Launch Your Own Book Club

What if you would like to belong to a book club, but there is not one in your area? One solution that comes to mind is to start your own book club. A party would be a fun way to launch your book club. Send invitations to some of your friends announcing the date, time, place (probably your place), and a brief description of what the party will entail. Give your phone number, email address and home address on the invitation in case they don't have it. You could also place an ad in the classifieds of your local newspaper. There may be some people you have not meant who would love to be a part of your book club.

The book club party could include a late morning light brunch, with individual muffin-half pizzas, some kind of chips, dessert and a drink such as coffee, iced tea or lemonade. Below is the recipe for the muffin-half pizzas.

Muffin-Half Pizzas
6 muffins split into 12 halves (for 12 people)
1 jar pizza sauce
fennel seed as needed
½ lb. ground beef or diced pepperoni
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese

Preparation Directions:

Brown ground beef in skillet, toast muffins to light golden brown, spread pizza sauce on each muffin half, sprinkle small amount of fennel seed on each muffin half as desired, add cooked ground beef or diced pepperoni (or both if desired), shake parmesan cheese on top of all muffin halves, cover entire top of each muffin half with mozzarella cheese. Cook in microwave on high on glass platter for 12 minutes, or until cheese topping is melted. Serve warm.

Decorating should be kept to a minimum and quite simple, since this is a trial party to find how people will react to a book club. My library is abundant with books on writing articles, novels, poetry and other nonfiction, I would use some of my books for part of the decorating. One could also brighten up the 'party room' with some flowers and ribbons. .

Ask those who call you that you would like them to bring a book they are reading or one they have read and enjoyed. If they do not have one, or are not reading a book now, perhaps they would tell about one they have read. You might also ask them if there is a book they would like to read.

Each guest might enjoy talking about the best book they have ever read even if it has been awhile since they read it. That may make it more difficult to remember details, but this is to be a fun exercise. Perhaps you could have a couple of inexpensive book-related gifts for the best presentation, or a drawing for a book at some point in the book club party. My most favorite book I ever read was "The Thorn Birds." I know that one goes back awhile, but it is a fabulous love story, and also a movie.

I have been a member of writing groups, reading groups (book clubs) and have chaired poetry groups for some time. They are a lot of fun, as I can imagine my own book club would be also.

Sources:

Personal Experience