I’ve been in a local Christian fiction book club for many years—-before I ever thought of writing a novel.
Many years ago (maybe 20 years!), a young mother discovered Christian fiction. The books she read impacted her faith so much she started a book club. She felt that God had used those stories to draw her back to Him. She wanted other people to experience some of what she had experienced through reading those stories and to be able to talk with fellow believers about how God was speaking to us through them.
I didn’t join the group for a number of years while I worked at my church in children’s ministry because I didn’t think I could squeeze in another activity. I also mostly read nonfiction at the time.
Little did I know what I was missing.
My friends in the group said there were just certain books I had to read by Francine Rivers, Randy Alcorn, and Lynn Austin. They swooned over some new guy author named Charles Martin.
So I bought or borrowed these titles.
There were some sleepless nights.
There were bleary eyes, blurry vision, tears…
And even bigger shifts in my heart and my opinion of fiction–the realization that there is power in story. Jesus taught with stories…
And I fell in love with Christian fiction.
So I became a faithful member group of the group. We only have a couple of rules. It must be Christian fiction, and you have to have read the book to recommend it. (That helps us not end up in a book not worth our time or that was incorrectly labeled as Christian.)
Fast forward many more years, I had a crazy idea to write my own Christian fiction novel. When I finished, I fearfully asked a few members to read this mass of pages I’d gone to Office Max and printed off and put in a three-ring binder. The ladies were so encouraging. The whole book club ended up reading printed off copies of the very rough rough ugly draft of Leaving Oxford. I cringe now thinking about how amateurish is was. But they cheered me on. While writing Going Up South, I sent a few of the members scenes every day as I wrote them. I really didn’t care if they read them at that point, but it kept me accountable to keep working on this crazy idea. They were so patient as I clogged their inboxes with scene after scene. (I know they’re thankful I found an author critique group with ACFW by the third book!)
A quote from my 4th book, Blown Together:
There is power in story. Stories change thinking, change lives. There is beauty in words. Words work their way into our hearts and nuzzle us up to greater heights. Words and stories inspire leaders, change societies, and spark revolutions.
I’ll never forget the first essay you wrote. I knew right away I had a writer in my class. You have a God-given gift, dear Elinor. You wield the power of story and the beauty of words. I ask you to continue to hone that gift to bless, inspire, and nurture. Transform lives for the better. Spark a revolution of love for the first Author.
I’m writing book nine now. The ladies still encourage me. We still read multiple Christian authors every year, one per month!
Not only are we book club ladies closer to God through our reading of Christian fiction, we are closer to each other. We are sisters and friends! (Here’s a pick a few years back when we had Love Inspired author Lorraine Beatty as our guest.
I’ve spoken at numerous book clubs around Mississippi where I live. One had been together 100 years! I love hearing their stories and feeling the camaraderie. I know there are many active online book clubs too!
This is a great time to be reading while we are all stuck at home. My book club met on Zoom technology last month since we couldn’t get together.
If you’re in KU, all but one of my books are available there, along with many of our Inspy Romance authors. I’m also leaving my 4-book series at 99 cents on Amazon another month due to the quarantine.
(Here’s our trying to get organized to a pic picture way back when, LOL!)
I’m so thankful for my Christian fiction book club! Are you in a book club? Tell me about it!
No, I have never been in a book club, but yours sounds wonderful.
No book club for me. I like to just read what I want to read. Whenever.
Hi Janet! This retired high school English and German teacher was privileged to discuss American, Contemporary, and German literature with her students for 30 years. As a retiree for three years I belonged to a Book Club for Foodies. Unique because it was sponsored by the local library and an area school of cooking. All the books had a food them and for $20 after our book discussion, participants could enjoy a prepared meal and learn cooking tips. Now I belong to the Lake Bluffs book club sponsored by another local library. In October and November the group decides on books for the year. We meet once a month and each participant states why one likes or dislikes the book. We read both fiction and nonfiction. I also participate in a few Facebook Book Clubs or Book Discussion. Best wishes.
I’ve been in a couple of book clubs, but they were not good experiences. Maybe because they weren’t Christian fiction focused. (Even the short lived one with ladies from my Sunday school class chose a book I refused to read.)
So now I’m wary.
But experiences like yours always make me wonder what I’m missing.
I’ve never belonged to a book club, though one of the ladies in my Bible study suggested that I start one! At this point, though, I don’t feel called to do that. I love to read, and I like to read what I want, when I want. I may have to give it more consideration in the future! I’d definitely set one rule, that it would have to be CF!!!!
