Skypin' Apex Book Club

The Apex Book Bags book club is a group of eight women who live in/near Penticton and Apex, BC. I found out about them because they chose All Roads Lead to Wells as their book to read for the month of January. (Yes, I was absolutely thrilled to think that they chose my book–head over heels!).

“We’re going to learn to play ‘Redneck Mother,’” Julia Valenti told me, “and we’re going to bake stickybuns! Why don’t you come up to Apex and join us for our book club night?”

This was a GREAT temptation–but it’s winter and mid-week, and I just couldn’t swing it; I had to decline, with great regret. And then, a few days later, I read about an author who said she’d attended 100 book clubs the previous year (obviously, a well-known author!) via Skype.

Julia and I worked out the details and on Wednesday, January 30, I did a reading and a Question & Answer session with the wonderful, frisky, friendly–and talented–ladies from Apex. They did indeed sing the Stromville anthem (we sang it together), they showed me the tray of stickybuns (I could practically smell the cinnamon and butter onscreen!), and it was almost as good as being there.

The next day, Julia told me, “Our meeting went until 11 (it usually goes to 9:30) because everyone had so much to share, memories being stirred about our lives in those years. Two of us are talking about attending the Aug. long weekend [ArtsWells] festival.  It was a memorable book club meeting—you made it! Here’s a hug.”

If anyone else out there would like to invite me to a book club, anywhere at all, I’d be delighted to attend, as long as you have Skype! (Read an article about authors who Skype book clubs here.)

Thanks, Apex Book Bags–and see you in Wells!