concerns? In the spoiler PDF, I saw that it would be an issue in the next book. Does Dr Green inform Mr.
Blackbourne?
 She sits down in front of him, eats half a sandwich and a few bites of pie. He notices things like this. If
that's how she normally eats, she's not taking in enough calories to be considered healthy. She doesn't eat
when she's stressed. Her stomach gets twisted into knots so it is uncomfortable. So he's concerned because
she's usually always stressed these days.
Is there ever going to be another time when Sang says she's done talking and walks off?
 Doesn't everyone do this every once in a while? Gabriel did it to the group in Book Five. He's lucky North
wasn't there. He would have gone after him. Sang also did this in Book Five, without saying “I'm done.” It
was after she was arguing with Victor about the plan. She just did it politely and walked out of the room.
And Silas came to talk her. Sang and North have to come to understand that neither one is leaving the
other ever; so, if she walks off angrily, it's not her leaving him. It's just that she's mad, and she'll come
back later. She'll learn to say it nicer to him. Eventually.
My big question is why didn't the taser work on Sang?
 Muriel was waving it around in the dark. She caught Sang in the arm I think, which is not the best place to
hit someone with a taser. Sang felt the jolt, but it wasn't full force. And then Sang managed to knock it out
of her hand, so it was useless then.
The Ghost Bird Group
CL Commenting on the Ghost Bird Group
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Ghost Bird Group Comments – Book One – Introductions
 Name the first things that come to mind for each person in the list: Sang, Blackbourne, Silas
 Invisible, Perfectionist, Greek
 You love the boys for good things and bad things. And North is worthwhile despite all the bad, as are the other
guys. It will show eventually.
 Gabriel, North, Silas, and Nathan cuss. Gabriel's just the one where it is part of his everyday vocabulary. The
other guys do it mostly when they're angry.
 Each of the main characters has a favorite color, and if Sang's wearing that color, the boys will tend to perk
up. They may also request her to wear certain items, usually in their favorite color, but sometimes also in
styles they prefer to see her in.
 Kota - Hunter Green
 Luke - Baby Blue
 North - Duh (Black)
 Victor - White or Light Silver
 Dr. Green - Purple
 Silas - Dark Blue/Red Socks Blue
 Mr. Blackbourne - Dark Grey
 Nathan - Deep Red
 Sang - Pink
 Gabriel - Break Your Eyes Neon Orange
 The boys' styles will vary.
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Victor touching lacy underwear at the Victoria's Secret store kind of hints at a more elegant look.
Gabriel likes vivid colors and whatever the latest fashion is.
Nathan and Silas like her in sporty clothes.
Kota, Luke, and Dr. Green like her to wear cute clothes.
Mr. Blackbourne likes elegant clothing.
North does like her in anything black, as long as it isn't in only black, and he's into the sexier styles –
Although he doesn't like her wearing it anywhere else unless she's in his eyesight.
 The boys know different languages, and some plan to learn a language later, they just haven't had the chance
yet. These are the ones they know right now.
 Sign language: Mr. Blackbourne, Luke, Kota, Dr. Green
 French: Gabriel
 Greek: North, Silas
 German: North (a little)
 Japanese: Dr. Green. Victor is learning.
 Russian: North (a little)
 Spanish: Nathan
 All of the boys were abused/abandoned in one way or another. All of them.
Ghost Bird Group Comments – Book Two – First Days
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 They will all call her pet names other than their favorites. Sweetie is common, but like short stuff, pumpkin,
and buttercup...they'll all start doing that…everyone except Mr. Blackbourne.
 They all want to call her angel. It's funny.
 Some of the nicknames, for ones who do not have assigned nicknames yet, may be interchangeable.
 I like putting the boys in trouble. I have to be mean and put them in harm's way so I can see how clever and
sexy they get trying to weasel their way out of stuff.
 Kota is the family team leader. Blackbourne is their contact for the Academy. So, the Academy sends word to
Blackbourne about assignments and he decides if he wants to offer it to their team. And Kota decides if people
in their group are too busy/sick or are dealing with other things so they shouldn't say yes to projects. Like if
Nathan was busy, but tried to say “yes” to something the Academy wanted, Kota could step in and tell him not
to accept if he felt it would be too much. He's the balance.
 But command rank goes from Blackbourne and Green, to Kota, then North, then Nathan/Victor equally, and
then Silas, Luke and Gabriel. There are reasons why.
Ghost Bird Group Comments – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
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 The guys often take their cues on how to handle Sang from Kota. Kota treats Sang like a little sister for a
while, because that's how he naturally handles girls (friends who might be girls) in general while he's getting
to know them. The boys are intimidated by Sang because they don't want to break/scare her for a long time.
But, often enough, if they see one of the others doing something (usually Kota) they'll start doing it.
 It's the fantasy of a guy being accepting of another guy taking care of you. I think Nathan talks about this
some in Book Four so you get his point of view on it.
Ghost Bird Group Comments – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 I knew there would eventually be people you'd get drawn to, and you intentionally skim chapters just to get to
your favorite guy. But, I like that even if North is a favorite, most people like more than just North. I don't
think he'd work as well on his own without the others. Some like Kota, some like Silas, some like Gabriel.
Everyone has favorites sometimes. Mine happens to be all nine (14 with the five guys from the new series!)
 Hang in there. We're going to get through this with all nine boys intact...come what may. Things between Kota
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and Sang are going to get rough because they misunderstand each other. But North wouldn't live a day
knowing Kota was anything but safe and happy. It all gets better.
All the guys have things they want to do with her. Now they've got a girl to play with.
They were thieves once. I still like that line. I don't know. It makes me giddy to think of the kid team that they
were. Back when it was just the five of them.
They're all in need of love. Kota's the only one with any real family that cares about him...besides Uncle
Taylor.
Luke, North, and the boys are lucky they've got Mr. Taylor. They all probably would have ended up in jail by
now if it weren't for him.
Nail painting starts in Book Five. We'll have to wait. But it happens. Gabriel has no experience with this but
he will learn fast.
I kind of have an inkling as to who “knows what they're doing” and who doesn't, but I don't like thinking of
past girlfriends for the guys.
Ghost Bird Group Comments – Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
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 The boys are all trying to establish trust with Sang, but Mr. Blackbourne is frank with what he's doing.
Depending on the guy, they try to get her to trust them in different ways. Victor tries to buy her affection. Kota
is trying to take things slow and be friendly. Gabriel tries building her confidence with clothes, that sort of
thing. Blackbourne is the one that shows trust.
 I love North. And Raven. And all of them.
Questions about the Ghost Bird Group
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Ghost Bird Group Questions – Book One – Introductions
 Who is your favorite?
 It's whoever I'm writing about at the moment. Right now, I'd say it is Silas, but then next scene has Dr.
Green so I'll switch.
 If you had to choose one (and only one) of the boys to date, who would it be? And why?
 Gah! It's usually the one I'm writing about at the moment. Although dating wise, I think the most
interesting one would be Dr. Green or Mr. Blackbourne. Their intelligence levels are through the roof, so
like imagine those dates. Creative. Like Mr. Blackbourne would probably take you to a haunted house to
test your stamina and reaction time.
 What is your least favorite quality of each of the guys?
 Kota – Fear (For everyone else)
 Victor – Impatience
 Silas – Guilt
 Nathan – Jealousy
 Gabriel – Unconfident
 Luke – Trickster
 North – Anger
 Dr. Sean Green – Pushing the limits can be exhausting.
 Mr. Owen Blackbourne – Perfection can be exhausting
 What is the birth date and age of Sang, Kota, North, Victor, Nathan, Silas, Luke, Gabriel, Mr. Green, Mr.
Blackbourne, and Marie at the start of the series?
 Sang is 15, as are Nathan, North and Gabriel as of Book One. The others are 16, except Dr. Green and Mr.
Blackbourne, who are 19. Marie is 17, turning 18 in the summer. I don't want to release birthdays yet.
Sang's birthday is Oct. 6th. But everyone else, it's kind of a surprise but this is coming up in Book Five.
 For this one, I can't, and for a very particular reason. But, in Book Five, all the birthdays will be
mentioned. It's just kind of a spoiler right now. And a big one, so even though there is a spoiler sheet, this
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is a big surprise you probably don't want to know yet.
 How old are the characters going to get in these books?
 Up to 18…and beyond. So there are a lot of books that I have to write to get them all to that age.
 How tall is Sang and everyone else?
 I didn't give height estimates with the guys or Sang. I never mention how tall she is, but she guesses their
heights based on what she sees. And, everyone is taller than her. So, like for Victor, take your own height,
add a handful of inches, and that's how tall he is. And, you'll all be right.
 Which of the boys are right/left handed?
 The only one I have notes on is North, and he's left handed. When he's swinging the sledge, he's
demonstrating for Sang's benefit. I think Gabriel and Luke are lefties. And Dr. Green is ambidextrous.
♥ Note: This means that for now lefties include North, Gabriel, and Luke. Righties: Kota, Victor, Silas,
Nathan, Mr. Blackbourne, and Sang. Dr. Green is ambidextrous.
 What were the boys thinking in the car after the altercation with Greg in the mall?
 In the car after the fight with Greg, Silas was blaming himself (his own bad habit, you see it later). Victor
was pissed off that what started out as almost nice ended up as a disaster. He thought Sang had completely
gotten the wrong impression of all of them. Kota felt bad about the bruises, and he felt the tension in the
car. He wanted to talk to her but after she was quiet, he wasn't sure if she was maybe even mad. He
wanted the guys to back off so she could calm down or something. He didn't know how to handle her.
 What were the boys in Kota's room talking about while Gabriel washed Sang's hair in the bathroom in Book
One?
 Kota was addressing the others by saying they don't have to get involved. He had promised he'd helped
her so he felt she was his responsibility. Of course, they weren't going to let Kota do this alone. They
made mutual decisions on how they wanted to help her, but to help her out, they needed to figure out what
was really going on. They also wanted her to get that cell phone, so they could contact her. They felt that
was important.
 Why did they not want Mr. Blackbourne to know about Sang?
 Kota didn't want anyone to know about Sang. Victor jumping on her was an accident. He didn't expect
Victor so soon. He wanted to be selfish and keep Sang to himself. Kota liked Sang, and thought he could
help her on his own.
 But Kota didn't know the full story. Sang's problems were much more complicated than he could have
imagined. Also, after the guys got to know her, and they all liked her; they were reluctant to report to Mr.
Blackbourne because they weren't sure about Sang, either. Something was wrong with her, but they didn't
know how wrong it was.
 So they stayed quiet just to figure it out. Kota requested that the guys not tell Mr. Blackbourne, because
Mr. Blackbourne would have called the Academy and sent in a team to figure it out right now. Because
that's what the Academy does.
 Was it love at first sight for all of the boys when they first met Sang?
 No. Sorry, but no. Dr. Green was probably the only one who was smitten right from the start but he
didn't know her at all. So it was really just a very deep crush and a tug on his heart that she was a very
sweet girl and he'd like to get to know her.
 Kota was pretty close; he was very stricken by her.
 Everyone felt that “twinge” of “she's beautiful” and even started crushing on her (those that dared to
admit it).
 Most of them know better not to fly thinking they're in love just because of a pretty face. It wasn't
until they got to know her that a lot of them started to fall in love with her. Once that happened, they
start thinking back to all those “special moments” they shared. What they love is the experience and
the memory. Then they wanted to spend more time with her and are were adamant about keeping her
safe, giving her what she wants, or doing the right thing by her even if she doesn't know she needs it.
But when they're in love, they'll say so.
 What were the guys thinking after Sang overheard them in the courtyard at registration?
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 “Uh oh. We messed up. We'll never see her again.” But, they felt really bad. Especially Nathan. Everyone
knew what he meant, but they were really ticked off at him. They were like, “You better fix her.” But,
really, they were all waiting until she cooled off. Kota told them to go easy on her, but they were trying to
text and call anyway.
 I've wondered what the boys' thoughts were and how they reacted throughout the afternoon and evening after
Sang caught Nathan's stray dog remark at the end of registration. Would they have argued about how to rectify
the situation? Would they have had second thoughts about bringing Sang into the fold? Would one or more of
them have tried to climb the roof and peer into her room to see how she was doing since she was not
answering texts or phone calls? As I assume most boys would be in handling a teenage girl, I figure they
would be floundering on how to deal with this girl they've all become “in like” with.
 Most were thinking, “Oh boy, we screwed up. We'll never see her again.”
 They tried calling. She was still new, though, so like Nathan didn't just want to rush to her window. The
thought came to mind, but he was the one that said the thing so he felt really bad.
 Then there's the fact that her mother is getting her to destroy her throat with lemon and vinegar. That alone
doesn't allow just them to give up completely. At the very least, if she didn't want to talk to them again,
they would have then called in the Academy and asked for help, just to make sure she wouldn't get hurt. It
would be their own way of making up for it, even if she never forgave them, they'd feel better knowing
they helped at least.
 And yes, they didn't know how to handle it, because she's a girl. Kota's the one with a mom and a little
sister, so his answer to them was to try to call, but don't approach her. Give her time to calm down a bit
and then approach her. If she was still determined to go, that's up to her, but he would have made sure he
explained himself.
 He just didn't expect to see her that night. He was waiting until morning.
Ghost Bird Group Questions – Book Two – First Days
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 Just how Southern are the boy's accents? Charleston? County? Upstate?
 Gabriel has the strongest accent as far as this crew goes. Mr. Blackbourne will correct him if he's in the
room with Gabriel and he says something like “aint” and so forth, so he's been training him slowly. But
when Gabriel's mad, forget it. It's deep South all over.
 Silas's English is pretty good thanks to North helping him to fix it, but he still carries those Greek
undertones. But unless you were really listening, you don't notice. I've got a Greek buddy and when I chat
with him on the phone, you couldn't tell unless he started speaking Greek.
 Nathan and Luke have it, though it's more subtle.
 Victor has had training to speak eloquently, though he drops his nicer refinements when he's around the
guys/Sang. He lays it on thicker when he's being formal/being interviewed.
 Kota has it a bit but he kind of curbed it once he started talking to Victor and Mr. Blackbourne.
 Mr. Blackbourne talks with these powerful tones, which Kota tries to mimic.
 Mr. Blackbourne's way of speaking is just refinement all over. Ever watch old 40s black and white movies
with just a regular American accent, but it is still refined? That's his accent.
 Dr. Green can when he wants, but he didn't grow up with that. Dr. Green can mimic accents, and will
when he's trying to describe how someone talks; he'll just mimic it. They all, for the most part, know a
foreign language. And, he's been around people, in hospitals, that didn't know English very well and has
had to be patient and listen through accents to understand what's being said.
 What is the class schedule for each of the boys?
 Erm. All of them? Most have similar classes, but they're at different times. Kota's got some high level
classes he's taking for fun. Some tried to get at least a couple of fun classes (Gabriel's art class, Nathan in
gym class) but for the most part, they feel like they are there to warm the seats. Most of what they are
learning they either already know or won't use so they don't find it important. They have a mission there
anyway, so they didn't need too many people in high-end classes to distract them from what they were
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 Did the boys plan for Sang to sit in the middle row with one of them in front and behind her in their classes?
 The boys naturally wanted to sit next to her, and sitting in front or behind her was a protectiveness of
sorts. If you sit in front or behind, it is closer to her than sitting next to her. Sitting in the row beside her
meant you have to stretch out and that could draw attention. For example, there's Kota, he only has to turn
around. And Luke has free access to playing with her hair, etc. Poor Gabriel only has the one class and he
has to sit beside her because the others beat him to the other seats.
 In Book Two, Sang cleaned up Victor's face when he came to Kota's house after he helped Nathan get away
after rescuing that boy from being beaten to death. Sang said something about Kota's mom seeing bruises on
his [Victor's] face. Then Gabriel said, “She...” but Kota sent him a “look.” What was he about to say?
 Gabriel was going to say, “She doesn't notice because they cover it with makeup.” Victor went to Kota's
before going home so he could clean up his face and cover the marks with makeup (Kota keeps a secret
stash). Kota didn't want to worry Sang by suggesting this type of thing happens often enough that they
have strategies on handling it before going home.
 What are each of the boys’ special skills?
 Probably not what you’d consider skills, but these are who they are.
♥ Kota – Strong backbone, intelligent, kind
♥ Victor – Diligent, picks up skills quickly, observant
♥ Silas – Quiet strength, supportive
♥ Nathan – Everything to everyone. Where you go, he goes.
