Reminder: August Book Club - The China Garden by Kristina Olsson

Next Wednesday evening, 4 August, is time to snuggle down with our next cosy book discussion, where members will discuss this month's novel, 'The China Garden' by Kristina Olsson. We hope you've popped us into your date claimer and can come along for some insightful discussion, tasty treats and warm cuppas.

The more the merrier ...

The details can be found on the events page listed on this site.

We really hope you can make it. This event is a great place to meet new friends, mix with old friends, catch up, sample tasty treats, and indulge in our common love of books.

If you are coming, please make sure you add yourself as 'coming' to the event for organisation purposes.

Hope to see you there...

until then...

Happy reading...

July Book Club Meeting: 'The Story of a Marriage' by Andrew Sean Greer

What more could one ask for?

The perfect way to spend a lazy wintry Wednesday evening with friends, includes a faux fireplace, a cozy room full of books, great guests, two cute and cuddly puppies running amok for entertainment, a slinky feline, random family members floating around and popping in to say hi, a great story to sink our teeth into, delicious treats and warm beverages to chase away the winter chills.

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club had all this, and more, at its third (July) meeting. We had all the trappings of a great novel, including a sub plot: the third and final State of Origin footy match for 2010. Congratulations to the Queenslanders...commiserations to NSW. Better luck next year.

Attendees included:

Elizabeth

Leisle

Caryl

Deb

Apologises from:

Liz (visiting China)

Julie

Cheryl

Kimmy

Jocelyn

We'd like to welcome our new member, Caryl, to Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club. It is always lovely to welcome new book lovers into the club (there is always plenty of room). Novel Tea 'n Pages is a very informal group of ladies who enjoy mingling socially and discussing their favourite books along the way. The objective is to build friendships and enjoy a social gathering, whilst sharing a common passion. So far, so good.

Book club members enjoyed a stimulating discussion revolving around this month's novel, 'A Story of a Marriage' by Andrew Sean Greer. Members who attended all agreed that the author was clever in his use of devices, such as voice, characters and elements of surprise to craft his story, even though some didn't particularly enjoy the story shared. It was, however, most interesting and very creative.

The group discussed Greer's characters and decided they were very strong and believable. It was interesting the way Greer dealt with the character of Holland, as opposed to Pearl and Buzz. The story revolved around Holland, yet we never got to hear the thoughts of Holland. His character was very passive, whilst all around him were very active. Holland's character was shaped and engineered by the opinions of others in the story. Greer was able to build and layer depth to each character well throughout.

The author was extremely clever in his use of voice for each of his characters. He was very careful not to leave clues behind, ensuring the reader enjoyed surprises along the way. A few of us who pride ourselves on the ability to predict situations or outcomes, were very much taken by surprise throughout this work.

This book was very interesting on so many levels. Many times the author planted a seed of thought, only for the reader to be led down a merry and misleading path. Touché for Greer. It was interesting to note the choices different characters made and the consequences that followed, which is very much mirrored in our own lives. Another interesting point was the author's use of certain superficial and shallow images within the characters' lives to obtain a desired look about a situation.

Questions we asked were: Why did Pearl do some of the things she did? What was her motivation. Was she a reliable narrator? How hard would it have been to be not only gay, but coloured back in the 1950's?

All through the night's discussion, the line: 'How well do we know the ones we love?' was bandied around freely and club members discussed at length the concept of 'seeing things how we choose to see them...

Overall, the book club members summed up the book with two words: fascinating and unpredictable.

Towards the end of the meeting, members selected and sequenced the four remaining novels to take us up to the end of the year. Thank you to the ladies who came along and made Wednesday evening an enjoyable time.

Please see my new page on this blog that details the reading list for 2010.

We look forward to meeting up again on the first Wednesday of August.

Until then,

happy reading...

PS Please feel free to leave a comment or continue the discussion. Please add your thoughts...what did you think about this book?

Reminder: July Book Club - The Story of a Marriage

Greetings everyone,

July's Book Club for Novel Tea 'n Pages is to be held:

Night: This Wednesday evening

Date: 7 July 2010

Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Book Discussion: 'The Story of a Marriage' by Andrew Sean Greer

Looking forward to a relaxing get together to discuss this month's novel.

All welcome...

Novel for the month of August is: 'The China Garden' by Kristina Olsson.

Happy reading...

Second Meeting of Novel Tea 'n Pages

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club members are about to meet up again for the second time. Members have been busy reading other people's letters and listening in to the conversations of some quite interesting and quirky characters. We are all looking forward to hearing each other's thoughts and feelings about the book, 'The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society', by Mary Ann Shaffer.

Meeting starts at 7:30pm

Wednesday, 2nd June 2010

For more information, leave a message via comments.

Happy reading...

'The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Ann Shaffer

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club are excited because we are reading 'The

Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Ann Shaffer.

