Last summer, I wanted to do something different in my local community. I thought about a women’s issue group, lessons of some type, etc. Nothing seem to fit and I wanted something that could bring together a diverse group. Ultimately, I decided to start a local book club that highlights local and state authors!
Meet New People & Share The Love of Reading!
Convenience is Key
I wanted the book club to be convenient for potential members (and especially me). A Convenient Time and Convenient Location are KEY!
Starkville Book Club - Lunch Edition Banner
Book Club Meeting Time
The time of the book club must be a good fit for all types of people: working women, moms and the senior ladies too! Older women do not enjoy getting out at night. As we get older, driving in the dark is harder. We are also more tired after a long day of activities! Right? Younger women may have families and other obligations during the evening.
Meeting during the lunch hour seems like a great fit for most people. And keeping the discussion at 30 minutes would be important to honor a 1 hour lunch break. With meeting times set, the book club members knew they could eat, discuss and get back to work within an hour. And, for the stay at home moms, they knew exactly how long they needed a sitter. Win/Win!
Our meeting times looked like this:
- 12:00 – Order your food (at a Deli walk up counter)
- 12:15 – Discussion Starts
- 12:45 – Discussion Ends
Terry Lynn Thomas, Author
Book Club Location
Starkville is a small town, but location is important for the working women! The book club needed a restaurant that was:
- Close to the university (the biggest employer in town)
- Had adequate parking
- FREE to reserve a small room
- Menu that is appealing and reasonably priced
The perfect fit was McAlister’s Deli in Starkville! We were able to get the room during lunch once a month. The location has worked beautifully. The staff at McAlister's have gotten to know us and they are very helpful and prompt with our food.
Our Organizing Meeting
During our organizing meeting in August, over 10 people showed up! I didn’t even know 4 of them. The only publicity was through Facebook. I was so happy that the book club was reaching members of the community and not just my group of friends.
Kait Nolan, Author
At the organizing meeting at McAlister’s Deli, we decided upon the meeting dates, times and books. I had a few suggestions for the group and everything fell into place. We listened to all suggestions and I was surprised at the local authors that I didn't know. Supporting our local authors was important to me. I discovered a romance novel author who has written more than 30 books! Amazing!
Book Club Reading List
Date | Book | Author | Author Attending? |
September | The Silent Woman (Cat Carlisle, Book 1) | Terry Lynn Thomas | Yes |
October | Murder in Memory | Mike Thorne | Yes |
November | The Reckoning | John Grisham | No |
December | NO MEETING | ----- | --- |
January | Wishful Romance Series (Books 1-6) | Kait Nolan | Yes |
February | Gently Scattered Intentions | Laurie Parker | Yes |
March | White Kids, Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America | Margaret Hagerman | Yes |
April | The Family Secret (Cat Carlisle, Book 2) | Terry Lynn Thomas | Yes |
May | Cemetery Road: A Novel | Greg Isles |
..
Publicity & Sharing
Event Banner Example
The only publicity about the book club is through a Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/233757397309735/ ). For each meeting, I created an Event for the group. The event would serve as a reminder and a way to easily invite their friends. One week before the meeting, I would always post a reminder and a question about the book.
In closing, a Book Club is a great idea to bring together the local community and to celebrate local authors. We’ve read different types of books – romance, mystery, historical, academic – which adds significant value (and fun) to our group! Starting a local book club is good for the community in so many ways - I encourage you to give it a try!
If you have any questions, please comment and I’ll be glad to answer!
Take care, Kathleen
