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Q: What is the full name of your book club? Where are you located? Have an official book club website?

Brothers and Sisters United for Reading Enjoyment (B-SURE) located in Dallas, TX .
We have two official websites: www.geocities.com/bsureclub
http://bsureclub.bravehost.com/index.html

Q: How long has your club been in existence?

We have been in existence since 2004.

Q: How many members do you have? Is your book club co-ed? If yes, how many men do you have in your group?

We currently have 15 members, including 3 men.

Q: How often does your book club meet and where are your meetings held? How long are your book discussion meetings?

We meet every 6 weeks in and around various Dallas locations for at least 3 hours.

Q: How are members selected? Is there open enrollment year-round, or are there specific times of the year new members are allowed to join your club?

We welcome new members year round. There is no selection process. Only requirement is a love of reading. Members are selected at the end of the year for the following meeting dates to host a meeting. That member chooses the book and location of discussion. They also create their own discussion questions.

Q: Who faciliates your book discussions? Are reading guides imporant and used by your club?

Q: How are books chosen? What types of books do your club enjoy reading? Are there books that your club will not read?

Our members are free to choose any type of book they want. And we have read everything from self help books to murder mysteries.

Q: What are some of the best discussions or favorite books read by your club?

Some of the most talked about authors have been Evelyn Palfrey and Kimberla Lawson Roby as well as Carl Weber. We have read so many good books its hard to pinpoint any particular favorite as they have all been exciting discussions.

Q: How does your club keep activities and club meetings fresh and enjoyable for all?

We do things outside of reading books to keep the excitement going. Yearly we have treated ourselves to a movie day at Studio Movie Grill, Annual Christmas Parties, and we are looking forward to going as a group to a jazz concert this June featuring Martha Burke.

Q: Is food apart of your club meetings? If yes, who is responsible for the refreshments or meal?

We serve food at every meeting. The hosts handles the preparation of the meal.

Q: Is there anything unique or noteworthy about your book club that you would like to share?

We also believe in giving back to the community. Because we pay monthly dues, we have been able to give yearly to struggling families in the Dallas area.

Q: What advice would you like to give other book clubs, or those considering joining or starting up new club?

Our only advice to other book clubs is to always keep it fresh and exciting. Don’t just come together and discuss books, but find other outside activities to do as a group to foster friendships and long term relationships. And to those considering starting a book club, remember, it takes patients. Even starting off with a handful of members is encouragement to spread the word about your group to other book lovers in your surrounding areas. We started off with around 8 members and have grown consistently over the last 3 years. So to put it simply, DON’T GIVE UP.

Profile information provided by: Kellye Hillery, President

April is National Poetry Month; come join thousands of individuals by carrying a poem in your pocket on the first National Poem In Your Pocket Day - April 17!

In this age of technology, carrying a poem, sharing a poem, or starting your very own PIYP day event is a breeze. Click here to learn how you and/or your bookclub can participate in this fun first national poetry celebration!

Q: What is the full name of your book club? Where are you located? Have an official book club website?

We’re the Black Pearls Book Club Socialites of Houston: An organization of Sisterhood.
Our official website is http://blackpearlsbookclub.com

Q: How long has your bookclub been in existence?

We have been together for over two (2) years. We originated June 12, 2005 to be exact.

Q: How many members do you have?

We have a limit of 12 members and at the present, we have ten (10) members.

Q: How are members selected? Is there open enrollment year-round, or are there specific times of the year new members are allowed to join your club?

We have an interest social once a year for perspective members. Because we have a maximum number of members, we do have an application and interview process in which members are selected. Our current members deliver invitations to whomever they think may be interested in joining. Because we are not only a book club, we must be selective about members. Some women may not want to be involved in community service. Therefore, we rely on the interview process as our source of choice. However, if you have a passion for reading, we strongly encourage you complete an application.

Q: Who facilities your book discussions? Are reading guides important and used by your club?

The host of the month leads their own book discussion. The hostess has the option of creating her own questions, or we may use reading guides if they are available.

Q: How are books chosen? What types of books do your club enjoy reading? Are there books that your club will not read?

