January 09, 2014

Call Me "Slow"!

The NFL is almost over for the year. After SuperBowl, winter is just winter.

Long, cold days. Bringing in wood to feed the hungry stove. Bundled up and reading. Bundled up and writing or just bundled up and shivering.

I was thinking about something that I could do to start out the new year and get myself unbundled!

Last week my granddaughter, Katie, shared her excitement over a book she is currently reading.  She is thirteen and I can't tell you how exciting it was to see her holding the book open, her legs draped over the arm of the big leather chair, her head resting on a pillow, consuming page after page.

I asked her about the book. Her face burst into what I can only call " jubilant exuberance"! She talked about the book for an easy 10 minutes. The protagonist is a young girl, probably about 13, too! Then she explained the different classifications of characters.

The discussion continued, not just about the book but how the different aspects of the characters showed up in life or could change a life. It was fun!

I decided that I want to start a monthly book club. How fun it would be to share what Katie and I had shared with my peers!

This morning, after chores, writing, showering and bundling, I picked up the Ipad and googled "how to start a book club?"

Tons of information. I went from site to site, making notes, jotting down ideas of my own.

Then I came upon Oprah's website. Not only does the site give you an outline of "How to" but the last page or two lists discussion questions.

I could have smacked myself in the forehead with the Ipad...hard!

Writing my book, I have researched character building, psychology, narrative forces, point-of-view specification....dang me if I hadn't studied it all. With an AA in Communication Arts, I was pretty sure I had covered all the bases.

Today, as I read the Oprah suggestions for discussions, I had one of her "Aha" moments!  What an epiphany to post those questions next to my work space!  Post those questions on my refrigerator door and on the mirror in the bathroom.

Why not ask my characters these questions? Why not visualize book club members  asking these questions about my book?

I am so excited about this flash of insight! My plan is to get into pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt,  make myself comfortable on this chair in front of this monitor and not come up for air until at least Monday or Tuesday. I'll ask my husband to make excuses for me for Friday night and Sunday afternoon's social engagements. I'll have to cancel my meeting on Monday morning and I swear, first thing Tuesday morning, I will shower....

Discussion questions.....Bring it on!

1 comment:

  1. I want to join your book club! '
    (I'll settle for helping youo with the shower!)

    ReplyDelete

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