♥ Gabriel – Makes everyone else around him shine
♥ Luke – Singles out exactly what he wants and goes for it
♥ North – Says simply what he’s all about. Will take over any situation.
♥ Dr. Sean Green – Pushes at the limits
♥ Mr. Blackbourne – Perfection
 What kind of battle did Kota win in order to be the Team Leader?
 It was at this boot camp they were attending together but it's better to have Kota explain it because it's a
really long story.
 Mr. Blackbourne is Team Liaison and Kota is Team Lead, what does that make Dr. Green?
 A doctor. I’m teasing. Dr. Green used to be team lead but it was relinquished to Kota. Dr. Green's a little
busy with his doctoring to be as available as he needs to be for a family lead position.
 Mr. Blackbourne is the Academy Liaison. Kota is the Team Leader: Dr. Green used to be the Team Leader.
So it seems the order of things run Mr. Blackbourne, Dr. Green, then Kota. What does that make Dr. Green's
job or “title” in the group?
 Dr. Green was family lead when it was just Mr. Blackbourne and himself. After the tribe went through
training at boot camp, things shifted. The position isn't like being promoted at your job or something like
that. It's not a prestigious thing. It's actually more work. Kota has to be available at any and all times upon
request from his family. He has to be aware of everything going on. If someone is sick, he needs to know.
If someone is having to deal with bad parents, he needs to know. When you become the center of
information, you become responsible for the lives of everyone there. Mr. Blackbourne staid the Academy
contact and checks in with Kota to make sure those who have assignments are ready to go.
 There are no other titles among individual families. The boys look up to Dr. Green because he's older and
very smart. It's a natural thing. This doesn't make him in charge, but he assists Mr. Blackbourne because
their team is big, even by Academy standards, and it requires several sets of eyeballs to keep track with
how people are doing and what people are up to. He's just not in a position to keep up as well as he would
like because of his residency, so North occasionally steps up and helps out.
 But they are all responsible for each other and they all make decisions for themselves. They've fallen into
their own hierarchy but not really because of titles or need for leaders but just because when decisions
need to be made, they check with each other to make sure the decisions they are making are the right
choices. They rely on each other to make sure they are in line with Academy rules and then they make the
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decision together, but someone has to come up with a solid plan of action. If the plan doesn't sound right,
they will voice their opinions but sometimes someone has to make a decision. Anyone can do this though.
Even Gabriel can make a decision for the entire group, especially if it is his expertise they are seeking. It's
just that some of them are naturally better at figuring out a good plan.
 Let's take the “Three Amigos” for example (Luke, Gabriel, and Sang) in Book Five toward the end.
Gabriel voiced his opinion about taking Sang home, and he was following protocol with the Academy, but
Sang protested and Luke made a second plan because he had the same gut feeling about what was going
on. Gabriel went with their plan but if he really felt strongly about his original idea, he would have held
his ground and then they would have had to come up with a compromise and probably a third option
everyone would have liked. Family first. You have to listen to your team.
 Is the Academy badge a random design or does it has a meaning? The wings, the arrow, the key?
 In Book Two, Gabriel was simply trying to make a 'believable' badge. He took things he could recall
seeing in crests like this. He was throwing it together because it was fake and the Academy didn't have
one. He just wanted it to look believable.
 It's only when Sang pointed out the hidden heart that he and the others took it as sort of their own little
'badge'.
 But they're not really supposed to have something like this, an identifier. But since they had to have it
anyway because of circumstances, they like it now.
Ghost Bird Group Questions – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
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 How do you think fans feel about the boys?
 There are going to be guys some people won't like, and I knew that going in. Like not everyone enjoys a
North. They like Nathan who is a bit more average in personality. Or maybe sweet Victor. And, then with
so many guys, there's going to be a spectrum and ones you may not really respond to. It's only natural. Just
trying make it so that if you weren't a fan of Kota, he's at least likable. Wouldn't want people hating one of
the boys. I try to write them so you will at least tolerate them enough to be able to read the scenes without
cringing. All the boys do dumb things because they're boys.
 I just want to know their point of view at some of their most intimate moments. Do they all like her like her or
are some just friendly?
 As of Book Three, they all like her-like her. They're all also in denial about their own feelings. Some
aren't sure she feels the same way. They all want to know.
 What were their reactions/thoughts after finding her tied up in the shower?
 They wanted her out of the house. Like that was a no-brainer to them. That was it; Sang was done living
there. One way or another, they were going to move her out.
 What were all the guys doing while Sang was tied up in the bathroom, how were they all informed about it,
and what was their reaction as they looked for her and while she was unconscious?
 Silas was at home I think. Nathan was at home. Kota was off doing Academy things. The doc was at the
hospital. Everyone else was at home or doing Academy things.
 Once Silas reached Nathan, he called Kota. Kota’s family lead so Kota spread the word to everyone else.
 I would love to know what was going thru everyone's minds when Sang called Silas from the shower.
 Okay, so Silas gets the call. He thinks he hears things and then the line goes dead. At this point, he doesn't
care if she is in trouble or not. He can't get back in touch with her on the phone, but he's already out the
door, in his car, and driving over. He's got that instinct that something isn't right. She never calls them.
They always call her so her calling sets him off.
 He immediately hangs up after not being able to get her back on the phone and calls Nathan, who is the
closest right now. Silas tries to explain it. Nathan gets himself together, and carefully climbs up to the
roof. Nathan's checking things out while Silas is calling Kota to get in touch with everyone else. While
Nathan is searching the house, he hears the shower, and thinks it is Marie because Marie isn't in her room.
And, if Sang just called, she wouldn't be in the shower. Doesn't make sense to him. The mom is knocked
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out so he gets a little braver checking the rooms and doesn't see Sang anywhere. He's worried she's lost in
the woods somewhere.
 Meanwhile Kota gets a call while he's out on a job, and since it is about Sang, he's on the edge. But he still
holds back a little about driving in because they don't know she's in danger, only that they can't find her.
Kota, like Nathan thinks maybe she went for a walk or something and she's a little turned around. It's got
to be a missed connection somewhere. Like who could have imagined this? You know?
 At this point, no one else knows what's going on. It wasn't until Silas makes a second call and lets him
know she's hurt that the connection gets made to everyone else about what happens. At this point, they all
drop everything, including Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne, and go to Nathan's house while she's there.
Did Gabriel and Sean see Sang naked when they changed her out of her wet clothes in Book Three?
 They made sure to do their best to change her clothes respectfully. With as much “modest” covering up, as
possible. Dr. Green needed to examine her anyway. So he did that, with Gabriel assisting.
Do the guys realize she's terrified of showers now?
 Victor's the only one who thinks something's fishy with her, but it was a passing thought and he hasn't put
two and two together yet. He's not really sure it's the shower itself. He asked her something, she lied, and
he knew. He just can't figure out what she's lying about, which is driving him crazy. No one else has a
clue.
Which boys were abused? Abandoned? Both?
 Of the Ghost Bird team, they've all had harsh circumstances, in one way or another. They're the survivors,
really. The Academy caught them before they could do too many bad things, before it was too late.
Are we going to learn how all the boys were abused/abandoned?
 Yes. All of these issues will come up in later books. It will take time, but they will be revealed.
How long does it take Sang to find out all of the boys' back-stories?
 They've got a lot of back-stories to go through, and not all of their stories are completely finished. Sang
won't be the only one to deal with trials regarding her past. It's a hard question to answer because we may
be discovering bits and pieces along the entire way.
What exactly is homework duty?
 The boys do each other's homework when they're busy with Academy stuff. It doesn't matter to them
because they're beyond this kind of work. But they have to maintain that image at Ashley Waters and
retain their good grades. So if things get busy, someone ends up with homework duty and they have to
complete the homework for everyone.
How would they know how to do Kota's homework? Isn't that off the wall crazy stuff?
 Kota's would be the toughest, but Kota would most likely do that. They'd probably finish everything for
Kota like his history or English homework if needed. Kota rarely needs his done, because he's usually
doing it in class or does it fast enough on his own.
What were Gabe and Nathan discussing when Victor was paying for Sang's stuff at Victoria's secret?
 Gabriel and Nathan at first were inside Victoria's Secret, and they started poking around the clothes part.
Nathan started pulling the like the sleepwear and t-shirts off the shelf. Gabriel fussed at him saying those
weren't the right sizes and she needed clothes for school. Nathan said she needed stuff to work out in and
sleep in. He thought girls worked out in like the leggings and stuff.
 Gabriel then started trying to show him at least stuff for Sang to sleep in (like the red shorts!). They had
armfuls by the time Victor (who was eyeballing perfumes and make up kits for some reason, he was just
dazed out and itching for Sang to hurry up) fussed at them, told them to put the clothes by the register and
go wait out in the hall. They were probably making other shoppers nervous being two boys talking about
what Sang should wear. So, they went out into the hallway.
 While they were out there, they were talking about how they were going to shift Nathan's closet around
and fit all the clothes. That's when they realized that they needed to take out a lot of the old exercise
equipment Nathan had stuffed into his closet. And probably move a lot of clothes the other boys kept there
to Kota's house. Then, when Sang was done, they stopped that conversation.
Do all of these guys have sheets that match they're favorite color?
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 Sometimes! They mix and match. When Gabriel learns your favorite color and shops for you, he tries to
make sure to get things you like.
Where is the bracelet that Victor gave to Sang in Book Three, and do the other guys know about it?
 Gabriel and a few others have noticed it and figured it was Victor. Gabriel had a pang of jealousy for not
thinking of jewelry while they were shopping. Sang still has the bracelet but she doesn't like wearing it to
school. She'll save it for special occasions.
When Victor took Sang, Nathan and Gabriel shopping, were North, Silas, Luke and Kota really at the diner?
I'm just curious, as I don't understand how they could get everything in the attic space in Sang's room, plus
install cameras throughout the entire house in one night.
 Good question! They were installing the walk in freezer, and by installing, I mean North was monitoring
the installation as a professional crew put it together. But they were also getting ready for that night. Silas
and North spent time beforehand prepping the furniture. (Making the tiny wardrobe and the bookshelf.)
Kota made sure the bed was delivered, and the supplies were organized. (Inside the church/diner!
Convenient storage there.)
 They're pretty used to dealing with trying to get the cameras installed quickly. It's a system. Thanks to
Kota, master of organization… he's got the flow down. It really did take all night for the boys (Nathan,
Luke, Gabriel, and Kota) to get it all together. It's lucky Kota kept an ear out (monitoring his house via his
cell phone) and ran back it in time to stop the fighting.
What do the guys wear to bed?
 Luke would probably be a nudist if he could. He barely tolerates wearing anything. That's why his shirts
are usually half-undone. Luke will sleep naked if given the chance.
 Nathan will sleep naked but he'll wear boxers or boxer briefs during the day. He'd go commando every
once in a while under his clothes but it isn't often.
 Victor wears pajama pants at least because in his house he never knows when a maid or someone might
pop in or who is watching.
 North often just takes off his pants and falls into bed.
 Kota wears pajama pants and a t-shirt because that's what you're supposed to where.
 Gabriel may sleep in just boxers or boxers and a t-shirt.
 Silas will sleep in just boxers.
Why is North so sensitive about getting touched on the chest?
 Guys, like girls, have different spots that turn them on more than other spots. If someone they like brushes
it, they get super excited. Kota's is behind his ear. North's is his chest. They all have different spots.
Did Kota know why North had to leave the room when North got excited with Sang squirming on his
lap? Did any of the other boys know?
 Silas and Kota kind of got the hint so they figured he needed a time out. They kind of understood.
Do any of the boys have visible scars? Who?
 They do and she will start to notice those later. Right now, she's kind of awestruck all the time, But, when
she's more comfortable and really looks at them, she'll start picking up little things about them. And she
will comment. Kota, North, Gabriel, Nathan, and Mr. Blackbourne probably have the most.
Does Mr. Blackbourne watch over Sang as she sleeps? Who checks Sang with the cameras?
 I can't say whether or not Mr. Blackbourne watches over her as she sleeps or tell you anything about who
checks in on Sang with the cameras.
Do the rest of the boys go crazy when she chooses one?
 Why choose?
I know Mr. Blackbourne talks to Sean about everything, but does he ever tell only Kota things or tell him first
because of their capacities as team liaison and team lead? I'm asking because in the A report of Book 3 where
they are the faux rock band, the dialogue when Mr. B is saying that he warned the boys that they couldn't all
try to date Sang makes it seem like he warned Kota about the possibility first or more vehemently than the rest
of the team. Mr. B says something like “I warned you about this” while pointing at the boys in general and
then he points at Kota specifically and says “You, I warned you about this.”
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 Kota was the initiator in this. He told Sang first about the Academy and what it means. It was a step
supposed to be made by the team and he went on impulse because he was desperate to help Sang
understand who they were. He was scared Sang would disappear into that house and not understand and
he'd lose her. So he made a decision to show some trust to her so she would trust him.
 Kota made this confession later to Mr. Blackbourne, and since Mr. Blackbourne had already met Sang, he
told Kota this warning, first. “Be careful about bringing her closer to the group. Help her if that's what
you're doing, but you know how the Academy feels about a bird on an all dog team.” And Kota didn't
want Sang in the Academy anyway, so Kota was willing to agree to this. The warning was passed on to
the rest of the team.
 Mr. Blackbourne and Kota keep in touch more than he does with the other boys, only because every
family issue the boys have, they boys report to Kota about. Kota checks in with Mr. Blackbourne, letting
him know about the family issues, and Mr. Blackbourne tells him about any conflicting Academy details
he needs to be aware about, or tells Kota who needs to go on what assignments. It's a partnership, where
Kota and Mr. Blackbourne try to know where everyone is all the time, and what assignments are going on.
 But it isn't to keep secrets from anyone. Usually all the boys know what is going on eventually. If any
information is filtered, it's for a specific reason and trust works in the system this way.
 What exactly are the three rules everyone must agree to in the A report at the end of Book Three?
 From Book Three's A report, Mr. Blackbourne says: “So rule one, no one touches her further unless she
moves first. Rule two, no intimate date locations unless she suggests it first. Three, until the appointed
time where a decision is made, no one should date another girl and no more guys can join the group.”
Ghost Bird Group Questions – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 Why did Nathan and Silas have to switch places when the police stopped them?
 Nathan and the other boys have driving permits (in South Carolina you get these at 15). But I think you
can only drive from sunrise to sunset, and you have to be with another licensed driver. Silas has the full
license, so that's why Silas and Nathan had to switch. He can drive fine; it's just legally he wasn't supposed
to after dark. But they can all drive. They've been able to for a while. Academy training.
 Currently, in South Carolina, the licensed driver has to be over 21 and have had their license for at least a year.
 Rules might have changed in South Carolina since I was there. But when I was there, that was the rule at
the time. Between all the boys, they find it a ridiculous rule since they can all drive, and had to wait for so
long. Before now, Victor had his own driver and picked up Gabriel to bring him in if they were needed,
and Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green were carting them around a lot. And before that, they had other
Academy members carting them around. They got picked up every morning to go to the Academy. So the
moment any of them could get a permit, they plotted how to get a car to him.
 Do all of the boys know what happened with Sang and North in the car? Nathan and Silas didn't seem too
worried after they pulled North out.
 They all know. North told them. Nathan and Silas understand what happened, and why. They were ticked
in the moment that they had to deal with that, but if it had happened to either of them, they probably
would have ended up the same way. So it wasn't North's fault. Circumstances trump intention in this case.
North's intention was clear, but circumstances made him that way so it wasn't his fault.
 I began to notice in Book 3, and more in Book 4, that when Sang is around the boys' families, only that
boy will be seen touching her. Did the boys all work that out? Make the decision ahead of time to do so?
And how awkward is a situation like Luke/North where they share family?
 This started early on without them realizing but mostly with Kota's mother because she's more
observant/around more. It was kind of silently agreed amongst the guys that they'd keep their hands off
of her when around Erica. When Sang was getting her haircut, and Kota had her in his lap, Erica
naturally thought they might be dating or at least like each other. So the other boys kind of just let it
happen like that.
 When it came to the other parents, like Uncle, the guys knew she couldn't hang around much without
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someone “claiming” her as a girlfriend or else Uncle would have probably pushed her into one of his
boys anyway to date. So they picked Luke. For Victor's parents, he tries to pass her off as barely an
acquaintance because he doesn't want media attention on her. It just depends on who they have to talk
to and how they think that person will react to her hanging around as to how they address why she's
suddenly hanging around all the time.
Do the boys notice when she admires their bodies?
 They catch her looking sometimes but they wonder if he dropped something on his shirt or something
like that.