Each member chooses her own book for her month. In January, our 1st meeting of the year, we come to the meeting with a book in mind for our month. We compile that list during the very first meeting. There is no one genre that we read. We have read a variety of genres. Again, the book selection is up to the host.

Q: What are some of the best discussions or favorite books read by your club?

One of the books we read, in which, we were all somewhat apprehensive about was Night by Elie Wiesel. It was about the holocoust. Some of us cried during the discussion. Another favorite of ours is Addicted by Zane.

Q: How does your club keep activities and club meetings fresh and enjoyable for all?

Again, we are not only a book club, but a social & community organization as well. Our agendas are busy and entertaining. Just last year, we attended the National Book Club Conference in Atlanta during the month of August, where we met various authors, especially up and coming, in which we had the pleasure of reading and discussing their books with them. On our calendar this year, we are visiting a girls group home and donating various necessities including clothes and school supplies. 

As for meetings, most of our members cater their meetings and menus around a theme, sometimes related to the book they have chosen.Of course, it is not mandatory that we have food, but we all do. Once a year, we have the following: BP Eatery Night (we go out to a restaurant for book discussion), our anniversary during the month of June, an out of town book club retreat, girls group home donations, feeding the homeless drive, and our end of the year social in December. Needless to say, we have at least two fundraiser per year to raise funds in efforts of purchasing and providing items for the less fortunate. 

Q: Is there anything unique or noteworthy about your book club that you would like to share?

We are unique in that we are not only enlightening our own mind and spirit, but we want to share it with others. For example, providing goods and spending time with the girls at the group home is our privilege. We want to do so much more for our female, teenage population. Our long-term goal is to provide debutante balls and set up college scholarship funds for females who may be in need and wish to further their education. Happiness means nothing if you don’t share it with others. That’s what being a Black Pearl: Socialite of Houston is all about.

Profile information provided by: Melanie W. Jones, President

Contact information:
Black Pearls Book Club
Socialites of Houston
P. O. Box 842512
Houston, TX 77284
Email - blackpearlsclub(at)yahoo.com

The Jus’ Sistahs Book Club of Dallas selected Sweet Georgia Brown by best-selling author, Cheryl Robinson, as their book of the month and gave TheGRITS.com permission to sit in as well as record some of their members discussing the book. If I tell you these ladies — ROCK! — you better believe it!

AVID READERS BEWARE!!! The video segment below contains some story spoilers if you have not read the book; so view at your discretion. For advid readers who have read the book and would like to view the rest of the video, send us a message and we will add you to our YouTube Channel so you have access to view the rest of the discussion!

More about Jus’ Sistahs Book Club . . . .

Jus’ Sistahs Book Club celebrates 12 years of reading excellence January 2008. Their book club meetings are held on the last Friday of each month at the flagship store of Half-Price Books at Central Expressway & Northwest Hwy at 7pm CST. Their membership consists of women of various ages and backgrounds. Each month they meet “Together in the Spirit of Sisterhood” with books being the reason for their gathering and to encourage and support the writings of authors of African descent. During the month of October, their book club meeting is open to male readers. Their book club has been featured in Black Experssions and locally in the Dallas Morning News. They are sponsors of a “Youth Reading Program” for young girls in grades 6th - 8th and participate in the “Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure” each year. For more info about Jus’ Sistahs Book Club contact Ruth Ferguson — info4Ruth[at]aol.com

    
                   
                         Click to view photo

Q: What is the full name of your book club? Where are you located? Have an official book club website?

The official name of our book club is Black Pearls Keepin It Reading and Evaluating African American Literature-Black Pearls Keepin It REAL!  The “At Work Bookclub” was our name when we first started. We are located in Dallas, TX and have no official website at this time.

Q: How long have your club been in existence?

We will be celebrating 8 years in August 2008

Q: How many members do you have? Is your book club co-ed? If yes, how many men do you have in your group?

We have 20 members and one man

Q: How often does your book club meet and where are your meetings held? How long are your book discussion meetings?

We meet once a month with the exception of our summer months - May, June and July. Our book club meetings last 2 hours or more.

