The Seventh Veil of Salome

The Seventh Veil of Salome is partly set in 1950s Hollywood and inspired by the author’s deep research into the period. What did you learn about the world of Old Hollywood from this book? What surprised you or changed your view about what that period was really like?

The heroine is given a new name, a new look, and a new personal life by the studio as they shape her into a star. What effect do you think this transformation had on Vera? How does she change from the beginning of the book to the end?

Some might characterize Nancy as the “villain” of the story. Why do you think she makes the decisions she does that lead to the tragic ending? In what ways do you find her sympathetic?

Vera falls in love with Jay, an aspiring musician with a different background and life from hers. What do you think drew these characters together? What do you think their relationship might have been like if not for the events of the climax?

At the end of the book, we learn that Vera leaves Hollywood and had a career as a musician instead. Why do you think she abandoned stardom? What role did her passion for music play in her life?

Salome is told in multiple points of view, including those of various minor players in Vera Larios’s life. Why do you think the author chose to include these points of view? How do these characters’ perspectives affect how you see Vera and Nancy?

Vera and Salome lived centuries apart, but what similarities do you see between their lives and stories? Why do you think the author chose to pair these two stories?

The Biblical story of Salome has been told in many forms over the centuries, including in Hollywood film. What did you know about the story of Salome before you read this book? How is the author’s interpretation different from the Biblical story or other artist’s interpretations?

The last character who speaks in the book is Joe Kantor, the screenwriter. Why do you think the author gave this character the closing scene? And how do you interpret the final scene, Salome’s dream?

In her end note, the author mentions being inspired by the sword-and-sandals movies that were always on TV in her childhood. What are some films you saw in your own childhood that stayed with you? What role do the movies we love as children have in shaping who we become?