PRESS/MEDIA

Truth takes many dimensions in Renee Macalino Rutledge’s debut novel The Hour of Daydreams, a valiant bid at enshrining Filipino lore and mythmaking in American literary consciousness.

#Project14Lists: 12 Unique Fantasy Retellings That You Need to Know About

That Bookshelf Bitch, December 23, 2018

Blogger Shealea's post on unique fantasy retellings and re-imaginings for #Project14Lists.

What Is Low Fantasy? Your Guide to the Subgenre

BookRiot, November 29, 2018

BookRiot's recommended list of low fantasy titles, including The Hour of Daydreams, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Boy Snow Bird, and Cloud Atlas.

Interview: #59 Author Chat with Renee M. Rutledge

Books and Boba, October 16, 2018

Interview with Reera Yoo and Marvin Yueh of the Books and Boba book club and podcast.

America Recognizes Three Immigrant Writers at GMU's Fall for the Book Festival

Fairfax Times, October 11, 2018

"Immigrant voices and experiences can be a mirror in which America can better sees it’s real and current self … this is why their work is invaluable, and they are finally being recognized!...(more)"

The New American Voices Prize Celebrates Immigrant Writers & You Need To Know The 3 Finalists

Bustle, July 27, 2018

Books writer Maddy Foley on what this inaugural prize means. Judge Maaza Mengiste: "Above all it is a quiet insistence that the story of America has always been a story of foreigners...(more)"

Three Finalists Named for New Literary Immigration Award

Publishers Weekly, July 25, 2018

"Hernán Díaz, Renee Macalino Rutledge, and Elena Georgiou have been named finalists for the inaugural Institute for Immigration Research New American Voices Award, created by Fall for the Book, one of Northern Virginia's oldest literary festivals, in order to, 'illuminate the complexity of human experience as told by immigrants, whose work is historically underrepresented in writing and publishing...(more)'"

Announcing the Inaugural New American Voices Award Finalists

Fall for the Book, July 23, 2018

Finalist announcement for The Center for Immigration Research's New American Voices Award, created to "recognize recently published works that illuminate the complexity of human experience as told by immigrants."

2017 Foreword INDIES Winners Announced

Foreword Reviews, June 15, 2018

The Hour of Daydreams announced as Gold Winner in the Multicultural Category for the 2017 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year. The award was created by Foreword Reviews to honor the very best of indie publishing year year, when thousands of books are entered and a panel of 120 librarians and booksellers take part in judging.

Between Fantasy and Truth: A Review of The Hour of Daydreams

Literary Mama, May 16, 2018

Author Janet E. Irvin reviews The Hour of Daydreams: "Rutledge has crafted an exquisitely haunting tale that astounds and confounds, that invites the reader to enter a fabulistic world in search of ordinary truth...(more)"

A Conversation with Renee Macalino Rutledge

Literary Mama, May 16, 2018

Interview for Literary Mama's "Conversations" column, with author Janet E. Irvin.

Foreword Reviews Announces Finalists for 2017 Indies Book of the Year Awards

Foreword Reviews, March 20, 2018

The Hour of Daydreams is announced as a 2017 Indies Finalist in the Adult Multicultural Category.

Powell's Staff Top Fives: Our Favorite Books of 2017

Powells.com, December 31, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams is included in Powell's Top Fives of 2017.

Q&A: Post-Book with Renee Macalino Rutledge

Halo Halo Review, December 15, 2017

Q&A with Halo Halo Review editor and poet, Eileen Tabios.

Books by Filipino Americans for Gift Giving

PositivelyFilipino.com, December 14, 2017

For her article listing recently published books by Filipino Americans, author Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard adds that the "multiplier effect" is another reason books make great gifts. Find The Hour of Daydreams alongside new fiction, like North for Sun and The Newspaper Widow, nonfiction, and poetry.

35 Debut Authors Over 35

35over35.com, December 12, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams earns a place in the annual 35 Over 35 list of debut authors recognized for continuing to write, and who published their first books this year.

40 Pinay and Pinxy Books for Gifting

BarbaryJaneReyes.com, December 7, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams makes a crowd sourced list of 40 recommended reading titles by pinay and pinxy authors to gift this holiday season.

