3rd Thursdays, Monthly 6-7:30pm — Steep Right Up! tea shop Garner, NC
Ever have interest in joining a book club and then worry about…
- …if you’ll like the book selected…
- …if you will finish reading the assigned book by the next meeting…
- …or if you read “enough” to fit in at a book club…?
For these reasons and many more, I’ve started hosting a monthly book club for readers who…
- …like to read what they want…
- …when they want…
- …and on the time frame they want…
…but still like to…
- …connect with other readers…
- …get suggestions on new-to-you reads…
- …discuss some of your favorite and current reads…yes, please!!
If this is you, join us!
Every reader knows that a book is more than just a bunch of words. Books go beyond words and invite you into another time, place, experience, without ever leaving your seat.
In the same way, everyone who has found themselves in a gathering of like-minded individuals also knows that you experience something beyond just a bunch of bodies in a room.
Like words gathered to make a story, like-minded people gathered create something beyond words. Come join the experience!
{No Assigned Reading! Just bring yourself & your current/favorite read to share!}
A little background and an additional invitation for “bookish” individuals…
My dear friend, fellow Capricorn sister and book lover, Bess Corriveau, was the inspiration behind the format for this group.
Over lunch one day, I expressed my desire to Bess to join a book club and shared some of the challenges stopping me from doing so.
One was the time…often groups met at times where I had previous commitments or during designated family time.
Another challenge was assigned reading…I love expanding my knowledge base of authors, genres, series, and more; only I often find book clubs either review the books they picked as unenjoyable reads, or the book itself didn’t draw my interest enough to purchase/procure and read/listen to.
Lastly, the feeling of missing out/not contributing if you didn’t read/finish reading the assigned book in time. I know this often doesn’t matter in book clubs, but still, why join if I wasn’t ready to commit? (Not to mention hearing spoilers if I did plan to read it in the future!! I don’t even read the back cover because I don’t want any surprises ruined…ha!)
Bess listened to my concerns, and again being a fellow lover of books, she shared with me this format that she had since someone use before and I was instantly inspired to find a time that consistently worked on my schedule and start holding my own book club!
The format Bess shared was this:
- No assigned reading
- Everyone brings the book they are currently reading
- Once gathered, each person takes a turn sharing the book’s title, author’s name, and then read aloud the first sense of the book
- That’s it!
I loved this concept and decided to run with it…with a couple of tweaks.
- Still no assigned reading (don’t worry, this naturally works itself out…trust me, or better yet, come and see for yourself!)
- You can bring a book with you or not. It can be your current read or a favorite read or a read you want to dive into. You can bring the physical book, ebook, or audio book…format does not matter, only the stories. Or you can just bring yourself! (…and maybe a friend or family member who loves books, too)
- Once gathered, we can take a moment to go around and introduce ourselves and share whatever we want to share about what we are reading, have read, want to read, or whatever book/story related. If the group grows to the point the we have to super limit shares, then we can structure the format a bit more with just sharing title/author basics.
- As the group grows, if more structure is needed then just show up and share, then perhaps we will add a monthly theme to give a focus for shares and gathering conversation topics.
- Beyond that…just show up, share, and connect…simple!
I trust that those drawn to this type of gathering will naturally find their flow and we can figure things out further if needed as we grow. For now, come, share, connect…that’s it :)
One final thing I want to include you on, Bess loves supporting bookish people, too! She has created this fun and fulfilling opportunity for you to enhance and support your love for bookish things and being a bookish person. Find out more on her website at: https://besscorriveau.com
Support local authors!
Here is a listing of local authors for you to check out and support. Are you or someone you know an author that isn’t listed? Come out to Beyond Words Book Club one month and introduce yourself :) Feel free to bring some books to sale if you have them!
Melodie Hand (non-fiction)
Denise Kavaliauskas (non-fiction)
Shaw Montgomery (fiction)
M.A. Innes (fiction)
Dr. Alana Sharps (non-fiction)
Cassie Swindon (fiction)
Best Bookstore in the area…hands down!!!
Pauper’s Books and More has been a staple in the Clayton area for more than a decade. This local family-owned treasure trove started as a small, single space retail shop offering good quality used books, DVD/VHS movies, and music CD’s for an unbeatable price.
More over, Pauper’s will even take in the books, movies and music you are ready to re-home, offering store credit and even cash for qualifying goods.
Being the only bookstore in town for most of their time in business, Pauper’s has expanded over the years into a space more than double their original size, upping their offerings to include records, comics, new books, merchandise, and puzzles!
They offer support to and feature local authors, host annual free comic book events, and provide a genuine sense of community amongst an eclectic and soulful environment that can only be cultivated by someone doing what they love and were made to do in the world.
Even with new chain bookstores move into the area, Pauper’s stays at the top of the list if you are looking for variety, unique, and to support your local economy. Real people, real family, real community, and real books you can hold in your hands, smell with your nose, and carry in your heart. (And then trade in for credit when you finish!)
Go check them out today nestled in the Lowe’s Food shopping center at Hwy 70 and Shotwell Road in Clayton…then come to book club and tell us what you found there!!
