Books, Book Clubs and Reader’s Guides

Ooh! Via Cybil Sister Little Willow, Oxford-educated Michelle of Scholar’s Blog has started an online book discussion group. Pop over to see what’s on the reading list – some really good ones, and quite a few I’m dying to read! The stack next to the bed is getting taller!!

I have appreciated the work of Debbie Ridpath Ohi since she was a major contributer and the heart and soul of the now defunct Inkspot, the online writing mag which was sadly (and stupidly!) shut down in 2001 in a buy – and – break deal. I am glad to discover Debbie again, and appreciate her pointers and commentary even more at Inky Girl: Daily Diversions for the Writer. Her cartoon strip Will Write for Chocolate is updated every Wednesday is always good for a laugh when you need it! Visit and enjoy!

The UK Guardian predicts an ePublishing revolution by way of …MySpace, and a British publisher called Social Disease… also by way of LW, this tidbit of interest from Garrett Freymann Weyr:

“Houghton (my publisher) has asked me to draw up a list of questions for a reader’s guide. They/We are thinking of marketing the novel to mother-daughter book clubs. Obviously, I know the book ridiculously well, and can think of my own questions. But any from the outside would be greatly appreciated. I do worry that perhaps reader’s guides are for people too stupid to think, but hey, I need to be more proactive about reaching readers. I may be too shy and socially retarded to join a book club, but for perfectly normal people who think perfectly well, a reader’s guide may be perfectly normal. Fire away. Or, just let there be a thundering silence.”

Admittedly, I’ve never used a reader’s guide in my life, but I do imagine that it would come in handy in a mother/daughter book club where not all of the mothers/daughters could be counted on in any way to open up and talk — and this is a book that could be the perfect springboard for some intense, revealing discussions. Anyway, you know we don’t do silence around here, so if you’ve read and enjoyed the book, head on over!