Q: How are members selected? Is there open enrollment year-round, or are there specific times of the year new members are allowed to join your club?

Most of the members in out book club work together. We have open membership year round and encourage members to invite friends to our meetings regularly

Q: Who facilities your book discussions? Are reading guides important and used by your club?

The Host for the month faciliates the book discussion and yes, we do use the reading guide and do feel they are important and enhance our reading discussions.

Q: How are books chosen? What types of books do your club enjoy reading? Are there books that your club will not read?

I’m the one that informs the members of what books are out there. Then each host chooses a book. We read fiction mainly; we don’t read self-help books

Q: What are some of the best discussions or favorite books read by your club?

We love the character, Curtis Black, in Kimberla Lawson Roby’s novels and we love Francis Ray’s novels too. We usually read those authors’ work each year. Our best book discussion and meeting was our first anniversary when we read and discussed Church Folks by Michele Andrea Bowen. We hosted a church hat contest where members dressed up as the characters and we enjoyed food from a Sunday dinner

Q: How does your club keep activities and club meetings fresh and enjoyable for all?

Dressing up as the characters most of the time is a lot of fun and something we all enjoy

Q: Is food apart of your club meetings? If yes, who is responsible for the refreshments or meal?

Oh yes, the host of the book discussion for the month is the one responsibity for the refreshments.

Q: Is there anything unique or noteworthy about your book club that you would like to share?

We enjoy hosting authors at our book club meetings. A few of the authors’ we’ve hosted are: Kimberla Lawson Roby when she is in Dallas, Gloria Mallette attended a book club meeting at my home, and Mrs. Francis Ray comes to our meetings each year too

Q: What advice would you like to give other book clubs, or those considering joining or starting up new club?

Read a variety of books and make your book club meetings fun by role-playing and acting out various characters in the chosen book

The above information is being provided by: Lawana Durisseau Johnson

Q: What is the full name of your book club? Where are you located? Have an official book club website?

The full name of our book club is Reader’s Paradise and where are located in Chicago & surrounding surburbs, IL. Our official book club website and MySpace promotional page is coming soon and will be posted here shortly!

Q: How many members do you have? How many men, how many women? What age are most of your members?

We have 4 members all women, 2 new members as of April - August 2007 for a total of 6 members. Our ages range from 27 - 46 yrs young. A couple of us work in the Healthcare Industry, 1 works in banking, and another members works for the state.

Q: How often do you meet? Where do you meet?

A We meet once a month, usually the last Saturday (this is always flexible). We meet at members’ houses on a volunteer basis or where ever the host choose. Our discussions start at 3pm and last until 5:30pm

Q: Do you eat at your meetings? What do you eat? Who brings the food?

A: OF COURSE!!! And do we eat!! Our meals are pot luck. We determine via email right after the last meeting what we are going to bring. Everyone usually brings a dish; in April we had a full spread at Mary’s house. In September, our BOM was set in Jamaica and so our food theme is Jamaican. If you cannot cook a Jamaican receipe, then you can buy something.

Q: Who leads the discussion? Do you use reading group guides?

A: No one person is assigned to lead the discussions. However, the host will usually kick off the discussion in any format she chooses. We have a Sargent of Arms to keep us on topic if things get out of control. When we get stumped or there’s a lull in the discussion, we will use our own experiences to move the discussion along smoothly.

Q: What kind of books do you read?

A: We have read a variety of books: mystery, comedy and fiction. We are open to read anything that holds our interest.

Q: How do you choose your books? Do you choose one new book at each meeting, or do you choose the books for a number of meetings ahead of time?

A: Choosing books can sometimes be a challenge because we have quite an array to choose from. We get ideas from members, the newspaper, or Reading Guide lists. Other times we have a hard time coming up with something (especially if no one had time to look into some suggestions). We have books that members have brought up in past meetings, so if no one has any new ideas then we can pick from the hat. Club member Laverne usually keeps track of all books brought up that have not been read. We usually only pick one book at a time to read each month.

Q: How do you keep things fun?

