CAN A BOOK CLUB CHANGE YOUR LIFE?
Thank you to Under the Covers for inviting me here today.
Years ago, I started a book club. As an introverted only child, books have always been my best friends, but I longed to discuss the books I read with other people. My book club really has changed my life, because I’ve been ... shall I say persuaded? (okay, forced, browbeaten, guilted) into reading books I’d never otherwise have picked up. And they’ve expanded my world, my knowledge, my perspective.
Young widow Georgia Malone’s in a book club too, hoping for social interaction and intellectual discussion. She’s open to having her horizons expanded—but less enthused when two members of the club advocate for scrapping the weighty literary tomes and reading erotica.
Little does Georgia realize, as the club begins to read The Sexual Education of Lady Emma Whitehead, that her own life is about to begin a sexual journey that in some ways parallels that of Lady Emma.
THE STORY
When Georgia Malone’s book club makes their first erotic selection, The Sexual Education of Lady Emma Whitehead, the marketing executive is surprised to find herself identifying with the main character. Like Emma, Georgia is a widow who has never truly experienced the joys of sex.
When she meets the spokesman for her newest campaign, Georgia’s long-buried libido is awakened. Hockey star Woody Hanrahan is supremely masculine, with rough edges and cocky charm—exactly the sort of man she usually avoids. But while her mind says stay away, Georgia’s body tells her to give in.
As the book club explores the tantalizing extremes of fiction, Georgia experiences first hand, and for the first time, the real pleasures of the flesh, and fulfills the desires that—chapter by chapter—are getting delightfully dirty. Woody is hers to command in a hundred deliciously wicked ways, but can a newly minted dirty girl write her own happy ending—and win not just Woody’s body, but his heart?
THE BOOK
BACK TO MY QUESTION
I started by asking whether a book club could change your life. What do you think? Are you in a book club or a reader group? What kind of books does the group choose? Do you read literary fiction, commercial fiction, non-fiction, or ??? Do you like the choices? Have any of them—or the interaction with the other members of your group—changed your life? Have any of them led you to romance?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Savanna Fox is a pen name for award-winning author Susan Lyons (also writing as Susan Fox), who writes “emotionally compelling, sexy contemporary romance” (Publishers Weekly). She’s published by Berkley Heat, Penguin UK, Kensington Brava and Aphrodisia, and Harlequin Spice Briefs. She has presented workshops at RWA® National, the RT Booklovers Convention, and regional RWA® conferences.
Savanna/Susan is a Pacific Northwester with homes in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. She has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite, giving her an outlet to demonstrate her belief in the power of love, friendship, and a sense of humor. www.susanlyons.ca
Berkley is giving away a print copy of THE DIRTY GIRLS BOOK CLUB to one lucky US commenter!
I am on many online book chats.. We talk about the books we read and give short reviews about them. It is fun to see all those opinions about books I might love that other don't or don't see what I see in a book...
ReplyDeleteThis is a great giveaway and I would love to read it.. I love Hockey players.
Sounds like you have some nice groups going, Kathleen. I love being able to meet with my book club members and have those lively discussions in person (and the food and wine don't hurt either!). That's cool that you love hockey players. When I started this book, I didn't. My creative muse told me the hero would be a hockey star - and an author doesn't say no to her muse! - and so I had to research hockey. I developed a lot of respect for the sport and the players, as does heroine Georgia once she gets to know Woody and his world.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I love the name and premise of this book!
ReplyDeleteNow to your questions. The closest I come to a book club is reading all the book blogs I follow online. I have thought about trying to either start or find one near where I live. I have friends who read and we often chat books. The problem is we all read different genres and most aren't as flexible as I am. I think it would be fun to switch it up every now and again, and I often do, but not everyone is as open as I am.
I absolutely believe that a book or books can change your life. They are certainly a huge part of mine. I would be a very different person if I didn't read. So I guess you could say they already shape mine...
Thanks so much!
I'm not in a book club but I wish I was. Right now I pretty much read whatever I want when I want and I'm only influenced by authors who I auto-buy and books being read by my online friends.
