FOR FRIENDS & FANS

BOOK CLUB FUN

For special Book Club bulk purchase pricing, email sales@CrossroadsPublishingHouse.com. They'll be happy to provide special pricing on autographed books and reader guides for your club.

Interested in meeting an author?
Keep up with your favorite southern authors tour schedule by visiting their website or visit the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance and click on STARS ON TOUR www.SibaWeb.org . Some authors ( me!! ) include their schedule on Amazon. Just click on the authors name and their Author Central page will display with bio, blog, twitter, and event information. Check it out!

Don't have a book club? These ideas can be used for any type of chick night or friendly gathering, and you can also use the notes below to set one up :)

STARTING YOUR OWN BOOK CLUB

Getting together with friends is an important part of keeping life balance. A book club is an inexpensive and fun way to get folks together. How to get started:

Pick a place-Will you rotate to friends homes or meet up at the local library or coffee shop? The size of your group might limit some options, but many restaurants are happy to see return visitors meet and some even have special accomodations for you. Just ask!

If you're meeting at a restaurant, keep the budget in mind. If you're meeting at someone's house will everyone bring something? Or will everyone put four bucks in a fund towards the next hostess meeting? Get creative.

Pick a day and time, then stick with the schedule. Be realistic. If everyone has a busy schedule and it's most likely an every other month meeting is going to work best --- then do that. You'll find that most often "the girls" will be able to schedule around your special time if they have it on their calendar. Even if it takes a couple months to get in the groove, sticking with a plan will help you succeed

Consider sending out reminder invitations or postcards. There are some cute book club invitations available at evite.com , or I've attached a postcard template for you. You can print on card stock and cut them into fours, or buy postcard paper - it's up to you. Right click and save as on the invite file.

or use email reminders, provided everyone has e-mail. Be inclusive so everyone feels welcome.

Pick your books two at a time in advance. This will insure readers have the chance to purchase, order or check them out from their local library.

What to discuss? This can be challenging at first, but did you know that several publishers actually have reader group guides available for their books. If not, don't hesitate to check out your author's website, they may have one on their site, and who knows they may be willing to send you some bookmarks or even call into your meeting.

Set expectations upfront. Is this an "adult only" escape from the kids? Then, make it clear or consider having a one-stop babysitter for everyone to use for the night.

Most importantly - Have fun.

Links to some Book Club Reader Guides that I've found ... let me know if you find one I should add to this list!
Book Browse
LitLovers.com has lots of tips and activities for Book Clubs
Random House Book Reader Guides
Harper Collins Reader Guides
Oprah Book Club Reader Guides
Mary Kay Andrews - For Book Clubs

Book Club Activities
Activities are updated regularly with craft ideas, recipes and other things to keep your Book Club gatherings fun and memorable. Check back for new ideas and don't forget to share your own ideas through my guestbook.

EASY BOOKMARKS:
Supplies Needed:

Flat ribbon, heavy thread, thin leather, wire or anything you can lay flat in a book

Beads, old jewelry charms, keytags, foam cutouts

Scissors

Sewing Needle and/or thin crochet hook to help thread beads through ribbon

Glue

Okay ladies, now get creative. These make great gifts and are a fun mindless activity that can be done with your kids, too.


Most Mass Market paperback books are usually about 6.5" tall. The trendy trade paperbacks are taller, more in align with the Hardcover books. Hardcover books are about 9" tall. You'll want to be sure you're ribbon is long enough to allow for knotting and the beads and still hang out of each end of your book. To make it easy I usually just cut ribbon in 16" (or 32" if I'm doubling it) strips and adjust at the end.

There's no recipe for success, so I've posted a couple pictures to inspire you. The only rule is to have fun, and share the experience with someone else.