A: We keep things light. No rules. Sometimes members will write to authors or go to author web sites and bring in interesting tidbits of information to share. One of our members write reviews for authors Lissa Woodson, author of Every Woman Needs A Wife, and cooked dinner for us (it was a huge spread that included peach cobbler)!!!!

We have gone to author book signings or watched movies together instead of having a book to read for that month. We rate books on a scale of 1-5. Sometimes we look back and say, “We gave that book a 2????” and this usually sparks more discussions. Sometimes when we don’t have much to say about a book or there is a lull in the discussion, we try to cast who would play the main characters role if it were made into a movie.

We are sponsoring our 2nd annual retreat in 2008. To where? We don’t know just yet, but doesn’t that sound like fun?!

Q: Is there anything else unique or noteworthy about your group that you would like to share?

Only that we are a group of spiritual sisters who love the Lord and love that He has given authors the skills to entertain us and give us the opportunity to make new friends we meet between the covers of our books & ESCAPE from our lives.

Our rating scale is 1-5; definitions are not written in stone if you have a suggestion bring it on…

5 - I will never part with this book
4 - An excellent read, you can borrow it but I want it back
3 - It was a good read
2 - It was ok
1 - you can have my copy of this book

This information is provided by Missy, member & co-owner

Q: What is the full name of your book club? Where are you located? Have an official book club website?

Name: Blak Lily Book Club
Location: Killeen , Texas 76542
We do not have an official website as of yet, except for MySpace: 
http://www.myspace.com/blaklilyrareandlovly08 

Q: How long has your book club been in existence?

We have been established for about a year now

Q: How many members do you have? Is your book club co-ed? If yes, how many men do you have in your group?

We have 6 members, yes we are co-ed, but there are currently no men in the club.

Q: How often does your book club meet and where are your meetings held? How long are your book discussion meetings?

Our book club meets every two weeks. Tthe meetings are held at Yaisha Benjamin & Ekise Funderburk (Founders), or at Under One Roof African Bookstore and Culture Shop in Killeen Texas. This shop is always listed in Essence or Ebony Magazine

Q: How are members selected? Is there open enrollment year-round, or are there specific times of the year new members are allowed to join your club?

There is an application process; we look at several factors before we take someone in. We allow new members to join every three months. We pick our books in advance, so sometimes we may be reading something that they are not interested in. And if that is the case they have to wait until ” new members meeting” comes around to participate. But we encourage everyone to come and sit in on one of the meetings to get a feel for if this is for them or not.

Q: Who faciliates your book discussions? Are reading guides imporant and used by your club?

We take turns on who mediates the meetings.
No we do not have reading guides, we just go with the flow with things, how we read and how we discuss the books.

Q: How are books chosen? What types of books do your club enjoy reading? Are there books that your club will not read?

We have a meeting twice a year to chose what books we are going to be read for the next six months.
We all have different personalities; we each have a uniqueness about us. Some are more passionate than others, some are more laid back. We don’t discrimenate on what we read. We read it all, and since it is only six of us, everyone gets to chose a book out of the six month span.

Q: What are some of the best discussions or favorite books read by your club?

The Secret was one of our best discussions, because some of us are religious, some are spiritual, and others neither. So that month was a doozy!! Now the best book that we have read was, No Labels by Naomi Klein!! It was awesome, if you have not read it, you are missing out on a good serious read!

Q: How does your club keep activities and club meetings fresh and enjoyable for all?

We have a kiddie book club that we have parties for and do fundraisers with. We do alot of activities with them, so that is one way. Their book club is called, “Imagine This. ” Basicly, the kids of the women from Blak Lily makes up the majority of this club. My best friend Amie French, heads our kids club!!

When we have our meetings at the bookstore Under One Roof. We invite people from the community to come out and join us. Suprisingly the ones who come have a gift or talent of some sort. One person may end up singing, another reciting poetry, dancing, or playing the drums!! It is very enlighting and entertaining!!

Q: Is food apart of your club meetings? If yes, who is responsible for the refreshments or meal?

Yes food is a big part of our meetings!! We throw down and have a feast!! My good friend Pamela Johnson is over all of the edibles!!

Q: Is there anything unique or noteworthy about your book club that you would like to share?