ReplyDeleteMy friends and I started our own book club. We all read different kinds of books and we all are open about our like and dislikes. We've read books by Maya Bans, Cherise Sinclair, Bianca Sommerland, and then there's Patricia Cornwell and John Saul. A little bit of everything.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new release. This book sounds fantastic. Can't wait to read it.
I am not in a reader group or book club, but would love to be! Right now I use my sisters as the audience I need when I just have to vent/talk about a particular book that has me really thinking. They do well enough, but I'd like to take it to that next level with some others.
ReplyDeleteI'm in an online bookclub. I've discovered many wonderful books because of it, many Indie authors. It's been amazing.
ReplyDeleteI mostly like to read on my own, I have looked into a few book clubs. I read some of everything and I go through fazes where I read only one kind of thing then may abruptly switch to some other genre Carin
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm not in a book club. I mostly prefer romances, but I am trying to broaden my horizons and read other categories.
ReplyDeleteNo book club member here...someday perhaps....sounds like a great way to meet new folks, which I need as I am an introvert!
ReplyDeleteSusan I love your books as Fox/Lyons!! Can wait to read your other author ego now.
ReplyDeleteBooks have always been a part of my life. I've honestly never been part of a book club. I read everything from erotic, sweet romance, Tom Clancey and everything in between. I don't put myself in just one group to read so I might not be book club material.
That said as a reviewer/blogger, I meet all kinds of people and love to discuss books. I live in a small town now so meeting people for a book club would be interesting, to say the least.
Congratulations on Savanna's release. :)
Marika
maw1725@gmail.com
I've never belonged to a physical book club, though I do participate in a lot of blog tours and online chats. They tend to be about romance/erotica (my favorite is m/m) or music-related books. I really love hockey-related books, believe it or not, so I'd enjoy hearing about Woody!
ReplyDeletevitajex(at)aol(dot)com
Texas, I think flexibility is a key factor with a book club. I hope you find some compatible people to start a group with, because I bet you'd love it.
ReplyDeleteBooks are a huge part of my life too. As an only child, they were often my only company, and darned good company they were!
Maria, I hope you too can find a group. I started my own club because I wanted to chat about books.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joanne! Your group sounds great. Diversity is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteyadkny -- so go do it, girl! Start a club. Here's how I did it. I thought of 3 friends who like to read (for you, maybe even your sisters?) and then we each invited another friend, so we had 8. Composition has changed a little over the years but 3 of the original members are still there.
ReplyDeleteJanet, that sounds great. Discovering new authors is one of the huge benefits, and I'm glad you're giving indie authors a try, as well as "traditionally" published ones.
ReplyDeleteCarin, I like reading on my own too. Or with my guy happily immersed in his own book (sci fi, which isn't my fave genre). But then I do like sharing my thoughts with someone.
ReplyDeleteMartha, points to you for broadening your horizons. I read suspense, mystery, and lots of women's fiction, but more than half my reading is romance. It's just so heartwarming!
ReplyDeletebooks4me - Oh yes, we introverted readers! So many of us are like that, aren't we? There really is nothing like getting a like-minded group of people together to talk about books. Somehow the shyness tends to fade away pretty quickly.
ReplyDeleteMarika, that's so sweet of you! I hope you enjoy Savanna's book. A book club can be anything the members want it to be. They can choose to just read romance (or mystery or whatever) or they can opt for diversity. We do read everything. Non-fiction, autobiography, lots of fiction - both literary and commercial. Always something different and interesting.
ReplyDeleteI bet you'd find it interesting as a reviewer to hear club members' comments.
vitajex - yay, you love hockey! So does Woody . I hope you enjoy the story. Blog tours and online chats are another great way of sharing ideas and discovering new books and authors.
ReplyDeleteit has only been since facebook and goodreads that I've done the in-depth book discussing and I love it!....however I prefer choosing my own books to read and discuss with others
ReplyDeletebnbhb@hotmail.com
powerse - And that's another approach, isn't it? One made possible by forums like Goodreads. Read whatever you want to read, then find, or start, a discussion about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a few book groups and they have helped me fin books and answers to all kinds of questions.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I subscribe to a reader group and get monthly shipments of books. I have been introduced to authors that are now some of my favorites. Though, lately the books are not selections that I've been too interested in reading.
