Baghdad by the Bay Goes Bonkers for Books (February 23, 2011)

Fun Friday: Help Write a Book? (February 4, 2011)

• Does Attila the Hun take over your book discussions on a regular basis?
• Is your reading group missing the rich symbolic references in To Kill a Mockingbird?
• Are you overwhelmed by all the characters in People of the Book?
• Has your book club gotten lost in the complicated plot lines in The Thirteenth Tale?

What Makes a Book Club Book Great?  (January 28, 2011)

What’s Your Book Club Sign?  (January 19, 2011)

    
One of my fellow book blogger friends mentioned today that she almost exclusively shops on-line for her books.  And it just struck me that although it is convenient, if we don’t support our local independent books sellers, we won’t have them to patronize in the future. As a former owner of a small family retail business, I know how hard it is to try to compete with the big national chains and box stores. But where else will they hand-sell you that great novel that they couldn’t put down, host your favorite author for an event, or in some cases even offer to wrap your book for free?  

          So this holiday season, I urge everyone to visit their local bookseller if they want to continue to have this option in the future. I’m quoting the following benefits from Indiebound (the association of independent booksellers):

    “Why shop Indie? When you shop at an independently owned business, your entire community benefits:

The Economy

    - Spend $100 at a local and $68 of that stays in your community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain

       and your community only sees $43.

    - Local businesses create higher-paying jobs for our neighbors.

    - More of your taxes are reinvested in your community--where they belong.

The Environment

    - Buying local means less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint.

    - Shopping in a local business district means less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money to beautify your community.

     
The Community

    - Local retailers are your friends and neighbors—support them and they’ll support you.

    - Local businesses donate to charities at more than twice the rate of national chains.

    - More independents means more choice, more diversity, and a truly unique community.”

 

Are you willing to give up all of these great benefits? I didn't think so...

Enjoy your holiday—and go out and support your local bookseller!
 
Cheers!
 
BCC

Woodland Reads Brings Jacqueline Winspear to Town (April , 2010)

One Fine Weekend in the Emerald City   (January, 2010)

“Sounds like a Convention on Crack…Count me in!” That was the reaction of Sheila, one of my fellow Readers in the Hood members, when I first introduced the idea of going to the Pulpwood Queens Girlfriends Weekend (PWQ GFWE) almost a year ago. After actually attending our first GFWE, I must say her interpretation pretty much nailed it! Even with my 'Shappy Mew Dear’-talk and daily catnaps (Handsome Hubby ensured my sister, Sheri, went along as my nurse) it was one of the ‘funnest’ parties I’ve ever attended—and trust me—I’ve been to some fun parties!

             I tried to narrow it down, but it was hard to leave anything out, so here are my Top 10 Most Memorable Moments (assuming I have a memory…):

9)  Pat and Melissa Conroy: Pat may be the legend of the family, but they were both absolutely adorable! Pat received an award for Best Book of the Year for South of Broad, while Melissa took home the award for Best Children’s Book, Poppy's Pants. Pat served us dinner on Thursday night and was friendlier than a cocker spaniel—just as cute—and he never piddled on my shoes! Many of the other authors were overhead exclaiming throughout the weekend, “Pat Conroy bought my book!” He is truly a gracious man.

 Left: BFFs Rhonda Perry and Shellie Rushing Tomlinson (Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On) as twin rainbows, and Ad Hudler (Man of the House) as The Great and Powerful Oz; Center: Those kind Texas Two-steppin’ Witches from SW Louisiana; Right: Deanne Gist (A Bride in the Bargain) as Glenda, and Karen Harrington (Janeology) as Dorothy

Left: Kathy Patrick as Tippi Hedren Barbie; Center: Kat as the Texas Tornado; Right: M.L. Malcolm (Heart of Lies ), Kay Huck as Malibu Barbie, and Kat chattin’ it up

                So here’s a shout out to every book club in the country who likes reading good books, enjoys meeting great authors, and especially loves a grand party—sign up right now for The Pulpwood Queens Girlfriends Weekend 2011.   Oh, yeah, and you better start working on your costumes on crack. I’m sure those clever Katy girls already have.

BCC

Shappy Mew Dear! (January 1, 2010)

Here’s hoping you had a fun, relaxing, (or insert whatever adjective is important to you) holiday. Mine was a little more complicated and exciting than I had hoped…

On Christmas Eve—while entertaining two dozen family members and guests for dinner at my home—I experienced what can now only be called a stroke. (I know—always striving to get the maximum attention…) I’m OK—a bit humbled—but, I’m OK.

