Back to Book Clubs

By Saralyn Richard
The isolation of the pandemic led to creative solutions, and I was fortunate to have several book club meetings by Zoom or FaceTime. These were exciting get-togethers, given the circumstances, but now being able to get together in person has provided a thrill beyond any gatherings on Zoom.

Such was my experience last week, when I met with a group of avid readers who call themselves THE Book Club. The member of the group who invited me gave me a heads-up that this was a fun-loving book club, and that there would be lots of surprises.

When I arrived, it was like stepping into the setting of my book. Props from the story graced every surface, and as time went on, more appeared. Breakfast was served, and every item on the menu was something mentioned in the book. Later, the same was true for lunch.

Between breakfast and lunch, we partnered up to answer higher level discussion questions related to the book. The insights that these readers had about the characters, setting, and plot impressed me with their depth and thoughtfulness.

All book clubs are great fun, but this one was over the top. Here are just a few of the specific details from BAD BLOOD SISTERS captured by the book club planners, Joanne Meyer and Gina Goodman. We had games and puzzles and lots of laughter that lasted for hours.

I’ve always said that the best thing about the author journey is connecting with readers. This morning and afternoon with THE book club proved that to be true.

Saralyn Richard’s award-winning humor- and romance-tinged mysteries and children's book pull back the curtain on people in settings as diverse as elite country manor houses and disadvantaged urban high schools. Saralyn’s most recent release is Bad Blood Sisters. A member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn teaches creative writing and literature at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and continues to write mysteries. Her favorite thing about being an author is interacting with readers like you. Visit Saralyn here, on her Amazon page here, or on Facebook here.