Who would you want to punch in real life?
 From the characters in the books? Nathan. He's probably the only one who wouldn't pop me back. Maybe.
Depends on his mood. For picking the bad people in the story, probably McCoy. In the gut. From real life
people, it's probably anyone who says a book isn't worthwhile unless it is literary.
Why would you hit Nathan instead of someone like Silas, who I'd think was unlikely to hit you back?
 Silas wouldn't hit back. Maybe. He might pop me on the butt or something. Nathan you can hit and he'd
just take it. And, he'd be standing there with a big grin and going, “That all you got?”
I wonder what the boys were thinking about when they saw her in her underwear while she was getting
cleaned up after almost dying in the sawdust.
 I want to say they got an eyeful and they did, but also, they'd seen her in a bikini and her underwear is
modest as far as underwear goes.
I want to know what the guys were thinking when Sang and North were fighting.
 Kota saw her pretty much falling apart and wanted to stop North…wanted to stop them from yelling at
each other. He has a sister and a mom and he knew you can't really yell at a girl like that and he wanted to
protect Sang.
 The others were scared North was going to scare her off. They wanted him to stop but she kept going, so
they weren't interfering. Stay out of her way type of thing. They didn't know what to do. Sang never had
gotten so vocal about herself before. North wasn't listening at all of course. Poor Gabriel tried to break the
tension with a joke.
 The guys know North couldn't control himself. Sometimes what you're thinking isn't even what you mean
all the time. Like, one day you're mad at your husband and think, “I should have married that other boy.”
You don't really mean it. You're just mad and caught up in it. You may never say it and then later you feel
silly for even thinking it.
 Most of the guys probably already knew not to make Sang mad, but now they've seen what she becomes
when she gets mad. She does have a breaking point. But, she came back to them! Despite it, she came
back, which really draws people closer.
What were the boys thinking when Sang flipped North over her head? What were their reactions to that act?
What were they all thinking?
 I don't know if I showed it, but I'm pretty sure that they all took a step back. Most thought he deserved it.
But, were very worried about her being so angry she'd leave. Like right when she flips him, they're all
like, “Whoa, she really is mad.” I think Nathan's kind of proud of her for doing it. They all know he's not
hurt. They've practiced this a dozen billion times with each other.
 But, just seeing little her doing it, if it were other circumstances, and even later when they talk about it,
they're highly amused. Everyone but North, of course, who doesn't want to talk about it. They're conflicted
because they want everyone to get along. And, any other girl might have walked off and never talked to
North again. North and Sang's relationship is filled with arguing. Know those couples that are really
explosive and yet they always stay together? That. Had to have one of those in the group.
What were the boys thinking during and after North and Sang’s fight?
 Holy crap, we’re done for. They thought Sang would walk off and never talk to them again. They would
blame North for pushing her too far. But Kota knew better.
What did Silas and Kota think about her crying and did the others know she was?
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 No one likes seeing her cry. For guys, a girl crying is like death. They want it stopped and never happen.
It’s torture.
What do the boys think when they see Sang crying at any point in the books?
 They absolutely hate her crying. You thought they hated to see her scared; make her cry and holy crow,
they flip out. It's a good thing North didn't see her crying after their fight because I think that would have
broken him.
Gabriel's weakness is when Sang pouts. Do the other boys have weaknesses that Sang can exploit to get her
own way (not that she’d abuse it)?
 There's a couple. Silas basically does whatever she says. Like in Book Four North is saying go after her,
and Sang tells him not to and Silas listens. And then when she's running to the sawdust pile, North says to
stop her and Sang says, “Please get out of the way” and Silas moves out of the way.
 Unless there's some direct reason he can see that she is endangering himself, he listens every time. He
exhibits more trust in her than a lot of the other guys, but it's a weakness. He wants to please her and will
do whatever she wants.
 None of them likes the finger to the lip thing because they know she's nervous when she does that.
 When Sang asks a question Mr. Blackbourne always answers directly. Sometimes if they don't want her to
know the answer, the others will pick around the subject, but Mr. Blackbourne is always very frank.
 Everyone hates it when she cries.
Will the boys unintentionally alienate Sang when she wants to be included, not sheltered?
 Yeah, part of that is they've never had a girl this close to the team before, and to the entire team. She's
capable, but they're still boys and they all want to protect her. Kota's probably the worst because he's got a
mom and sister and has protected his sister. Kota often treats Sang like a little sister in the beginning. Not
the holding hands part, the whole taking care of her thing.
I guess that it must be difficult for them to learn the difference between when she needs to be protected and
when she has to figure stuff out by herself and make mistakes (and maybe hurt herself) to learn ...
 They will figure it out. Some boys faster than others.
What did the guys think of North disassembling the vehicles?
 They were like, “oh crap, don't get in his way.” Luke was monitoring but he wasn't going to stop him.
They'd probably have gotten car parts thrown at them if they tried. It's why they needed Sang to go in
there.
Why don't the boys tell Sang about McCoy taking off and “being in the wind?”
 The boys are probably going to feel bad about not telling Sang that McCoy disappeared later. And Mr.
Blackbourne's first instinct was to tell her, but really, they can't. She can't sleep a lot as it is. And just
thinking about it now when she doesn't know where he is, but trusts them a little and is still looking
around the corner for Mr. McCoy. Think of it. If they told her they didn't know where he was, she'd curl
back into herself and hide behind the boys all the time.
If they want her trust so badly, why do they continue to do things that they know makes her trust waver?
 They're boys. And they try to protect her from the worst secrets, for the simple reason that they don't
really know how she'll react to certain things because she's still new. They don't know how she feels a lot
because she doesn't tell them. They're trying very hard, but they're also going with instinct, being very
protective.
 This leads to problems with trust on both ends. But this is part of getting to know someone. You never
really trust people right off the bat, it takes time to develop a relationship. They know this. They didn't
immediately trust each other, either. As Kota says, it simply takes time. Mistakes will be made, but that's
part of learning to trust, too.
Do any of the boys have any guilty pleasures that if the others find out about they would be teased
relentlessly?
 Yes. Some are spoilers. But, to mention one, Luke's a junk food junkie. North and Uncle give him a hard
time about it. I guess that's kind of a no-brainer... But, they'll slowly start to reveal these things.
Will we ever see the boys having dreams about Sang, like when they sleep over and whatnot?
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 We don't often see from the boys' point of view but this may come up. A lot of them don't remember their
dreams. But they do daydream a lot about her.
 Will Green and Blackbourne do things that people their age would normally do?
 They already do. I don't know what's considered normal for anyone as I don't play in that ballpark, but
they have their own goals and do things on their off time. Dr. Green is always working, owns a condo
and when he isn't working, he's usually taking care of his team. When he's at home by himself, he's got
a few hobbies, likes to swim, and watches movies. Mr. Blackbourne is pretty goal-oriented, but
occasionally takes time off for certain hobbies like piano or violin, etc. They're trying to get their entire
team to graduate from the Academy. Dr. Green convinces Mr. Blackbourne to go with him to a movie
every once in a while just to get out of the house and not “work,” but Mr. Blackbourne prefers going
off on his own to things like that.
 Luke and Gabriel----what is the deal with their relationship?
 They're best friends. They're best friends with all the guys but they get along awesomely. Like North and
Silas or Kota and Victor or Dr. Green and Mr. Blackbourne. They're family first, and then when they have
time off, Luke and Gabriel hang out a lot.
Ghost Bird Group Questions – Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
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 What does Sang know that she hasn't told the boys about?
 Anything said out loud in Mr. Hendricks” office, the guys know about. The only thing that she catches
that they don't is sometimes the inflection (girl intuition). She relates the parts that concern her the most.
When she tells Mr. Blackbourne about what happened, even though he was listening, she puts in her two
cents. Like, “he was defensive” or “he's hiding something.”
 In Book Five, Dr. Green heard the whole conversation, so they know. Just not the subtle offhand remark,
which will come up later. But they were dealing with other immediate things so that got set aside. And in
Book Five, he does ask who Wil is. Or he goes, “If it's that Wil kid” or something like that. And she goes,
“It's not him, he was working the day of the spa photos.” So, he totally suspected Wil and Karen since
they were sitting next to her bag.
 She told Mr. Blackbourne and Kota the whole thing about Luke's outing in the office, including Mr.
Morris.
 When Silas was checking Sang's messages, he said a couple of girls texted asking her which one of them she
was dating. I was wondering who are the most popular amongst the girls at school?
 Luke and Nathan. They're the most “approachable,” followed by Silas and Victor. North generally scares
everyone. Gabriel is sexy and gets some attention but he generally curbs himself in classes and among
others and just goes with the flow so he can go under the radar. Kota's the same way: keeps quiet, keeps to
himself. The glasses and the nerdy exterior keep the popular girls from looking at him, but a few of the
girls have noticed his polite nature and his physique.
 Luke and Nathan are just nice and sociable. So, while they're all supposed to keep to themselves, their
nice attitudes tend to make a lot of girls crush on them bad.
 But the girls don't stand a chance.
 All the girls like Dr. Green.
 What were Kota and North doing while Sang had the nightmare and rang them?
 They were watching someone they thought was involved in the bomb threat, but it was a dead end.
Basically watching some dude's house and he the guy slipped out to go meet up with his girlfriend. So,
nothing really exciting but they had to get going.
 What were the boys thinking in the car as they were racing towards Sang after she was kidnapped by Volto,
the first time?
 They knew she was in the car and they were trying to get to her, and listening in on her phone that was on,
making sure she was okay. Panicked that he was going to do something crazy. Worried because he
disabled the GPS in Mr. Blackbourne's car so if he tossed Sang's phone out the window or something,
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they'd lose him for sure since he was out of eyesight. North and Kota were both thinking up how they
were going to beat the crap out of this guy. Mr. Blackbourne was trying to keep calm and think ahead.
Nathan was all over the place, thinking Sang should have stayed with him, wanted to beat up Volto.
If Mr. Blackbourne's phone was intercepted by Volto and that's how he managed to kidnap Sang, then how
was Mr. Blackbourne suddenly able to get phone calls again when Sang dialed him from the car while she was
with Volto? Volto received the phone call and then lost that ability again for Mr. B's phone? How did he
manage to block Victors calls all day then if he tried to call out?
 Mr. Blackbourne's phone wasn't intercepted. Sang's new phone and her text messages were. Volto
redirected them and answered back. When Volto wasn't intercepting (because he was there next to her)
then the phone dialed out as normal and connected.
 Victor never tried calling out. He never used the new phones. If you mean after he dropped Sang off with
Dr. Green. After that point, Victor did a few things and went home, figured out the extent of the
infiltration, and went radio silent. No phone communication. Nothing that had a GPS tracker.
Do the guys notice each other's affection for Sang? Do they recognize it as romantic? Or friendly? And, are
they even the tiniest bit jealous?
 You can usually tell who is on the romantic side because they try staring her down for a kiss. Or will kiss
her hand or do that finger/mouth kiss thing. In a small way, everyone who is starting to see her in that
romantic way (a lot were denying it, some are still) will start saying really sweet stuff, to try to get her to
do more than just hold hands and hug. The guys haven't noticed these romantic things because they tend to
do them when they've got her alone. And they don't care if she's holding hands with the others or hugging
them.
What are the boys ages and birthdays?
 If there’s not a specific birth date, it’s because I don’t know yet and/or don’t want to say and then have to
change it.
 So far as of Book Five (Drop of Doubt):
♥ Gabriel - 15 – 17th November
♥ Sang - 16 – 6th October
♥ Nathan - 16 – 5th October
♥ North - 16 – 11th September
♥ Silas - 16 - June
♥ Luke - 16 - March
♥ Victor- 16 – 29th January
♥ Kota - 16 – 3rd January
♥ Dr. Green – 19
♥ Mr. Blackbourne –19
What were the boys thinking when Luke and Sang came back and she kissed him on the cheek?
 Luke was on cloud nine. Should have kept her out longer. Wanted to do that again. Thought it was all
worth it for that. The others were angry with him for taking her out while Volto was out there.
 Kota was pea green jealous and so scared out of his noggin for her. The others were jealous a bit, but I
mean to them it was a kiss on the cheek. Like you do for your mom or whatever.
 But some were so freaking happy she did it because it showed them she could, and would, when she
wanted to and they couldn't wait to get her alone again.
 Others were like, “She'll never do that to me.” And you know, flipping out because Volto and stuff.
What do the others think of Kota grounding Sang and Luke? Do they agree? Or, do they think it's extreme?
 North agrees. Gabriel kind of agrees, though he doesn't like the way Kota presented it. In truth, they all
feel the grounding was something that should have happened, at least in part. They were all afraid for her
and her safety, and she just ran off with Luke.
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 Normally being grounded just means you have to stay home, and you're on safe watch for a while. They
didn't disagree with this. And technically, if she were part of the team, she would be grounded for like
forever. Situational though.
 And strangely enough, Mr. Blackbourne has switched rolls and is acting like family lead in Book Five.
Mr. Blackbourne telling Kota to back off was because she clearly was so upset that she made the boys
upset that she was punishing herself. The boys haven't seen anyone do that, so they had no idea what they
were up against. Mr. Blackbourne didn't want a wedge happening right from the beginning, so he had to
fix this quick.
 If she hadn't been like this, he would have fully agreed to the grounding. Luke was told to go get that
camera, and taking Sang may not have been a big deal but she was on lock down and he knew that.
 Do the boys ever get really mad at her? And I don't mean afraid for her safety, I mean like really mad or
pissed at her?
 They’ll have spats now and again, like North and Sang in Book Four, or Gabriel and Sang in Book Five.
They get over it pretty quickly.
 Do the others know why Gabe stormed off on the stairs?
 No. Not really. I mean they know he's mad, but they're guys. Unless you spell it out for them, they have no
idea. They know he's mad. Kota or one of the others would have talked to him about it later when he had
time to cool off. You don't stop an angry guy trying to walk off and be alone. They did, kind of, like that
Sang was going after him. They were hoping she would calm him down about whatever he was mad about
and they would figure it out later. They would have probed her or him about what was going on later.
Marie, Derrick, and Danielle
CL Commenting on Marie, Derrick and Danielle
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Marie, Derrick and Danielle Comments – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 Marie is 17 years old at the beginning of the series. She will turn 18 next summer.
Marie, Derrick and Danielle Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 And what’s the story behind Nathan and the whole skinny dipping fail with Danielle. Did she just start taking
her clothes off? Or, did she just try to convince him to do it with her?
 Danielle was egging Nathan on a lot that day, but it wasn't so much the stripping. It was from before that
point, Nathan was trying to be nice (because he is nice) and to include her because she was trying to get
along, even if she wasn't perfect. But Danielle was taking things too far, even when he specifically said he
wasn't interested. So when this incident was going on, he was pretty on edge already and told her off for
trying to do that type of thing.
Marie, Derrick and Danielle Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 Danielle's just trouble. Between her and Derrick, it's like a good angel and the bad devil on Marie's shoulders.
Questions about Marie, Derrick, and Danielle
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Marie, Derrick and Danielle Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
 Why do the guys dislike Danielle so much? Did something happen in the past that made them not like her?
Has she dated any of the guys?
 She’s generally mean-natured. Always has been.
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Marie, Derrick and Danielle Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 Danielle is just jealous, right?
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 Jealous, yes. She's ticked off that Nathan's into this new girl. A few years ago, Danielle had a crush on
Nathan, and she would come over. Nathan's nice and he thought she was trying to be friends, so he hung
out with her. It wasn't really until she was trying to get close that he rejected her. He wasn't that into her.
To Danielle, he's like the ex that she still has a crush on and won't admit. She's hurt that he rejected her.
Danielle stole Sang's clothes to wear and try to attract him. Didn't work, obviously. That girl has no clue
what's going on.
So did Danielle enjoy the retaliating prank the boys did?
 It ticked her off; but the weird thing is, she's madder at Sang because she thinks Sang got them to do it.
Danielle's going to be a thorn for the group for a while. But it's mostly because Danielle's a huge drama
queen. She jealous that Nathan's all into Sang.
Did Sang notice that Marie was being ignored/didn't get punished?
 Sang didn't even notice. She just assumed. I mean when they were little, they both had to sit on their knees
together for punishments. But, you know, five minutes on your knees as a kid, that's one thing. That's
nothing. Sang's left for hours and hours, forgotten, but if her mother came back and Sang wasn't where
she'd left her she'd do something worse to Sang. But, Marie, even if she got into trouble, would go, “Sang
did it” and their mom would believe her. And then, slowly Marie was really almost forgotten about.
