The Authors Book Club

Connecting readers and authors in Canada
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    • So, you want to start a Virtual Book Club?

      Posted at 2:09 pm by TheAuthorsBookClub
      Mar 28th

      Guest post by Hannah Mary McKinnon

      As an author, I’ve had the pleasure of being invited as a guest to a number of book clubs, in person and online. Each time has been an absolute pleasure, and what struck me the most was the camaraderie amongst the members, so much so that I decided to start my own book club earlier this year. 

      Enter the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures, which means in-person book club meetings must be postponed, and it might seem crazy to even think of starting a new club. Except we need human connections and something to look forward to more than ever right now, and a virtual book club could add to the comfort we so desperately need. The solution? A virtual book club. Here are some tips to get you started:

      1. Find members

      You can’t have a book club without members but where to find them? I posted in a local Facebook mom’s group and was immediately inundated with replies. Expecting a handful of participants, I couldn’t believe it when over 60 women indicated their interest. That number settled at 17 members after people couldn’t make it because of family and/or scheduling conflicts. 17 is quite a large number for a virtual book club, and I’d suggest having around 10 members so it’s easier to chat with one another online.

      1. Have an introductory meeting online

      Make it a “meet-and-greet” where you introduce yourselves, chat about the genre of books you enjoy (or don’t care for), and talk about the structure of the group. To do this, use a videoconferencing tool such as Zoom. A “pro” subscription for up to 100 participants per meeting costs $20/month, but maybe one of your members has already signed up, and they can set the meetings up and share the link with the members. Participants can mute their mic when not talking to minimize background noise.

      1. Figure out how to pick books

      In my book club, we decided to have five rotating selections: Book Club Picks, Suspense/Thriller, Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction and “Wild Card” where anything goes. We plan the books two months ahead, members make suggestions on which we vote afterwards, so people have the chance to look up the books first. Having themes means we read a variety of genres, and don’t have the same one multiple months in a row. Alternatively you could have the host pick the book for the next (online) gathering, or go in alphabetical order instead. Maybe you pluck books out of a (virtual) hat. There are many different ways that allow each member to give input.

      1. Create a Facebook Group

      While I initially managed all communication via email, it was much easier to shift everything to a Facebook group. The group is hidden, meaning only members have access, and I scheduled all our events for the rest of the year. The group is also an easy place to share information about upcoming reads, where to find books, and to create the monthly book pick polls on which members can vote. information about upcoming reads, where to find books, and to create the monthly book pick polls on which members can vote.

      1. Invite authors

      Admittedly, this is easier to do when you’re an author yourself and you’ve made connections with other writers, but you might be surprised by how many authors love to be a guest at a book club. The wonders of technology mean you can beam them straight into your chosen location, again by using Zoom. Whether they charge for their time depends on the author, but regardless, sharing photos and reviews of their novels on social media will no doubt be greatly appreciated. Still unsure about inviting an author?  The Authors’ Book Club provides a list of Canadian writers who are happy to join your meeting—all you need to do is ask.

      Creating a book club has been a wonderful experience and an excellent way to find like-minded friends with whom I can share my love of books. We’re living through an unprecedented crisis, and many of us in isolation, feeling disconnected from the world. A virtual book club might be another way for you to make new online connections, and have a ready-made new set of friends you can meet IRL once the pandemic is over.


      Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the U.K., grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favor of writing. Sister Dear is Hannah Mary’s fourth novel. She lives in Oakville, ON, with her husband and three sons.

      Visit Hannah Mary’s website. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

      Posted in book clubs, Guest Authors | Tagged ann y.k. choi, authors, book clubs, books, canadian authors, canadian book clubs, canadian writers, david albertyn, Fiona Ross, Hannah Mary McKinnon, online book clubs, starting a book club, The Authors' Book Club, virtual book clubs
    • We welcomed 40 authors!

      Posted at 12:55 pm by TheAuthorsBookClub
      Feb 1st

      When our website launched on January 1, 2020, we set 15 authors as a goal (including the two of us!) for the month. We ended with 40! Forty amazing authors from across Canada.

      As Canadian authors and readers ourselves, we wanted to support Canadian book publishers and authors who worked and lived in Canada. We wanted to create a community that was welcoming and inclusive with authors from big and small publishing houses, and authors at different stages of their professional writing careers.

      We thank all the authors who have joined The Authors’ Book Club. We could not have done this without you! A special thanks to Uzma Jalauddin, Laurie Petrou, Marissa Stapley, Blair Hurley, and Farzana Doctor who were among the first authors to support this initiative. Thank you for leading the way! We also want to thank Deborah Dundas from the Toronto Star and Sue Carter from Quill & Quire for helping to generate awareness of what we are doing.

      As we continue to welcome authors, we will now focus on increasing our visibility amongst private book clubs. We remain committed to creating a vibrant online community for author and reader engagement.

      Posted in General | Tagged ann y.k. choi, authors, Blair Hurley, book clubs, canadian authors, Canadian books, Canadian publishing, david albertyn, Farzana Doctor, Fiona Ross, Laurie Petrou, literature, Marissa Stapley, The Authors' Book Club, Uzma Jalaluddin
    • Name the Authors!

      Posted at 1:15 pm by TheAuthorsBookClub
      Jan 11th

      Our website is 11 days old. We are grateful to the authors who have joined our initiative to connect readers with authors working and living across Canada.

      Readers, can you name our amazing authors?

      Answers:

      Click on their names to learn more about them & how you can invite an author to your next book club meeting.

      1 Marissa Stapley

      2 Becky Blake

      3 Tehmina Khan

      4 Jenny Heijun Wills

      5 David Albertyn

      6 Maria Meindl

      7 Nate Hendley

      8 Lisa de Nikolits

      9 Farzana Doctor

      10 Laurie Petrou

      11 Blair Hurley

      12 Ann Y.K. Choi

      13 Uzma Jalaluddin


      Posted in General | Tagged ann y.k. choi, authors, Becky Blake, Blair Hurley, book clubs, canadian authors, canadian book clubs, CanLit, david albertyn, DiverseCanLit, Farzana Doctor, Invite An Author, Jenny Heijun Wills, Laurie Petrou, Lisa di Nikolits, Maria Meindl, Marissa Stapley, Nate Hendley, Tehmina Khan, The Authors' Book Club, Uzma Jalaluddin
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    • For a list of Blog Posts, see the tab ‘NEWS, EVENTS, ETC.’

      • The Quotable Dennis Bock
      • Plots & Pandemic: Virtual Meet & Greet with Lee Gowan
      • Catching up with David Albertyn
      • An Interview With Ami Sands Brodoff
      • An Interview With Cathrin Bradbury
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