Lessons from Debut Authors

MeghanMastersonauthor.com, November 14 & 22, 2017

Quotes from debut authors on the biggest surprises of having a novel published, as well as how we celebrated the success.

Writers of the World/Renee Macalino Rutledge

WarrenAdler.com, October 18, 2017

Managed by Stonehouse Productions, the Writers of the World "Why I Write" column includes pieces by diverse, globally recognized authors, including Lisa See, Okey Ndibe, Pia de Jong, and many more.

Review: Magical Wings and Mail-Order Brides in Renee Macalino Rutledge's Debut Novel

The FilAm: A Magazine for Filipinos in New York, September 26, 2017

"The Hour of Daydreams is a gem of a book. Lush and richly imagined, its sensual and lyrical prose keeps readers in suspense over the lover’s fates. In essence, The Hour of Daydreams does what its characters do: it creates beauty out of hurt and pain..."(more)

Review: The Hour of Daydreams, reviewed by Melissa McDaniel

Heavy Feather Review, September 14, 2017

"There is something elegantly understated and delicate about The Hour of Daydreams. Rutledge is clearly a talented writer, with a unique skill for breathing life into everyday scenes...a powerful achievement."(more)

Outstanding Local Students of Filipino Ancestry Earn Awards

Alameda Sun, August 24, 2017

Local coverage of 43rd Annual Outstanding Students of Filipino Ancestry Awards, where I was honored to be the keynote speaker.

9 Debut Novels You Might Have Missed Because the World Is on Fire

Book Riot, August 21, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams on Book Riot's list of 9 recommended books.

Q&A: The Hour of Daydreams, Bookish: Author Interview

Diversifying Perspectives, August 18, 2017

Interview with book blogger, Maygin Reads.

The Hour of Daydreams: Reflection, Reality

Diversifying Perspective, August 8, 2017

Blogger Maygin on reality and trauma creating her frame of reference for The Hour of Daydreams. Maygin's personal experience both impacts and is impacted by the book: "While reading this story, I felt less alone. I did not want Tala’s story to end. I wanted as much time with her as possible. There is so much beauty in her story, it was hard to let it go..." (more)

Review: The Hour of Daydreams

Diversifying Perspective, August 7, 2017

"The story is beautifully told and unfolds at a solid pace which kept me engaged throughout the book. The point of view changes, but in a seamless way. The ending provided enough resolution to leave me satisfied, but enough uncertainty to make this feel a bit like a fairy tale..." (more)

Five Great Reads You May Have Missed

Read Her Like an Open Book, July 30, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams makes Bill Wolfe's list, along with with Pachinko, The Pathless Sky, Heat & Light, and The Given World.

Staff Picks: 70 Best Fiction and Poetry by the Staff at Powell's Books

Book Advice, List of Great Literature, July 24, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams is #11 on the list of literary gems, which includes Are You Sleeping, by Kathleen Barber; Child Finder, by Rene Denfeld; The Refugees, by Viet Thanh Nguyen; and A House Among the Trees, by Julia Glass.

Review: The Hour of Daydreams: A Reimagined Filipino Folktale

Paper Wanderer, July 22, 2017

"The story builds a quiet atmosphere filled with fierce longing throughout the book. The Hour of Daydreams is a complex story that tugs at the threads that people weave together." (more)

Author Q&A: Renee Macalino Rutledge

What the Log Had to Say, July 20, 2017

Interview questions by blogger Wendy Tuxworth.

Q&A: 15 Things You May Not Know About Renee Macalino Rutledge

Bonnie Dodge, June 26, 2017

Interview questions by author and writer Bonnie Dodge.