Why does Marie think Sang is punished but she is not?
 Marie thinks something is wrong with Sang, and assumed she was adopted or something. She sympathizes
with her sometimes when she gets really abused, but until Book Three, she hadn't figured out why she was
different.
Why is Marie so happy when Sang is being punished?
 She sees Sang as the reason why her parents are the way they are. And the truth of it is, she’s right. Sang
is a reason (not her fault, but she is the reason).
Does Marie care at all about Sang and is she jealous that Sang is friends with the guys?
 She doesn’t like Sang or the guys. She’s not going to murder Sang in her sleep, but she wouldn’t blink an
eye if Sang left and didn’t come back.
Did Marie overhear her mom saying Sang wasn't hers, and that's why she doesn't like her?
 Marie heard, and Marie knows, but in Marie's head, she's always thought something was wrong with Sang
because her mother would dole out these exotic punishments to her. She was inwardly jealous of the
attention Sang got (weird thing because Sang was getting attention, but it was in a bad way). Marie's not
totally evil; like she wouldn't physically hurt Sang or anything, but she's got this “watching out for me”
attitude.
Did Marie know about Sang not being her mum's all along?
 She kind of thought something was off with Sang, but she didn't know for sure. Like why her mother
punished Sang and not her. For a while, there was this jealous “she gets all the attention” spaz she went
through. Now she's just so over this entire family, and if it weren't for the fact that she's lazy, she'd
probably move out even at just 17.
Does Marie know about Sang's parentage?
 She only knows what Sang knows now. She doesn't know who Sang's real mother is.
Will we ever find out what Marie was thinking while Sang was trapped in the closet by her mother? Or why
she took all her clothes and gave them to Danielle? Was it jealousy, revenge, a want to be needed, hate?
 Marie doesn’t like Sang. She blames Sang for a lot of the family problems, and the continued problems
she’s experiencing. She didn’t consider Sang’s clothes to be Sang’s. Marie was right, they were supposed
to share, technically. Not that she was right to give them away.
 But basically, Marie wanted to get along with Danielle, and what did she care if she gave Sang’s clothes
away? Sang could wear jeans if she wanted to. That’s basically what Marie was thinking.
Marie, Derrick and Danielle Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
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 What did Derrick mean when he asked about facing the wrath of Blackbourne over Sang?
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 He knows very well that Mr. Blackbourne would get after him if he upset any one of his Academy
members. He knows better.
 Is Marie jealous that Sang gets all these boys?
 Not really. She doesn't like the boys at all. Mostly because they're hanging around Sang, she thinks they're
a bunch of dorks. She doesn't like them hanging around.
 If Marie is a senior and he is a sophomore, does Derrick have a crush on an older girl?
 He's a sophomore. She's a junior. Her mom held her out of kindergarten one year, so she's a little older.
Derrick does have a crush on her, the poor dear. But, she's “normal” or at least he sees her like that and
despite not being an Academy member, he still helps, and he wants to protect her.
 Will Marie ever reciprocate Derrick's feelings?
 Eventually. Like right now she's in denial. She feels her family is stupid and is angry with everyone. She'll
calm down when she can break away from this crazy family and get away from the guilt and shame of her
mother and father. She likes Derrick, but he's younger, so to her, that's unattractive. And, Danielle tries to
push her to date other guys at school.
 Still, if Derrick's around, Marie will linger instead of running off to her bedroom like she usually does.
Eventually, when she's not so angry, she gets over the “the guy has to be older” idea, stops listening to
Danielle, and starts to turn to Derrick more.
Marie, Derrick and Danielle Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Has Sang's sister been going to school or has she been skipping? If she is skipping school, has Hendricks
noticed?
 She has been attending, as Marie has realized if she stays out the police may show up, and everything
Sang said was true. Marie's a little lost right now. She doesn't see a future. She doesn't know where her
mother is. She's moving through a fog. Only she wants to curl up in bed, eat chocolate, and have everyone
leave her alone. But Sang did make a point, so she's going to school but she's not bothering with it much.
Basically, she doesn't see her future, so she's not even going to try. She doesn't understand the point of
going to school.
The Ghost Bird Families
CL Commenting on the Ghost Bird Families
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Ghost Bird Families’ Comments – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 Kota's mother asked Sang out for Kota, because, like seriously, he's her son. She wanted him to get the girl.
And, bless her heart, she loves the other guys but her son comes first. She didn't think he would take that step
without her nudging him.
Questions about the Ghost Bird Families
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Ghost Bird Families’ Questions – Book One – Introductions
 How does Sang's dad feel about Sang? I seem to remember that he knew enough about her to know that she
gets good grades. Does he pay more attention to her than she thinks?
 His goal with her was to make sure she slipped through school unnoticed. So he pushed her to be as
average as possible by maintaining good grades and going to school. People often ask why the mother
doesn't home school the kids, but Sang being homeschooled would have required additional attention from
the school board. Going to school and being a good girl made her blend in and be forgettable. Feeling like
she was invisible was one of those things her father and the mother wanted. It was ingrained into her. He
did monitor her, but never got close. His only concern was being discovered. He's playing a risky game
now being away. He keeps setting himself up.
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 I think I remember reading that Sang's dad is an electrical engineer and her parents were pushing her to study
science while Marie could study arts. Does her dad want her to study science because of his career, or because
of something he promised her real mother?
 Her father can't help but slip some bias in there because that's what he did, and he makes pretty good
money. He'd been hoping that if he can push her into a good college program, she'll slip into society, will
be well off, and his obligation will be finished.
 Is the idea that her parents are pushing her into more practical/science related studies Sang's misinterpretation
of what's going on around her? The mother lets Marie take music classes.
 Marie likes classes like that because it's like an easy class. And they don't fuss with Marie about her
grades.
 Sang, however, gets really good grades. Her father suggested more than once to her (which is a lot,
considering how little he actually talked to her at all) that she should do complicated math and sciences.
 But they don't reward her for jobs well done. If she gets a grade lower than an A, they don't check in to see
why. Her mother punished her. So in Sang's limited experience, she felt that push to be into science like
that.
Ghost Bird Families’ Questions – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
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 Did Sang's stepmom really forget what she did to Sang in the shower or did Sang's need to see the good in
people let her tell herself that her mom forgot?
 Sang's stepmother has a lot of trouble with her memory. A lot of this is in the prescriptions she takes. Her
stepmother did forget a lot of the time, but to be honest, it was probably a good thing she did. Otherwise,
Sang would have had a harder life. Sometimes her stepmother would forget the punishments and the thing
that caused the punishment in the first place.
 Is Jessica crushing on Nathan? Or is she really worried he'll beat her up if she doesn't get straight A's?
 Jessica likes Micah a little. Tom likes Jessica. Jessica grew up with Nathan, so thinks of him like a
brother.
 Does Jessica like/have a crush on any of the other boys?
 She has a crush thing on Micah, which is weird because Micah's like ... mean. But Tom likes her a lot. The
guys think of her like a little sister, and she's cool with them. They're just always busy when they are
together. And, while they are nice to her, they get so involved in what they're doing that she tends to
wander off and do her own thing. She's a bit of an introvert; likes to be by herself sometimes.
 Please tell us what Erica thinks about Sang and Kota.
 Erica loves Sang! And, she absolutely trusts the boys, or she wouldn't have let her spend the night. But,
she is Kota's mom and if she's going to root for anyone to “get the girl,” it's going to be her son. She also
sees Kota saying he'll be at Sang's and calling her and texting her and talking about her. And, she can tell,
even if Sang can't, that Kota absolutely adores her. So, she's pushing him to date her before the other boys
ask her out.
 Sang mentions that her grandfather watched baseball in Book One, but in Book Three, she says she doesn't
know her mother's parents. Was the grandfather she mentioned her paternal grandfather? Has he passed
away...?
 She's only ever seen her father's parents. That was in her earlier years, and she doesn't even know where
they are now. And, actually, those grandparents have passed, she just doesn't know. Her father kept a
distance from them after Sang was born. He was trying to avoid them since he led a really imperfect life
and his parents would have been very critical. Sang's stepmother wants nothing to do with her own parents
and never calls them. They are still alive.
 Sang said that she was named after her grandma and I am assuming it is her dad's mother as you wrote in
another cheat sheet that she doesn't know anything about her mother's parents since they don't keep in
touch. My question is, why did her dad choose that name if he wasn't close to his mother?
 Marie was named after the maternal grandmother, Mrs. Sorenson's mother. Sang was named after Mr.
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Sorenson's mother. Sang never knew her, barely remembers her from when she was very little, and
doesn't know if they're alive.
 Sang’s name was Mrs. Sorenson’s idea when Sang was brought to her by Mr. Sorenson. Part of this was
spite for bringing her a baby she didn’t want, because Mr. Sorenson didn’t like his parents.
 Her parents had kept the girls in seclusion, due to Mr. Sorenson and wanting to stay “under the radar”
about his activities.
What's the box of stuff under Sang's stepmother's bed? You know the stuff with old meds, the picture, and the
needle. Is it “Sang” important or just not that significant?
 Sang's mom is crazy, so she hung on to the strangest things. Some don't make sense except to her, and
some are actually from her own past that have made her the way she is. There's a reason why she stuck
Sang in her dad's closet and not her own. She's got her own weird collection of things in there.
Why is that the only photo in the house?
 The one photo of Sang's stepmother is the only one the stepmother took from her old life. Even when her
stepmother was healthy, she was not the lovey-dovey type and had low self-esteem on her own. Like you
know how there're people who refuse to have photos taken? They'll dodge the camera. She never bought a
camera to take pictures of herself or her family. She dodged cameras. Her illness perpetuated this a lot,
too. And for Sang and Marie, they weren't given money and in Sang's case, it wasn't really an immediate
thought. Like if you've never tasted cherries, never saw them in your life, you don't really think about it
until you see one and go... “Oh, wow, why haven't I tried that?”
Was Sang's stepmom abused?
 Yes, Sang's stepmom was abused as a girl. Her parents were very strict.
Does her stepmom feel like she was tricked by Mr. Sorenson?
 Yes! Absolutely. He flat out lied; said it was his sister's baby that he wanted to take in. She was willing to
go with the forged birth certificate. It wasn't until later that she suspected otherwise and figured out the
truth. By that time, she had medical problems. With the pain, the fear of dying, and the medications
warping her brain, her brain was a mess. It's why some things with her don't really make sense. You kind
of would have to be crazy to get it. No real rhyme or reason to some of the punishments.
Why does Sang's father ask her to stay and take care of things? After all, she's the younger sibling.
 He knows Sang is more responsible. Sang's room is always clean. Sang's grades are always better. He
relies on Sang to take care of her mother. Sang doesn't realize she's fallen into this role at times; she
assumes Marie does the same stuff.
Why does her dad want her to remain a ghost?
 Her dad doesn't know she's a ghost, but he wants to keep her under the radar and go unnoticed. They
lied on her birth certificate and her “Social Security number” is fake and doesn't belong to her. He'd
get in trouble for that. If he had told the truth about her birth, they would have investigated about
Sang's real mother and then he'd be in trouble. He's trying to get her to get a “real ID” like her driver's
license and hope that she'll pass as normal eventually that she can ease her way into society so no one
will ever notice.
Was Sang's mother an attendee of the Academy?
 No. They never knew about her until now.
Was Sang's bio mom really only 16 when she had her, or was that something that her step monster came up
with in her delusions?
 Yes, she was only sixteen. That is a major reason why the father wants to keep everything covered up.
Ghost Bird Families’ Questions – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 In the last book, Sang's house phone was disconnected. Has Sang's dad abandoned her?
 Not completely. He had the phone turned off, but he didn't think they would need it. He's a bit busy with
his new life, and from his point of view, he doesn't think anything is wrong on their side, so he hasn't
bothered to contact them.
A
 Does Erica believe Kota and Sang are together now that they went on a date? And if so is she going to have
“the talk” with Kota and if she does what will be his reaction?
 Yes, Erica thinks they are dating and she's super thrilled because Sang's sweet and she likes her. And Erica
had a talk with Kota a long time before now. If you mean the sex talk.
 She's more afraid he'll screw it up by being “the boss” and a little distant.
 Did Jessica get the same treatment as Kota did with their father?
 Kota is 16 and Jessica is 12 years old right now. The last Kota saw his father, he was eight or nine so
Jessica have been about five. She has some inkling what was happening around her but doesn't remember
too much. She wasn't really a target for the abuse as much as Kota was.
 I wondered what would have driven Nathan’s mother to leave her son behind if he was being hurt by his
father.
 Nathan wasn't the only one being beaten. His mother was, too, only much worse. The Academy stepped
in, and after a point, she left.
 She left because she was abused and she ran away from it. She’ll never return.
 What had Uncle heard about Sang before meeting her?
 Uncle heard about Sang through Luke and North talking about her all the time. “Who's this girl you keep
talking about?” kind of thing.
 Did Uncle really care about which boy she was with?
 Uncle didn't really care. But, he was happy to see a smart bird with Luke. And, she looks/appears to be a
real sweetheart. What he sees in North is the potential for him stealing her away. And he's afraid that will
cause a rift in this family he's formed.
 Why does Uncle have such a low opinion of North?
 Uncle loves both the boys now. But he sees the way North looks at Sang, and he's sure that if North
chased after Sang, it would break Luke's heart. And that would cause a rift in this family he's put together.
He likes Sang and doesn't really see this as her fault. Right now, he's hoping North is just being friendly,
but there's an inkling in the back of his mind about this.
 What happened to North's father?
 He's still over in Europe. Haven't gotten to him yet.
 What's in the shed?
 There are some of Sang's stepmother and father's things in there, but the group won't recognize them for
what they are. Won't be addressed until much later but kind of wanted to “show it off” a bit.
Ghost Bird Families’ Questions – Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Did Muriel get the job at his house specifically to get closer to Victor or did the attraction & obsession come
with time while working there? And, how was Volto able to get to her and convince her he could get Victor
for her?
 Muriel was enthralled with Victor after working at one of those concert halls and watching him on stage.
She became obsessed with Victor, and in true obsessed girl style, she was collecting articles and photos of
him in the newspaper.
 It was no accident that she ended up in the Morgan estate. She applied for a job as a maid and went to Mr.
Morgan specifically to ask. Mr. Morgan, being who he is.... And here's a younger girl practically
volunteering to play the maid; he submitted to her request. Muriel did her best, and managed to weasel
into being Victor's maid, instead of a general house one.
 Victor was polite to her but he totally wasn't into her. But, while Muriel seemed to think she was the “only
one” in Victor's life (because he didn't really date), she was happy. When he started talking about “Sang,”
she became a little more nosey. When Sang actually showed up at the door, she was livid. But, by then,
Volto had already caught on to her, who she was, and why she was there. Volto talked to her one day
while she was out getting stuff and made promises he never intended to keep.
 When Victor's dad walks in on them, and Victor picks the phone up and says, “give me a reason,” who was he
A
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going to call? And why would his dad care who Victor called? I mean he is the dad, who has the authority?
 Anyone in the Academy, usually Kota. But he'll call whoever he needs to. Victor's father is a problem.
And his dad has faced off with the Academy and Kota before. That's why he backs off.
Why was Victor covered in the bed like Muriel was hiding him?
 In a strange way, she was making sure Victor wasn't found just in case someone did walk in. She's kind of
crazy. When she's doing this thing with Victor, she's in full fledge panic mode. She's not thinking clearly.
She can't calm down. She realizes what she's done, but she thinks if she can get Victor and her to a safe
place, everything will calm down, and she can talk to Victor, and he'll understand, and they'll run away
forever and ever. But that's how some crazy people think. They see only this one outcome and then they
are so sure this is the way this will happen. When it doesn't, they become destructive. They would rather
destroy it all than not see it happen the way they thought they wanted.
Why has no one asked Muriel who Volto is?
 They have. She doesn't know. He's the guy with the mask.
What do Victor's parents think happened to Muriel? What did the boys tell them?
 The Academy made sure “Muriel” sent in a resignation letter saying she had a sudden emergency due to
family and apologizes, etc. Victor will be paying more attention to who is hired for the house, and the
Academy will make sure to screen anyone applying for any position for the Morgan estate
psychologically.
Does everyone the Academy tries to take out of the picture actually stay out? I ask this because I am curious to
know if Muriel would ever reappear.
 I don't have plans to bring Muriel back at this point, but that's not to say she won't ever. However, it will
probably never be like this. Once the Academy has you, you're in their network and they keep tabs.
They're always watching.