I will have a bit of recovery to look forward to in the upcoming months, but my ability to speak has been impacted the most. (How ironic—I mean that’s like a giraffe with a sore throat…a centipede with sprained ankles…an elephant with a broken nose…you get the picture…)

Of course, at first I was convinced I’d developed that rare tropical disease, “Fat Tongue.” My mouth resembled a pair of Reebok high-tops—or a Rolling Stones Poster! I felt like Enzo from The Art of Racing in the Rain—with a tongue too big to be able to articulate like a human.

The doctor’s aren’t quite sure exactly what happened to me, but after mountains of tests here are…

The Top 10 Most Likely Reasons My Speech Mechanism is Broken:

10)     Extreme overuse and abuse of said mechanism

9)       The cat got my tongue (but which of my two mischievous twins had it?)

8)       I watched A Christmas Story WAY too many times, and tried to lick a frozen flag pole

7)       A bee stung me in the mouth

6)       I drank too much Chardonnay, and my tongue became permanently distilled

5)       My spot-reducing was successful—all of my weight shifted to my tongue

4)       I ate my own holiday cooking

3)       I heard the local speech therapist was really cute—and I found a way to see him

            regularly

2)       Handsome Hubby got three wishes for Christmas, and “a quiet wife” was his first

1)       Tiger Wood’s wife suspected that something was going on and bashed me in the face

           with a baseball bat

But, for whatever reason you choose, the pom poms will have to stay in the closet for a bit, while I practice my “She sells seashells by the seashore”—which at this point, comes out like so much spouting sea spray!

As a former corporate trainer, I believe life is training and development. And if I can’t be a good example—perhaps I can be a good warning. I would like to urge those of you whose doctors tell you to lower your cholesterol, lose weight, exercise regularly, quit smoking—or whatever your doctor is saying—to follow her advice. Don’t live in denial like I did: “I’ll start my diet tomorrow”, “It won’t hurt if I skip the treadmill today”, “I don’t need to take no stinkin’ meds”, etc. etc. etc. I think I’ll take this little scare as a warning, myself. And so my New Year’s resolution is to take better care of myself. What’s yours going to be?

Shappy Mew Dear—or rather, Happy New Year—and Cheers!

BCC

 "Of course, at first I was convinced I’d developed that rare tropical disease, 'Fat Tongue.'

My mouth resembled a pair of Reebok high-tops—or a Rolling Stones Poster!

I felt like Enzo from The Art of Racing in the Rain—with a tongue too big to be able to articulate like a human."

This is my favorite time of year. No, I don’t love mall traffic; nor am I a Cyber Monday fan—and I certainly don’t like cold weather. (I'm way too much of a California Girl for that...) But, I do love holiday lights, Christmas cards—and most especially, Gift Giving! I plan most of the year to make themed baskets for my sister and sisters-in-law (I just hope they enjoy receiving them at least half as much as I do designing them…) I devour my nieces wish lists on Amazon and have a tough time deciding which items will mostly likely elicit squeals of excitement. And it’s the one time of year that my always-practical hubby allows me to talk him into some much-needed new clothes.

My neighborhood book club, Readers in the Hood, shares this passion, as well. Not buying clothes for Handsome Hubby—but giving back. We’ve found many creative ways to support some worthy organizations—and have a lot of fun together doing it! Read about some of our favorites on my recent blog at ReadingGroupGuides.com… We’d also love to hear what your book club is doing to give back to your community—let us know!

Go, Go, Giving!

BCC

Top 10 Book Club Books of 2009   (November 2009)

It’s almost Thanksgiving—and you know what that means? No, not turkey, bowl games, and Black Friday—it’s time for everyone’s “Year-end Best” Lists—and The Book Club Cheerleader is no exception!

How did I arrive at such a list of Top 10 Book Club Books of 2009, you ask? Well, first I solicited feedback from many of the reading groups that I work with, and then I mixed them up in a hat—and pulled out MY favorites! Yes, very scientific, indeed. I also have to admit to a bit of fudging with the dates. Since many book clubs read primarily paperbacks, I took the liberty of including 2009 paperback releases as well as the traditional hardcover releases you may see on other ’09 lists. And as if that were not enough, I out-right cheated in order for one of my favorites to make the list. This is one time when I do believe the end justifies the means—let’s see what you think. In alphabetical order here they are:

1) Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story, by Carolyn Turgeon. For those who typically shy away from the fantasy genre—here’s your chance to dip your toes in the water—without getting too wet. Carolyn has woven a beloved old-fashioned fairy-tale with a story of modern-day Manhattan. But don’t get too comfortable—there’s a darker twist to this magical story—so I wouldn’t try reading this version aloud to the little ones…

Be sure to check out my earlier review on this haunting tale in our Book Buzz column. Carolyn Turgeon is definitely an author to watch!

2) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows. Unless you’ve been stranded on a desert island, locked in a fitting room at Nordstrom, or simply left the country after your political candidate lost the election, you likely already know all about this book. Informing us about a little-known aspect of WWII—the German occupation of the Channel Islands between England and France—this is a wonderful story of a newspaper columnist who discovers exactly what went on during this period of time—and we get to discover it with her. But, it’s not just about history—in fact, it’s mostly about character—and Guernsey island is full of them! It's an enchanting, yet educational read of bravery, loyalty—and yes, even a little romance.

If your club is planning to celebrate this book, try playing our Pictogram word game as an icebreaker before your discussion. 

3) The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy, by Robert Leleux. This humorous and heartbreaking coming-of-age story is set in East Texas. A young gay man who learned about life from his high-maintenance mom—and the salon at Nieman Marcus—learns to let go and follow his dreams. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry—hopefully you won’t wet you spankies like I did…

Please see my review from earlier this year.

4) People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. OK, two confessions on this one—I lied, and I lied. First, this is the book that I had to cheat onto the list. It came out in paperback on December 30, 2008. But, y really can’t get much closer to a 2009 release, now can you? I mean, really—If you went skiing for a couple of days between Christmas and New Years, you would totally miss it until ’09, right? Also, I mentioned this list was in no particular order—this was so I wouldn’t get flack from any of my author friends for listing them as #10 vs. #1. But, if I had listed them in order, this would have to be my #1 favorite book of the entire year (assuming you go along with my little charade that we can consider it “of” this year…) How can you not become infatuated with a book that is, after all, about a book? How can you not fall in love with the plethora of fabulous characters who risked their lives to protect said book? And how can you not become obsessed with the wonderful way in which Ms. Brooks has woven the story of modern book-lovers with ancient ones? I dare you to resist its charms—just try!

And while you’re at it, try my People Map (to help keep them all straight) and my People of the Book Scramble Game that you can play with your book club.

5) Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. This tale of Shanghai and LA’s China Town in the early to mid-20^th century, was written by one of my all-time favorite authors. Not only is Lisa a great storyteller and detailed researcher—but she also really “gets” family relationships—especially sisters! If you liked Snow Flower and the Secret Fan —you will love Shanghai Girls. Two sisters, different in every way, withstand war, loss, and personal disappointments and betrayals. But, at the end of the day, as Lisa says, “Sisters are Forever.” For those who have already fallen in love with these characters, stay tuned—Lisa is working on the sequel for us as I type…

Be sure to read the blog Lisa wrote earlier this year for ReadingGroupGuides.com about How Three Book Clubs Helped with Shanghai Girls.

6) Song Yet Sung, by James McBride. After enjoying James’s wonderful memoir, The Color of Water, I was eager to read another of his books, and yet I wondered how he would handle a fictional piece. The answer: “Skillfully. Very Skillfully.”  This saga of a runaway slave with special ‘gifts’, incorporates prophesies of Martin Luther King, 21^st century rappers, and television into her character-laden odyssey. Themes of cruelty, cowardice and corruption reside along with redemption, loyalty and selflessness. Sensuous description abounds, but not at the expense of the driving plot which is well paced all the way up to the surprising conclusion. Prepare to enjoy—and be awed. James McBride is a master!

Need an icebreaker for your gathering when you discuss Song Yet Sung? Try our “Teen Talk” word game.

7) South of Broad, by Pat Conroy. Okay—I’ll admit it—my book club was right, and I was wrong. Readers in the Hood, my neighborhood book club, selected Pat Conroy’s latest novel as our October read—and I was not happy about it. Even though I had owned the galley since last June, I’d also read some early mixed reviews and was leery. Well, I must say, the 14-year wait since his last novel was worth it. Mr. Conroy created for South of Broad some of the richest and most varied characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. This tale includes the themes of coming of age, persistence in overcoming obstacles, diversity—and not surprising given that we’re talking about Pat Conroy—it’s part love story to his beloved Charleston. Moving from the city to the mountains, the east coast to the west, and back, these characters will stay with you until the—in my case 3 a.m.—conclusion.

For your discussion, you may want to try the role-play technique, my sister-in-law, Anne, used to facilitate our group. A fun treatment for any character-rich book. 