Review: The Hour of Daydreams

Foreword Reviews Book of the Day, June 26, 2017

"These stories are both separate and one in Renee Macalino Rutledge’s stunning, dreamy novel The Hour of Daydreams, which borrows from Filipino folktales to create a story of love and loss that is unlike any other." (more)

Review: "'The Hour of Daydreams'” by Renee Macalino Rutledge— A Folk Tale Reimagined"

Reviews by Amos Lassen, June 15, 2017

"This is a story that can be read from two different angles— as a beautiful and well-told story or as a look at the value of storytelling.... Read it once for the story and then read it again for the challenges. In fact, as I write this, I am thinking that I want to read it again… and again."(more)

"Writing Toward Home" an "In the Know" Pick

PositivelyFilipino.com, May 24, 2017

My essay for The Margins, "Writing Toward Home," on writing a novel based in the Philippines, is listed on Positively Filipino's "In the Know" column.

Radio Interview: "The Hour of Daydreams by Renee Macalino Rutledge"

KBOO, May 11, 2017

Talking representation, memory, and myth with journalist Jake Vermaas on KBOO's "Between the Covers."

"Author Interview: Renee Macalino Rutledge"

RoseCityReader.com, May 6, 2017

My Q&A with Gilion Dumas on writing, research, day jobs, and two things I refuse to do on social media.

"Interview with Renee Macalino Rutledge"

Maganda Magazine, April 29, 2017

Interview in UC Berkeley's Maganda, issue#30: "Trial." Maganda is the longest running Filipino literary arts publication in the nation.

"The Hour of Daydreams and Library Sale Loot"

RoseCityReader.com, April 24, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams featured on Mailbox Monday.

"The Great 2017 Indie Press Preview"

ElectricLiterature.com, April 20, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams is listed under Forest Avenue Press, described as publishing "a balance between the fresh, complex, sometimes nutty, and often-wondrous approach to storytelling."

Review: "The Hour of Daydreams, by Renee Macalino Rutledge"

EPClarkAuthor.net, April 4, 2017

"The temptation to stitch everything together into an overly tidy ending is resisted, and what is left is more of an impressionistic sketch of a plot and resolution rather than a clear A=B conclusion, like the daydreams suggested in the title.... A beautiful addition to genre of magic realism and Filipino literature." (more)

Review: "February and March 2017 Wrap-Up: The Months in Books"

MyJamaicanVignettes.com, April 1, 2017

Four-star review by Chantel Dacosta: "The Hour of Daydreams by Renee M. Rutledge is one of the first books I requested from the NetGalley multi-culture category. I loved it... As a Jamaican I cannot assess how faithful the novel was to the traditional Filipino narratives. However, this is magical realism done right." (more)

"The Hour of Daydreams, by Renee Macalino Rutledge"

NWBookLovers.org, March 31, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams featured on One Nightstand.

"From the Publisher's Desk: After the Launch"

Forest Avenue Press, March 26, 2017

Publisher Laura Stanfill on launching the first author from outside Oregon at the first out-of-state launch party at Books, Inc. in Alameda, California.

"Excerpt, The Hour of Daydreams"

Literary Hub, March 22, 2017

"Interview with Renee Macalino Rutledge, Author of The Hour of Daydreams"

The Qwillery, March 22, 2017

Part of the 2017 Debut Author interviews. The Qwillery's Debut Author Challenge encourages participants to read at least 12 debut novels in 2017.

"Q&A with Renee Macalino Rutledge, Author of The Hour of Daydreams"

VictoriaFullard.com, March 21, 2017

Interview with writer and editor Victoria Fullard, who says, "Renee Macalino Rutledge, in her debut novel The Hour of Daydreams, invites us to imagine a world where women remove their wings to bathe in midnight rivers, where fish rain down from the sky, where mothers become demons (or is it angels?) and disappear."

"Reading with Erin Entrada Kelly"

Shelf Awareness, March 15, 2017

Award-winning author Erin Entrada Kelly lists The Hour of Daydreams as a book she evangelizes for in an interview for Shelf Awareness News.

Review: "The Hour of Daydreams, by Renee Macalino Rutledge"

Fiction Writers Review, March 13, 2017

"Beyond the tight weaving of Filipino fairy tales throughout the story, most impressive about Rutledge’s novel is her use of imagery to pull the reader into the mind of each character.... And in conjunction with the spiraling effect she creates in a story falling from truth into myths and back up again, The Hour of Daydreams reminds us that no matter what story we tell, the truth remains, waiting in the shadows until we are ready and willing to face it." (more)

"The Best Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, and Audio Books"

Asia Books, March 2017

The Hour of Daydreams is a featured new release alongside Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee, and The Refugees, by Viet Thanh Nguyen.