In Book 5 it was mentioned how the Academy sort of gets rid of people they find harmful or that's what I
gathered like Muriel. Did a similar thing happen to Kota's father? And if so what did he do to deserve it?
 Like Nathan's father, Kota's father often abused Kota a lot. When the Academy took them in, they dealt
with all of the boys' family issues, including Kota's father. The result: Kota's father is no longer in the
picture. Unlike Nathan's father, Kota's dad wasn't as compliant about going to work and avoiding his
family until he was old enough to get out of his house. So the Academy pulled a few strings and the father
willingly moved out on his own when they showed him an offer too good to pass up. Erica is now
divorced and the kids no longer have to worry about him.
Who put the pictures under Sang's backpack? Did Muriel come to the school or did she have someone else
working with her? Is this going to be touched on in upcoming books?
 Muriel did all the pictures. Volto didn't know about them. North was distracted by Sang going to see
Principal Hendricks at the time and Muriel kind of blended in so she could slip in, make her deposit, and
slip back out again.
Does Jessica go to Kota when she wants advice on boys like he goes to her when he wants advice on how to
treat Sang?
 Jessica will go to Kota for many questions, and will even sometimes ask Nathan or one of the other boys.
Kota and Jessica both avoid talking to Erica about boys/girls. It's not that they don't love her and would
talk to her, but she tends to get to curious and overly excited when either of them mentions dating or
something like that.
Ashley Waters Cast
CL Commenting on the Ashley Waters Cast
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Ashley Waters Cast Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 The Ice Queen rumors were probably started by Jade.
 Jade wants North.
A
 Rocky wants Sang.
Ashley Waters Cast Comments – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 Jay and Jade are sibling siblings. Fraternal Twins
Questions about the Ashley Waters Cast
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Ashley Waters Cast Questions – Ghost Bird – Book One – Introductions
 In the first book, why does Greg bump into her? Was it just to start trouble and get a reaction?
 Greg's first incident was an accident because he was not watching where he was going. When Silas barked
at him, he barked back. When he saw Sang and was following them around afterwards, he was trying to
intimidate Silas. He noticed they weren't holding hands or anything, and Greg realized this must be a new
relationship. He thought he could steal Sang and be the top dog. A weird dominance thing.
 What is Ashley Water's mascot?
 They are the black and orange Spartans.
 What is Mr. Hendricks teaching background? Before he was the principal, what did he teach English,
chemistry…?
 Military. Tactical.
Ashley Waters Cast Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Two – First Days
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Why does McCoy back off on giving Sang a detention when she is with Silas?
 For McCoy, I think it was like testing his own boundaries when it came to the Academy kids. He was on
the fence, along with Mr. Hendricks, as to whether she belonged to Mr. Blackbourne or not. So, he waited
until he had a true violation before giving her detention, and witnesses in case Mr. Blackbourne thought he
could waltz in and call it off. McCoy knew Sang would probably be the only one in detention that day and
McCoy was planning on overseeing that detention.
 So, when all the boys got detention, or started to, Mr. Blackbourne went to Mr. Hendricks. Who, lucky for
us, was more curious about Mr. Blackbourne including Sang. Hendricks knows things about McCoy, too.
McCoy is scary.
 Who is the boy that sits next to Sang on the bench and what will be his future role?
 He, like Karen, Rocky and others, is simply another student at Ashley Waters who will start to have a
more substantial role as the series continues. They are all pieces to this puzzle, in one way, or another.
There are also some players in this game that have not been revealed yet. They are working behind the
scenes.
 Why is Karen the only girl to get close to Sang?
 The reason she gets on with Karen so well is that Karen doesn't force a relationship between them. Karen
is a casual friend. Plus, Karen doesn't act like a girl, and with her short hair and lean figure, Sang doesn't
get that “girl” vibe from her. So, while Sang doesn't get super close to Karen, she doesn't shy away from
her much either, not like she does with other girls.
 Does Mike continue to ask Sang to marry him in the days after the Friday Fall incident or does Rocky put a
stop to Mike's endearing question?
 He stops on this because of Rocky. Mike may tease her about it later, but he won't bluntly ask again. He
was just being friendly and teasing her. That's what he does; he just goes overboard.
 Is the football player competition for Sang? The one who helped them after Sang jumped from the balcony.
 Rocky wants in Sang's pants, pretty much. For Sang, she's not really interested in him.
 Does Rocky appear in the next books?
 Yes, he is in Book Four and several books going forward. Maybe not in every book, but he will be around.
A
Ashley Waters Cast Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 What happened to Greg? Between Books 2 and 5?
 Greg was in the hospital for a while. After, Greg was suspended (for fighting) thanks to some pull from
Mr. Blackbourne with the school board. However, Greg's one of those problem kids shipped in from
another district, so his suspension was carried out at home. Which, you might know about this, is stupid
because at home suspension is like rewarding him with no school when he didn't want to be there in the
first place. Once the police picked him up for shoplifting, there was another trial (didn't discuss Sang or
why he was put out of school in the first place; the records only show he was in a school fight). He came
up to a local judge who believed that students needed to be in school or he wouldn't have been loitering
and demanded the school cut his suspension and put him back in school.
 Do we get some insight into what the rest of the school (especially the other girls) think about Sang? Is that
what Karen's there for?
 Karen's insight into the school and her questions about guys in general help Sang. You will see more of
Karen in the future. It just got really crammed for the first three books. There will be more interaction with
the school going forward.
Ashley Waters Cast Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Is nerd boy the chemist behind the drug and becomes infatuated with Sang doing stalker/ why don't you love
me crap?
 I can't comment on nerd boy. There are other particular characters I can't comment on as there's a lot
going on going forward. There are characters in play behind the scenes now, too.
 Does McCoy just have a thing for “good girls”?
 McCoy is scary. He's done this to other girls. He is really bad. Like Hendricks is bad, but McCoy is worse.
And McCoy has “thing” for girls who flirt with a lot of guys. Immoral type of psycho thing.
 Was McCoy intending to kill her, rape her or what?
 McCoy's really bad. He was looking at long-term imprisonment at his home, rape and eventually killing
her. For a psychopath like him, this is not the initial thought that goes through his mind. It starts out with,
“I could take her right now and then at home I will....” It is one step at a time. There's a reason why he
hesitated to call the police. There are reasons, obviously, that he thought he could get away with taking
her. He is bad; don't trust him. He is still an issue. He's still “in the wild.”
 The guys are probably doing her a huge favor right now because they are keeping an eye out for him and
also not telling her. Despite what she says about looking for him, she'd worry even more if she knew. But
also, she knows his face. So if she ever really did see him out there, she knows enough to run away
instantly, you know. So it isn't like she doesn't know about the threat.
 By any chance, was Mr. McCoy an Academy failure or rejected completely from the program?
 No. Mr. McCoy would never have made it past registration.
Ashley Waters Cast Questions – Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Is McCoy at the school watching Sang at the beginning of Book 5?
 No, Sang just has that creepy feeling where she thinks she is being watched, but she does not know who is
doing it.
 I am incredibly curious about something: what do some of the notes say that North intercepts for Sang? I
would love an example of some of them considering she never reads them. I saw the excerpt in the cheat with
the ones about bra size and her phone number but you make it sound like some are a lot worse.
 They're asking her what kind of sex positions she likes, or some are not even talking to her but just
pictures of male genitals. Boys in high school are crude. A lot of them consider it a game and aren't
A
being serious. They're just bored in class and want to bug her.
 Okay, so Mr. Morris is going to be a problem, right? I mean he just gave out her phone number/allowed her
phone number to be given out.
 Mr. Morris will help deepen Book 5”s plot. He's going to get more screen time now.
 Is he [Morris] a McCoy crony (he did refer to the guys as her boyfriends, which strikes me as a McCoy thing
to say)? And, since McCoy's out of the picture, is Mr. Morris now keeping tabs on her to “report?”
 McCoy is gone (for now). Hang on to that thought.
 You're right; Mr. Morris did that because he was tired of the notes being passed around in class, and he'd
let it go for a while, because of the kind of teacher he is (Not a good teacher, at that.) But Mr. Morris will
have bigger parts to play later.
 Will there be a flood of new people trying to call or text her now? I can see it (her number) spreading pretty
fast beyond that class regardless of the boys getting pissed.
 Everyone in the class heard her number. You can bet a few of them will be texting to bug her.
 Is Victor just going to have her number changed now that the entire history class knows it?
 The plan will be to change her number, and he will get to it eventually.
 Does Sang ever befriend the boy with the glasses?
 She's pretty easy to get along with once you can get her to talk to you. Right now, they're friendly
with each other but they just don't know a lot about one another. As things progress, she'll get a bit
more friendly with other people.
 Does Wil have a crush on Sang? Or does he happen just to be super shy around her?
 Wil is a shy nerdling and Sang is a pretty girl that is sweet and gave him some attention. Yes, he's got a
crush.
 Do the guys know Wil?
 Offhand, they have seen him around.
 What is Hendricks's connection to Karen? Why has she been in the office twice now?
 Karen's meeting with Hendricks just like Sang, but is checking out different things. She's got her eyes and
ears on the student population. So the question turns into, “Why did Hendricks recruit her? What does he
have over her?”
 So that's a spoiler I can't spill yet.
 Did Hendricks really have his own cameras monitoring his office?
 There are cameras, but like most cameras these days, he only checks them if he thinks something fishy is
going on in his office. (Who has time to review tapes all day?) So far, he has not caught Sang doing
anything. Karen saw someone fixing it one day (the lens on the camera had some condensation) and so
she's paranoid.
 What is his purpose with Sang? It seems he never is satisfied with the info she feeds him.
 Hendricks is smarter than he looks. Prior military experience. He is waiting for Sang to slip up and tell
him something. He also wants to keep Mr. Blackbourne paranoid.
 So, Hendricks didn't catch Sang making copies of the papers in his office to give to Owen.
 No. That time nothing was missing. She took photos and did all that other stuff. Like if she had taken the
paper that she was tempted to do, he would have noticed and checked. Though she'll need to be careful
later. Now that she knows about his cameras, she will want to be even more careful and not do that kind of
thing.
 What happened to Greg after he got beaten up by Gabe?
 As of the end of Book Five, he's back in the hospital, but Mr. Blackbourne will appeal to the school
boards about this again and there will be some pull from the Academy to move him and his family out of
range of Sang. Probably to a small town where Greg can't be of much trouble.
Volto
Questions about Volto
A
Comments GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Volto Questions– Ghost Bird – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 Has Volto appeared or been mentioned in any of the books as him/her real self?
 You can't plant a bunch of red herrings and not have a few truths planted delicately and inconspicuously
throughout. What an unfair mystery that would be.
 Could Volto be someone at her school because she knows them? She doesn't know anyone out of the school
that cares/likes or knows her well enough to know all that stuff about her, like limping because of the ankle.
But they would have had to skip school too.
 See files.
 I was going to ask if Sang knew who Volto was, behind the mask, before this happened. Volto knows too
much about Sang's life to be a random stranger.
 There's a lot to Volto. Funny how he's involved with this team, as Mr. Blackbourne said, if he really
wanted to infiltrate the Academy, there would have been easier targets to pick.
 Could we deduce who Volto is based on the info already given to us in the five books?
 *Transmission error* *Volto interception*
 You keep saying “he;” is Volto definitely a male?
 I say he, because Sang says he. Because of the way he is “shaped” and the way he handles himself, she
thinks he's a boy.
 Is Volto Derrick?
 Volto is **($&)(@*$()*&message*error*Volto*Interception*)(*%(_@&&)(*
 I was just wondering if the man in the mask is actually involved or connected to the bomb threat boxes
and the phone threats because in Drop of Doubt, the man in the mask seemed to have no idea what she
was talking about when Sang mentioned the pictures.
 Volto didn’t know about the pictures because Muriel was doing those. The only thing Volto, at this time,
claims to actually be doing is intercepting her phone calls and stealing Mr. Blackbourne’s car, kidnapping
Sang (briefly), and whatever you saw him doing in Book Five. Mr. Blackbourne and the gang are trying to
figure out everything else.
 I understand that Sang's phone was cloned from the old broken one in the drawer that's how all the boys got
the photo text etc. However after the spa, Victor bought her a new phone, with new simcard and number, this
never got returned to the house. How did Volto/Muriel continue to contact her? A scanner would have had to
be close. Nobody, except Dr. Green and Marc, was near her in the hospital. No one was in the basement when
she sent the text that she needed/wanted to be collected from the hospital. Yet Blackbourne's car picks her up?
 Volto says I can't say. Too spoily.
 Volto knows about the random rule then?
 Volto hears a lot, reveals little.
 How did Volto get not only Blackbourne's car, but his keys, too?
 Volto had access to Victor's house. The boys have all of each other's keys. All he had to do was wait for
Mr. Blackbourne to leave it in a parking lot somewhere.
 Is Volto a good guy, a bad guy, or just smoke and mirrors?
 What do you think?
 I have no clue whether Volto is good or bad; however, I'm leaning towards good but misguided or
misinformed. I have to say his speech made me think for a moment before I slapped myself.
 Believing in the boys and believing in the Academy can be two different things. The way Volto
presents things might make people question what Sang is really getting into. The boys are still
young, so is it a cult trying to take them over? Are they really as nice as you think? Volto's there
to stir that up.
 What is Volto's obsession with Sang about and why is he trying to help her?
 Volto told the truth when he said he saw Sang limping around (after her anklebone got bruised) and the
bruises and so on. He knows of the Academy and her involvement. He also knows about the cameras in
their houses.
A
 All of this lead to his investigation and his conclusion that the Academy is not a good place, and Sang was
the last person he wanted wrapped up in it. His obsession isn't so much anything other than he doesn't
think Sang would trust what he is saying.
 He also doesn't want to expose his true identity to the Academy. So he took extra precautions. Thus why
we have Volto. He is trying to help her because he is too nice for his own good.
 Is Volto after the boys or trying to get Sang away from the boys?
 Volto is trying to show Sang why the boys are bad, and also getting rid of the “enemies” he feels the guys
have created for her. He also has this weird motive to prove he can outwit the boys. He wants to rattle
their cage and get them into trouble with the police. Big thing is he is trying to help Sang.
 When Sang is in Dr. Green's office and calls for someone to pick her up, and Mr. Blackbourne says he will
come get her, is that actually Mr. Blackbourne texting and Volto just overheard/intercepted the conversation
and gets there first, or is that Volto texting her to set up the pickup? I'm just wondering, because if it were
Blackbourne, then it would be a crazy coincidence that Volto happened to have his car already. But if it were
Volto, then that would mean he knows the Academy random protocol code, which is interesting...
 That's Volto's interception for the cell phones. And yes, that's interesting.
 Who put the pictures under Sang's backpack? Did Muriel come to the school or did she have someone else
working with her? Is this going to be touched on in upcoming books?
 Muriel did all the pictures. Volto didn't know about them. North was distracted by Sang going to see
Principal Hendricks at the time and Muriel kind of blended in so she could slip in, make her deposit, and
slip back out again.
Ghost Bird Plot Points
CL Commenting on Plot Points
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
Ghost Bird Plot Point Comments – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
 After Nathan and Silas saved Sang from the shower, Gabriel and Dr. Green undressed and redressed Sang.
 The barn will come into play eventually. Just, not right this second. When I mentioned it, I thought they might
actually go see it in Book Three but the nettles were funnier at that moment.
 Victor did kiss her on the forehead. Lightly, and out of view of everyone else. He is very aware he has an
advantage over the other guys simply because of this, because they're allowed to go as far as she's let them go.
So he thinks he's allowed to kiss Sang, at least on the forehead and Luke has the same advantage.
 Luke didn't want to leave his hand up in the closet.
 Yes, North got a hard on when Sang was wriggling around in his lap. He went upstairs to “deal with it.”
 In the original outline, Luke was supposed to be the one who snuck in and sat in the closet with Sang. When I
got to that point, though, Gabriel popped up instead. Part of it was because she was naked.
 Gabriel had been up in the bedroom with Kota, Luke, and Mr. Blackbourne. When Sang went into view,
and Mr. Blackbourne gave the order for someone to go get her, the natural reaction was for Luke. He's the
quiet one but Gabriel beat him to the window.
 When Kota's fussing with Gabriel about getting Sang out of the closet, it was Mr. Blackbourne who heard
out Sang's request and relented, telling Kota to do what she says. Sang managed to convince Mr.
Blackbourne, not Kota, that they should stay and see if her dad would show up. It's why Kota was so short
with them near the end. He wasn't happy. He wanted her out of there now.