Yes, we are not just a bookclub, we are a family. We each do some type of volunteer work, or just different things around the communities that we live in:
Yaisha is volunteer children’s choir director at a local church in her community.
Ekise teaches ballet and tap dance classes to kids whose parents could not afford it otherwise. She also has trained professionally since she was two, with Alvin Ailey in New York.
Amie is a Sunday school teacher at her local church..
Pamela is training to be a daycare provider so she can offer low affordable daycare for mothers who need it.
Avis and Alane are both CNA’s that are going back to school to earn their RN degree’s.
Ms. Pat, the older white lady in our group photo, is not a member of the book club. But she’s like a mother to all of us. She not only helps us when needed, she volunteers at her granddaughters’ elementary school. She has Epilepsy and doesn’t read much. But she is apart of this family.

We don’t just accept people in our circle who want to read, we embrace people who want to make a change in their community

Q: What advice would you like to give other book clubs, or those considering joining or starting up new club?

Don’t just read a book, anyone can do that.. Make a difference!!

The above information is being provided by: Tinah-Yaisha Benjamin Patillo, Founder

Q: What is the full name of your book club? Where are you located? Have an official book club website?

A: KC Girlfriends Book Club. We are located in Kansas City, MO. Our official website is www.kcgirlfriendsbookclub.com

Q: How long has your club been in existence?

A: We have been in existence since 2002

Q: How many members do you have? Is your book club co-ed? If yes, how many men do you have in your group?

A: 25 active members We do not discourage men from joining but at this time we do not have men…probably the name of the book club works against us! lol

Q: How often does your book club meet and where are your meetings held? How long are your book discussion meetings?

A: Book club meetings are held on the 3rd Sunday of each month at 4pm in various restaurants throughout the Kansas City area. We meet for 2 1/2 hrs.

Q: How are members selected? Is there open enrollment year-round, or are there specific times of the year new members are allowed to join your club?

A: We always have open enrollment. Members should be able to attend meetings on a regular basis. Each member is active for one year after paying their annual dues regardless how often they come to meetings.

Q: Who facilitates your book discussions? Are reading guides important and used by your club?

A: Any of our members can facilitate meetings. Whoever suggests the book of the month will facilitate the meeting. Reading guides are normally used by the newer members but not so much by most of the members that have been in the book club for awhile.

Q: How are books chosen? What types of books do your club enjoy reading? Are there books that your club will not read?

A: Members generally choose books that they find of interest and think that the book club would like to read. Our book club read fiction books written by African American authors. We mostly read books by new authors because our book club believe that it is essential to support new authors. We do not read books that have demeaning names for women as titles or books that had no business being published….I think they know who they are!

Q: What are some of the best discussions or favorite books read by your club?

A: Taken for Granted by Earl Sewell, Game by E. Lemont Goode Jr, Mama’s Lies-Daddy’s Pain by Brian W. Smith, The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips and the Great Pretender by Millenia Black

Q: How does your club keep activities and club meetings fresh and enjoyable for all?

A: Many of our members are involved with different organizations throughout the community so we try to support each other by attending various functions together. We also attend the National Book Club Conference. Our book club is such a lively group that I think if we met in a room with just four plain walls we could make it entertaining!

Q: Is food apart of your club meetings? If yes, who is responsible for the refreshments or meal?

A: We meet in different restaurants each month so food is a huge part of our meetings. Eating in restaurants is actually what attracts most of our new members.

Q: Is there anything unique or noteworthy about your book club that you would like to share?

A: I think what makes our book club unique is that we are very passionate about supporting new authors. We realize that if we as a book club do not support new authors they may not get the respect due to them as a wonderful author. We invite at least 4 new authors each year to come discuss their books with us and give them honest feedback. We also help with their expenses by paying for their meal and pay for their hotel room when needed. 

Q: What advice would you like to give other book clubs, or those considering joining or starting up new club?

