I know I keep mentioning the fabulous online community of literati – writers, bloggers, readers, editors, reviewers, designers –  the list goes on – and it’s such a buzz to be connected with all of you. Yes, YOU – because dear readers, you are an equally important part of the equation!

It’s always a pleasure to welcome a visitor and today author Bette Lee Crosby is popping by. We actually got to meet in person last week, to enjoy a delicious lunch, and to talk, talk, talk. What a fabulous time! Bette is as sweet, genuine, and full of laughter as you might imagine from the delightful stories she writes.

Her books are very popular with book clubs and for good reason. Today she is sharing her views about them. Bette’s links are further down the page and … here’s a suggestion … make yourself comfortable when you visit them. You’ll be there for a while deciding which to read first!

With a lovely trumpet fanfare, here’s Bette!

First, I’d like to thank Patricia for having me as a guest on her blog. I consider myself fortunate to count her as both a friend and a colleague. Patricia and I met in a group of authors that is not unlike a book club. We are a group with a common interest – books. We share family stories, benchmark achievements and industry news…but we also inspire one another. The group has no bylaws, rules or regulations, but what we do have is that all-important bond of friendship.

Half the people you know probably belong to some sort of book club. Most love it, some tolerate it, some claim they’re far too busy to read a book every month, and others find fault with the quality of books selected.

Still the number of book clubs in existence continues to grow, as does their popularity. Why? Although I can’t speak for all groups, I can tell you a bit about my book club. Our members almost never miss a meeting unless it is absolutely, positively, on-your-deathbed unavoidable. Everyone reads the book, and we discuss it at length. We don’t simply decide we liked or disliked it. We study the characters’ actions and alternatives, compare their experiences to our own, laugh at the similarity of missteps and sometimes shed a tear because of their plight. At times a meeting will start with a negative comment about the book but, even that, inevitably leads to an exploration of the protagonist’s motives and ultimately a greater understanding of the story.

Although I am a voracious reader myself, my book club buddies have introduced me to a number of new authors and wonderful stories that I probably would not have discovered on my own. We have over twenty women in our group, and several others waiting to join, but members seldom leave, because book club is more than just a discussion group, it’s an afternoon of unbridled friendship. Of letting go of things you may not have talked about for years and knowing that not one of your friends will think less of you, or carry the tale elsewhere. It’s having a glass of wine, and conversation that is thoughtful, intelligent and stimulating.

Book club is having twenty wonderful friends, any one of whom you can turn to for help, even in the dead of night. Sure, there have been occasions when I was so rushed that I barely had time to shower before dashing out the door, and we’ve read a few books that were rather forgettable …but I still would not have missed the experience of a single meeting. The books we’ve shared have taken me to places I may never visit, introduced me to people I will never know, and with the turn of a page they’ve transported me back and forth through time. If you’re not already a member of a book club, I urge you to join one. You may not like every book, but you’ll love the experience. Oh, and if I might make a suggestion…select Patricia Sands’ novel “The Bridge Club” for one of your book club picks…I did, and my book club loved it!

Thanks for dropping by, Bette, and for the endorsement! You can take a look at all of Bette’s books by clicking right here on Amazon. Pour yourself a cup of tea, glass of wine, or fruit punch and enjoy perusing. I just finished reading Cupid’s Christmas and it was delightful. A funny, heartwarming holiday read! When you are through there, pop on over to her blog and visit for a while. Another cup of tea, perhaps?

Do you belong to a book club? Mine is an important part of my life and even when some of us are traveling we are able to attend the cocktail party and gabfest meetings via SKYPE. I love that! Online book clubs are also flourishing so even if you don’t have a group of friends nearby that like to read, you can join one of those.  An excellent place to begin is Goodreads.com where you will find communities of readers for more genres than you thought possible. It’s a friendly, welcoming and unbelievably informed website. Hurry on over!