Books are something social – a writer speaking to a reader – so I think making the reading of a book the center of a social event, the meeting of a book club, is a brilliant idea. ~Yann Martel
Are you in a book club? Have ever been in a book club? I have to admit that I’ve never been a member of a book club. But you know what? I still love book clubs. I love the idea of book clubs. People getting together to talk about books. People reading the same book and then talking about what that book made them feel or think. People enjoying the very gift of reading.
While I’ve never been a book club member, I have enjoyed a number of book club visits with various book clubs. Some of them were church book clubs. Some were library book clubs. Some were all women. Some had men and women. Some were senior citizens. Others had all ages. Finding the right book club may be what makes being in a book club fun. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with some book clubs in person. That was true for the book club in Blackey, Kentucky where I met with these lovely ladies. I only have a picture of some of the attendees because I always forget about taking a picture until the end when some of the members have already grabbed their book, whatever it is, for the next month’s meeting and have headed home to start reading.
In this digital age, you can also be in an online book club. While that might not be quite the same as meeting with a group of like-minded readers every month, it can still be great fun to read the same book and then enjoy discussing said book with others in the group. My publisher, Revell Books has an online book club Beyond the Book. It’s a public group on Facebook that features a different book each month. This month my book, These Healing Hills, was the pick for the group’s members.
So all month I’ve had the fun of seeing the comments of readers as they discuss questions like ” What’s your initial impression of the Appalachian and historical setting of this book? In addition, what do you notice about the interaction between the “brought-in” nurses and “mountain people” and how do you think this will carry through the novel?”
One of the readers, Karen, asked me this “Is it like looking at the book with fresh eyes?” And in ways it is because each reader does bring fresh eyes to a book. I sometimes think about a book as a partnership between a writer and a reader. The story comes to life in the writer’s mind as he or she writes it, but then it goes out to readers where it comes to life in their minds.
I’ve enjoyed reading the insights of the readers as they’ve answered the questions posed by the book club’s leaders. It was fun when they asked about favorite characters and many of them enjoyed getting to know Woody and Granny Em along with the main characters in the story, Francine and Ben. I don’t think any of them mentioned Sarge, Fran’s dog, but that could be because he doesn’t show up until later in the story and this question was asked early in the month. If you’ve read the book, did you have a favorite character?
The month is drawing to a close and next month a different writer will have their story picked for readers to discuss. But first, I get to do an online Facebook Live time to discuss the book with readers who will ask questions in comments while I’m talking online. If you want to tune in, the time set for my Facebook Live session is tomorrow, Thursday April 30th at 3 p.m. EST. Think up some questions and come on over. It’s a public group that you can join with no problem at all, and maybe you’ll want to start joining in with their book club fun each month. I do hope no storm comes up to knock out my internet. That would be no fun at all, and that did happen when I did a Zoom meeting with a librarian last week. We had to wait for the sun to shine and try it again. I still don’t know when the Owen County Library will have that up, but when they do I’ll post a link here.
As always, thanks for reading.
So, have you ever been part of a book club? Did you like the books they picked to read? If you aren’t in a book club, do you wish you were?
“If you stop to think about it, you’ll have to admit that all the stories in the world consist essentially of twenty-six letters. The letters are always the same, only the arrangement varies. From letters words are formed, from words sentences, from sentences chapters, and from chapters stories.” – Michael Ende in The Neverending Story
Comments 14
I lead a Christian Fiction book club at my community library. I started our little group almost a year ago. We’ve stopped meeting temporarily until the library reopens and says we can have gatherings. I miss my reader friends there. It’s wonderful to discuss the various books and points of interest and the challenges the characters face. Every quarter, I pass around a ballot with selections for 3 different genres and let the majority rule. That way, I don’t get blamed if we read something we don’t care for.😁
Since we’ve stopped meeting, I have availed myself to online book clubs, such as the one Revell runs (thanks for mentioning my quote), and the one Avid Readers of Christian Fiction runs monthly. I do enjoy hearing the authors on Facebook live and answering our questions as well as the more generic way of answering discussion questions. I think it’s just as important to hear what the author has to say about their book as the readers do. It truly IS a collaboration, and one I am so happy to be a part of! These Healing Hills was a beautiful and touching book. Thank you!
Author
The book club on Goodreads did one of my books once. That was fun. On line book clubs are fun, but those in person ones are probably more fun. What genres does your book club like best? I have heard some people complain about books they have to read for clubs. I guess in those cases they haven’t found the right book club for them with like minded readers. The church book clubs may be more careful to pick books that don’t offend the members, but that might not be true.