' "I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true ... That's what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you on to another book, and another bit there will lead you on to a third book. It's geometrically progressive--all with no end in sight and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment." '

' "A moving tale of post-war friendship, love and books. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is a captivating and completely irresistible novel of enormous depth and heart." '

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club is a newly formed group of book lovers coming together to meet for our own particular set of reasons. It will be interesting to read about 'The Guernsey Literary' book club, the reasons behind its birth, the differences and similarities to our own club.

The date for our next meeting to discuss this book is Wednesday evening, 2 June, 2010 from 7:30pm till 9:30pm.

We meet the first Wednesday of every month. We welcome new members.

Until then...

happy reading ~

First Meeting Success

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club members met for the first time and quickly became acquainted with each other; for most, they were meeting for the first time. We dedicated some of our time to discover a little about each other. A lovely relaxed feeling floated through the room and I am sure some new long life friendships will blossom from our book club. Six ladies attended our first meeting which ensured interesting and mixed discussion based around our current book, 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen. Everyone had many opportunities to speak and share their thoughts. Our long distance member, Bobbie sent along her discussion responses so they could be shared with the rest of the group. Thank you, Bobbie.

Attendees:

1. Deb

2. Elizabeth

3. Julie

4. Liesle

5. Bobbie (from WA via email/with notes)

6. Jocelyn

Apologies:

1. Monique

2. Andrea

3. Cheryl

4. Sue

5. Kimmy

Meet and Greet:

* Refreshments were offered and we settled on sofas ready...

* At the beginning of the meeting, an opportunity was made available for each member to share a little about themselves with the group, including their favourite books and connections.

Discussion:

* The group discussed 'Water for Elephants', selecting randomly from a number of discussion questions.

* Some of the main points discussed included: the voice of the character, ageing and how important memories become, the rawness, naivety, and innocence of the young Jacob and the situation he found himself in.

* Surprise at who 'actually' killed August and the devices used by the author to lead the reader on unsuspecting paths' how Gruen 'set' it all up.

* No one in the group could 'pick up' on the intended layering from Genesis by the author, for Jacob. Sara Gruen discussed this layering in an interview and spoke of her admiration for literary layering, and how she had used the technique in her yarn. Unfortunately, even those familiar with Genesis could not find the subtle thread.

Selected books for upcoming months:

April, 2010

'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen

May, 2010

'The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Ann Schaffer

June, 2010

'The Story of a Marriage' by Andrew Sean Greer

July, 2010

'The China Garden' by Kristina Olsson

August, 2010

'The Time Traveler's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger

Nominated Books for future reading/recommended reading:

Elizabeth Q suggests:

'Like Water for Chocolate' by Laura Esteville

Bobbie D suggests:

'Belly Dancing for Beginners' by Liz Bryski

Elizabeth Q suggests:

'Cloudstreet' by Tim Winton

Elizabeth Q suggests:

'Sacred Hearts' by Sarah Dunant

Bobbie D suggests:

'Miss Bobbie' by Ethel Turner

Bobbie D suggests:

'The House at Pooh Corner' by A. A. Milne

Bobbie D suggests:

'The Loop' by Nicholas Evans

Liesle suggests:

Any of the Classics

Wrap Up:

As you can, many books have been nominated and unfortunately not all will get selected for book club, however, that does not stop you from delving into them yourselves.

Club members, please keep bringing along your suggestions. I will post them on this site as Recommended Reading. At the first meeting the members voted from the nominated books and so we now have our reading program till the month of August.

Afterwards, we settled with coffee, tea, and cake. Discussions continued and the evening was spent in a very pleasant and positive way.

Thank you to the ladies who have decided to make Novel Tea 'n Pages their book club. I sincerely hope you get everything you desire out of it. Since our last meeting, another two ladies have made contact with me and have decided to join our next meeting, the first Wednesday of June.

So, until then...

happy reading ~

Reminder: Launch of Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club - Wednesday 5 May 2010

Tomorrow night is the launch of Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club so don't be shy...come along and join us for our very first meeting. During the month of April, our members have been reading 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen. This is a delightful and memorable book and one which I am sure has been enjoyed.

Tomorrow evening will be an informal, relaxing time for everyone to meet and get to know a little about each other before discussing the book. It will also be a time for nominating future books for the club members to enjoy.

So, if you live in Brisbane and joining a book club is something that's been on your list of things to do, then come along. You will be most welcomed.

I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night.

Until then,

happy reading...

Getting Closer...

The launch of 'Novel Tea 'n Pages' Book Club is coming up fast and it brings with it, a buzz...something new is in the air...a fresh start and the beginning of a journey. A small group of like-minded people are about to set sail, with book in hand and discover a world of ... more.

The objective of this book club is to develop and grow friendships between people from all sorts of backgrounds who share a common interest. We even have a member who is reading with us from afar...across the other side of the country, in Western Australia. Book Clubs have a way of bringing people together and developing bonds.

