I. Intro and Background

* Why Book Chat when RRA-L is a chat group about books anyway?

Good Question! The whole idea behind Book Chat is to have an open and frank discussion about a specific book each month. Because there are 900+ of us on this Listserv (and untold numbers on the newsgroup) chances are that we are all reading a bunch of different books and sharing our likes, dislikes, experience etc. Chances also are that a couple of us are reading one book and talking about it while another couple of us are doing the same thing with a different book.

The whole idea behind Book Chat is to try and get an appreciable number of us reading one specific book at one specific time so we can all discuss it together.

* Why read a different Sub-Genre each month?

Some of us read only Regencies. Some of us never read a category romance. But sometimes we would like to read a sub-genre that we usually don't gravitate to in the store. Book Chat is a good way to do that. If you've never read a futuristic romance and would like to read one and discuss it, Book Chat has a futuristic month. We also have a New Author month, which is a good way to find a new talent. (Is it me or is this beginning to sound like an infomercial?)

* How did you get roped into this?

When I first signed on to RRA-L back in oh... February 1995, Book Chats were a-happening. But they disappeared because the person who organized them signed off the list. I picked up the slack one day because I wondered "Hey whatever happened to Book Chat?" Hence, Book Chat II was born. When I threw open the question of "How should we go about this?" There was some discussion and, as a group, we proposed the following:

II. This is how we do it...

Each month we read one title in a specified sub-genre. The coordinator (me) will inform the list of the sub-genre we'll be reading for a specific month (usually a month or so ahead of time). Then the coordinator (me again) will solicit the list for opinions of a specific title in that sub-genre.

For example: sometime in late March I will tell the list that the May book will be a Regency. I will then ask the listmembers who plan to participate to please submit titles and a brief synopsis (if possible) for consideration. Listmembers will either submit their ideas for a possible title or second someone else's suggestions. The suggestions may be posted to the list or e-mailed to me directly.

Suggested books should be new or fairly recent (like within the past year). This is because back lists are not universally available and newer books can generally be found easily.

After about a period of two weeks, I will tally all the suggestions. If there is a strong preference for a specific title, I will choose the title and post the result to the list. If there is no strong preference for a specific title, I will make the decision which book to choose based upon 1) the number of suggestions that book received and/or 2) the brief synposis submitted and how interesting the book looks (to me).

I will post periodic reminders of the chosen book up to the first day of the specified month.

III. Etiquette

Once the title has been chosen and the specified month is upon us, anyone can begin Book Chat.

There are really only 3 main etiquette items:

1) Somewhere in the subject line the words "Book Chat" should appear.
2) There is NO spoiler warning necessary. None, nyet, zip, zilch,
3) Be frank but fair.

regarding #3: Book Chat is an open forum to discuss what you really liked about a book or what really didn't work for you. I hope that some lively discussion can come from it. It goes without saying (although I am gonna say it here) that any criticism offered should be constructive and thoughtful. Sure, the book is being discussed by people who have read the book, but some people who *haven't* read the book will also be reading the comments and will decide whether or not to plunk down the $$ or invest the time in finding it in the library based upon what the Book Chatters say about it.

IV. Sub-Genre

We came up with the following sub-genres:

Category Romance (silhouette, harlequin, loveswepts etc.)
Contemporary (also known as long form or single title)
Multicultural/Ethnic (including Native American)
New Author (regardless of genre)
Regency
Romantic Suspence
Time Travel/Futuristic/Other Worldly
Western/Americana
Paranormal (ghost, angel, vampire, werewolf et al)
Historical: Early (up to about 1200--reign of Henry III of England)
Historical: Middle (1200 to about 1760--reign of George III of England)
Historical: Late (1760 and later)

please note: sub-genre can be added and deleted as necessary. We are always open to suggestion.

V. Scheduled Chats

I have attempted to spread out historical and contemporary subgenres so that we don't read too many similar things in a row.

February 2001: Contemporary:  THE FOUR SEASONS by Mary Alice Monroe
March 2001: Historical:  RULES OF ATTRACTION by Christina Dodd
April 2001: Historical: THE INDISCRETION by Judith Ivory
May 2001: Contemporary: DAWN IN ECLIPSE BAY by Jayne Anne Krentz
June 2001: Historical: SUDDENLY YOU by Lisa Kleypas
July 2001: Series: TAYLOR'S TEMPTATION by Suzanne Brockmann
August 2001: Contemporary: WHAT TO DO ABOUT ANNIE? by Millie Criswell
September 2001: Paranormal: OUT OF THIS WORLD/J.D. Robb, et.al.
October 2001: Paranormal: NARCISSUS IN CHAINS by Laurell K. Hamilton
November 2001: Historical: THE BRIDAL SEASON by Connie Brockway
December 2001: No Bookchat
January 2002: Historical: LORD OF FIRE by Gaelen Foley
February 2002: Contemporary: PLEASE REMEMBER THIS by Kathleen Gilles Seidel

Please note: Book Chats are never "written in stone" if there is a book that is crying out to be chatted and it doesn't fit the sub-genre for that month, we will adapt. I am ALWAYS open to your suggestions.

