Book Clubs

[Betsy the Quilter]

If you're interested in the Book Klub books and don't have them yet, here are the two that we have firm Klubs for (K denoting the book must be on Kindle):

 

Here you go, Dori!  And, no, buying from the sample does not give credit to Kindleboards.  Klick here!

Betsy

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

Here you go, Dori. 

[Leslie]

What a scathingly brilliant idea.  What better feedback could we get than from the authors themselves. 

I have my moments....LOL

L

[Dori]

Thank you both for the link.  If I am going to buy a book I want the board to get credit for it.  Outlander is on it's way to my Kindle.

[Duncan's Mom]

Well, this works out perfectly. I wanted to read Charlaine Harris anyway. I'll just be starting her a little earlier than planned. Another reason to look forward to January. 

[Betsy the Quilter]

Mike says sure! (He worked an 11.5 hour day today, so he's pretty beat.) He says "I've never done that before. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

His book would make a great book club read, I think, but there aren't any study questions to go with it.

I have generic questions we can use, and having the author around, I'm sure our members will come up with more questions!

Betsy

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

I have generic questions we can use, and having the author around, I'm sure our members will come up with more questions!

Betsy

This is just getting better and better.

[Michael R. Hicks]

I just had another idea about book clubs: we have two authors here (Mike Hicks and Jeff Hepple). What if their books got book clubbed? Then the authors could participate. I also am on a mailing list with authors of many of the books I have been reading lately. I am sure if we wanted to pick one of those and invited the author to participate, s/he'd be thrilled.

Oh, gee, Leslie, how could an author pass up such an opportunity for shameless self-promotion?!

But sure, that sounds like fun, and thanks for dreaming that up! Now, if I can manage to spend at least a couple hours at home (just got back from my second round at work today - ugh!)...

Mike

[Angela]

Good job on the guidelines, Betsy. I think this is going to be great!

[Betsy the Quilter]

Oh, gee, Leslie, how could an author pass up such an opportunity for shameless self-promotion?!

But sure, that sounds like fun, and thanks for dreaming that up! Now, if I can manage to spend at least a couple hours at home (just got back from my second round at work today - ugh!)...

Mike

Mike,

Thanks for this.  Way cool!  We can't pass up the chance to read a book with the author.  Would you be interested in starting Sunday, Feb 1?  (I'm trying to spread out the initial book club starts, to help people who want to do more than one and to help me manage them as fledgling clubs).  If this isn't good, let me know.  I'm also trying to have them on different days of the week.

I see these clubs with the author (have to think of a cool name) as a separate book club option from our normal book clubs, which will probably settle into genre divisions.  It will probably a series in itself, so you would be our inaugural "cool book-club-with-author name here."

For those who are new or who weren't aware, Mike has two books for the Kindle, one of which, In Her Name, would be our book club selection, but the other is also worth having (I purchased it right away), Publish Your Book on the Amazon Kindle, A Practical Guide.

 

[ScrappingForever]

Sign me up for the "In Her Name" one as well!

I promise not to heckle the author too badly!

[Michael R. Hicks]

Betsy -

Cool - 1 Feb works just fine for me (I've even marked it on my calendar, but since I always forget what's on it, I'll have to leave it to Jan to remind me!).

Also, FYI, I've started the first prequel to the novel, with the tentative title In Her Name: The Last War. But it'll be a while before that's ready! LOL!  

Cheers,
Mike

[Michael R. Hicks]

Sign me up for the "In Her Name" one as well!

I promise not to heckle the author too badly!

D'oh! I'm doomed!   

[Betsy the Quilter]

Betsy -

Cool - 1 Feb works just fine for me (I've even marked it on my calendar, but since I always forget what's on it, I'll have to leave it to Jan to remind me!).

Also, FYI, I've started the first prequel to the novel, with the tentative title In Her Name: The Last War. But it'll be a while before that's ready! LOL!  

Cheers,
Mike

Mike, I'll forward the generic questions to you.  Maybe they'll give you ideas for other questions to add that are relevant to your book.  Plenty of time to fiddle with it, and no pressure, we have the generics and things will come up during discussions.

[Ann in Arlington]

O.K.  folks keep saying "Sign me Up".  I've not done so because I'm just not sure I'm going to have the time.  I guess what I want to know is, will the discussions be open, or do you have to make a commitment and if you're not part of the "Klub" you can't participate?  See, I do income taxes and I'm likely to pretty busy from the middle of January to the middle of April.  I do expect to have time to read, but it's not likely to be as much as usual.  Frequently I come home after 8 hours and just vegetate for the evening and go to bed early.  So I'd like to be able to participate if I can, but I don't want you all to feel like I'm not pulling my weight if I can't.  Does any of this make sense?

Thanks,
Ann

[Michael R. Hicks]

Ann -

Well, from my perspective (and regardless of which book(s) you'd be interested in, not just mine obviously!): participate as you can, when you can. This sort of thing is for fun, after all. If there are times when you're just too busy, don't worry about it - just enjoy and jump in when you're able!   

Mike

[Anne]

I want to take part too. With School and work I will do my best to keep up.

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

There may be people who come in late because they just discovered us or those who decide the book or the club are not for them and leave.  That's fine, too. 

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

Betsy, my library offers Book Club in a Box.  They provide everything necessary for book discussions, including the books.  Obviously, we don't need books, but I can contact them about the discussion questions.  Two of our suggested books are listed.  Snow Flower and the Secret Fan & The Secret Life of Bees.

Maybe other people can check their library systems for similar offerings.

[Betsy the Quilter]

Good idea, Gertie!  I'll check with my library too.

