Escapees November-December 2022

“…due to our roaming nature, ebooks may be easier to use.”

EVANNE SCHMARDER #65409 is sure she got the wanderlust bug from her grandpar ents. In 2000, she and her husband, Ray, set o ff on their own adventure in search of a sunny place to settle down. Eighteen plus years later, they’re still roaming the country, sharing interesting destinations and cooking up delicious RV kitchen recipes in their introspective and interesting individual. And, somehow, this equates to masterful storytelling around the camp fi re or at the dinner table. So, settle in and get comfort able; there are tales to talk about. home and enjoy during the club meeting. The host should also be responsible for putting together and disseminating the discussion guide. Often books will have discussion guides and questions at the back of the book but if not, there are vast resources available online. Simply Google “book title discussion guide.” If you’re reading a book that has high enthusiasm amongst the club members, consider asking the author to join your discussion. Do this by sending them an e-mail introduction/invita tion. Many will be happy to do so and often, if their schedule does not allow, they’re happy to answer a short list of e-mailed questions. Not Just Books If you’re not much of a reader but love the idea of sharing a piece of entertainment, transfer this idea to movies, television shows, music or radio/podcast programs. Watch/listen together, in-person or online, or individually, getting together at the previously scheduled time/date/place to talk about it. This concept can also be applied to cooking clubs with each participant preparing a recipe from a predetermined cookbook or ethnic food. These are always a bigger hit when the gathering is in person, potluck-style. It’s Story Time Sharing a common theme, stories that resonate, how they affect us and seeing how they affect others is a delight and a privilege. Sure, it takes a bit of effort but the reward is high and the time spent in contemplation is certain to make you a more thoughtful,

eight, to keep the discussion manageable. Either way, once together, determine how the club will choose what to read and how frequently you’ll meet. Most book clubs outline the entire year of reading material. Keep publication dates in mind as the group chooses material. New releases may be harder to borrow from a library or out of stock in bookstores. Speaking of libraries, due to our roaming nature, ebooks may be easier to use. Both Hoopla and Libby by Overdrive offer easy borrowing and a pleasant reading experi ence. Libby also allows you to read using the Amazon Kindle app. Simply sign up using your hometown library card. Many libraries subscribe to book club ebooks, allowing a larger than usual number of copies to be available for borrowing. Create an e-mail group and/or a private Facebook group for members to communi cate with one another. Come up with a fun name for the book club. Consult with your local librarian if you have questions. If you’d prefer, you can have a nucleus of club members and open the group up to a few add-on participants as the situation allows. But in general, book clubs that thrive seem to have a core group, developing relationships and respect, getting to know one another and looking forward to spend ing time together. With the roving nature of our lifestyles, how will you meet? Will it be in person or via Zoom? Will you create a hybrid to accommo date everyone’s travels? Regardless, your best bet is to have a standing day/date and time for scheduling purposes. Consider snacks and beverages. Will the host provide the food and the guests bring a beverage to share? Will it be a potluck-style gathering? Will you take note of and acknowledge birthdays and other special occasions? Rotate the hosting duties whether meeting in person or online. When meeting virtually, the host can put forth a food and drink theme that everyone can prepare at

popular RV TV series, RVCookingShow.com.

56

ESCAPEES Magazine November/December 2022