The Next Best Book Club discussion

Next month, we'll be discussing A Shelter of Others with author Charles Dodd White.

His publisher has given us a total of 10 print copies to give away.

This giveaway is limited to US residents only (sorry my international buds!)

In order to be considered, you must comment here or on the blog for a shot at winning one and secure a spot in the discussion that kicks off on September 21st October 5th:


http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.c...


This giveaway will run through August 9th.


Winners will be announced here and via email (if you provide one) on August 10th.


Here's how to enter:

1 - Leave a comment here or in the giveaway thread over at TNBBC's blog (linked above)

ONLY COMMENT ONCE. MULTIPLE COMMENTS DO NOT GAIN YOU ADDITIONAL CHANCES TO WIN.

2 - State that you agree to participate in the group read book discussion that will run from September 21st through September 27th October 5th through the 11th!. Charles has agreed to participate in the discussion and will be available to answer any questions you may have for him.

*If you are chosen as a winner, by accepting the copy you are agreeing to read the book and join the group discussion right here in this thread next month.

3 - If your goodreads profile is blocked (set on private), please leave me another way to contact you.


GOOD LUCK!!!!

Please include me in the giveaway. I agree to participate in the discussion. Thanks!

Hello, I would love to be included in the giveaway. If chosen I would participate in the discussion on the 21-27 of September.

Good luck to everyone else xoxo

This book sounds great. I'd love to be entered in the giveaway and participate in the discussion. Thanks!

Please include me in the giveaway. I will gladly participate in the group discussion if chosen. Thank you.

Please include me in the giveaway. I love reading new authors and "picking the brain" of the author to understand their inspiration for their books.
email: jddunham@sbcglobal.net

I would love to read this and would love to win a copy. Lori, your review made me desperate to read it. I love writing that brings a setting alive along with the characters. I live in the US and agree to participate in the discussion 9/21/15 - 9/27/15.

I would love to read this book and participate in the discussion!

I agree to participate in the discussion and would love a chance to win this book.

would love to read. Ted
korruptus@gmail.com

I love Ron Rash and the review comparing White's writing to Rash sold me. Add my name to the hat!

I agree to read the book and participate in the discussion. I've wanted to read the book for a while now, and this would be just the nudge I need.

I realize that I enter these giveaways a lot, but it's just so cool to have the opportunity to (let's face it) win a free book and converse with the author.

This novel had me at "dark gothic writing". I'd love to be considered (although I completely understand if I'm starting to bridge the cap of too many entries!)

If chosen, I'll gladly participate in the discussion and post my review to Goodreads and my website. Thanks!

I would like to be included in this if possible. Thank you.

I'd like to be entered in the giveaway, and agree to participate in the discussion. Thanks! skaras@live.com

I love gothic and these author discussions add so much to the reading experience. Please include me, and I agree to participate if selected.

Hey guys! Thanks so much for commenting. I wish with my whole heart that I could call each one of you winners. But sadly, I cannot.

So.. what I did instead was place each of your names into the Random.Org website and I had it randomly reorder your names.

Those of you who ended up in the top 10 won!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f79ribvh5iq...

The winners are:


Ted
Tabitha
Kim
Chris
Julie
Steve
Kelly
Marta
Book Concierge
Diane

Emails or goodreads PM's are headed your way now!
Congrats to the winners and if you didn't make it this time, there's always next month. Don't stop trying :)

Well, can't win every time. I think I'm going to buy the book online so I can read it and participate in the discussion anyway.

I'll still read the book, just not immediately.

Aww. I'm sorry Pete! But I'd love to hear your thoughts when you do read it.

HI everyone... book shipments are delayed. The publisher hopes to get them out by the end of this week so please remain patient. In the event that the books arrive too late, we may push back the discussion to give you more of an opportunity to read it prior to Charles joining us.

I'll keep you updated.

Thanks, Lori! I was beginning to wonder :0)

HI everyone! Due to the books being shipped out late, Charles has agreed to postpone the discussion by two weeks. We will meet here to chat him up about the book from October 5th through the 11th!

Look forward to seeing you all there!!!

Received my book today! I love the way it feels

Isn't the cover amazing? I said the same thing when I first felt it : )

My copy arrived!

I got my copy yesterday too :)

How exciting! I just opened mine. The cover is great! Signed and dated by author is amazing!! Even has a bookmark inside. Yay!! :)

I've noticed covers that feel the same way on a couple of the books I've read and won through this group. I love it too! Some of the indie presses use far better quality paper and binding materials than the big houses now.

Kim, Signed and dated?! You lucky ducks :)

Peg, You are right! Some small press publishers do put a lot of thought into making it a better quality product.

This is such an interesting read I'm almost finished.

It's got an amazing pace and flow to it, doesn't it?

I'm really forward to hearing from the author on this one! His use of language is amazing!

I've got my list of questions pressed into my hot little hands. I truly enjoyed this novel and can't wait to have this discussion.

You pick the best new novels, Lori! Ones that I never would have found on my own, so thank you :0)

Awww thanks Tabitha! I try to pick books other people might not pick up on their own but that have awesome personalities and stories to tell! It makes me so happy when people connect with them!!

