The Grapevine - The very first

January 30th, 2021

Welcome to Dana's Book Club The Newsletter

Remember how in my last post on the blog I was talking about how much I love talking about books? I realised today that it sneaks up on me.

I caught myself twenty minutes into a conversation about books with someone. I was blabbering on and on, and when I checked the time, I could have sworn the clock on the wall had been tinkered with, where earlier it seemed to barely move its hands. 

A two-way conversation

I'm surprised I have never thought about a newsletter before! I thought it would be like shouting down the abyss, but recently I've changed my preconceptions about how newsletters work. 
By all means, I encourage you to reply, comment, repost and keep the conversation going!

I have so much to say about books that by the time we get together for our monthly Book Club, I could easily take up the entire time talking. So take this as a time-saver! 

OK, Dana, give me a "for instance"

Stephen King is working on not one, but two novels to be released this year! I had found on Goodreads that his new one is called "Later" and it will be released in March; and then just last night, I saw the cover and title reveal for a novel to be launched in August. And I thought, maybe he decided to release "Later" later (too obvious a pun not to use it 😅!).

I know he's always working on something, he usually launches a book in the first half of the year and then another towards the end of the year. Unless it's a bigger one, and then it's just one per year. 

At this point I am convinced it all comes down to his typing speed, because I am pretty sure what he produces as first draft goes straight to print! I like that he still thanks his editors, though, to keep up the appearances, but we know the truth! 

I can't explain what makes me obsess over his new releases, when I haven't read his older ones. Still, I have read everything he released since "the JFK one" and I get giddy when I hear his new ones are out!
I do the same with music, when I love an artist, I am taking my time... I don't want to go through them all too quickly! This way they last me longer 😆

I do have a lifetime goal: I want to read all his books before I retire; in case you're having similar goals, here's a checklist to see where you are.

The Music Book Club

The first-ever version of this book club had a special section at the end of each book discussion: to answer a simple question. 

What song does this book remind you of?

To stay on the Stephen King topic, this year, I reread "The Stand". I rarely reread books (on this, some other time), but just as am typing this, I can hear the first chords of "the cowbell song," "Don't Fear The Reaper," by the Blue Öyster Cult.

For one, because they're quoted on the first page of the novel, and secondly, because both the 1994 TV series and the newly released (still running on CBS) 9-episode series honours this reference in their fifth episode as the Dark Man's theme song. I was honestly moved to a tiny tear when the song came on at the end of the episode, but I'll never admit it!

Newsletter afterthought
 

What do I have to do to get Advanced Reader Copies of novels out for releases?! 29 reviews for a novel not yet officially out? I want in!

And there we go: our first newsletter done!

Thanks for being here!
Stay curious!