 Mr. Blackbourne didn't want to expose Sang any more. If they had swooped in there to save her, Mrs.
Sorenson could have called the police and they could have interfered with that phone call, but there were
so many possibilities. Marie had Sang's phone, for example, or Marie could have been asked to go up the
road and call from a neighbor's house, or a number of other things. He wouldn't have hesitated if Sang was
hurt, but since Gabriel was with her, he relented to her request.
 Gabriel was thinking of getting the Academy to allow Sang and him to get married. It was a crazy idea to get
Sang out of her situation legally. If they're married, their parents can't come after them, and the police
wouldn't send her off to live with relatives. He wouldn't have forced her, but he was all for it and had a secret
A
little daydream about what married life with Sang would be like. (And in a weird way, he'd get an advantage
over the others!) But it'll be a million years before he ever admits to himself that he's smitten.
Ghost Bird Plot Point Comments – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 Book Four starts a week after she is saved from the closet. Book Four is about a week long and, then small
jump and, Book Five begins two or three days before her birthday.
 Derrick has minor roles in the future. He'll flit in and out of the series. His family isn't broken, at least not as
badly as the boys. It's partially why it didn't really work out.
 Rocky and Jay will filter in and out of the books, as will Karen, Danielle, Derrick, maybe a few others. So will
Dr. Roberts! As will other Academy members. Keep your eyes peeled.
 The sawdust pile! Who saw that coming? And, it being Victor's hands was completely random and I cried
right then as I wrote it because it was totally Victor popping out and saying, “Nope, I'm doing it.”
 The “A” report was hinting that there may be other dog teams that want to bring a girl into their groups. It was
Kayli's intro. They weren't the first team to go to see them. They won't be the last.
 With the following books, Sang starts to follow the boys home a lot more. It'll take time, but it's coming
Ghost Bird Plot Point Comments – Book Five – Drop of Doubt...and Beyond
 Victor, Gabriel, Silas, and Dr. Green are the guys for Book 5.
 There's more Dr. Green in Book Five but there's a lot of crazy plot in there
 We'll know most of the boys' birthdays in Book 5 some of the others would “almost be spoilers”
 They will all take her out, with time, just not all in the same day. Maybe not all in this book, either, just spread
out. I mean I could fill a book with just dates. So spreading those out a bit.
 Things are going to get dicey in a lot of areas. But the boys will be there so it'll be okay.
Questions about Plot Points
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Ghost Bird Plot Point Questions – Book One – Introductions
 What happened when the boys had fish (before they met Sang)?
 They went for sushi before Book One. I had it in my head when I was writing it, but there was like this
fancy sushi place where the girls wore skimpy uniforms and the food was awful. They really didn't like it.
They were uncomfortable the whole time and then after I don't think Kota felt good. That and it still cost
like $1,000 just for the little bit they had. Kota's not a total cheapskate, but $1000 for lunch, to him, is
wasteful. Sang wouldn't like sushi anyway. The vinegar….
 What happened when Sang and her family first moved in?
 Kota and Nathan would have wanted to take note of who was moving into the neighborhood. Nathan
knew the family moved in but hadn't paid attention because Kota said he'd take care of it. When Kota saw
Sang, he casually tried to kind of bump into her as she walked through the woods, but she'd dart off before
he ever got close.
 This may sound weird but I thought the punishments were great. The fit the “moms” purpose well. They were
meant to break Sang's spirit and control her. They remind me of some forms of torture that were used in POW
camps or interrogations or something. Like with the kneeling in rice, even with bruises on her knees, it
wouldn't look suspicious because most inflicted bruises occur on soft areas of the body whereas accidental
ones occur on bony areas.
 Exactly. Bruised knees could be explained easily. Her throat was something no one would have thought
about twice. Nathan himself didn't even notice anything out of the ordinary, which proved it worked. It
was just Kota who noticed something was terribly wrong.
Ghost Bird Plot Point Questions – Book Two – First Days
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 Did Mr. Blackbourne sneak an eighth student in?
A
 There are only nine members currently on Mr. Blackbourne's team, including himself. His crew of nine
was the only one to enter Ashley Waters. There are other people within the Academy monitoring their
progress, but Kota and the boys are the only ones registered. They agreed to do this themselves to get the
maximum number of favors. So Sang was the only one they registered with their team.
Ghost Bird Plot Point Questions – Book Three – Friends vs. Family
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 Have they gotten the results of the DNA tests that Blackbourne talked about in the A report at the end of Book
2 back yet?
 It only confirms later what they know already now, that Sang's mother isn't her blood mother, but her
father is her father. They were trying to make sure Sang wasn't kidnapped from another family, which
would force them to return her to her real parents and thus would kill her ghost bird status. While the
circumstances are dreadful, Sang really is one of the cleanest ghost birds they've ever had.
 Did the really bad punishments like the rice and drinking concoctions just start up in the first book? I know
they've had to kneel and sit on the stool before, but did they get life threatening and/or really painful just in the
timeline of the first book?
 The sitting in the stools and on her knees thing was normal. The rice was added but wouldn't have
surprised Sang.
 The being tied up part was completely new, as well as the shower. The lemon and vinegar was new. She's
had others but mostly it was just kneeling on a hard surface. Sang was compliant enough just to do it and
“get it over with.” Since she spent so much time alone anyway, when her mother enforced a strange
punishment like this, she didn't mind sitting there for a couple of hours, even if it hurt.
 When she's going through those punishments in like Book Two and three and so forth it started to interfere
with the time she wanted to spend with the boys, so she was way more anxious. Her mother was also
getting worse and her paranoia was compounded by the fact that now Sang, kind of, was doing things her
mother thought she was. A boy called the house for her. Sang's going to a new school, and with the new
neighborhood, her mother was completely on edge because “who knows who was paying attention.” She
hadn't yet settled into the calm thinking that no one notices them, no one cares, and no one pays attention.
And then Sang was “acting out” a bit more, too. So it's all on top of each other.
 Kota notices everyone's had her sitting in their lap, don't the boys talk about their feelings towards her?
 Sang's situation has made it hard on the guys to figure out how to touch her at all. They want to comfort
her, because she always looks lost and helpless. The boys talk about Sang sometimes, but they won't admit
how strong their feelings are for her for a while. Not even to themselves. It's going to take time. They're
not all in love with her at this point. This is a slow build. You'll know when they realize they are because
they'll say so.
 In the first book, they didn't really know her yet, and they didn't know what she was in to. Silas was
asking her out. Nathan and Victor were crushing on her. Everyone was interested, but because they didn't
know her, they were working on figuring her out. They had a secret to keep, after all! And girls usually
don't like dating them. Sang's an exception because when one disappears for Academy things, the others
fill in the ranks. It's how she's not getting interested in someone like Derrick, the next-door neighbor, who
is more “normal” compared to the other boys.
 For example, if it were just Kota, Kota disappears a lot for Academy reasons. If Sang didn't know about
the Academy at all (like most girls), she may wonder if he was dating someone else, or was doing
something secret. There would be too many questions and a lot of doubts. Girls don't usually like that.
And with the limited amount of time they spent together, she may have naturally gotten closer to someone
else who was there all the time. So this is really situational.
 She stays because she's constantly surrounded by the guys. The guys are impressed that she sticks around.
But as far as sitting in each other's laps, if they're there in front of her, they do get jealous but each time it
happens in front of the others, it's a dare, or North trying to keep her out of trouble with the boys, or she's
stressed out (most of the time), so they're comforting her. They would much rather have her in their laps.
A
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They won't admit it to the other guys, though. And they talk about her, but they won't talk about that side
of her.
 It's like they're afraid to say it out loud. They all think it is way too soon to talk to her about this,
especially when they learn what she's going through. Some are denying their feelings. Others simply don't
know how far they're into her. When they talk about her now, it's usually one of them doesn't know where
she is, so they network to see who has her, or they're updating each other on who needs to go on what
assignment to leave someone behind with Sang. They're very busy!
In Book 3, when the boys were getting ready for Sang to be back in her house, what were Kota and Mr.
Blackbourne arguing about downstairs with Victor and Dr Green that Kota didn't want Sang to find out
about?
 Mr. Blackbourne wanted to tell Sang more about what was going on and Kota didn't want to tell her
half answers. She'd been through enough and they didn't know the truth so Kota didn't want to fill her
head up with more questions.
Did Sang get a copy of the schedule Blackbourne made and sent to everyone?
 No, she didn't get a copy. Part of the schedule included Academy things and she can't know about those.
Although if he thought about it, and if she asked, he'd be happy to make her a customized version of the
schedules. It just hasn't come up yet.
In the 3rd book, Erica tells Sang that when Kota got back from the camp, he was faster and stronger –is this a
supernatural type thingy or just intense training?
 Boot camp training in general makes you faster and stronger. He was gone for a long time, longer than any
boot camp training. I think, general Army boot camp is something like two or three weeks. They were
gone for like eight or ten weeks. Something like that.
What's the story behind the “don't set the house on fire” comment Kota's mom made, and boys chorused
during the sleepover in Book Three?
 Long story short, Gabriel did it. He's the chemist. And he did experiments at Kota's house for a while in
the garage. One kind of exploded and set the ceiling on fire.
 Also, a Luke prank one day that involved a can of hairspray and a lighter while Victor was coming out of
the bathroom. Victor ended up eyebrow-less. Luke made a black burn mark on the wall.
 Also, lots of little incidents where they forgot things in the oven and burnt through pizza and other food
until they were charcoal. They've set things on fire on the stove. Lots of little fires through simply being
boys. Erica likes to remind them not to set things on fire. As a tease.
Do the boys start giving Sang gifts that seem more personal soon, like the bracelet Victor gave her?
 They will eventually. It's just a matter of time and opportunity.
Does Sang get her first kiss?
 Eventually. Her first on the lips kiss doesn't appear for another couple of books.
Is it as sweet as Kota, Nathan, and Victor wanted it to be?
 It's unexpected, but she'll remember it forever. She will also have a lot of other firsts.
With all of them crushing on the same girl, the only bird, how can they not have gotten jealous sooner?
 They are jealous! Kota and Victor nearly duke it out over her. North and Silas literally do. North was
freaked out for her and Silas was misunderstanding him, but part of that tiff was jealousy. They're just not
saying this is what they're feeling. (Typical guys!)
 Some of this is waiting for Sang to show special interest in one of them. She's working hard to keep them
all happy. Vicious cycle. But they also don't mind her being with the others if they're not there. This is part
of Academy training, in a way. They need to know she's been watched, and if one of them is with her,
they want that guy to do whatever makes her happy. It's hard to be jealous and need them to protect her,
too.
 Plus, they love their brothers. This is their team, meant for life. They came together through unusual
circumstances and have the Academy backing them up. This is their family. It'll become clearer over time;
they're not having an easy time with this. The complicated part is her situation and their Academy
allegiance.
A
 Does Kota's bathroom door lock?
 Yes. They know how to twist it just right to unlock it. They know how to unlock doors. It's like a pointless
thing to them. If they want in, they'll get in.
 How long did it take for the guys to figure out Sang was in trouble after she got back from Nathan's?
 It took as long as Sang not responding quickly enough for Nathan to think either she's in the shower or
something. But when he tried later, and Marie responded, he could tell it wasn't Sang. Marie texts all
weird. He only had to ask Marie a few more text questions to figure out Marie had the phone. That started
the process of trying to figure out exactly where Sang was. But of course, there wasn't a camera in the
closet, so they had to be careful and figure this puzzle out.
 Was Kota the only one watching the cameras or were they all watching and waiting?
 Kota was upstairs, at the time, with Gabriel, Luke, and Mr. Blackbourne. Kota had the laptop. Mr.
Blackbourne was checking for updates on his phone. Luke and Gabriel were waiting for orders (and
playing with Sang's stuff). Kota had a laptop to watch. He saw the whole shebang, and by the time he
snapped out of the “Oh there she is! Oh holy crow, she's naked.” type of internal surprise, and he called
the others over, she had the towel wrapped around her body. Then Mr. Blackbourne said go get her and
Gabriel beat Luke to the window.
 How did Sang get her phone back from Marie?
 Sang told Marie that she was borrowing the phone from Victor, and she needed to give it back to him. So,
Marie gave the phone back to Sang.
 Does the guys’ faux band have a name? What kind of music is that?
 Faux means fake. It's a fake band. They don't really exist.
 They were filling in for the night being a distraction while another operation was going on elsewhere.
They just played rock covers all night.
 Why are they so worried about yanking Sang out of her life, when technically, she doesn't even exist? Why is
it so hard for them to stop her and the sister from going to that private school?
 Sang doesn't exist yet, but if they had yanked her out and her mother called the police on her, she'd be in
the system. They can't keep her mother in the hospital forever. They do want to take this slow for Sang,
but they would absolutely take her out of there as a last measure. They were about to in Book Three
several times, but it didn't get to dire emergency status yet and part of that was Sang's resistance.
 It is difficult now because of the dad, who might want to keep her within arm's reach just in case this stuff
comes to light. The private school is the dad's way of controlling where Sang is. If the guys take her, he
may resist, and this might escalate. Plus, they are still dealing with Sang at school. More of this will come
out through Book Four.
 But long story short, there's more than one pair of eyeballs paying attention to Sang and the others. If Sang
moves somewhere else, someone like Hendricks may find out and may dig in further. A million reasons,
but while she's temporarily safe at home, they're using this until they can make absolutely sure they can
take her without compromising her ghost bird position. Once Marie hears about this, she'll probably try to
appeal to her mother, or she'll book it. Sang's dad doesn't really care what happens to Marie, though. He
just wants Sang's secret to stay secret.
 I would love some insight into Dr. Green's brain during this discussion he's very quiet?
 A lot of this is simply that Dr. Green is kind of a sleeper character right now, mostly because he lacks the
time to spend with Sang. He finds her adorable, really is getting into her, and hears a lot about her from
Mr. Blackbourne and the others. He's also in and out about the whole thing because she's got all these
other guys around her, and she's younger. Dr. Green's resolve will disappear with time the more he spends
time around her. It's just one of those slowly developing relationships.
 During this discussion, he's happy about the situation where they've chosen to let everyone kind of date
her. He's also worried about her and trying to monitor her mental state. There's so many things going on in
his head and he barely knows her. But the funny thing is he's being consumed by taking care of her and is
absolutely smitten by her at the same time. Like all of them now, they spend so much time and energy on
her for her safety and for bringing her into their little family. She's so hard for them not to care for.
A
 Can you tell us what was going through some of the guys minds during the A report at the end of Book Three?
 Kota is quiet during the A report in Book Three, as are a few of the others, because they're listening and
kind of in shock with what's going on, not realizing they're all starting to feel the same way. They don't
know how to react. A lot like Kota's conflict of “I want to steal her, but I love my family. Do I really mind
this?” Kota is calculating, but it's very much a surprise and they don't know what to do about it.
 Gabriel's really insecure in general about a few different things, but it doesn't mean he won't fight for her.
Despite talking himself down about it, he can't help himself trying. He'll go down swinging. He keeps
trying to tell himself he should stop and not to do it. There's no point. Also, Gabriel bosses her around a
lot the more she does things with him and shows she likes him. And he's also adamant about this being a
very casual thing for forever. To himself, he just says, “Oh, we're just young and flirting, and she'll leave
later. I'm just going to enjoy as much as I can now.” A kind of, “Would rather love and lost than to have
never loved,” kind of motto. He's really struggling with this.
 Can you give us a little insight into all of their heads during this discussion?
 When it comes to what they think about Sang after the A report in Book Three, most were already very
interested in her, in one way or another. Even if they were in denial, they still wanted to hang out with her.
But they were all worried about her and her safety. Their number one priority was to make sure she was
safe. The boys, however, were thinking up ways to get Sang to kiss them or wondering how she felt about
them. Some toyed with the idea of taking her and running away with her. But this was the eternal conflict
Mr. Blackbourne was worried about. If one fell in love with her and ran away with her, the others would
be heartbroken and he was sure it would shatter this team they'd worked so hard to build. None of them
wanted this. They cared about one another, too.
 Mr. Blackbourne shows us a side of him that I did not expect. When they are discussing dating, Mr.
Blackbourne says, “Just remember, though, if you're taking her out, you have to allow the rest of us, too.”
How come he admitted that he wanted to date her?
 He's talking specifically about getting to know her, taking her out and spending time with her. If they are
going to work on her trust with their team, he can't have like Kota telling the others to back off for
exclusivity. They either have to be all in to help her, or they have to let the Academy in to assist. This
situation is going to require all of them to control jealousy to work together. It's what he meant, but the
way he says it is a Freudian Slip type of thing. He really wants to date her, too. He won't admit it.
