And so the year trundles on, and with sunshine and bare arms comes our second book group meeting.

I wasn’t sure what to expect of running a book group, especially after seeing the Channel 4 show but so far, it’s been very nice to look after it.

This time we looked at ‘Something Borrowed’ and had a right old debate about whether you should read things as just fun or look beneath for hidden depths.

One person liked it because it was ‘about two old nanas’ who were like Rosemary and Thyme. Another said it reminded them of a Beryl Cook painting and another dubbed it a ‘gothic Last of the Summer Wine’.

This time we had about 20 people, some from the first group and a fair few new faces which was lovely to see. As were the 2 for 1 cocktails at the bar.

Next time we’re looking at The Good Father by Marion Husband and we’re picking our June book pretty soon, so keep checking back for updates.

….Well, actually, Whitby beach, but if you’ve been reading ‘Something Borrowed’ you’ll get my drift.

And if you have a mate who didn’t come last time but is now totally jealous of all the interesting and witty things you came back with, then bring them along. More the merrier.

It’s been a slow week for reading this week.

I’ve been starting work just after 6am so my sleep pattern is all over the shop, and I’ve spent my awake hours playing with my dog, watching tv, and going to gigs (Bilge Pump last night who were rather good).

This means I’m almost finished ‘Something Borrowed’ but not quite and I am enjoying it a lot and can’t wait to find out what you all think about it too.

To spur you on to get cracking before the next book group on 29^th April, here is a playlist from Paul Magrs, the author of our second book.

It’s an ecelectic and spooky mix and there a couple of GEMS on there…go listen!

Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker

Bauhaus - Bela Lagosi’s Dead

Dusty Springfield - Haunted

Kate Bush - Hammer Horror

Bonzo Dog Band - Monster Mash

So, how are you getting on with ‘Something Borrowed’?

I find the idea of the Bride of Frankenstein running a B+B in Whitby and solving mysteries like Miss Marple rather exciting. I also like the vast references to cake in the book, which make me hungry when I should be concentrating on reading.

Living in Middlesbrough, reading a book about Whitby is refreshing. I once spotted Juhninio on the 2p machines. It doesn’t get more showbiz than that.

Someone emailed me after the first book group, who said they would have come but didn’t see why we are reading ‘local’ books. Well, the books haven’t been chosen just because they have links to our area (Paul Magrs lives in Manchester y’know).

They’ve been selected on merit and as much as I love our capital, I find the idea that a book is better if it’s be someone from London to be rather strange.If you have any suggestions about books for the group, please leave a comment and let us know what you think we should be reading.

Oh and for those of you who didn’t come to the first one, here are some photos (taken by Nicky Peacock) of the first meeting.

Yes I know this looks cheesey. It’s meant to be ok?  Arf.

 There are even more people behind this shot. True fact!

Looking at this I need better posture

The other side of the group. Look at all the lovely people!

Remember, you don’t have to have read all of the book, or at all to come along and join in. You can even not join and just sit and listen.

God it’s easy-going innit?

It’s the afternoon after the night before….and the first Blue Lounge Book group was ace on toast.

We had about 30 people turn up to discuss Richard Milward’s ‘Apples’ and the group was a mix of ages and backgrounds, and everyone had something to say (which was good for me).

There were apples, sour apple chews (cos some of the book is sour innit?) and a suitable compilation cd of songs picked by the author and me.

One group member summed the book perfectly up as ‘West Side Story meets Jeremy Kyle’, and aswell as discussing what we liked or disliked about the book, the group threw up debates on Thatcherism and its effects on Teesside’s youth; how men have been influenced by a patriarchal system; taking drugs in your teens and your later years; bad sex awards; and whether or not this book should be given to GCSE student. 

Special thanks goes to the Blue Lounge for providing us with a lovely venue, serving excellent cocktails (Raspberry Martinis in particular) and sorting out food for a bigger group than expected. Any feedback on the night is much appreciated…..if you’d like to see any changes to the night, let us know in the comments section! 

Next month, it’s more of the same on Tues 29 April 2008 from 6.30pm-8.00pm and I cannot wait! The next book is Something Borrowed by Paul Magrs, which is set in Whitby and includes zombies, antique shops and Icelandic history.

You can get the book from Middlesbrough Central Library for free and if you want your own copy, remember you get 20% off at Borders in Teesside Park! 

So, the first book group is happening, ooh, tomorrow. And I can’t wait. 

