The Authors Book Club

For Book Clubs

How do I invite an author to my book club? 
Please contact the authors listed on our Invite An Author page directly to inquire about making arrangements or if you have any questions for them.

You can use the SEARCH button (located on the top right corner) to look up a specific author or key words like city/town names (e.g., Halifax) or genres (e.g., memoir).

Which authors should we invite?
Read the authors’ profile pages to get to know a little more about them and their work. Some book clubs have themes or focus on specific types/genres. We encourage you to read Canadian and Indigenous books. You can visit our Resource Page to learn more about how other book clubs choose their books.

How far in advance should we contact the author?
Most authors are busy juggling multiple assignments/jobs. Please provide them with as much time in advance as possible (1-3 months is good). 

What are some things we should consider before inviting an author?
Be prepared to share some meeting dates and times. Where will you be meeting? If the location is in someone’s home, ask authors if they have any allergies to pets or questions about accessibility. If food is being served, ask about allergies or dietary concerns.

Are authors paid to do book clubs? 
That decision lies with individual authors. Please contact any authors you want to invite to your book club and ask them directly.

We want to Skype/FaceTime with an author. Any advice?
Check the quality of your Internet connection beforehand. Confirm your meeting times and the length of the online visit ahead of time. 

How do we ensure a smooth visit?
As much as possible, decide what the visit will look like: how long will it be? Did you want the author to read or just answer questions? Is there anything specific you want the author to focus on? Please visit our Resource Page for book clubs for more on this.

Help promote authors who visit! Ask if you can take photographs and share them via social media. Don’t forget to tag the authors and yourselves! We’d really appreciate it if you tagged us too (@inviteanauthor on Twitter and Instagram). Use the hashtag #inviteanauthor and #theauthorsbookclub.

Can we ask authors to sign our books?
Authors usually love to sign purchased copies of their books. Ask if the visiting authors will sign books at the meeting.

---

For Authors

I’m an author. How can I be added to your website?
We are Canadian fiction authors and readers so for now we are focusing our efforts on supporting Canadian and Indigenous authors who write fiction or creative nonfiction and their readers. Private book clubs are our primary audience.

Due to the overwhelming author responses, and based on the feedback we have received from our private book club members, we have changed our author eligibility criteria effective February 1st, 2020:

The author must live in Canada as a citizen or permanent resident. The authors’ work must contain fiction or creative non-fiction titles. The authors’ books must be published in English, either originally or in translation. (For translated works, the original must be written by an author living in Canada.) Authors’ books must carry an ISBN number and be available for sale in retail/bookstores across Canada.

Please contact us with any questions.

What are some things we should consider before accepting an invitation to a book club?
Inquire about the meeting location. If the meeting is in someone’s home, share any concerns you might have about allergies to pets and accessing the physical space. If food is being served, share any allergies or dietary concerns you might have.

The book club wants to Skype/FaceTime with me. Any advice?
Check the quality of your Internet connection beforehand. Confirm your meeting times and the length of the online visit ahead of time. 

If you’ve never done a virtual book club, practise. Look at the camera and not the screen. This will allow you to look out at the book club members. Be aware of your surroundings. Ensure the space is quiet with minimal background distractions. Avoid interruptions. Turn off your cell phone and let others around you know that you are working and not to interrupt. 

How do we ensure a smooth visit?
As much as possible, understand what the visit will look like: how long will it be? Will you be expected to read? Or just answer questions? Is there anything specific the book club wants you to focus on? Make sure you have all the contact information you need. 

How long should I stay at a meeting?
That’s up to you. You don’t have to stay for the whole meeting. Check with the host ahead of time. Agreeing on as many details as possible beforehand can help facilitate a smooth visit.

What if someone at the meeting hated my book?
This might happen as it is impossible for all readers to like the same book. We’re not there to defend our books so we recommend being gracious and helping to move the conversation along in ways that benefit the meeting. We suggest that you discuss any possible challenges that might come up with the host prior to your visit (e.g., there may be things you don’t want to talk about) so that the host can help guide the discussion in positive and productive ways. 

What if they ask about payment?
We ask that authors respond directly to a book club host as each individual author might have different expectations. Please feel free to email us with any questions you have. 

What about taking photos and sharing them on social media?
If you’re comfortable, ask if you can take photographs and share them via social media. Don’t forget to tag yourself! We’d really appreciate it if you tagged us too (@inviteanauthor on Twitter and Instagram). Use the hashtag #inviteanauthor and #theauthorsbookclub.

Any final tips when speaking at a book club?
Preparation is always a good thing. Some authors create cue cards with bullet points on themes or topics they want to discuss or interesting tidbits they want to share about their books. Readers often want to hear about how the book came to be written or about your writing process. Thinking ahead of time about how you will share all this can be helpful. Speaking at book clubs can be great for authors who want more opportunities to develop their public speaking skills and to interact with their readers. Also see our Resource Page for Authors.