A: For those starting a new book club…be patient. As long as you have 2 people you have a book club. If you start small the more organized you will become. Utilize any local AA community website that is available and you will probably get more people interested in joining. Most of the time it’s actually better to have a book club with people that only have the love for reading in common than to start a book club with friends and coworkers. Book clubs with friends and coworkers generally lose their focus and the integrity and purpose of the book club will be compromised in the end. A book club with new people is a wonderful way to network and can also be very resourceful. Have good guidelines to keep your book club on the straight and narrow and be willing to take suggestions from all your members. Remember it is not just your book club but everyone that’s involved, you just happened to be the one that organized it. Figure out a platform or purpose for your book club. Do you want to be a book club that wants to give back to the community in some way? Do you want to help others network by supporting events? Do you want to support a particular type of author or group? Remember your book club is what you make of it and in the end you’ll find that it can be rewarding in more ways that you can every imagine. Most importantly…have fun!!!! Happy Reading! 

If you are looking to join a book club be sure that you have time to read and to meet most of the time. If you do not have time to read or meet on a regular basis consider an online book club. Be sure that you go to a meeting prior to joining a book club to see if you feel comfortable around the other members. Do not hesitate to consider other book clubs or if you can handle it join more than one book club. Think about what you’re looking for in a book club before making your decision. Ask many questions.

The above information is being provided by: TaNisha Webb, KC Girlfriends Book Club President

Q: What is the full name of your book club? Where are you located? Have an official book club website?

We are the Sistahs of Color Reading Group, located in Little Rock Arkansas. We do not have an official website but we do have a yahoo group for members to access for group information.

Q: How long has your club been in existence?

We have been in existence since March 2002. The group began as an activity at one of the recreation facilities operated by the City of Little Rock and has remained consistent every since. We celebrated our 5th anniversary (Books & Breakfast) with a breakfast and a book shopping trip to Memphis. Our theme is: “For Us, By Us, About Us”.

Q: How many members do you have? Is your book club co-ed? If yes, how many men do you have in your group?

We have 20 members and between 15 - 18 attend each monthly meeting. We have a couple of members (flight attendant, nurse) who try to make meetings when they can so we allow for their absences. Our members range from 25 - 79 years of age. We have 2 groups of sisters, 3 librarians and 3 groups of mother/daughters among our members. We are not a coed group; however, we have invited men when we have our Friends-Who-Read month.

Q: How often does your book club meet and where are your meetings held? How long are your book discussion meetings?

We meet the third Saturday of the month at the University Park Adult Leisure Center. Our discussions usually last 2 - 3 hours.

Q: How are members selected? Is there open enrollment year-round, or are there specific times of the year new members are allowed to join your club?

We do not have a selection process, we welcome anyone at anytime that’s serious about reading and attending the meetings which is the only requirement.

Q: Who facilitates your book discussions? Are reading guides important and used by your club?

The facilitator starts the book discussions by asking each member what they are reading and this begins the discussions. Because some may have read only one book while others may have read up to five or more they talk about these books without giving away the whole book in order to encourage others to want to read it. How often have we said, “girl, you need to read this book?” We do not use reading guides.

Q: How are books chosen? What types of books do your club enjoy reading? Are there books that your club will not read?

A particular book is not chosen, but at times we may have to read books by a particular author (i.e. Zora Neale Hurston, J. Cali) in order to discuss their style of writing. As with the diversity in age, our readers have diverse reading choices. Mainly romance, fiction (contemporary, urban, mainstream, Christian), sci-fi/horror, nonfiction and some self-help are the genres discussed. We do not have a ban on any books because it’s left up to the reader as to what they choose to read and discuss. One of our rules is that you do not criticize anyone for their choice of reading. We have also received books from authors to read and review; a member will read the book, discuss with the group, and then the book is either given as a door prize or added to the library at the center.

Q: What are some of the best discussions or favorite books read by your club?

Our best discussions have come when two members were each assigned the same book to read and they had to come back to discuss the book, it was amazing the differences in opinions each expressed about the same book. We’ve also had pretty good group discussions about the Reverend Curtis Black from Kim Roby’s books since most all have read those books and anything by Beverly Jenkins, Brenda Jackson, or Francis Ray usually gets everyone involved as well.>

Q: How does your club keep activities and club meetings fresh and enjoyable for all?

