I Want One Too

I know the correct emotion is to feel happy for her instead of jealous.
I know I’m supposed love hearing her stories about it, instead of wishing I had
stories of my own to tell. And of course I know that if I really wanted one, I
could and should form one of my own. Somehow, I can’t convince myself that if I
did make one of my own, that it would ever be as cool as hers.

The “her” I’m talking about is my sister, and the thing she has, the
thing I wish I had, is a book club.

Not just any book club. This is a group of smart, accomplished,
worldly, successful black women who enjoy each other’s company so much, they
not only talk about great books, they also go on trips inspired by the books
they read. They’ve traveled to Soprlo Island, Charleston, the Gulf Coast of
Florida, the mountains of North, Georgia, just to name a few. The Book Trekkers
have been meeting and discussing books for over ten years. They read everything
from memoir to mystery to, thank goodness, urban fantasy.

I was both excited and nervous when my sister told me she had selected
my book, The Bonding Spell, for the club to read at their most recent meeting.

Excited, because I thought it was cool as hell that this group of women
I had admired for so long was going to read my work. Nervous, of course, that
they would enjoy it.

My sister called me the afternoon of their club meeting. There was lots
of laughter and conversation, everyone talking over each other as I heard the
names of my characters bouncing around the room. They asked fantastic questions
and I could tell by what they asked, that they really understood what I had
been trying to do with the book. They had laughed at the right places, had
understood the conflicts, and had loved the characters I had drawn on the page.

The whole experience was inspiring.

If your book club is looking for something fun to read, let me know.
Cookie’s club members all received autograph copies of the book and I was happy
to answer all of their questions as well as provide some questions they could
use to spark discussion.

The Book Trekkers. Lower left, Marilynn, Terri, Wanda and my sister, Cookie. Top left is Aishea, Janis, Debbie and Faye.

Thanks for letting me participate in your group!