"The Qwillery: The View from Monday, March 13, 2017"

The Qwillery, March 13, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams makes The Qwillery's list of March debut books.

Cover Story: "The Hour of Daydreams: Alameda Author Launches First Book"

Alameda Journal, March 10, 2017

"Launching Tuesday: The Hour of Daydreams"

Forest Avenue Press, March 10, 2017

Article including a preliminary list of indie bookstores across the country carrying the book.

"All the New Genre-Bending Books Coming Out this March!"

Tor.com, March 9, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams makes Tor's list of March genre-benders.

"Interview with Renee Rutledge, Author of The Hour of Daydreams"

'17 Scribes, March 8, 2017

Renee answers author Kate Brandes' questions on the process of writing her book, including her favorite part about writing it and advice to the reader.

"Alameda: SJND Alumna Rutledge's Debut Novel Based on Filipina Tale"

East Bay Times, March 7, 2017

"March 14: Renee Macalino Rutledge Launches The Hour of Daydreams"

SarahCypher.com, March 3, 2017

Review: "Local Resident Pens Philippine Folk Tale"

Alameda Sun, March 2, 2017

"The Hour of Daydreams is stunningly retold with such imagery the words seem to lift off of the page.... The prospect of finding the elusive truth makes for a compelling read." (more)

"From the Publisher's Desk: Characters with Wings"

Forest Avenue Press, January 23, 2017

Publisher Laura Stanfill on selecting The Hour of Daydreams as the first title upon opening for national submissions, with a new blurb announcement from award-winning author Leslye Walton.

Review: "Essential Reading: Self-Help and Inspirational Reads"

Literary Mama, January 18, 2017

"Good stories—and great books—have the power to take you out of your everyday life and draw you into a majestic or magical world. The Hour of Daydreams by Renee Macalino Rutledge is one such book." (more)

"Getting to know SJ Sindu"

The Bookshelf, January 10, 2017

In this author interview, SJ Sindu recommends The Hour of Daydreams as a "book to look out for in 2017."

Review: "The Hour of Daydreams by Renee Macalino Rutledge"

BookStalkerBlog, January 9, 2017

"The writing is beautiful and the fantastical elements that alter the ordinary painful love story make it more than just another story of loss." (more)

"24 NW Books We're Excited to Read in 2017"

The Oregonian, January 4, 2017

The Hour of Daydreams makes list of 24 books that Pacific Northwest booksellers, librarians, and authors anticipate in 2017.

"Rad Women, Deep Cover, and a Filipino Folktale"

Oakland Magazine, December 2016

The Hour of Daydreams on the Oakland Magazine Media Shelf.

Review: "The Hour of Daydreams, by Renee Macalino Rutledge"

University of La Verne's Prism, November 2016

"Rutledge does a great job of molding together realistic situations with fantasy elements, blurring the lines between what is real and what we simply choose to believe. The characters have substance and the tensions of the story are subtle but effective....This novel was an intriguing and exciting read from start to finish." (more)

"Do You Know Who the Women Writing in Our Community Are?"

BarbaraJaneReyes.com, October 11, 2016

The Hour of Daydreams makes Filipino American History Month recommended reading list.

"Cover Characteristics: Feathers"

MareliThalkInk.blogspot.co.za, July 6, 2016

The Hour of Daydreams included in an article on book jackets with a common characteristic: feathers.

"Book Cover: The Hour of Daydreams"

UtOmniaBene.blogspot.com, June 4, 2016

Cover designer Gigi Little on creating the book cover.

Review: "The Hour of Daydreams by Renee Macalino Rutledge"

SandiWardBooks.com, May 31, 2016

"Whimsical and imaginative...I enjoyed reading this story as I would read a poem, open to the possibilities. Ultimately, this is a story about human connection, ambitions, and dreams." (more)

"Tenth Title Revealed: Renee Macalino Rutledge's Unforgettable Debut Novel"

Forest Avenue Press, June 3, 2015