I was on the court with my tennis coach, Jeanne Glevenyak, a couple of months ago when she said she was going to recommend my new thriller, Fool Her Once, to her book club.
Regular readers of this blog may remember that Jeanne coached me to an amazing singles win a few seasons ago!
That was back when FHO was out on submission from my then-agent to editors and publishers.
I considered Jeanne an important part of my publication journey –keeping me sane and calm, focusing on tennis while waiting for publisher responses. So, when FHO was finally released in hardcover, I naturally gifted her a signed copy. And, when her book club agreed to read it, she asked: “Would you come to our book club discussion?”
“Of course,” I replied.”I’d love to.”
“I’ll arrange for the meeting to be somewhere local,” she added.
Swifty’s At The Colony Hotel
The “somewhere local” turned out to be Swifty’s at the iconic Colony Hotel in the heart of Palm Beach. Located between world-famous Worth Avenue and the Atlantic Ocean, the pink hotel has been part of the Palm Beach landscape since 1947.
In 2016, it was bought by the current owners who announced a multi-year restoration as a “love letter to Palm Beach.” A fabulous video on the hotel’s website details how they refurbished the lobby, commissioning hand-painted wallpaper (above) and importing a mantelpiece pagoda that was shipped in three sections from India.
Iconic
Pretty much everything about The Colony Hotel can be described as iconic : the lobby, the swimming pool, the lush hanging garden above the dining tables of Swifty’s. For Sunday brunch, it’s standing room only at the al fresco restaurant and bar. The name, by the way, can be traced back to Irving “Swifty” Lazar, a famous literary agent — so, Swifty’s was a perfect book club destination for FHO!!!!
It was also perfectly timed since it happened the week FHO was released as a paperback by my publisher, CamCat Books.
Jeanne’s Book Club Lunch
Jeanne organized the entire event: from importing her own table masterpieces right down to the menu. When I arrived, the table for ten was set with the centerpieces created by Jeanne’s sister. Lindsey Ross is also a tennis instructor, like Jeanne, at The Breakers, but her stunning floral creations are in a class of their own. Note the floating red tendrils which Lindsey created to represent — guess what crime fiction trope?
Prosecco & Charcuterie & Macarons
Then, came the Prosecco — and the food:
A fruit plate accompanied by yogurt and honey; followed by charcuterie boards and vegetable plates with hummus and salsa…
…and truffle fries…
…and Brussels sprouts and a giant Cobb salad.
Followed by macarons… In the photo below (from left to right): Kim Webb, Carrie Black Finch and Angie Weddell
What a lovely turnout for the feast: Below: from left to right, book club members: Amy Lutz, Kim (not fully seen in this photo) , Carrie, Angie, Michelle Keba Knecht (behind the centerpiece) Regina & Luna Cumberland, Heather Curiel, Britnny Boney (not fully seen) and Jeanne (with back to camera.)
Book Club Discussion
None of the above description is meant to downplay the meeting that the book club to which I belong, the Racquettes, organized. It was held shortly before the publication of FHO last March. Back then we were still zooming, so a sit down lunch wasn’t feasible. Also, it was the very first book club discussion of FHO so I think I may have been a little nervous about it all.
This time, I knew enough to have some questions prepared. I’d read reviews where some readers had said that my characters were unlikeable. I also figured that discussing the book across a brunch table could be difficult in a crowded, noisy lunch space. So, I arrived, armed with post-its and index cards.
I passed them around and asked book club members to state in a word or two what they liked — and disliked — about my female protagonist, investigative journalist Jenna Sinclair. Also, what they liked and disliked about the two men in her life: Ryan McAllister, her former boss and lover, and Zack King, her husband. The answers did not require anyone to put their name to the post-it. It was all entirely anonymous.
As always, it’s eye-opening to see how readers view the characters you’ve created. And, how different generations view male characters through a different lens than professional, career women used to view men a couple of decades ago. The most startling observation from one of the book club members was that she suspected Ryan McAllister had drugged Jenna on the eve of her wedding to Zack King!!!!!
What I Learned
As we moved around the table and talked, I learned the following:
My lunch companions enjoy reading books set in their own locales — especially if the author echoes their own feelings about a location, as I apparently did when Jenna visited Riviera Beach during a trip to South Florida.
They also wanted to know why I decided to make a major revelation in the middle of the novel? I explained that a) I thought leaving the twist to the end would require too much explanation crammed into the final chapters of how and why the antagonist had connived to do what he did, when he did it.
Also b) I like the use of dramatic irony where the reader knows something the main female protagonist doesn’t. In other words, because the reader knows, he/she will worry on behalf of the protagonist — and wonder what she will do when she discovers the bombshell truth which the reader already knows. I think that creates suspense.
They also wanted to know if I was planning a sequel featuring Jenna Sinclair. No, I said. I’m not planning it at the moment. However, I’ve learned in my life –and in this profession– to never say never.
Thank you (pictured): Jeanne, Kim, Heather (Me) Amy, Brittny, Angie. And not pictured here: Carrie, Michelle, Regina (and Luna) –and Lindsey. Fabulous brunch. Fabulous floral arrangements. Fabulous Book Club meeting. Thank you all.
Looks like a good time was had by all 🙂
It was super fun — especially because it was the very first time I’d ever been to Swifty’s at The Colony!
Now that’s how to do a book club talk. Well done. I enjoy book clubs more than presentations at bookstores and libraries because these are people who have invested time in reading my book and liked it enough to make it one of their reads. Plus, I learn what readers loved and didn’t like so much which is so helpful in future projects.
You are totally right about book clubs, Greg. It’s so very enjoyable meeting readers who as you say have “invested time in reading my book.” It’s especially enjoyable when they hold the book discussion in such a swanky location!
Looks and sounds like a very interesting
Book review at a classy hotel, serving an elegant brunch.
Yes, it was a lovely — and productive– brunch, Sandra. The setting was perfect.