Hi!! Lindi here.
I’d like to congratulate last month’s giveaway winner, Margaret Nelson! Thanks to everyone who stops by the blog. We are appreciative of you and your time and support. I also much check in with my reading progress. I’m still reading The Scent of Rain–still loving it–but I’m also reading a book called The River Witch, a southern gothic novel by Kimberly Brock. It’s our book club selection in June and well, as you can tell by now, I need a head start! I haven’t read another non-fiction book either. Yikes!! What am I doing with my time? (It’s also getting warmer here, (GA.) which means I don’t take as many baths, and I read a lot in the bathtub–no excuses, just explanations.)
Speaking of books, I wanted to talk about book clubs.
Do any of you belong to a book club? If not, would you like to?
As a reader and a writer, I love book clubs. I also love book clubs where authors can attend. So, as someone who is starting a book club I have a few questions. First, the book club only meets once a quarter. As you can see by my reading progress, that’s a good time frame for me to finish a book. :) But seriously, I felt like it really was a good time frame for readers to not only finish a book, but get out of the house and go to a meeting. What are your thoughts on that time frame?
This book club is a spin off of the readers’ luncheon I host in February, Love our Readers’ Luncheon. We have started a book club and are reading books of the authors that have hosted tables at the luncheon. This is another effort to unite local businesses and authors.
Second: What about those discussion questions in the back of the book. I had a book club tell me once that they don’t really like the questions because the questions are too thought provoking. They read to escape and sometimes the questions bring up things they don’t want to think about, or things that are personal and they don’t want to discuss them in a public forum. I have really thought about questions after learning this information. This particular book club liked to discuss scenes, characters, and talk about what was their favorite and least favorite scenes and why. Same with the characters. Thoughts?
Then, if the author is present, what kind of questions do you like to ask? I like knowing where the author got the idea for the book. Would you like to know about the authors personal life? What about asking the author what was their favorite scene to write? Maybe ask about deleted scenes? I would love to know what kind of questions you would pose to an author.
And what about food? We have desserty snacks, tea and water. Must have food, right? Tea Leaves and Thyme who host our luncheon are providing the desserts for the book club.
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts on book clubs. I haven’t attended very many and this is the first time I’ve ever hosted a book club, so this is new territory for me. But, hey, you have to start somewhere, right?
USA Today featured author Lindi Peterson lives in north Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and a lively array of cats, dogs and birds. She loves sharing life with her family and friends. Her passion for reading led her to writing, and then God spoke words of love into her heart and changed her life forever.
Hi Lindi! I have to agree with the group who wasn’t big on the questions for the readers often at the end of books. Reading is a form of relaxation, so I’d rather have a more casual conversation about the book. If the author were present, I’d like to hear about their writing routine, where they get their ideas, etc.
Hi Lindi:) I have never been involved in a formal book club before, however, anytime I catch up with some dear friends, we have often read the same books (we share our libraries as much as possible) and enjoy discussing what we liked/disliked, connected with etc. about the books. We also talk about the characters we liked, why and what, if anything we would change. I would enjoy hearing how an author gets their ideas/inspiration, how the story changed over the course of writing, (deleted scenes sounds fun) and things like that.
Food- cannot go wrong with tea and nibbles!!
Have fun, I hope it all goes well for you…and good luck with the reading progress,
Blessings:)
Hi Lindi! For two years I have been attending a Book Club for Foodies / Tales You Can Taste sponsored by the local library and school of cooking. The librarian picks books with food themes, finds 20 copies of the book, and moderates our lively discussions. For $20 the School of Cooking prepares a full course meal.
I have never been in a book club. I don’t think I would like a book club that gets personal. Rebate book club stubs aewsome. I love food?
Jill—-:) Thanks!!
Wemble—It sounds like you have a book club of sorts. That’s awesome. I love discussing books, and plots, and characters. So much fun and good discussions.
Renate–Sign me up! This sounds amazing. I love the concept. Wow–what a great community engaging idea. Thanks for sharing.
Colleen—Renate’s does sound amazing. And I think you have to have a lot of trust built up for the more personal questions. Thanks for stopping by today!
I’ve never been in a book club, but your readers’ luncheon sounds amazing! As does Renate’s group.
I’m a book club dropout. I always think the idea of a book club sounds fun, but I like to read what I like to read not what someone has chosen for me to read. I know I should expand my horizons, but if I don’t enjoy the book, I have a hard time finishing it, much less discussing it. I remember one particular book club in which I read the first book, but when the second choice was a 500 page book on philosophy of some sort, I quickly exited. I don’t think ready-made questions are always the best. A natural discussion of the book is better in my opinion. I was invited to attend a book club that had read one of my books. It was interesting to hear them discuss it and answer their questions.
Hi Merrillee—I do see your point on choice. My step-daughter has been a part of a successful book club for years now. They’ve had the same few core members, others have come and gone, but I think they are all in sync with what everyone likes to read. I love attending book clubs as an author.
Thanks, Val!!
Okay, now this sounds like a fun book club. Food. Books. Lively discussion. What more can you ask for!! =)
Hi! I had to look up your post from last month to remind myself what I won :-) How do I collect?
Anyway, I haven’t been in a book club either, so don’t have any advice :-)
I have never been a part of a book club but having the authors of the books present sounds like a neat idea. I would like to hear more about the author’s creative process, where the story idea came from, and if it’s part of a series, how they plan in order to tie the books together or include info that might become very relevant in a later story.
Never been part of a book club. Never had the time. Now that I’m retired I go to Bible Study on one day a week in the morning and crafting another day. I do subscribe to a lot of newsletters by reviewers or authors! That keeps me busy as well as mundane things like dishes etc. oh and of course plenty of time to read!
You are my newest blog. Looking forward to reading your suggestions.
HI Paula,—it does sound like you are busy! Never a dull moment, right?
Jessica–I love to hear how authors put series together. It’s a fascinating process and they all have their unique spins on how they do it.
Hi Margaret—please email me at authorlindip at gmail (dot) com and I’ll send your prize your way. :) Thanks for stopping by today.
Jackie–so true!!
Never been in a book club but am an avid reader of Christian fiction! Yes it is getting warm in GA…lol
I’ve never been in a book club, but I would love it if we could get one started at my church. My current Bible study doesn’t do food so I wouldn’t expect that at a book club, either. I’d like to talk to the author about the spiritual points they were trying to get across in the book. I hope yours goes well!
Okay – emailed you yesterday. Hope you got it okay.
I’ve never been a part of a book club before. I would think that food or beverage would be part of it, maybe have everyone bring something to share so it’s not such a burden on one person (the host or hostess). At the church we attended when we lived in a different city, we had what we call Cell groups. Small intimate gatherings in peoples homes where there was a small Bible study, time of prayer and then just wonderful fellowship. There would be finger foods & beverages and sometimes other people would bring something to share with everyone. It was great to get to know people outside of church and connect as fellow Christians :-) I miss that!
I think if I were to have an author be part of a book club, I’d love to ask about research, how they get story ideas, how much of their own life experiences are in the story…that kind of thing :-) Maybe what’s the craziest thing they ever did for research…lol! I’d ask about their family…spouse, kids, pets, etc. I’d want to get to know them outside of their writing lives, after all they are people too! :-) We readers sometimes forget that, or at least I do!