8) The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Take “Mad Men” (a sophisticated look at the early 60’s) —and move it down to meet “Mississippi Burning” (a gritty look at the Civil Rights struggle in the heart of the South), and you’ll have a good idea of the drama in store in Ms. Stockett’s breakout first novel. In this insightful story, we learn about African-American servants who raise white families—taking care of the children along with the laundry, cleaning and cooking. We learn about what happens when an educated white woman dares to think for herself, doesn’t fit the “Southern Belle” mold and has the audacity to graduate from college without earning her MRS degree. And we learn all the secrets that are stirred up when both of these parties get together to write a book. As a transplanted southerner, (Mobile, Alabama is where I was born and spent every summer until I graduated from high school) I found the tone, attitudes, and dialogue to be dead-on. But this should be no surprise, since the author is from Jackson, Mississippi and just happened to graduate from Ole Miss, herself. You will cringe at the injustices of the period, and you will applaud the bravery of a few women trying to make a difference for the better.

Also, have fun with our Pictogram game covering the people, place and things you will encounter in The Help. Stumped for serving suggestions for your reading group meeting? Check out our ideas for Down-Home Southern Cookin’ in our Coach’s Column (Yeah, from me—who doesn’t cook—but it’ll be good, anyway, I promise…)

9) The Lace Reader, by Brunonia Barry. Set against the fascinating backdrop of modern-day Salem, Massachusetts, Ms. Barry’s first novel tells the story of a woman trying to escape her past and struggling with the family members she loves and hates—both alive and deceased. Returning from California at the request of her grandmother, she finds that not much has changed since she left—or has it? As soon as I turned the final page, I had to start the story over again from the beginning. Can you resist doing the same?

10) The Wednesday Sisters, by Meg Waite Clayton. Ms. Clayton creates a wonderful story of friendship and striving to “be all that you can be.” Set in the mid-60’s in Palo Alto, the wives of engineers struggle with their children, their roles in society, and the joys and disappointments that befall their friends. They initially escape—and later grow stronger—through writing about their lives, and thus become “The Wednesday Sisters.” This past summer, not only was “Sisters” chosen as a Target Bookmarked Club Pick—but also as a Borders Book Club Selection.

Be sure to check out our interview with Meg earlier this year—and experience Meg’s wonderful website including character vignettes and an iMix “soundtrack” for her novel. As Meg describes, “It’s heavy on friendship and reach-for-your-dream songs, and includes songs that [the characters] listen to in the course of the book.”

So, if there’s a bibliophile on your gift-giving list who doesn’t yet own one of these great books—you don’t have to wait until black Friday to pick one up. Just click on one of the links above, and your shopping is done! I also encourage you to pick one up for yourself—Santa can’t think of everything, you know…

Of course, this type of list always creates much controversy and discussion—so Bring It On! What favorite book of yours did we miss on the 2009 list? Tell us your thoughts!

Happy Holidays—and Cheers!

BCC

        Last Saturday, Yolo County celebrated one of it’s own at a fundraising luncheon at the Yolo Fliers Club. John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling thriller writer visited us to talk about his two latest books, A Plague of Secrets and Sunburn. Well, sort of. Although both books were released earlier this summer, Sunburn was a re-release—and was actually the first novel that John published. Twenty books, and 13 New York Times bestsellers later, he brings us A Plague of Secrets, which reprises our favorite characters, Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky.

        John spoke about getting started in the business, his writing routine, and his love of what he does. He regaled us with the Cinderella story of how Sunburn was published, and later, his long road to publishing success—paved with tons of hard work. This is the fifth time I’ve heard John speak—including our book club party last year—and he’s never failed to entertain the crowd—no matter the size. Yolo County is blessed to have a thriller writer of John’s caliber (pun intended) in our midst. And if that were not enough, he’s just a really nice guy. If you are a fan of legal thrillers, do yourself a favor, and pick up a copy of A Plague of Secrets. You owe it to yourself!

BCC

P.S.  Friend and SoCal columnist, Gayle Carline, stopped to visit us at the "John Event" (as well as a great wine release party at Route 3 Wines) on her travels through NorCal, where she's promoting her new release, Freezer Burn. A mystery of a lighter sort—spiced by Gayle's signature comic relief—you'll enjoy it as well. I can't wait for her next book, to hear what her heroine, Peri Minneopa, is up to next!

Mining Library Treasure (August 2009)

Recently, I was talking with Shannon McKenna Schmidt (co-author of Novel Destinations: Literary Landmarks From Jane Austen's Bath to Ernest Hemingway's Key West, regular contributor to ReadingGroupGuides.com, and featured author in our Author’s Angle column this month.) The subject of our respective public libraries came up and we discussed what a treasure they were! We also suspected that book clubs were not using them to their full potential. By the end of the conversation, I’d decided to write a blog on that very topic. ReadingGroupGuides.com posted it today—it’s entitled, “Turn Your Local Library Loot into Book Club Booty!”  I hope you enjoy it and learn something new. If so, please share it with us! And if you want to teach us something new about how your book club has used your public library, please share that as well!

Rah, Rah, Reading!

BCC