We host book signings and co-sponsor signings with the local AA bookstore. At meetings, we give at least five or more door prizes related to reading, have book swaps and each month is usually a theme month: The Flip Side (white authors being read); Male Author Month; Friends-Who-Read where members bring someone male/female, Black/white who read; read a book from a particular genre that’s not always discussed (cooking, biography, classic); What’s At The Library where the librarians bring some of the newer books at their libraries; and Just-For-Fun where each member gets a writing prompt and writes a short story. Of course, we celebrate our anniversaries with themes (PJ Party, Sistahs Night Out, Steppin’ Out With the Sistahs).

Q: Is food apart of your club meetings? If yes, who is responsible for the refreshments or meal?

Food is certainly a part of meetings and we eat pretty good. There is not a membership fee; therefore, each member partners with other members (3-4) to serve as hostesses each month and provide refreshments. At the beginning of the year, each group selects the month they will host; however, in December we have a book exchange and each person brings their favorite salad, dessert or appetizer.

Q: Is there anything unique or noteworthy about your book club that you would like to share?

The diversity in ages, background and reading choices makes the group unique. The ladies in the group are fun people with no attitudes or hang ups and have made new friends in the process. No one knew anyone when we started and any visitors are always welcome to our meetings and encouraged to join. The members use this as their “Me Time” to be with someone who has the same interest, which is reading and talking about books they want to share with others.

Q: What advice would you like to give other book clubs, or those considering joining or starting up new club?

What works for us may not work for others, however, the idea of having to BUY a book you don’t really want to read does not work for us. Allowing the members to discuss what they buy and like to read has worked well. Allowing the members to discuss their favorite or current read/author has exposed us to many authors, genres and books that we might not have known about or even thought about reading.

I would suggest for those wanting to start a book club to check with their local library about partnering with them and using a room for meetings and also give the idea of just letting each person discuss their favorite book a try.

The above information is being provided by: Lareeta Robinson, Sistahs of Color Facilitator

Q: What is the full name of your book club, where are you located and do your club have an official website to share?

Book Buzz at the Toronto Public Library, Toronto ON, Canada http://bookbuzz.torontopubliclibrary.ca

Q: How long has your group been in existence?

Since March 2006

Q: How many members do you have in your club? And if your club is co-ed, how many male and female members do you have?

We have 436 registered members, and approximately 25% of the members are men.

Q: How often does your club meet and where are your meetings held and how long do your meetings last?

Book Buzz is an online book club so we meet virtually 24/7.

Q: How are members selected? Is there and open enrollment for your group all the time, or are there specific months when new members are allowed to join your club?

New members may join at any time, registration is very simple: pick a handle/nickname for posting and submit your email address (which is kept private).

Q: Who leads the book discussions and do you use reading guides? By chance have your group referred to the reading guides listed on The GRITS website?

There is a Book Buzz Host who begins discussions and prompts new lines of discussion; members’ posts drive the discussions forward. Reading guides on the GRITS (and other sites) prove very useful for discussion hosts.

Q:How are books chosen and what kind of books do your club read?

We occasionally hold member votes for book discussions; we also draw on the expertise of librarians serving readers in the library.

Q: What are some of the best discussions or favorite books read by your club?

“Fingersmith” by Sarah Waters and “A Complicated Kindness” by Miriam Toews

Q: How does your book club keep activities and meetings fresh and enjoyable for all?

We have a number of areas for discussion: a discussion for the book of the month, an open discussion are for members to chat about any books they like, a blog which features author interviews and book-related news, and even an area for people to ask for book recommendations.

Q: Is food apart of your meetings? If yes, who is responsible for the refreshments or meal?

Only virtually! And everyone has to bring their own.

Q: Have a favorite recipe that you would like to include with this feature?

No but maybe I will ask the members for theirs.

Q: Is there anything unique or noteworthy about your group that you would like to share and what advice would you give to other reading groups?

In addition to offering multiple areas for members to interact, we also hold contests and draws and we conduct guest author interviews, chats and blogging.

The above information is being provided by: Dawn Connolly bookbuzz@torontopubliclibrary.ca