It was fun seeing your comments and questions on Beyond the Book, Karen. So glad to “meet” you there. I enjoyed being part of the book club last month. I’m sure you do a great job leading your book club.
Hello Ann!
I have never been in a traditional book club, because I’ve never been able to find one that met at a convenient time for my schedule. But I wish I’d known about the online one. It would have been fun to discuss These Healing Hills.
I enjoy talking about favorite books with my friends. And I just discovered that one of my co-workers has similar tastes in books. We’ve been comparing favorite books, so we may end up in a 2-person book club one day.
I hope you get to write that pioneer book. I love that time period, especially in Kentucky’s early years. Our state has such a rich history. I’m missing being in my summer job with our local tourism at a log cabin museum. I’ve met so many fascinating people from all over the world. I’m looking forward to tourism being opened back up. In the meantime, I have some extra time to sew and read.
Happy writing, Ann. Enjoy this beautiful “not Derby Day” Saturday in May.
Author
It was a beautiful May weekend for sure, Lavon. It’s raining now but we got some good sunshine before the rain moved in. I think it’s fun to have a two person book club. At least fun to discuss books you both like or perhaps didn’t like. Word of mouth, one reader telling another reader, is the very best advertisement an author can get for a book. I always appreciate it when somebody tells a friend about one of my stories.
I’m going to brush up that pioneer story idea and see if I can get some interest for it. Or maybe I should think up a new pioneer idea. I am in the process of thinking up some new ideas. A log cabin museum might be a great place to spark some new idea.
I’m not in a book club but I think it could be an interesting way to make new friends.
Author
I do too, Lucy. If you got into a book club that liked the same kinds of books as you do. That would be key.
I have not been a member of a book club and never had the desire. I am an avid reader but can not imagine being told what to read as I have pages of books that I WANT to read! There are not enough hours in the day or months in a year for me to finish them all-and the list keeps on growing as the days go by. 😊
I did visit a book club a couple of years ago but only went once.
My sister is a different story. She may belong to two or three at a time. 😊 She, also, volunteers at two different libraries where she lives. 😊
Thank you, Ann, for staying in touch. I look forward to each new newsletter! Stay safe-Stay well! 🙏🏻
Author
That’s why I’ve never been a member of a book club, Karen. I figured I wouldn’t have time to read the selected books and also books I might want to read more. But I do enjoy book clubs reading my books and inviting me to their meetings in person or by phone or an internet meeting. We are all wired differently though so what’s good for one person might not be good for another.
I’m so glad you like my newsletters. I wonder sometimes if I should send them out more often, but since I do enjoy the messages I get back and try to answer them all, I’m not sure I could do that every month.
I think you have enough on your plate, Ann. 😊 I’ve heard it said one can spread themselves too thin. Even during this stay at home period I don’t finding myself having anymore time than I ever did. May the a little. 😊
Author
I’m definitely having more time to try to write my book, Karen, since I had several book events canceled. I do enjoy those book events but I guess it’s good I’m getting this book written too.
I am in a book club that meets monthly at our church. We have such a great time, and we’re sad to not be able to meet in March, due to the quarantine. However, we were able to meet in April on Zoom, and it was fun. It was so great to see everyone who was able to use Zoom! Hopefully, by the end of May, when we have our next meeting, we will be able to go in person!
Author
Oh, I hope so, Lynda. I am so ready for things to get somewhat back to normal where we can be in groups again. I think church book clubs are great ways to have a little extra church fun. I hope you’ll give one of my books a try in your club sometime if you ever do fiction books.
I’m getting ready to Zoom meet with a writers’ group tomorrow. My internet isn’t the fastest but I hope we’ll be able to talk.
Book clubs were very popular at the library where I worked ; but I have never been a member of one . I miss going to the library and browsing for interesting reading material as all are closed due to pandemic. I am hearing that when they reopen, daily operations will be very limited and smaller branches may be closed indefinitely. Because of this I have ordered 3 books online including An Appalachian Summer. I really enjoyed the characters in These Healing Hills ; my favorite stories are those that depict pioneer life in KY . Thanks Ann and keep on writing !!
Author
I’d like to write a pioneer story, Nancy, and have pitched an idea to my publishers but so far they haven’t picked up on it. I think they think I’m stuck in the 1800’s or later. But my first published novel many years ago was set in 1780, I think. We’ll see. Maybe I’ll get to do that pioneer novel someday.
I hate to hear that news about libraries. I’m a big library fan even though I don’t go get books the way I used to since it is easy to research online or order research books. And I have a huge pile of books I’d want to read along with some on my Kindle and Nook.
And now I need to get back to writing!!