Catherine Ryan Hyde (Login chapteraday) Forum Owner
Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde ISBN: 9780385521277
The bestselling author of "Pay It Forward" returns with a provocative tour de force on first love--a modern-day rendering of "West Side Story" born on a New York City subway car and nurtured under the windmills of the Mojave Desert.
Welcome to the preview of my book, Chasing Windmills. I hope you enjoy reading it each day and I look forward to any comments or questions you may have. -- Catherine Ryan Hyde
So nice to see all this enthusiasm about the book. Sounds like you have already read a chapter. It's exciting, as an author of the book, to go through this process with readers. I'll stay tuned!
Sounds like an interesting and rather intriguing book - "chasing windmills" in a literal sense - put my name on the hold list at library as it is out now - did not think would be interested in any of this week's books in my clubs but found differently after I read the first reads of couple of them -
I try not to read blurbs, but the title so captivated me I read just a little and requested the book from my library based on that. And based on the first sentence alone, I can't wait to read the book.
We changed it about three times. The working title was "Mojave Windmills," but I was told that they don't like hard-to-pronounce (?really?) words in titles. They said they wanted something more "emotional" (I guess to grab the "Love in the Present Tense" readers) so I gave them "I Remember Windmills." About an hour before it had to go into the catalogue they told me that the title didn't go with the cover they had designed, and they were wanting to retitle it "Finding Maria," which I thought was just abysmal. So I pulled "Chasing Windmills" out of my pocket as a last-minute save. And now it feels like one of those perfect titles, like that was the name of the work all the way along and it never could have been anything else.
...that the book is out at your library. On the one hand, I want you to read it. But an author never really wants to think of their books sitting on a library shelf unread.
I'll look forward to your thoughts when you've gotten the book.
I am very much looking forward to this week. The book jacket has really gotten my attention. There is not much to go by in this first excerpt but I don't think I will be disappointed. I can't wait to get into the characters, although I'm afraid I'm already not liking Maria. Major character flaw...you don't leave your children, no matter what. I'll be interested to see if I can get over this and sympathize with her.
The question. You said the book jacket got your attention. I guess it's always good if the jacket art generates interest. I just wondered if it was all positive interest. I guess I ask because I could never warm up to that cover. I was excited to hear that when the paperback comes out they will try a different cover. But what they've showed me so far doesn't quite thrill me either. If anyone in this group is interested enoiugh to go out to Amazon UK, the British cover I thought was terrific.
Sorry to go on and on.
The comment: I want to say this carefully, because I don't want to give too much away. But I smiled at your comment about Maria. Because I know the ending. Let's just say Maria has some surprises for you and leave it at that.
I apoligize for the misunderstanding. I didn't mean the book cover art, I meant the book description that is provided on Monday. I rarely notice the book cover art while I'm reading at the bookclub or responding in this forum. If I'm browsing a bookstore or library, I pay more attention to the cover art. Since you said something about it I had to go back and look at it. You're right, it's horrible. I would not pick this book up in a bookstore. It looks like a "young adult" read and I would not have given it a second look. Just my opinion.
I am hanging in there with Maria. I didn't mean to offend anyone with my "judgmental" comment. I'm very interested to see where she is coming from, regardless of if I agree with it or not.
I told them (my editors at Doubleday) that it looked YA, because I thought that would change their minds. It didn't. In a way that's not so bad, because I have a strong (dominant, actually) YA career, and Windmills immediately crossed over to YA with a glowing review in School Library Journal that classifid it as High School/Adult.
That said, I've had much better looking YA covers.
I'm always glad when someone has read the book Pay It Forward rather than just seeing the movie. That's why it's nice to hang around with readers as much as possible.
I finished the book this afternoon, and I'll have to try not to spoil it. That was a really judgmental comment about Maria's character. Give her a chance. Even if you disagree with something a character does, doesn't mean they are flawed. You can't expect everyone to agree with your own moral code. Enjoy the rest of the book though. I did.
I think people bring a lot of themselves to a book. Their ideas, their boundaries, and yes, some judgment. I'm glad to have you reflect that Maria paid off in unexpected ways. It should be an interesting read for someone who feels strongly that "you don't leave your children--period." (A reasonable viewpoint in my opinion, only people do, all the time, and that type of conflict can make for good fiction.) Because in many ways it is an exploration of just that subject. Why and how it happens, and the kind of scars it leaves. But withholding judgment on Maria is good. She has a lot of strength and character up her sleeve.
Everyone needs a Delilah in their life. I like what her character represents. This book caught my attention from the first sentence. I can't wait to read the rest of it. I'll write back when I'm finished reading it.
I've been a subscriber to this forum for over a year now and I honestly have to say this is the first book that made me want to have the book in my hands immediately. I have placed a hold on it at my local library and will be picking it up on my lunch break today. Thanks so much for the excerpts but I can't wait until Thursday for the next piece. I need to have it now.
To the author: Great writing, you grabbed my attention from the first sentence. I am in love with Delilah's character already. I love what she represents. I believe we all have encountered a Delilah at some point and time in out lives.
Yes, I have had Delilahs in my life. I think/hope we all have. I honestly believe in only takes on Delilah to change the course of a young person's (or any person's, for that matter) life completely.
I love the observations of the Characters in this book. The comment of Maria's that Carl Jr. might as well have been named White Castle is so funny. I think every teenager feels like Sebastian thinking that his father really wants to control him but it his case its real. We all deep down have a primitive need for escape like the characters in the book.
I love the observations on this forum. I will get around the fact that this book is checked out and on hold by reading Pay it Forward. Its like getting a bonus book!
I love the observations of the Characters in this book. The comment of Maria's that Carl Jr. might as well have been named White Castle is so funny. I think every teenager feels like Sebastian thinking that his father really wants to control him but it his case its real. We all deep down have a primitive need for escape like the characters in the book.
I love this forum and have learned from it. I will get around the fact that this book is checked out by reading Pay It Forward first.
...while you're waiting, I actually have ten titles in all. So if you don't read Pay It Forward while you're waiting, you might check out Love in the Present Tense. Or Becoming Chloe. Or Electric God, or Walter's Purple Heart. Or The Day I Killed James. Or Funerals for Horses or Earthquake Weather if you can still get them. Or The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance if you like cross-over YAs. I'm doing my best to give you options while you're waiting!