I’m a member of a couple of online book clubs. I’ve never been in a face-to-face group. I like being in my Goodreads group, because I can pick and choose which challenges I join, and I don’t have to join all of them or any of them.
I also am sort of in a book club with my sister, but we only read nonfiction. We’re reading through theology books by Greg Boyd at the moment. Seeing is Believing is our current pick.
I have never been in a book club, but I have several friends with who I exchange suggestions of good books to read, and they have introduced me to some of my favorite authors!
I got introduced to your books because I won one of the prize packs at Inspy Romance one year, and Tackling the Fields was one of the books in it… I loved it! I think I’ve read all your books since then.
I really do enjoy it! There are several on Facebook with Christian book bloggers . I think Toni Shiloh used to have one. She’s an Inspy Romance author. Maybe do a search or start one in your area with a couple of friends :)
Just an idea
Blessings,
Janet
That makes sense :) I do like to pick what I’m in the mood to read.
Blessings,
I’d love to eat with the Foodie book club! Your other book club sounds good too! You are definitely well-read!!
Blessings,
I think that’s why our club only read Christian fiction. We don’t want any objectionable material.
It’s a good rule. I understand about not being called to do something. I’ve gotten myself into messes when I don’t listen to God’s call or the His not calling!
The Goodreads groups are really active, I’ve noticed. They look fun!
That’s really neat about your sister. Such a sweet way to connect, especially over theology :) Reminds me of the Scripture, iron sharpens iron.
I love talking books with my friends, which is kind of like a book club!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed my books! And thrilled that you found them through Inspy Romance!
Hugs,
I failed the physical for the ladies book clubs. And finding men who want to *talk* about *books* is about like finding a nice, quiet seat in front of the stage at an AC/DC concert. So, I content myself with reading, writing and sharing ideas here on IR. Works for me.
I joined a neighborhood book club years ago, but when the second book we were supposed to read turned out to be a 500 page historical tome, I dropped out never to see a book club again. Since then I did speak to two different book clubs who had read one of my books.
LOL! My husband would never want to talk about books, ha. He’s an environmental engineer.
Inspy Romance is a great place to talk about books!
Blessings,
No, I couldn’t read that either, I don’t believe. That sounds like school, LOL!
I enjoy visiting book clubs that have read my books :) Such a sweet honor.
I’m not in a traditional book club. Our group petered out with attendence, and then we lost our room at the library. I was in a different group at church, but as our kids aged, we had so many activities, we could no longer keep it going. Now, I have some online groups, but it’s not the same.
That happens with a lot of groups as time moves on, sadly. I hope you find a couple of bookish friends to maybe meet for coffee–when all this stay at home situation is over :)
Blessings,
Janet
I’ve been a member of a Christian book club for about 13 years. We primarily read fiction (my favorite) but maybe once a year will read a nonfiction book. Our schedule is set for the whole year, with each of us recommending books. We meet monthly but there have been a few months when we’ve had to cancel. We are a pretty small group now, sometimes just four or five of us, though we used to have more members. We are meeting by Zoom until we can meet in person again. We’ve had some very fun meeting with authors both in person and Skype or Facetime. I really enjoy my book club.
Pam, That sounds like a great group! We are doing Zoom this month and have invited the author, Tosca Lee! I’ve visited book clubs as an author but I haven’t tried to Skype. I guess I need to learn how :)
Thanks for sharing!
Janet
No, I’m not. I don’t know of any nearby.
Well, we’re always talking books here on Inspy :)
Love this story! And look how far you’ve come as an author!!
I used to hand printed out copies of my WIP chapters to my mom, who was/is my biggest fan. One year she took the ten or so chapters of the current WIP on a golf trip with 7 of her friends. One rainy day they stayed in. My mom passed out my chapters. They sat in a circle, reading and passing around each chapter. When they’d all read all of them, my mom called me and they insisted I send them more! They found out the FAX number in the office of the place they were staying so that I could get them to them! (This was prior to email/text). Oh my gosh it was so fun for me, knowing they were excited about my chapters, and them, getting them hot off the press!
How sweet about your mom and her friends!! I bet that was so rewarding!!
Thanks for sharing such a sweet story :)
No I have not although your Club sounds wonderful. My friends in my area (rural) don’t read fiction so I do my reading on my own & we simply meet for coffee occasionally. :D
That sounds nice to meet for coffee. I’d enjoy that!