Book Club Girl - Book Group Recommendations, Reading Group Guides, Audio Book Club Podcasts

Guest Post from Book Passage National Reading Group Month Event with Philippa Gregory!

Today's guest post is from Kate Larson, Book Club Liaison at the wonderful SF Bay area bookstore Book Passage. Kate was at last night's National Reading Group Month event sponsored by the SF chapter of the Women's National Book Association at Book Passage that featured bestselling author Philippa Gregory. Sounds like it was a great event and it has me even more excited to read The Other Queen, which many of you won on this site! For more National Reading Group Month events throughout October, visit the official site. And be sure to check out Book Passage's Book Club section on their website which is full of excellent recommendations, I'll add it to the Bookstore Book Clubs list on the right as well. Thanks so much to Kate and Book Passage for this report!

Although it would be over an hour before Philippa Gregory was scheduled to speak, there was already a festive feeling in the air when I arrived at Book Passage last evening.  The ladies of the Women’s National Book Association, , were setting up the reception tables with trays of cheeses, breads, fruit, beautiful flower arrangements and, of course, wine.  Philippa Gregory’s advance crew soon arrived in the person of her charming husband, Anthony, to set up the video equipment.   Some fans were already there, enjoying the refreshments and chatting among themselves and eventually we had to set up extra chairs to accommodate the overflow crowd. 

I have noticed that writers, being solitary creatures, are sometimes awkward and uncomfortable when speaking in public.  This was most definitely not the case with  Philippa Gregory who “had” the audience the minute she took the podium.  She delighted us with stories and videos of her farm in Yorkshire, the 70 wells and gardens she has built at schools in Nambia, her educational background, writing regimen, and finally how she came to write the story of Mary Boleyn (The Other Boleyn  Girl) and her latest book, The Other Queen, and how she found the voice of Mary, Queen of Scots.  Her stories were fascinating to hear and her delivery was in that self-deprecating humorous style that the English are so good at.  Philippa Gregory is a very funny lady.  I spoke to a few audience members about the book, The Other Queen, and one person made an interesting comment.  She said:  “You know, even though I, and most other people, know well the sad ending to Mary, Queen of Scots’ story, I couldn’t wait to get back to the book and find out what happens next.  That’s the hallmark of a great writer.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Wonderful evening, wonderful writer.

Winners, We Have Winners, We Have Lots and Lots of Winners

Finally! Someone remind me never to hold a giveaway every day in one week. In any event -- Here are the winners from all of last week's contests plus a few that happened just prior to BBAW!

Winner of a signed copy of Joshua Henkin's Matrimony

Lori

Winners of Diane Hammond's Hannah's Dream plus a bag of peanuts
Carmen 
Pam
Michelle
Melanie
Heather
Jenn
Dawn
Laura
Heidi
Lauren

Winners of the Book Club Girl mousepad
Amy
Jenne
Yasmin
Jill
Dawn
Rebekah
Susan
Nise
Amanda
Bethany

Winners of Nothing is Quite Forgotten in Brooklyn and a Book Club Girl mousepad

Julie E.
Amanda
Johnna
Sandy
Carol
Lauren
Jenne
Kelly
Raych
Kathy

Winners of a signed first edition of Spy Goddess and a Book Club Girl mousepad
Karina
The Dizzy
Tina
Booklogged
Kelly
Heather
Bobbi
Stacie
Book...Spot
Kelly

Winners of Philippa Gregory's The Other Queen and a Book Club Girl mousepad
Daphne
Julie P.
Lauren
Kori
Stephanie C.
Michele
Nicol
Carol
Ruth
Mary

Winners of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and a Book Club Girl mousepad:

Dawn
Lisa
Ruth
Melanie
Yasmin
Lucile
Pam
Leah
Laura
Carol

And the Grand Prize Winner of the Book Club Girl Book Club Hostess Survival Kit is....... Kelly!!!!

Win Philippa Gregory's New Novel The Other Queen on Giveaway Day #4 of BBAW!

Today's giveaway is one I know a lot of you will want in on -- I have ten copies of Philippa Gregory's newest novel The Other Queen, plus ten Book Club Girl mousepads to dole out! In The Other Queen, Gregory tells the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, who trusted Queen Elizabeth's promise of sanctuary only to find herself imprisoned as the "guest" of the Earl of Shrewsbury and his indomitable wife. As the seeds of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth are sown far north of London, her hosts find themselves in the precarious position of potentially aiding and abetting the plot against Elizabeth while Mary is struggling for her very life. I fell in love with Gregory when I first read The Other Boleyn Girl and I can't wait to read about the "other" Queen. You can read an excerpt here, a Q&A with Gregory here and check out the reading group guide. And below is a video of Gregory talking about the writing of the book.

To enter the contest, tell me which is your favorite Gregory novel and why and you'll be entered to win. Blog about this contest on another blog and send me that link and you'll have two entries into the random drawing!

Test Your Knowledge of Queen Elizabeth and Win a Free Signed Book!

Test your knowledge of England's first Queen Elizabeth and you could be entered to win a signed copy of Susan Ronald's The Pirate Queen, coming out in paperback at the end of this month. Whether you're a fan of Elizabeth from reading Philippa Gregory or from Cate Blanchett's fabulous turns of her on the big screen, Ronald's absorbing biography will provide much insight into how Elizabeth became known as The Pirate Queen. Browse inside the book here and enter the contest here!