We are looking forward to many excursions to poetry readings, book launches, the odd trips to book stores, Writers Festivals and possibly, down the track, retreats. But that is the fun part; the unknown. There are so many possibilities, and that is going to be part of the journey; to explore all our options.

This club is informal and relaxed. The discussion questions and reading guides are prepared for you...all you have to do is enjoy the read, then come along to our meetings which are held on the first Wednesday of every month and share your thoughts. April's book is: 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen.

There is always room for more to join. If you'd like more information, please leave a comment and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

In the meantime,

happy reading...

Title for April: 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club members are reading:

'Water for Elephants' for the month of April.

We are kicking off our first official meeting on Wednesday evening, 5 May, 2010 at 7:30pm.

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club will continue to meet on the first Wednesday evening of each month at 7:30pm.

'Water for Elephants' is an interesting tale to begin our meetings with. It is colourful and well-written and certainly has a meaty storyline. I am sure our members will enjoy reading this book and I am looking forward to hearing their thoughts at our first meeting.

I am enjoying reading this book for the second time through. It is interesting to rediscover things I've forgotten, and discover things I'd missed from the first reading. Reading a book again is a great way for me personally, to peel back the layers, delve deeper and refresh my memory.

I look forward to meeting with our new members on the 5 March...so until then,

happy reading...

D

Launching of Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club

A Special Invitation...

How exciting...it is finally happening! My new book club is being launched on Wednesday evening, 5 May, 2010.

Do you enjoy reading books?

Do you enjoy digging down into the nitty gritty of a novel and afterwards, sharing your experience with another who likes to dig?

Do you enjoy a cuppa or a glass of wine...nibbles?

Do you like hanging with like-minded people?

Do you enjoy book and writers' festivals?

Do you haunt bookstores?

If this sounds like you...you are not alone, and I'd very much like to invite you to the very first meeting of 'Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club'. A club for book nuts and writers, alike.

The meeting is scheduled for: The first Wednesday of every month and the starting time is 7:30pm till 9:30pm. The meetings will be held in my home. If you live in the Brisbane area, you are most welcome to contact me via my comments box, and I will reply to your enquiry.

Our first novel is: 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen. I have prepared a reader's guide and discussion questions, along with a brief biography of Sara Gruen and an excerpt of an interview with the author.

Happy reading...

New Beginnings

Choosing a new novel is an intimate decision. Something about the cover, the title, the look and feel of the book helps us to make our final decision of whether to read it or not. Maybe the way a book smells or the way it feels in our hand draws us into its unique journey or makes us replace it back on the shelf. The opening lines and first couple of paragraphs may be the lure to hook and reel us in...but once the decision is made to begin, a journey is set in motion, enveloping us in excitement and intrigue.

Another exciting time is when a decision is made to commit some time to a new project...and, for me, today is one such time.

This year is already shaping up to be a big year on a personal level, with an engagement party looming, and sprinkled throughout the remaining year, a twenty-first, a wedding, and another birthday of significance. For me the commencement of a new part-time job in the role as a Primary Learning Extension teacher at a large independent Christian school teaching Creative Writing to switched-on kids is a step back into a smidgeon of routine, which I haven't really had since completing my uni course. I think having a job helps me to keep to some sort of routine, so I don't fritter my life away.

I know this year is going to be busy and yet, I still believe I need to set aside some committed time to feed my own creative juices.

I meet regularly with three gorgeous friends who are interested in similar things to me. They all enjoy writing. We met at university whilst we were participating in a creative writing course. My course was a full-time post-graduate diploma in Creative Writing which I thoroughly loved. Upon graduating and finishing uni, my friends and I decided to make a pact to continue to meet up on a social basis with the option of sharing our work and interests. So far, we have managed to meet up regularly, but slowly the sharing of our writing has fallen by the wayside and been replaced totally by social interaction and business updates.

Two of my friends are now fully immersed in their small businesses, whilst my other friend has surrendered herself to the challenging and wonderful world of motherhood...all very important adventures. As I mentioned previously, I have returned to part-time teaching at my old school, but this time, I am teaching what I am passionate about...writing and books. This is a very exciting time for all of my friends, including me, but for different reasons.

After meeting with them recently, and hearing all their updates I felt satisfied on a social level. One of my friends who is busy growing her strategic based business 'Teak Yew' recently launched her Business Book Club and it was after listening to her speak of its success, I became very excited for her, but it made me miss one of the reasons we had decided to continue to meet up...and that was to share our thoughts about the books we were reading and our work we were currently writing.

So, with this in mind, Novel Tea 'n Pages has been born...beginning with a blog in order to jot down the process of setting up a Book & Writers' Club where people can meet up with others to discuss and share their favourite books and writing samples that they are currently working on.

This blog will serve multiple purposes. Space will be dedicated to books, writing, the club news and odds and ends. So, welcome...if you've happened to have stumbled upon this page...I hope you find something of interest. Obviously it is early days and today is just the start, but as time goes on, I hope to be able to build upon this foundation...

So, till next time...happy reading and writing.