1. In the beginning of the novel, Katie is writing for small local music or indie magazines, trying to make it as a music writer, but the impression she has of herself and that others have of her is that she’s not a success or doesn’t have a “real” job. Discuss if there are limits (age, amount of time, salary) to following your dreams, and how people are influenced by the expectations of others.
2. One of Spin’s central themes is the public’s obsession with celebrities, even in their private moments. Do you think an experienced journalist would take the assignment offered to Katie? What would be the moral implications of doing so?
3. Do you read gossip magazines or websites? Do you talk about celebrities with your friends? What do you think constitutes “going too far” when covering a celebrity’s life? How do you feel about the ways that celebrities and the media seem to manipulate each other?
4. Is Amber a sympathetic character? Do you understand Katie’s attraction to her as a friend? Did any of Amber’s actions take you by surprise or reveal something about her that you didn’t expect?
5. The description of the days that Katie spends writing her article echoes the description of the days she spends in rehab. Do you see a parallel between the arc that Katie goes through in rehab and the one she goes through while writing the article?
6. How did you feel when Katie wrote the article? Were you disappointed? Could you relate to her choice? Why or why not?
7. Did you find Henry appealing? Many books and movies merely “tell” the reader that a couple is in love, rather than “showing” it (i.e., music set over scenes of frolicking in parks, etc.). Did the author successfully overcome this problem? Did you “see” a progress from Katie and Henry’s initial attraction to love?
8. Katie and Henry each seem to work through their problems while running. Do you have a similar activity in your life that helps you think things through?
9. How did the ending of this book play with the convention of the romantic comedies that Katie discusses? Did you find the ending of the book satisfying in this respect?
10. The author has said that she was trying to write a novel that was a musical. Did you pick up on this idea? Did the author succeed in creating a soundtrack for the novel? The songs on Katie’s playlist are meant to reflect the mood/theme of the chapter. Do you think the song choices were suitable?
11. Do you think Spin would make a good movie? Who do you see playing the main characters?
