Yesterday, I went to a book club meeting. It was my first since I came to Texarkana. The group meets once a month and is sponsored by the local library. I joined because I like to read and my social life is pretty pathetic.
When I found out what we were reading, I was intrigued. It was written by a local author, who was supposed to come to the meeting. What fun to meet a member of Texarkana's local writing community! Fortunately, the author did not show up, so I didn't have to fib and say I didn't have time to read the story. I would love to meet her though. I am still interested in meeting a local author.
There were 12 of us, with the average age probably close to 78. Of the 12, nine loved this book and gushed accordingly. One person was on the fence and then there were two of us (both our first meeting), who recognized the book for the drivel it was.
The story screamed, "Self-Published First Novel and Author Didn't Pay for a Copy Editor." All 12 of us did agree on that point. I did ask the crowd if someone could explain the motive for killing off the main character's brother--the premise of the story--and nobody could. Someone said it was about drugs. Another pointed out there was nothing about drugs in the story. Someone else said it was a mob hit. Two others said they didn't remember anything about the mob in the story. Yeah... there was no motive. But they "loved" the book nonetheless.
Afterwards, I talked to the only other woman who was remotely my age (she was the one on the fence about the book). Joy asked me if I was either an English teacher, editor or writer. She said listening to me, I must be one of those and she couldn't decide. Joy was an English rhetoric professor and has a background in creative writing. We had a lively conversation outside of the library and decided that we should continue at lunch next week.
A spinoff second social event!
Joy also told me that this book club crowd always has sympathy for local authors and will never say they don't like the book--even when it's drivel. Because of this social custom, she couldn't bring herself to say the book was drivel. Just that she wasn't, "sure about it." And more to the point, she felt my assessment was spot on.
Next month's book I hear is much more interesting. However, I will be in Michigan and won't be making book club. So, I will see these folks again in September.
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