Virginia finally
had the chance to explore a relationship with Aaron when he asked her on a
date. She had been waiting, hoping that the widower and his young son, Buddy,
would welcome her into their lives. But a terrible tragedy strikes on the night
of their first kiss, crushing their hopes for a future together. Nineteen years
later, Virginia is engaged, though she has not forgotten Aaron or Buddy. When
her dog goes missing and it comes to light that her fiancé set him loose, a
distraught Virginia breaks off the engagement and is alone once again. A shy
young man has found the missing pet, and although he’s bonded with the animal,
he answers his conscience and returns the dog. Before long, Virginia and the
young man discover a connection from their pasts that will help them let go of
painful memories and change their lives forever.
Pre-order the book at:
Interview with the Author:
1. What was your biggest
inspiration while writing your book?
I’m always inspired by
human nature. I find us fascinating. I feel that I can see our capacity for
good, for taking care of each other and being loving and kind. If it’s dormant,
or hidden, I want to know why.
I’m also very much a dog
person, and dogs provide an interesting contrast to our nature. They are,
unless abused or neglected, almost unswervingly loving and kind. They seldom
worry about vulnerability or image. And I think they bring out the best in us.
So when two damaged characters get together, or try to, it seemed inspiring
(for me, at least) to put a dog between them and watch how it changed the
emotional landscape.
2. What is your favorite
book of all time?
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.
3. What is usually on your
nightstand?
A box of tissues and a
clock. I know you were thinking in terms of books. But they are beside my easy
chair. There I keep my Kindle with probably over a hundred unread books on it,
and a growing stack of paper books. I read and work on the computer in my easy
chair, and by the time I go to bed it’s because I can’t keep my eyes open
another minute.
On a few occasions I might
have my notebook computer on the nightstand. If I have a book that is enjoying
a promotion, and running up the charts, I tend to wake up at intervals in the
night to see what it’s doing. I should be embarrassed to admit that, but I’m
admitting it anyway. I’m very childlike about it. I get excited, and I don’t
want to miss a thing.
4. What’s something your
readers would be surprised to know about you?
Gosh, that’s hard. Because
I spend so much time on social media, on my blog, emailing with readers… it’s
hard to imagine what I might be holding back.
Some people might be
surprised to know that I still wince deeply at any negative comment in a
review, and it takes a while to let it go. In my head I’m very circumspect. I
know no book can be all things to all people, and I accept that. But I think
being the best writer you can be involves caring very deeply about how the work
is received. Nine out of ten comments are great, so why is it the tenth that
always sticks? Part of human nature, I suppose.
It might also surprise
people to know that I have a silly sense of humor. I still like to watch the
old Looney Toons cartoons and I love Lucy. I laugh out loud at things a lot of
people would consider hopelessly outdated or too broad.
5. What is your writing
process?
It is whatever it wants to
be. When the work is there, and ready, I am its slave. I can’t turn it on, I
can’t make it be ready, I can just encourage it by being there to type it all
out when it comes around. In other words, my writing process tells me what to
do, and I do it. Happily and gratefully.
About the Author:
Catherine Ryan Hyde
is the bestselling author of twenty-seven published and forthcoming books. Some
of her recent books include The Language of Hoofbeats, Take Me with You, Where
We Belong, and Don’t Let Me Go. Her short stories have been published in Antioch
Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares,
Glimmer Train, and the Sun. She has received numerous awards, including the
Rainbow Award and the British Book Award. Her bestselling 1999 novel Pay It
Forward was adapted into a major motion picture and translated into
twenty-three languages. Hyde is the founder of the Pay It Forward Foundation.
Connect
with the author at:
SparkPoint is giving:
1 Grand Prize
winner a print ARC of
Worthy by
Catherine Ryan Hyde & a Kindle Voyage
1 Second Place
winner a print ARC of Worthy
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