 Why has no one brought up the idea of therapy?
 They've been trying to make her safe for the moment in Book Three. That was the most important. Dr.
Green, Mr. Blackbourne, and Dr. Philip Roberts are monitoring her mental health, with some help from
off camera Academy specialists. Sang's a person who bounces back after she gets knocked down. She has
this happy state and even when she gets hurt, she naturally returns to this. She's forgiving of her mother,
despite her abuse, because of her mother's illness. She reasons it out.
 Sang's biggest issue is trust in general. She holds on to her own problems, feels it is her against the world,
and assumes the guys will eventually turn away from her. Sang is also not self-destructive nor seeks to
hurt other people, so she's not in need of being institutionalized. But they've all consulted that her trust
level is not in a place to where they could place her with a complete stranger therapist and expect her to
talk to that person. In Sang's case, this would be counter intuitive. She's not comfortable around strangers
and wouldn't talk to one.
 Different therapies serve different purposes. Sang's therapy at this point is to learn to trust the new family
she has. They have to work at this over time. They agree that what she needs is a family bond. The fact
that she is willing and trying shows she doesn't need someone to talk her into it. She doesn't need
convinced this is the right thing; she knows what she needs. She's just working on this. The boys have all
gone through some form of treatment, and they will continue to be there for her and ask her questions and
make sure she comes to trust them. Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green will work with her. Mr. Blackbourne
is spending a lot of long nights studying and consulting with Dr. Phillips on how to help her.
 So she's getting help, just not the sit down with someone and blab your feelings kind. People do therapy in
different ways, and some need more help than others in such situations. For example, Person A may need
A
to talk to someone and group therapy, Person B just needs to talk to someone she trusts (a parent), and
they work through it together, perhaps guided by a counselor, Person C needs around the clock care
because abuse led to severe depression and suicidal thoughts. Not everyone needs the same kind of
healing/therapy. This is just her way.
 The main seven guys are between 15/16 but they seem older like 17+?
 The guys happen to be all the same age 15/16. Except for Blackbourne and Green, of course. They do act
more mature, I know. I want to blame it on Academy training and being roughed up at a young age. These
incidents have made them more mature now. But at the same time, they do stupid boy stuff. Like Luke
with his pranks, and there are occasional spats among them all. And mistakes! They make a ton.
 I feel like all the boys love her, but some more than others. In a young adult series, are you comfortable with
entertaining the idea of them all just being together?
 Straight answer: This is a reverse harem story. Nine guys, one girl, and the circumstances of how this
comes about. A very long story. This is a popular theme in Japan, and I've enjoyed those stories. I've toyed
with this idea for a while but this is a completely self-indulgent series. So the truth is, you can choose your
favorite if you really want, but you'll never have to. They'll always be there.
 What is the school's reaction to her new wardrobe (unless we get to see it)?
 It kind of pops up in Book Four, but Sang retreats into wearing clothes that are still the skirts and blouses
she was comfortable in. Gabriel bought her a variety, from fancy to casual to sporty. She usually sticks
with comfortable sporty/casual to try to blend in better. She sometimes ignores Gabriel's requests to wear
the fancier clothes. She doesn't like attention. She'd wear them if she were going out with the guys, but not
just to school.
 The girls do notice, and they start to dress more like her. The guys certainly notice. But to them, it just like
what she was wearing, only newer and more in fashion. Danielle will notice.
Ghost Bird Plot Point Questions – Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Has Sang's dad completely abandoned her and Marie now (since he isn't answering the phone or providing
food, etc.)?
 He's sending money for food, but Marie is intervening. It's stuff you won't see happening until later books.
He doesn't answer his phone for them, but he does listen to the messages. He had the phone cut off so they
wouldn't abuse it, and he didn't think they needed it since he realized Sang had a cell phone. He's trying to
separate himself as much as possible because he's getting a lot of heat from the woman he is currently
seeing about where he's been. Sang and Marie aren't the only ones fishing for answers.
 Who should the guys watching the boys follow for the most dirt?
 Luke would probably be the most active right now if they wanted to find any “dirt” at all. Most of what
the boys do themselves isn't illegal in any way. It's rare that they have to do it, and Luke is usually the one.
After that, they'd probably want to follow Mr. Blackbourne, who will lose a tail pretty fast, but since he
relays Academy directions, he's in contact with other Academy members so they'd get more information
from him.
 Were the guys thinking about anything particular when Marie got in the car with them to go to school?
 When Marie got into the car, they were like, “phew... no need for plan B”….which came into play if
Marie got Social Services to show. It'd probably require Academy intervention, which would use favors.
 Did North take JH-14 in Forgiveness and Permission?
 Yes.
 What if the drug that North accidentally took was an earlier batch of JH-14?
 It was JH-14. Early deliveries. When new formulas are created, 'teasers' are given out.
 How did it dissolve in Sang's cup so fast?
 It's a crystal powder. It can be smashed together into a pill with a pill maker if someone carrying it does it.
But the loose packed pill would soften a bit. It's why he felt 'something' when he swallowed, like a pill.
Ingesting may cause different reactions than trying to smoke it or inject it.
A
 We are still going to have to worry about McCoy, right?
 He is still an issue. He's still “in the wild.”
 Are the guys and Sang ever going to finish cleaning the shed out? Is there going to be something
important related to Sang's real mother?
 It's in the back of Kota's mind to go deal with that shed but they've been very busy lately. You'll see it
again.
 Is being able to fill the boxes in Sang's shed with whatever you need/want in the future the reason why the
boxes are left unopened?
 Yup! While they've cleared out a lot of the junk and broken furniture, there's boxes left to be explored. It's
fun for me, too. Sometimes I don't know what's there until Sang shows up and starts poking around. Or,
the boys pop up with something. I have an inkling of some of the boys' homes I haven't written about, but
there are a few blank slates for me, too.
 Is that why we've heard about the barn, but we don't know who it belongs to or what it's used for or what they
will find?
 Yeah. That will be something new to play with later.
 What happened to all the boxes they pulled out of Sang's shed before she got stuck in the sawdust? Is all that
stuff still in her driveway? Or did they put it back? Or did they unpack? Is the house furnished now?
 They stuck it all back into the shed and were going to deal with it later. And with all the crazy things
going on, they really haven't been back to the shed. Don't worry. It's bugging the bajeezus out of Kota. He
knows it's there. He just wants a good chuck of time, probably a day, to go in and tackle it but he's lucky
to get an hour to himself these days.
 Did you know that Sang was going to get in trouble in that sawdust pile?
 I knew about the sawdust pile from the very beginning. Seeds were planted in Book Three.
 Any other seeds you put in that you wanted to be noticed?
 While learning how to be a writer, you're taught to never put a gun on the mantel in chapter one unless
you plan to use it later down the road. I also have to be very careful about what I plant and how I describe
it. If I mention this Ming Dynasty vase inside of Kota's house, that is on this pedestal and Sang is
captivated by it, and then have her leave and never mention it again, people are going to be wondering
why I brought it up in the first place and what it means.
 But also, for me, there's a line between planting seeds and painting a scene. Sometimes there's a reason,
and sometimes his wall is just painted blue just so you can picture it better. But here's a clue, you've met
some of Sang's teachers within the story. Some you haven't. Why did I make some stand out and not
others? She has a number of them, but while they were all listed in the schedule, we've only really gotten
to know a few.
 And there are some things we leave purposefully empty. Like, I think, most of you could picture half of
Kota's house, but what's down that hallway where Erica and Jessica sleep? Have we really poked around
the entirety of Nathan's house? Sometimes I have an idea, but I leave it blank just in case I need something
later. You leave some pieces out so you can mold them to what you need and people won't notice you've
changed it because they haven't seen it before.
 When Sang starts to wake up from being unconscious from the sawdust pile, she can sense Nathan's face close
to hers. Was he giving her CPR before she became conscious?
 Yes. Nathan gave her CPR to make sure she was breathing because right when they pulled her out, he
thought she wasn’t.
 Is Sang ever going to meet another Academy team or another bird at some point?
 Sang will meet a lot of other Academy team members along the way, and Book Five will contain a few
that readers haven't met yet.
 Do the boys throw Sang a sweet 16 party?
 They try. And she'll never forget it.
 We know the boys are gonna do something for her birthday of course. But, will it be a group thing or will
there be little mini parties? Will others get invited to a party? Maybe Karen?
A
 Her birthday will be unique. She'll never forget it.
 What are the boys going to do for Sang's birthday? I thought it was really cute and kinda irresponsible that
they focused so much on Sang's b-day in the midst of some really serious stuff going on.
 Her birthday is coming up in Book Five. To give away the details would be a complete spoiler. But, to
them, the fire alarm was thought to be just a drill. It wasn't until Luke and a few others started really
paying attention that they realized the seriousness.
Ghost Bird Plot Point Questions – Book Five – Drop of Doubt…and Beyond
Comments GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 (Section) (Document)
 Who are the main boys in Book Five?
 The main boys are Victor, Gabriel and Dr. Green and Silas. Lead for Book Five is Victor.
 Is the bomb threat going to be a major problem in this book?
 The bomb threat is a partial theme in this book but won't be concluded yet.
 Throughout Book 5, the guys kept mentioning that it was Mr. Morris that said her number out loud but it was
a fellow student.
 There was an opinion by some readers that a real teacher wouldn't do that. (Apparently, they didn't have
the same teachers I did growing up!) But the question of who released the phone number wasn't so
important to the plot, or so I thought, so changing it wasn't a big deal. I just forgot about some of those
references. I may later just switch the scene back. I kind of like Mr. Morris doing it.
 Was the second voicemail the same as the third? No one except Sang listened to it.
 Ah ha. And she conveniently didn't talk about the first one, which was just breathing into the
phone. Or the second voicemail, where the beeping started. She didn't pass over the phone until
the third. This was, for my own purposes, left out there. Sometimes planting seeds isn't about
knowing the exact purpose of an item you left behind, but leaving some pieces around to play
with at your convenience.
 In this case, I left the two additional messages without describing them but you know they were
there; I can come back to them later as additional clues if I need them. It just depends on how
this progresses. Some things I can't picture until I'm there. I may not need this piece, but I left it
there with a few notes on my side just in case I want to use it later.
 Is the campus that Silas and Sang drop Victor off at the site of the actual Academy? Just wondering since Silas
said that people were used to him being there with his laptop.
 It was a college campus. It is normal to see people walking around campus, sitting on benches, or hanging
out in a lobby with a laptop before class or what not. Kota, Victor, and a few of the others are on good
terms with some of the college professors.
 Is that shooting range the same place Silas drove to with Sang when they were trying to figure out the GPS
with Victor in Drop of Doubt? It was dark when Silas drove there, but the descriptions of the area seem
similar.
 Almost the same direction but not exactly the same place. He drove out to some farm fields. The shooting
range is surrounded with woods and a little off the beaten path.
 Does Sang paint North's nails too?
 The answer is yes, and not his toenails. Gabriel basically calls him out and says do it or Gabriel was going
to beat him up.
 Could North take him [Gabriel]?
 He could! So amazing how North just needed a nudge to let Sang do what she wanted.
 In Drop of Doubt, how did Volto even know Sang knew the dragon desk code? The plan was set into motion
before she even went to Victor's, and that is a big variable in his plan.
 There were certain things Volto did before Sang stepped in this far, but her being there and hearing the
code was a convenience to him. It revved up his plan. He was listening in to them. But also notice she
flashed fingers at Victor instead of saying the code out loud and then Victor’s impressed. So he knew she
got it right.
A
 When Sang was worried about Victor not responding in “Drop of Doubt,” why weren't the cameras activated
in his house? He did tell Sang that he had them as well. Wouldn't the cameras have shown some action at the
house? Would Muriel have known about them, as they were more an Academy security device?
 Okay, when North went off chasing Victor, Victor wasn't at home and wasn't in trouble.
 Mr. Blackbourne knew this, which is why he went to stop North. Mr. Blackbourne was following North
because he knew Victor wasn't home and also to check on that security.
 However, the boys didn't know, they were going by Mr. Blackbourne. They didn't know what was going
on, but they had to trust.
 But Mr. Blackbourne didn't know that their own cameras were being used against them. North knew that,
he installed most of them. He just needed to see the photos to figure it out. So, North figures out the
camera thing, and he went over to Victor's house knowing their security had been compromised and
Victor's house was the hub. So he was seeking out Victor to let him know and to get to the bottom of it.
 So it was Mr. Blackbourne and North heading over to the Morgan estate. They show up, clearly security is
down because they had to park outside on the street. They go up to the door; they spot Muriel. Muriel
gives them the same line she did Sang and the others, but Mr. Blackbourne does his thing where he says
emergency and they know something's wrong. Muriel's been there for a year and she was notably nervous
but the thing was she wasn't a suspect at that point.
 But Muriel, thinking they'd been caught, slipped a couple of needles into each of them while they were
separated in the house. When Victor showed up, same thing. The only thing was, he didn't see Mr.
Blackbourne's car up the road. He'd gone around and through the gate and was accepted there (Muriel was
on alert now). But Victor got in, she tried to comply with him but she knew she was going to get caught
and did the whole needle thing when he wasn't looking.
 I am a bit curious but do these cameras only have picture or do they also do audio? I know the phones have the
capability but if the phone's not on them, then do the cameras pick up the audio?
 Some places have audio. Some don't. Mostly their phones.
 This is mostly due to trying to reserve resources. What's the likelihood that a camera in the ceiling is
going to pick up any audio, vs. let's save the wiring to individuals and maybe certain places, like Mr.
Hendricks's office? They put them in places they thing are more important. Kota's house has cameras, but
limited. Sang's house has more cameras. It depends on the place. Victor's house is wired more because his
dad is more a vocal threat and they want to make sure, if Victor's having problems, that they can hear his
dad.
 In Drop of Doubt, how did Muriel manage to drug both Gabriel and Luke? Wouldn't they have seen her
coming and fought back?
 She did Gabriel first. And then hid when Luke came by. Luke was kneeling over Gabriel and she stuck
him with the needle.
 She got to Gabriel by just talking to him. He was trying to explain why he was in the house, being nice
because you know, he just broke in after she said to leave. And she stabs him with a needle.
 Were Mr. Blackbourne and North naked when Sang found them in Victor's office?
 They are if you think they are. They aren't if you think they aren't. It was dark. Sang didn't see a thing, so
we didn't either.
 Did Muriel have a real taser or was it like the shockers on the phones?
 A real taser. Stronger than their phones. And yes, when Sang mentions feeling the shock before, that's
where this came from.
 In the A report, Victor mentioned that Muriel had agreed to help him to set up his ruse, “for the most part”
What was he referring to?
 Muriel went along with what Victor proposed, since it went with the plan she and Volto had to kick
everyone out of the house for the evening. It wasn't just Victor that was unavailable that night; but Mr. and
Mrs. Morgan were gone, too. But for Victor, he wasn't at home but she didn't give away where he was,
either. But on Muriel let Volto know, so Volto wasn't watching the house. He was out looking for Victor
because she told him Victor wasn’t home. That's the “for the most part.”
A
Academy Series Crossovers
(Top of Document)
Crossover Information
Wil
Academy Series Crossovers’ Questions
(Section) (Document)
 Are you going to cross the teams from Thief and the Ghost Bird in Book 6?
 I don't know how often either team may cross paths, if ever. The Scarab Beetle series was designed to
explore the Academy outside of what Sang could see from her limited position. Really, I just put them into
position and they all wander around where they want to go. If they bump into people along the way that
happen to be from the other team, I mention it. But I usually don't know until someone (like Silas) gets
mentioned or shows up for a scene.
 If I am doing the math right, the day Wil stopped going back to the hotel is the same day that Sang's phone
was first intercepted and they went to Victor’s house. It makes me suspicious; I think someone could have
paid him to make one of those scanner things for them like he told Sang someone could have done. It could be
possible for him to be Volto too (maybe). Am I right on the days?
 In Thief, Kayli and Raven are waiting in traffic because someone made a bomb threat on a school “out
toward Summerville.” That day is the first chapter for Drop of Doubt in Sang's timeline.
 So the books overlap but they're off by a day, and this is the first mention where you can see them
syncing. That would be the day after Kayli saw Wil last.
 When Kayli saw Sang picked up at the hospital. isn't that when Sang was kidnapped?
 Kayli does see Sang at the hospital before she's kidnapped. It's to connect the timeframe. Sang gets
kidnapped. And that night Sang also saves the camera Kayli lost the day before.
