By Joanne Rock

Joining a book club two years ago was one of the nicest presents I’ve given myself. Once a month I make time to have fun with fellow readers on a Friday night. Socially, my book club has given me a whole new circle of friends and introduced me to people with different life experiences and backgrounds—interesting people who don’t necessarily share a lot in common with me beyond a love of books. Believe me, that’s enough to base great friendships on! I’ve reaped wonderful rewards from the new friendships I’ve made. We share tidbits from our lives each month, making time to connect on a personal level. We’ve seen each other through triumphs and losses, giving one another fresh insights on everything from handling a divorce to welcoming a new baby.

But the main reason we meet is to talk about books. Old favorites, new stories on the shelves and, of course, our read of the month. Our group takes turns hosting book club, with the hostess choosing which book to read. There are no limits and we’ve read around the genres—commercial and literary, memoirs and modern fairy tales. Book club allows us to share books we’re excited about with others and gives us an outlet for discussing what we love. Plus, it gives us each a chance to read outside our comfort zone and—often—discover hidden gems we might not have selected on our own.

The discussions are fun too. We talk about our perceptions of characters and plot development, and how a book compares with others we’ve read. We highlight important passages to share with the group, from bits of life wisdom gleaned from the pages, or a particularly moving paragraph. With some English teachers, a psychologist and a p.r. executive in the group, we bring widely divergent views to a story, views that enrich the reading experience overall. In fact, I can’t recommend book clubs enough! If you’re interested in starting a group of your own consider the following:

1. Don’t just invite your closest buds. Extend your search to readers at work or at yoga class to broaden the tastes and reading experiences of the club. Give members time to gel as a group. 2. Discuss any parameters that are important to you—genres of books that are acceptable to all, topics that might be off-putting or other reading boundaries. 3. Don’t ignore book reading budgets! Are members willing to purchase hard covers, or would the group prefer to look at trade paperback and mass market releases? 4. Determine how stringent you will be about your discussions. Do you want to stick to a reading guide for each meeting to give the group an agenda and if so, will the hostess provide this? Should the discussion be more organic and free-flowing? 5. Is outside material a welcome addition to the discussions? Would the membership appreciate reading an author bio, an interview with the author about the book, or snippets about other books the author has written? Or would members prefer to stick to the primary source? Who will provide companion materials if appropriate? 6. Consider setting up a book club online loop to archive discussion materials and book lists or link to reviews, author websites, and purchasing information. 7. Will the group include a social dimension? Some book clubs plan theme dinners or theme parties around each book or around one book a year. Will that kind of atmosphere enhance the meeting experience or hamper a more serious discussion for your group? 8. Consider whether new, unsolicited additions to the group are welcome or if the group prefers to make the club more of an “invitation only” affair. Are drop-ins welcome if someone’s sister wants to attend one month and a friend the next month? 9. Discuss the meeting place. Some groups find it helpful to meet at a neutral site so no one has to clean the house or put together hors d’oeuvres. Consider the budget needs of the group when deciding if you should meet at a local library, bookstore, restaurant, or coffeehouse as opposed to rotating members’ houses. 10. Enrich your club experience with special outings like seeing a film based on a book the group has read or visiting a site where a local book was set.

Joanne Rock is a huge fan of Dianna Love and book clubs, and wishes she could attend any and all groups where Dianna Love books are discussed. Visit Joanne at her website or at myspace to learn more about her sexy contemporary stories and medieval historicals.