As for "signing up", the "signing up" posts are worthwhile because they confirm the interest in the concept and in a specific book.  That being said, everyone has lives, except me apparently, outside the Kindleboards.  There's going to be a certain ebb and flow.  See the Book Club Guidelines.  I certainly expect people will join book clubs already in progress and that not everyone will be able to participate every week.  In the guidelines, I've asked that, in both cases, people not post about chapters that have already been discussed when they were offline so as not to sidetrack current discussions.  Catch up on the reading and jump in wherever the book club is.  AND the past commentary will remain online for members to study after the fact.

Part of the beauty of doing it online, with a week's worth of commentary on a set of chapters, is that people can participate when they have time, unlike a set hour or two to meet each week.  I think this is an advantage compared to having it in a chat setting.  We managed to chat quite comfortably this way on a variety of topics, why not books?  I am probably not going to be able to participate every week, but at least there book club postings will be there for me to do catch up with.

My two cents worth, your book clubs.  Any comments?

Betsy

[Betsy the Quilter]

O.K.  folks keep saying "Sign me Up".  I've not done so because I'm just not sure I'm going to have the time.  I guess what I want to know is, will the discussions be open, or do you have to make a commitment and if you're not part of the "Klub" you can't participate?  See, I do income taxes and I'm likely to pretty busy from the middle of January to the middle of April.  I do expect to have time to read, but it's not likely to be as much as usual.  Frequently I come home after 8 hours and just vegetate for the evening and go to bed early.  So I'd like to be able to participate if I can, but I don't want you all to feel like I'm not pulling my weight if I can't.  Does any of this make sense?

Thanks,
Ann

I'm reposting the Guidelines I posted earlier, and which are also now stickied in the Book Corner.  Posts disappear around the corner so fast here, people might have missed them.  I think it answers your questions, Ann.

Book Club Guidelines
   
Requests for Book Clubs will be posted in the Book Corner and will be started based on member interest and approval of the moderator.  This is to help ensure a consistent Book Club experience for our members and to ensure that each Club has a leader, a plan and a set of questions to work from. General fan threads for books and authors are welcome at any time, of course, and do not need to go through the Moderator.

Book Club announcements will include the name of the book, the meeting day, and a spoiler warning.

Links for purchasing the books will be posted in the Book Club announcement to aid members in finding and buying the right books.  These links will include the Kindleboards affiliate codes so that Kindleboards will get a small percentage to help offset the cost of running the board.

Each Book Club will have a volunteer leader.  The leader of the book club will be the “moderator” for that thread with the assistance of the Kindleboards Moderators.  This will involve developing the questions to be asked and keeping the discussion on topic.  The Kindleboards Moderators will assist in calming dustups that may occur.  See Book Club Decorum for more information about dustups…. 
   
The leader will supply a list of questions to be discussed.  If the leader needs assistance with the questions, the moderator and the other Book Club members will help!  A set of generic questions will be available to all Book Club leaders.
   
Book Clubs will typically last 6-8 weeks so the book will be divided into reading portions to cover that period.  For example, a book with 40 chapters will be read 5 chapters a week. The Book Club leader may change the schedule if needed.  Some book schedules may be based on locations.

Each Book Club will have a set day of the week that chapters/locations must be read by and for discussion to begin. This day will be posted on the calendar.

Chapters (or locations) will be assigned each week to be discussed the following week.  Discussion of that portion of the book will last a week.
      
Members may join a Book Club already in progress and catch up with the reading.  We request that they only post regarding material covered after they join so as to not derail the discussion going on.  The same for members who fall behind:  catch up with the reading and then rejoin the discussions. 

Discussion of the book in the thread may certainly continue after the book club ends; this may be the time to post those questions that you didn’t get the chance to ask earlier without derailing the discussion!
   
Book Club Decorum

Book Club leaders may not be killed with a stick.  (Also known as the Robin Rule.)

People will undoubtedly have strong feelings both for and against the book being read and on thoughts being expressed.  Respond to posts as if you were in the room with the person, but also realize that they cannot read your expression.  Use your words, people, and your emoticons too.   In rare occasions, posts that do not comply may be edited or removed at the leader & moderator’s discretion.

Personal attacks will not be allowed—they are against Forum Decorum.  Name calling falls into that category.  Real world examples of what is NOT appropriate:
•   You are being melodramatic.
•   You are intolerant.
•   This post of yours is rubbish.
•   That is elitist nonsense
•   That is extremely silly
Try to address the issues, not the individual.  Use “I don’t agree with [what you said]” not “you are [adjective]”.  People automatically get defensive and respond in kind, often raising the ante.  We want this to be a positive experience for EVERYONE involved.

Enough rules and regulations, let's have fun!

Betsy

[robin.goodfellow]

Cool!  I have a rule named after me?!?!  That's fantastic!  I'm going to print this out and give to my mom to put on her fridge!  She'll be so proud!

~robin

[Dori]

Too funny Robin, I am laffing out loud.

[robin.goodfellow]

This is totally a big deal!! I am so taking this in for my performance review so my boss can see it.  Lol, he has a completely different idea of what the "robin rule" should be.  Although it does involve sticks.

Also a ceremonial dance, but we don't have time to go into that right now.

~robin

[Betsy the Quilter]

This is totally a big deal!! I am so taking this in for my performance review so my boss can see it.  Lol, he has a completely different idea of what the "robin rule" should be.  Although it does involve sticks.

Also a ceremonial dance, but we don't have time to go into that right now.

~robin

Entirely earned, and you crack me up!

Betsy