Saturday, November 30, 2013

November Club Meeting and a Dilemma

Our club meeting this month had a 'biographical' flavour to it thanks to a very interesting talk by Stephany Steggall.

Stephany is the author of several published biographies including one based on a member of her own family titled 'Hanbury' One of the Evans Bushmen, and is a recipient of the Hazel Rowley Literary Fellowship Award.

Based in Toowoomba, Stephany's research has recently taken her and her sister Helen (proud C&C club member) all the way to beautiful Ireland where the story behind well known Australian author Thomas Kenneally is waiting to be told.

What impressed us most about the art of writing a biography is the pain staking process of meticulous research.  Stephany presented us with a working draft of the opening chapter to her book on Kenneally and, once we had read it, she explained what research had been involved paragraph by paragraph.  It was a very interesting overview.  I should think that we have all read and enjoyed something by Kenneally, and given his success this is certainly a book that is well overdue and I for one am looking forward to the finished product.

It was a lovely evening over all spent out on Helen's deck under her beautiful Poinciana tree, talking about books and writing, and enjoying the various dishes for which we are fast becoming well known for at these home-based meetings.... I am seriously considering changing our name to Caffeine and Chapters Social & Culinary Book Club?!

Our read leading up to this meeting was a sci fi novel and it was good to see that everyone gave this genre a go and hopefully, even though it took them out of their comfort zone, they found some merit in a well written sci fi.

This was our last meeting for the year and now I have a dilemma as to where we will continue to hold our meetings.  We like the cafe atmosphere but our current haunt has decided to employ a singer for some bizarre reason and it has become impossible to even hold a conversation let alone discuss books around the table. Do these cafe's not realise that people would prefer to talk rather than shout over their meals?  It's totally beyond me.  

The Helensvale Library has recently opened and has rooms for hire - but then you need to consider the bond, and the commitment to the hourly rate which would be invoiced to me - book clubs are notorious for having 12 members turn up one month and 5 the next...... meeting at members houses is an option and we do enjoy that now again but it's hard to accept new members when you are holding meetings in your own home.  Where do you and your Book Club meet?  I would be interested in your thoughts........
  

Maxine