Beach Reads

I'm long past the days of baking in the sun on the beach all summer, but I still love a good beach read.

Give me a story full of quirky characters that I feel so close to I think I need to send them a postcard when I go on vacation. And, give me a town that I can picture in my mind. I love those kinds of books.

Mary Kay Andrews, Debbie Macomber, Sherryl Woods are just a few of my favorite "community" reads and I can settle in with those on the beach, on the couch, in the summer, in the fall :) Now that I have a kindle I seem to read even more of them at a faster pace, too.

How about you?
What makes a book one of your favorites?
Nancy

Clever Titles

So maybe your club is one of those that doesn't like the structure of a discussion about the book that involves questions and answers. That's okay.

It's your club, it can be what YOU want it to be.

Here's a more relaxed alternative. Once everyone is gathered give everyone an index card or sheet of paper and have them rate the book. Use a 1-10 scale like your Dancin' With The Stars judges, or maybe a 1-5 star rating. Whatever works for you.

THEN -- rename the book. Get your wheels turning and come up with a great new title. Authors hardly ever get to keep the title they come up with. Marketing gets that honor. See if you can do better.

Have fun!
Can't wait to hear what you come up with.
Nancy

What will we talk about?

For some reason folks are always worried about what they will talk about at a book club meeting. Trust me. If you start with "Who liked the book?" things are going to roll right along. Books are like husbands, there's a perfect one for every reader but every reader won't like every one.

If you want some help, however, there is help out there.

Many of the publishers do a really good job of including Readers Guides or BookClub Notes for their books, and some authors take care of it on their own. Check out your author's favorite website. You might be pleasantly surprised that they'd be happy to send you some free bookmarks, have a link to a downloadable Bookclub Guide, or even offer to call in to chat about the book at your next meeting!

Authors work long and hard to bring those characters to life and get them on a shelf for you to enjoy. They'd love to hear from you, and know that they've touched your life, or sparked a memory for you.

In the link section below are a few places to start looking for reader guides.

If all else fails --- here are some basics.

Who liked the book?

What was your favorite character in the book?

Did you connect with any one place or scene in the book?

Is there a character in the book that reminded you of someone you know?

Talk about the cover art.

Did the blurb about the book hold up to the story?

Would you read another title from this author?

Have a great read!
Nancy