Not My Book Club
Not Enough Excitement
I just think this photo is adorable – From Richard Hertzler/Lancaster New Era
Before we moved to the country and learned how to adjust to gravel roads, fallen trees, wandering cows and even strolling bears, my husband, Bill, and I both worked in the big city. There was little time to join a book group as we led our humdrum lives working and raising a rambunctious son. But, soon after retiring and moving to a little country paradise in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia I became a member of The Blue Ridge Readers! Talk about excitement! Wow!
O.k. – Borrrring right? I mean all you young whippersnappers out there in the blogusfear may not even read books anymore. But don’t stop reading please. If you are craving adventure and excitement, joining a book club may be just the ticket – and not just from devouring Whodunnits. “There’s more to a book club than a book”, and that’s my own direct quote. And if you want to inject new life into your own group, here are some secrets.
How to Super Charge or Re-charge Your Book Group
1) Add A Holiday Bash! Whoooohooooo!
The Blue Ridge Readers share more than good reading! Guess what? We have refreshments once a year for one whole hour and no book discussion! It’s our Holiday Get-Together – a grand somewhat understated December bash party at a local restaurant! We order our individual beverages of choice plus a varied selection of appetizers and then everybody splits the bill and splits the snacks too. There’s a whole lot of wild goin’s on and camaraderie in one little afternoon hour. Now that’s living dangerously don’t you agree? Well, it’s more exciting than a tea partyanyway.
No! No! don’t leave this blog post yet! You will miss the real thrills!
2) Create Your Own Website Be still my heart!
If you want REAL excitement, your blood to boil faster and your hair to stand on end, be sure to check out The Blue Ridge Readers website. Even if you aren’t a member of our club, you may want to create a website of your own. There are so many book suggestions on the Blue Ridge Readers’ site, we often think we have won the lottery!
3) Have a Private Book Sale And just try to stay calm!
Yes, sometimes we have private book sales! Whoa! Sit down for this one. Occasional sales are how we clear our at-home shelves of extra books to make room for more extras. On Buck-A-Book Day we sell books to each other for $1 each. Proceeds are donated to our local library. Unsold books are also donated to the library. Accolades please! Benevolence may not sound particularly exciting, but believe me, you will get a real rush!
4) Work with “Friends” We simply can’t wait!
Our club is now forming an alliance with Friends of the Library – a group of dedicated volunteers with an exciting program of author speakers and sponsored library book sales. The merger promises to be heart stopping. Do I hear laughter? Come on now, don’t you get a charge from increasing your reading options? We are really excited about working with this group and making them our friends too. Do you have a similar volunteer organization working for your library? Think about how they can supercharge your own book club or how you can work with them too to enhance the services of your local library and encourage more happy reading.
I do love my book club. And even though I joke about how exciting it is, well, it actually is. And since the group’s motto is to share good reading, if you are local and would like to join us, please do. It’s free and we have room for a few more real live members. If you are not local and would like to join our ONLINE BOOK CLUB just let me know by sending your email address. Online membership is also free and the expectation is that you too will find excitement and camaraderie even if you live clear across the world. Well, at least you will be privy to a few ideas for good reading.
Do you belong to a book club of your own? Let’s share our lists! How exciting can you get?
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- As an Author, Why I love Book Club (kellielarsenmurphy.com)
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