Are you in a book club in need of authors? Are you an author trying to find someone to read your book? Is a book club a possible answer to your solution.
The American Library Association (ALA)’s Book Club Central may have some solutions for you to at least consider. Sarah Jessica Parker (yes, the Sex in the City SJP) is the honorary chair. She selects books each month on a variety of topics. If you are not into celebrities picking out your books (SJP or even Oprah), Book Club Central offers other suggestions and ideas. From their about page:
Book Club Central is a new online resource for book clubs and readers featuring book reviews, author interviews, discussion questions and more.
One of this month’s featured essays is “How to Keep a Book Club Alive”. Written by Susan McBeth, founder an CEO of NovelNetwork.com, she identifies three types of bookclubs: 1) the social bookclub where getting together is more important than actually reading the book, 2) the serious bookclub where there is no point in showing up if you have not read the book, and 3) the virtual bookclub where members don’t have the time or are unable to find physical booksclub to join. One way to breath life into any of three types of book clubs is with an author visit.
If author visits are such a simple way to breathe new life into book clubs, why aren’t more book clubs doing so? Surprisingly, many readers are not even aware that there exists a trove of authors who are amenable to, and enthused about, visiting with book clubs. Many book clubs don’t realize that if an author does not live nearby, that a video chat is still possible. Technophobes (like me) may think that virtual chats are only for the tech savvy, when they are really quite simple to plan. And finally, it can indeed be time consuming to research and inquire of authors, or their many layers of publicists and agents, to find out whether or not they are one of the willing book chat enthusiasts?
Not surprisingly, NovelNetwork facilitates connecting authors with readers. From their mission statement:
NOVEL NETWORK® is a global space dedicated to connecting authors with avid readers, an expanded professional network, and published peers. NOVEL NETWORK® was created to help authors find more innovative ways to connect with readers and promote their books to wider audiences.
Book Club Central can also help you find a book club, lead a book club, find books for the book club, toubleshoot a book club, be a book club member, or start an online book club. It also offers book suggestions.
e-Quips 
Skype and authors and bookclubs: the perfect threesome!
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Are you a book club member? I’m a member of one here in C’ville and may look for a virtual one to join.
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Great post and given me lots to think about! I’m always looking for new ways to promote my book and have never thought of visiting a book club … a win-win for both club and the author! 😀
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Glad you liked it. Thats what I thought.
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I haven’t been in a book club in ages and your post is making me want to do so again! I really like the idea of inviting authors to speak at the clubs…there’s always so many questions you want to ask them!
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Hope you can find one, a virtual one if a local one is not doable. I like the idea of authors at book clubs too.
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I’m a member of the ladies book club I started at our library. We have grown so close and I have read so many books that I might not have picked up if it were not for the club😛
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Good for you for starting a book club at the library. Are you a librarian or a Friend of the Library? Good way to make friends over a common bond. Book Clubs do introduce us to books we might not otherwise read. Thanks for commenting.
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