I can't wait for the discussion to start. I'm so curious to see what you guys ask....

I agree, Tabitha. I really enjoyed this book, but it wasn't one I would have picked up on my own. Eric Shonkwhiler's Above All Men is in the same vein as Shelter of Others, and is another excellent book that, I believe, Lori really spoke highly.

*highly of*

Lori wrote: "Awww thanks Tabitha! I try to pick books other people might not pick up on their own but that have awesome personalities and stories to tell! It makes me so happy when people connect with them!!

I..."

How do you choose books? Are they ones you are interested in or ones that you have read and feel like others would like?

Steve,

yup! Shonkwiler's book was my absolutely favorite read of 2014! It blew me away.

Diane,

Sometimes I pick them because I know they will have mass appeal as a 'discussion' book. I have to admit a shameful secret. There are some author/reader discussion novels that I haven't actually read myself (GASP!) but I knew just from reading the jacket copy or skimming it that it was going to be of interest to our members.

However, a very good amount of the books I've chosen for these discussions I've read and really enjoyed and wanted to get them into the hands of other readers.

I personally have enjoyed the two reads I have participated in because they were not what I would have picked.( I had not even previously heard of the books) It forces me out of my usual type of read and broadens my thinking. I have always said "a good story is a good story so I am open to everything" But even believing that I usually am drawn to certain genres or styles and need a change. Thank you for doing this.

You are so very welcome Diane. The publishers and authors are a huge part of what makes this all possible too. Without them, I wouldn't be able to offer the books to you guys. And I'm so happy you like what you've read so far!

Yes, you the authors & publishers are awesome!

P.S. Just added "Road Trip" to my amazon wish-list. Looks so good! I'm going to start creeping on all your to-reads b/c you have a magic power for unearthing these little-known, intriguing novels!

Hahaha... Stalk away Tabitha : )

I finished this book last week and loved it. One the best I've read this year. I would never had picked it myself, which is why I love groups such as this. I've encouraged my friends to read it.

Awww, Jennifer, I am so glad you liked it! I'm sure Charles would love to know that it was one of the best you've read this year : )

THIS BOOK. wow. Incredible writing. This is like a banquet. Reading slowly, savoring each sentence.

Hey guys, are you all set and ready to go? The discussion kicks off tomorrow morning....

I'll be at work, like usual, so I'm going to jump in a bit early and get my first question in :)

Charles,

First, let me thank you so much for (1) spending time with us this week and (2) being flexible with the discussion time! I know we had a slight set back with the late shipment of the books, but from the looks of all the early banter, the winners seem to think it was well worth the wait!

Ok, so let me go ahead and get this started by asking.....

What's the most interesting comment or piece of feedback someone's given you about this book?

Here are some of my questions to get the discussion started. Thank you Mr. White for the opportunity to speak with you!

#1 I really enjoyed the sense of timelessness that the book had; a sort of, "this could be happening now or thirty years ago". It wasn't until I was a few chapters in that I was even able to place that this was a present-day novel. Did you intend for the novel to take on that sort of atmosphere, or was that something that came about organically given the setting of the story?

#2 I loved all the lush description and noticed that there wasn't a lot of dialogue between the characters. I'm curious if the significant lack of dialogue and heavy reliance on the narrator was a conscious choice? Do you feel that there are benefits to telling this kind of story with less dialogue? Does it fit with your writing style in general?

#3 I was really taken aback by Cody (man, I hope I got his name right b/c I don't have the book in front of me at the moment; relying on memory here) and wished that there would have been more development of his character and sinister side in the novel. Was the whole " I could be a total whackadoo" a teaser?

#4 I would love to hear your thoughts on your choice of ending. The novel took on a surreal quality towards the climax. It was completely unexpected; I'd love to hear what motivated you towards that particular choice of ending.

Thank you again. The novel was a pleasure to read! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Hi Charles. Congrats on the book! It's great. And thank you for participating in this discussion. I have two questions, and then I'll hop back on later today:

1. I'm really interested in writer's writing from multiple points of view. I'm wondering what your approach was. Did you write the story chronologically, weaving back and forth between characters, or did you write each character's story/arc separately in order to sort of stay in each's head?

2. To piggy-back on one of Tabitha's questions (I believe #2), there were two scenes in particular that were very descriptive and seemed to carry a greater significance - the fishing scene on pages 82-85 and the scene with Sam on the mountain on pages 202-205. I'm wondering if you could share a little bit about your thoughts behind these two scenes.

Thanks!

Hi, everyone:

I want to thank you all for taking the time to read the book and I look forward to getting a chance to talk with everyone who chimes in. I think this is a great thing for both writers and readers.

Lori, in terms of feedback I think what has been valuable and interesting to me is one reader who discussed the naturalistic motives of the characters, the fact that many of them feel pushed by a force that's beyond their ready comprehension. This was great to hear because it confirmed one of the big themes of the book that I wanted to pursue. Namely, the influence of place on people and how that kind of transference occurs outside of conscious absorption.