I’m just re-reading Apples, sorting last minute notes and ideas, finding out the book was nominated for the Bad Sex Award 2007 and have a suitable CD to play alongside the book…being anally retentive can be quite good sometimes. 

So yes, if you’d like to come along to sit and read, drink, talk or just listen it would be lovely to have you - We’re at The Blue Lounge (hence the mysterious group title) from 6.30-8.00pm, tomorrow on Tuesday 25th March.

Be lovely to have you.

I’m typing this with the help of a real life LOLcat who likes to poke her paws at the keyboard, so please forgive any typos.

So, it’s not long until the first night at The Blue Lounge, and I am looking forward to it A LOT.

Without sounding like that scary man in glitter platforms, if you want to be in my gang, my gang, well, there’s one thing you have to do (Well, you don’t have to, but it would be wise to do this ok?)

Unlike most gangs, there are no uniforms, signs or initiation rights, oh no.  In the Blue Lounge Book Group Gang, there’s one rule. Yes, you CAN talk about book group, in fact that’s encouraged.

What you have to do to join is…..email the nice people at New Writing North at blueloungereadinggroup@newwritingnorth.com (hello Sandra and Claire!) and tell them you want to come along. Simple? Yes.

So what’s the catch? None.

If you email them they will send you a snazzy little card to put in your purse/wallet/pocket/behind your ear which will get you money off drinks to drink whilst at The Blue Lounge AND 20% off book group books at Borders.

Smart eh? You didn’t get that with the Jets and the Sharks did you? Course if you’re the type who doesn’t like rules feel free to just turn up. S’alright!

Some of my favourite books have music at the very core of them, and a lot of my own writing, both factual and fictional, and,  as I would dearly love this book group to be A LOT more interesting than polite people eating cheese, stroking their chins and saying ‘hmmm’ a lot, I thought one way would be to bring music into the mix.

So, to start us off, I decided to treat you to a playlist that goes with our first book ‘Apples’. Now, it’s not just some random songs I’ve plucked out of the air and deemed worthy, oh no, this list comes from the author himself, who’s partial to My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3.

Let us know what your favourite music book are, and what songs you think go well with books you love. I’m a geek on both scores, so the more lists the better!

Here is Richard Milward’s playlist…please have a listen, have a read of the book, and feel free to leave us a message to say you’ve stopped by.

It’s lonely out in (cyber) space.

Playlist for ‘Apples’

Rolling Stones - ‘She’s a Rainbow’

The Beatles - ‘Dear Prudence’

Elliott Smith - ‘Independence Day’

Madonna - ‘Like a Virgin’

The Smiths - ‘How Soon is Now?’

The Beatles - ‘Yer Blues’

The Doors - ‘The End’

The Beatles - ‘All You Need is Love’

So, here it is, a book group in the Boro. Ace. Being asked to run this group is quite an honour.  I’ve loved books ever since I got my first library card at Easterside Library age 3, have Roald Dahl’s Matilda as a role model, and got thrown out of Waterstone’s as a teenager for browsing for too long. Geek. Yes I know, but there’s just something about books. 

Reading can be a comfort, a solitary thing, where you can hide away from life and get firmly trapped inside someone else’s. it can take you away, change the way you are, how you act, what you think.

One of the most frustrating things about reading is not having anyone to share it with. The number of times I’ve wanted to talk about a character or a plotline and had nowhere to go but Amazon, which isn’t the most interactive thing ever. 

This is why the idea of a book group makes me so excited. Until now, I’ve blogged about books and hoped people will react, but now, I can meet people; real, live, who will talk and tell me I’m wrong. Hah.

So yes, I guess what I’m trying to say is that this book group will hopefully make reading even more fun for the bookworms that lurk in Middlesbrough bookshops, libraries, bedrooms and baths

This is no ordinary book group. Oh no! Laid-back, informal (please wear clothes though) It’s after work, which means after hours cocktails and tea for the drivers. There will be food, good music and a chance to meet up with people and talk about your feelings, ideas, irritations and loves. 

If you’d like to come, you’re more than welcome, and there will be all sorts of free niceties on the first night….just send us an email to let us know you’re coming blueloungereadinggroup@newwritingnorth.com

Oh, and members of the book group can get a discount of 20% on all Blue Lounge Book Group titles at Borders Teesside with their membership card.

So come on down, the kettle’s on.