VI. Past Book Chats

We re-started Book Chat in June 1995. I will list our past Chats with the Siskel/Ebert method of the general RRA-L reception of the book.

June 1995 - Romantic Suspense - DREAM MAN by Linda Howard
     rating: Thumbs Up but with caveat that it wasn't her best
July 1995 - Historical - FAIREST OF THEM ALL by Teresa Medeiros
     rating: mixed. enjoyment dimmed by anachronisms in medieval time period.
Aug 1995 - Time Travel - ONCE UPON A PIRATE by Nancy Block
     rating: mixed. Inconsistencies in characters. New author.
Sept 1995 - Regency - a TEMPORARY BETROTHAL by Dorothy Mack
     rating: Thumbs Up. Little discussion, but positive.
Oct 1995 - New Author - MARIANA by Susanna Kearsley
     rating: Thumbs Up. Interesting take on time travel and reincarnation. New Author.
Nov 1995 - Western - THE PREACHER & THE REDHEAD by Sandra Chastain
     rating: Thumbs down. Choppy editing. Flat characters.
Dec 1995 - Contemporary - EMILY'S SECRET by Jill Jones
     rating: Thumbs up. New author.
Jan 1996 - Category - CHARLIE ALL NIGHT (HT#570) by Jennifer Crusie
     rating: Thumbs up. Crusie is a list fave.
Feb 1996 & Mar 1996 - No Chat. My e-mail went wack-o.
April 1996 - Futuristic - SHIELD'S LADY by Jayne Ann Krentz
     rating: mixed.  Harshest criticism was saved for ultra-alpha hero.
May 1996 - Romantic Suspense - EXPOSURE by Susan Andersen
     rating: thumbs up. Altho there were mixed reviews regarding Gracie's
             baby talk.
June 1996 - Historical - THE SHATTERED ROSE by Jo Beverley
     rating: thumbs up. Good discussion ensued about the Church.
July 1996 - Ethnic/Multicultural - SUDDENLY by Sandra Kitt
     rating: thumbs down. average story w/ unsympathetic hero.
Aug 1996 - Time Travel - THE DOUBLE EDGED BLADE - Julie Moffet
     rating: thumbs up. well paced. absorbing story.
Sept 1996 - Regency - THE LADY'S COMPANION - Carla Kelly
     rating: thumbs up, especially for non-traditional setting and characters.
(yes, I need to catch up on this section :)


[period of long silence]
April 2000 (Historical) DEVILISH by Jo Beverley
     rating: Mixed. Many liked it but didn't find it lived up to
             expectation.
May 2000 (Contemporary) IN THE MIDNIGHT RAIN by Ruth Wind
     rating: Big thumbs up. Most loved the writing and the atmosphere
              of the story.
June 2000 (Contemporary) THE UNSUNG HERO by Suzanne Brockmann
     rating: Mostly thumbs up.  The secondary romances/stories
             appealed more than the primary romance.
July 2000 (Contemporary) NIGHT FIRES by Justine Dare
     rating: Thumbs horizontal.  Nothing special.
           (Historical) A SECRET LOVE by Stephanie Laurens
     rating:Thumbs up - A story that in its totality overcame its
              individual flaws.  Her best yet.
Aug 2000 (Historical) MY DARK PRINCE by Julia Ross
     rating: No one really discussed it.
            (Contemporary) HIGH INTENSITY by Dara Joy
     rating: No one really discussed it.
Sept 2000 (Futuristic) AFTER DARK by Jayne Castle
     rating: generally enjoyed.
Oct 2000 (Contemporary) FIRST KISS by Marilyn Pappano
     rating: ranging from lukewarm to positive.
         (Historical) BY POSSESSION by Madeline Hunter
     rating: thumbs up.
Nov 2000 (Historical) AFTER THE KISS by Karen Ranney
     rating: "Overall: great sex, good heroine, boring hero, moronic 
             villain and suspense plot."
Feb 2001 (Contemporary) THE FOUR SEASONS by Mary Alice Monroe
     rating: it didn't really get discussed.
Mar 2001 (Historical) RULES OF ATTRACTION by Christina Dodd
     rating: mixed reaction, tending towards the negative
Apr 2001 (Historical) THE INDISCRETION by Judith Ivory
     rating: thumbs up, with reservations. Not as good as The Proposition
May 2001: (Contemporary) DAWN IN ECLIPSE BAY by Jayne Ann Krentz
     rating: neutral.  Not bad, but there's no spark either.
Jun 2001: (Historical) SUDDENLY YOU by Lisa Kleypas
     rating: 
     

VII. General Questions

Q) Should we discuss RRA-L authors in Book Chat?