Leni, that's great about finding answers to your questions. That's what happens with the members of the Dirty Girls Book Club as well. Books + girlfriends = hard to beat!
ReplyDeleteI hope the selections from your subscription group improve.
I am in a book club called Literal Addiction that reads almost anything but most of us do PNR. I love the discussions and the gang has lead me to new loves, of new books that is! sdylion(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThe Dirty Girls looks and sounds amazing! I am really looking forward to getting a chance to read it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
SdyLion - I love that name, Literal Addiction! That's fantastic. I've always said I'm addicted to books. Sounds like you have a terrific group.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alicia, and good luck!
ReplyDeleteIt occurs to me, maybe I should mention that if you are in a book club and your group decides to read any of my books, I have discussion guides on my website and I'm happy to provide bookmarks and autographed bookplates.
ReplyDelete(I'll even attend in person - if you fly me there. LOL.)
Thanks for a great post and congrats on the release!
ReplyDeleteNo, no book club. But I think that it would be fun :)
I have never been in a book club but I have been considering joining some online, but the ones that I like are the ones where you can choose whether to join each book or skip that one. I love certain types of books. Most are romances, a large variety of them, but if a book does not sound like something that I will enjoy, I don't even want to give it a chance. There are so many out there that I want to read that I won't waste time with those I don't want to read.
ReplyDeleteI have never been in a book club, but I absolutely love to read so maybe one day I will join one.
ReplyDeleteerin and Bboo04 - you should start a club. Maybe together?
ReplyDeleteJune, I'm with you on not wanting to waste my time reading a book I don't like. There are 2 or 3 book club books I haven't finished. I'll try to give them about 50 pages and if I'm not into it by then - well, I have lots of great books to read so I'll toss the one I'm not enjoying. Occasionally it's just a timing/mood thing. It's not right for me at the moment. In that case, I'll give it another try at some point in the future. But sometimes, it's just really obvious it's not my kind of book. Hey, we all have different taste.
ReplyDeleteI'm not in a book club of any type. I read for fun and I think if I had to participate in a group it would change my reading. I would be looking for meaningful topics, etc. I know when I've been asked to review a book that it really affects how I read and makes it much less pleasureable.
ReplyDeleteI am not in a book club. I have joined a number of book sites and joined in on their chats from time to time. I have gotten lots of great recommendations that way (and a few duds). I have also found many book readers in my circle of friends. We talk and share. I read a little bit of everything (except nonfiction history *yawn*). I have always been a paranormal and sci-fi fan. I only started reading romance 4 years ago. In my never ending quest to find something new to read, I have found quite a few amazing literature and women's fiction autors. My tastes are diverse! jepebATverizonDOTnet
ReplyDeleteAnne, I know I wouldn't want to read only book club books. And I don't review, mainly because I'd rather avoid ever saying negative things about another author's work (at least by name). Sometimes it's nice to just totally relax when you read!
ReplyDeleteOh Jen, I'm so with you on history. If history is made into stories, then that's great, but nonfiction can be so dull.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds great book clubs always seem to read boring books.
ReplyDeleteI am a part of a group on FB with my friends and we all talk about the books we are currently reading. We dont all read the same books at the same time every now and then we will group up with people and start the same book together. but for the most part we all read whatever we want then talk about it there. haha SO there is a BIG mix I personally am fond of erotic, but there are fiction, contemporary, paranormal, YA. so it is a good mix of different books that everyone is talking about. it is really good when you are in a mood for something and you dont know what would be a good book to read. My girlfriend is the one who started the group and she also is the one that got me back into reading again!! I started with the sookie stackhouse books and then from there was on a PN kick wanted nothing but vampires. THEN I came across a book that was erotic and I have yet to look back! haha MY husband calls it my porn. but i LOVE them!!!
ReplyDeleteI am sure that my husband appreciates them because they absolutely do help get the mood going sometimes when i get to hot parts I sometimes have to put the book down and jump his bones haha
but i do love a GOOD erotic romance!!! like a HEA ending but not needed... haha
Not in any group but love to keep up with authors on facebook! I love reading para romance and erotic romance!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the contest!
swkimbell@yahoo.com