What a delight to read and discuss my book with a book club where all the members had already bought and read it! My friend, Gloria, belongs to an Oshawa book club in the city where she used to live. Although she now lives in Toronto, she continues to be a member. The other women traveled into Toronto for the meeting, hosted by Gloria, where we all ate a superb lunch before talking about 'Would I Lie To You?'
The women wanted to hear me read something from the novel, so we started with that. I could skip around because it would not give away the plot. So I did, interspersing that with asking them questions and answering theirs. It is fun when the readers know the book intimately and have opinions. For instance, one or another expressed dislike for Emily in the early pages. I said I hadn't liked her either until later. She seemed somehow snobby to one woman. I asked what she/they had thought as they encountered what she thought of the main character later. By then, they could see why she had not initially liked Sue.
Oh yes, they agreed. Emily had actually been very perceptive. They wanted to talk about the secrets each partner had concealed from the other. And how these secrets had been preserved in the past through generations, but were coming out in this one.
One woman did not like the psychic. Not because she did not like psychics, but she did not appreciate that as a married man, he was having an affair.
"Men!?" I said somewhat facetiously. But then, "What did you think later?"
And once again, he seemed to appeal to her more by then. Once they knew him better and the situation, he became more likeable. Although I don't necessarily think readers ought to like my characters. There are times when I don't myself. They are who they are. After a while, they develop in spite of me. As do stories!
Just thought I'd let you know!