 Was it Mr. Blackbourne or Victors BMW that the Scarab team borrowed for the party?
 I think it might be Victor’s. I have to recheck my timeline to see whose car would be available. It was one
of theirs. Kayli passes it off as “silver” because she doesn't have both together to spot the difference in
color (something girls tend to pick up more than guys).
 Volto didn't need to take the keys from there because he had access to Victor's house, and Muriel, who
had access to their keys and toys.
 If the books overlap between series one and series two, why is Marc already calling Kayli the newest member
of their team? I figured it would be a longer process than just one book for her to join.
 Marc's cameo appearance in Book Five is marred because he was high as a kite. He meant “team” as in
like his construction crew, which doesn't always include just Academy members but sometimes adopted
Academy folks or people they just like to work with. If that's the part you're referring to.
 It's not in any official capacity as far as the Academy is concerned. Like Sang's a part of Mr.
Blackbourne's team but doesn't really exist too much within the Academy itself.
 What song do you think best represents each of the guys?
 I don’t have a specific one for each guy. I have scenes I write, and then songs I think fit those scenes and
will listen to them to get into the mood.
 A lot of them aren’t in English, though. I listen to a lot of Japanese and Korean rock.
 But as an example, for Book Four, for the sawdust pile, I was listening to a lot of “Shadows” by Red.
 For Thief, when Kayli was running away from Coaltar in the rain, it was “Remembering Sunday” by All
Time Low.
 I sometimes imagine the boys listening to or humming certain songs. Gabriel could totally sing anything
from Marinara’s Trench. For Victor, a lot of Secondhand Serenade.
Wil
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 SQ1 Cross (Section) (Document)
A
Questions about Wil
Wil Questions – Ghost Bird Book Four – Forgiveness and Permission
 Why was Wil at the football game by himself?
 Wil wanted to get out of the 'house'. He's not a football fan, but it's his school and what else was he going
to do that night?
 And why did he go to the party where he bumped into Sang?
 Again, getting out of the house for a bit. He was interested in what was going on. He had followed some
of the guys down the hallway, but once they started bullying on North, he was getting out of there.
Because he's a nerdling and didn't want to be the next target.
 What does he think of Sang?
 He likes Sang. He doesn't get to bump into her much because they're in different classes, but he sees her
around.
 Does Wil have a crush on Sang?
 Yeah. I mean not like crazy love but she’s pretty and he likes that she took time to learn his name and
everything.

Wil Questions – Scarab Beetle Book One – Thief
 In Thief, Kayli says that Wil travels 2 hours to get to school. The way it's worded makes it sound as if he is
attending school in Goose Creek. Also, she says that it's better than going to the scary dangerous school that is
closer (I’m assuming that is Ashley Waters). So what school is Wil actually enrolled in? and is he actually
attending right now? I know he's showing up at Ashley Waters, but is he enrolled there?
 He is enrolled in Ashley Waters for morning classes and has special permission to be dismissed after
school.
 When Kayli was thinking about Wil being stuck on a bus for 2 hrs to get to school because it would be too
difficult to get him transferred, and also the closer schools were crazy dangerous?
 Ashley Waters is one of many schools in the area that gets some of the worst kids bused in from other
schools. The 'other schools' are in places like North Charleston, poor parts of town, very rough. Ashley
Waters is technically in Goose Creek, and has a lot of local students who are actually pretty good but are
forced to deal with these street kids from North Charleston, thanks to Mr. Hendricks's wicked plans.
 Does that mean that other schools are more dangerous than Ashley Waters or did he manage to transfer
himself without her knowing?
 So ship a bunch of 'the worst kids' from other schools into a semi-better but over crowded school and
chaos happens. Other schools may have shipped their worst out, but they still have a lot of crazy students.
The whole school system is dealing with a lot of problems.
 But for the Academy, you start somewhere. They're starting with Ashley Waters because of the rumors
they've heard about Mr. Hendricks and their own suspicions.
 If I am doing the math right, the day Wil stopped going back to the hotel is the same day that Sang's phone
was first intercepted and they went to Victor’s house. It makes me suspicious, I think someone could have
paid him to make one of those scanner things for them like he told Sang someone could have done. It could be
possible for him to be Volto too ( maybe). Am I right on the days ?
 In Thief, Kayli and Raven are waiting in traffic because someone made a bomb threat on a school “out
toward Summerville.” That day is the first chapter for Drop of Doubt in Sang's timeline. So they overlap
but they're off by a day, and this is the first mention where you can see them syncing.
 That would be the day after Kayli saw Wil last.
Wil Questions – Crossover Questions
 Is Wil in Thief the same Wil that Sang knows?
 Yes.
A
Scarab Beetle Series
Marc
Corey
Brandon
Raven
(Top of Document)
Axel
Kayli
Blake
Kevin
Scarab Beetle Group
Wil
Scarab Beetle Plot Points
Marc
CL Commenting on Marc
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Marc has different colored eyes (one blue and one green)
 Every dog has a few fleas.
Marc Questions
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Marc mentioned his “new teammate” is a girl. Is he part of Kayli's team?
 Yes, he is. Thief's timeline overlaps with Drop of Doubt's. You'll see.
 If the books overlap between series one and series two why is Marc already calling Kayli the newest member
of their team? I figured it would be a longer process than just one book for her to join.
 Marc's cameo appearance in Book Five is marred because he was high as a kite. He meant “team” as
in like his construction crew, which doesn't always include just Academy members but sometimes
adopted Academy folks or people they just like to work with. If that's the reference you're referring to.
 It's not in any official capacity as far as the Academy is concerned. Like Sang's a part of Mr.
 Blackbourne's team but doesn't really exist too much within the Academy itself.
Corey
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
CL Commenting on Corey
 Brandon and Corey are identical twins. They look completely alike, except for the eyes.
 Brandon has sad haunted eyes
 Corey is the nerdling
Brandon
CL Commenting on Brandon
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)

Brandon Questions
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)

Raven
A
CL Commenting on Raven
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Raven doesn't let anyone use his first name.
 Raven is Russian. He was not in chapter one.
 Raven boxes and is from Omsk, Russia.
 Ravenstahl is Raven's last name. No one calls him by his first name and he will kill anyone who does. Tattoos,
tough, and rugged.
 Raven is just scary and you know, scary people could wear pink shirts and tutus, and you still don't want to
mess with them. He'll kill you with his eyes. He's Russian.
 Raven doesn't care about his cup. And I wouldn't want to be the one that makes a comment about the cup he's
using. It's liable to get thrown at my head.
Language Interpretations
 “Pidorás!” – A**hole
 “Morgaly vikalyu, padla! – I’ll poke your eyes out f*****
 “Ebanatyi pidaraz!” – f**m*****f*****
 “Skatert'yu doroga.” – Good riddance to bad trash
 “Wenn Sie nicht möchten, dass wir vor Ihrer Freundin darüber sprechen, würde ich mich freuen, mich später
mit Ihnen kurz zu schließen.”
 If you do not want us to talk in front of your girlfriend about it, I would be happy to connect with you
briefly later
Raven Questions
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Why doesn’t Raven want anyone to know his first name? Is it embarrassing or too girly sounding for a tough
guy like him?
 Raven is not letting me answer any questions regarding to his first name. Seriously. He will kill me.
 Raven was very openly affectionate with Marc when they first brought Kayli to the apartment, kissing him on
the cheek. Will that be a point that's brought up in future, specifically in regards to Corey's bi-sexuality/crush,
or is that just a happy sweet Russian thing?
 Raven's pretty much in the “I don't give a @&*&” camp. He does what he wants.
Axel
CL Commenting on Axel
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)

Axel Questions
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)

Kayli
CL Commenting on Kayli
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Kayli is a much better liar than Sang. Corey didn't notice she was lying at all. It's just particular people that
can tell with her.
 Kayli has brown hair.
A
 Kayli will smack the tar out of Raven, and he hits back.
 Nerd boy (aka Wil) is Kayli's Brother
 Part of why Kayli can get away with pickpocketing
Kayli Questions
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 How did Kayli's mother die?
 Illness. She got sick and died. With only Jack working a really poor paying job, and no insurance, there
was little they could do. And they all blame themselves for this, including Jack.
 Why does Kayli have a scar on her butt? What happened? Did she lie about the other scars?
 She didn't lie about her scars, which is why she felt compelled to be silent about the ones she would have
lied about. Her scars are either from where she said, her father, or past boyfriends. She'll talk about these
eventually, as Axel hasn't forgotten. He wants to know.
Kevin
Questions about Kevin
(Section) (Document)
 Do we find out what is up with Kevin and his girlfriend’s issue that happened at the end of Thief in the next
book?
 We will discover more about Kevin as we go along.
 But personally, if my boyfriend had a job at a 'prep school' and was gone for odd hours at night, I'd be a
little on edge, too. Secrets, kept even for good reasons, look horrible when you're on the outside.
 Can Kevin even leave the team at this late date? They've graduated, they consider each other family don’t
they? Or is that just our other boys because their own birth families weren’t so stellar? At the very least, they
all say 'academy for life' and Axel very clearly states that they can’t work by themselves, so Kevin has to stay
right? And make peace with Kayli, though with him having a girl outside of the team, he would be outside of
this love pentagram, I wonder what his reactions are going to be like.
 You can choose to change teams or quit the Academy at any time. Family is a choice on both ends of the
spectrum. You have to be accepting and your team has to accept you. Teams can change, and sometimes
they do because of circumstances. And yes, they consider each other family, which is why it's very
difficult for anyone to break away. Not saying Kevin will, but it is possible.
 But teams are together because they want to be there. Sometimes their families aren't like in the Ghost
Bird Series where they were mean or what not. Sometimes you just grow apart. Or not. Some family
members are still around. Like Kota has Erica and Jessica. That doesn't make Kota's loyalty any less to his
team.
 Once you're in the Academy, you're in. They are as loyal to you, even when you can't be to them. Either
adopted, closed adoption, full member or 'retired member'. Sometimes they're loyal to you even when you
don't know it was them.
 But Kevin's very much devoted to the Academy. In one way or another, he will be around.
Blake
Questions about Blake Coltar
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Is Blake really his name? I notice he says, “try Blake” and not “My name is Blake.” And it would be just like
you to have him give a fake name.
 Blake's his name. For the most part, he was honest with her. As much as she wasn't.
 How old is Blake?
A
 Twenty something ish!
 Where does his money come from?
 Old money. Some of the new money he earns comes in the form of stocks and property.
 How do you pronounce his last name?
 Coaltar - COL-taer (or COL-tar depending on where you are from and you speak something other than
Southern.)
Scarab Beetle Group
Scarab Beetle Group Comments
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 The new group of Academy boys was looking for a thief at the mall. They didn't know it was Kayli. But now
they know, and they'll follow her. If you know Academy boys, you know they won't be far behind her.
 The new guys required a “Kayli” over a “Sang.” I don't think they could handle a Sang. They'd break her.
They're a rougher bunch.
 The new team does not have a Gabriel-equivalent consultant for their group. They borrow Gabriel sometimes
if they need something specific. Gabriel earns favors doing things like this for other groups.
 Kayli's group of Academy boys are: Marc, Corey, Brandon, Axel, and Raven
 The extra guy is Blake and Kevin is also on the team.
 Kayli is 18 and the other boys are 18 - 21ish, depends on the guy. Kayli is going to get a crash course of
Academy boys in this series. They're already on her tail. So this will be a very New Adult series. Situations
that are more dangerous, more powerful enemies, a bigger playing field, and a new bundle of boys.
 The boys have all kinds of vehicles in the new series.
 Kevin is the tall guy Kayli tries to pickpocket in chapter one.
 He's on their team, but don't get too attached to him. He's not bad, just not part of the set you'll want to pay
attention to.
 Kevin is going to be the Derrick of this series…a really good friend and nothing more. He has a girlfriend
that he loves completely, so he's not going to be a part of Kayli's harem.
 Kayli's team lives in Charleston for the moment, but this team will expand outward to other areas, reaching
farther than Sang's team can go right now.
 [Pick up lines] make me laugh so hard, when there’s people like Raven in these books who at first meeting
her: 1. Call her a thief to her face and 2. Says, 'thought you'd be ugly'. My guys are slick.
Scarab Beetle Group Questions
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Do the Scarab Beetle boys have he is/she is phrases too?
 They don't have the same things but I already gave a lot of them to you guys in Book One. These will get
more developed as we go.
♥ Marc: Her echo. The past doesn't define him.
♥ Blake: Worthy opponent.
♥ Raven: The Fierce Bear, Or you can always use Raven's choice of words, too. Professional Russian
♥ Corey: Innocence that masks his brilliance.
♥ Brandon: Passion from pain.
♥ Axel: The calm that hides a storm.
 I am waiting for is for the [SB boys] all to decide on a favorite color!
 *Points finger of blame at the boys* Hang on, I’m on [Ghost Bird] Book Six things. Wait for me to get to
Liar.
 Which boys were abused? Abandoned? Both?
A
 From the Scarab Beetle, the whole team is made up of ex-cons. Don't let their 'good guy' personas fool
you. They all know full well what Kayli is going through.
Scarab Beetle Plot Points
Scarab Beetle Plot Point Comments
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 At the end of [Ghost Bird] Book Four, North and Mr. Blackbourne go out and visit an older team who has
successfully kept a bird on an all dog team. But this team warns them that they often get other dog groups
coming to them asking the same question. He was warning them that they may fail because they haven't seen
another team successfully do this.
 Thief is the introduction of a new dog team that's been going along doing their own thing, just like Sang's
team. They run into Kayli for the first time as seen in chapter one of Thief.
 So when Mr. Anderson says, “you're not the only dog team,” this was my hint that other teams come face
to face with this same problem sometimes. For all the same reasons Mr. Blackbourne points out in the end
of Book Three, it often doesn't work out and is why the Academy often convinces teams not to do this.
Because it can ruin their family teams.
 Kayli's team isn't Mr. Anderson's team. Mr. Anderson's team is already happy and tucked away in their
happily ever after. You may see them again from time to time, as you'll see other members of the
Academy filter in and out of both series.
 But, with the new Scarab Beetle series (starting with Thief), you'll be able to get to see a side of the
Academy you weren't able to with Sang's team. In Scarab Beetle, the team is slightly older (18 through 21ish), so they're able to spread out, travel, not worry about parents so much, etc. The team has all graduated
from the Academy, too. Whereas Sang's team, only two have graduated and the others are still struggling
to graduate.
 Bruises are involved in first book of new series.
 The Citadel is in Charleston, SC, so the mall is named after that. And it is a real mall in Charleston. So it's not
too uncommon for parents to have some association with the military.
 Yes, sea sparkle is a real thing.
 Four kisses. Oh, wait. *counts* Marc twice, Brandon once, Blake once. And a small kiss with Raven but we
won't count that yet.
 I’m losing track! Too many boys!
Scarab Beetle Plot Point Questions
Comments SQ1 (Section) (Document)
 Who was the blonde girl in Kayli's kiss scene?
 Blondie in this scene is just a walk on roll. Don't worry about her. Poor girl just got it bad and was being a
dummy.
 In chapters bullying/how to ask a boy for help, when Marc put Kayli in his bed then said he was going to tell
the guys something, what did he go to tell them?
 They were talking about what to do about Kayli, since they knew stuff she didn't. He was telling them she
has to stay with them now. They all pretty much agreed, but they were working out the details as to why
she should stay while they continued to spy on Coaltar.
 Love the number on the room for Kayli, Wil and dad. 221B. I wonder if it is on Baker Street.
 Yay! Someone got the 221b reference. Later they call her Sherlock. Small things.
 Those people in the village would have been out of luck if Blake's plan worked.
 They've been out of luck from before this. An offshoot faction of the cartel took over that village a year
ago. And now the cartel will be after them for what they've done.
 So seeing as they destroyed the JH-14 in Thief, and it's effecting kids in Book 6 of Ghost Bird Series, what is
the overlap time-line wise?
A
 They destroyed the anthills, but they never went after the ants. It would have been impossible to track
down all those individual sales.
 I like that Kayli didn't automatically want to join their team. I’m glad she went back to the hotel to try to work
out her life. But I’m also glad she's got a brain to go asking for help when she needs it, not too much pride!
 Yeah I didn't want to make her out like she was gonna mooch off the team. And then she went back and
then “emergency” and this will force them to spend a lot of time together while this is going on.
 Regret you ran into crazy fans like us yet? Do you still like us?
 You all are nuts but I still like you.