In this interview, Jamie Layton --- manager of Duck's Cottage Coffeeshop and Bookstore --- proves to be a fountain of information when it comes to conducting book club meetings, providing reading recommendations, and keeping booksellers in touch with their patrons. Read on to learn how Jamie adds variety to typical meetings, the ways in which she supplements her discussions with outside research, and how she differentiates a great book and a great book club book.

Q: Does your store host any book clubs? If so, are they based on a certain theme or genre (i.e., mystery)? How often do the groups meet?

A: We have an in-house club, the Duck's Cottage Reading Group. We've been meeting for over three years on a monthly basis. There is no common theme or genre --- we tend to cover all the bases --- and meetings are open to anyone who has read the book. We also periodically host other local book groups. Since we are a coffeeshop/bookstore located in a historic hunting cabin, we can provide a cozy and natural atmosphere for reading groups --- not to mention "a latte" drink options!

Q: How many members are in each group? How many men, how many women? What ages are most of the members? Are the groups open to accepting new members?

A: We have a steady attendance of about 7 to 9 women whose ages range from early 30s to late 60s. We are a true reading group in that there are only a few "outside group" relationships; for the most part, the only contact most of us have with each other is through the reading group. This really keeps non-book chit chat and socializing to a minimum and lets us get right to the book. I've been in groups in which the first hour and a half of each meeting consists of drinking wine and talking about silent auctions and pre-schools. By the time you get to the book, its practically time to go home. We meet at 7:15 pm and are usually done by 9 pm. We are always open to new members --- during the summer we even get people on vacation who come to the meeting because they saw the sign posted in the store and have read the book. Their input is refreshing and having new faces is always interesting.

Q: Who leads the book discussions? Are reading group discussion guides used?

A: I usually serve as facilitator, which means I try to have done some research about the author or topics addressed in the book in order to have discussion ideas if the natural conversation lags. (If a Reading Group Guide is available, I always have a copy of that as well.) For most books, the conversation gets started and just follows its own course, but I do find that most of my research pays off. There are so many vague and hidden references in literature that tell the story behind the story and being able to point these inferences out can really make people sit back and think about the book in a whole new light, which gets really exciting. Sometimes it is as simple as knowing more about the literature source from which an author took the epigraph, like Steinbeck's use of a passage from the morality play "Everyman" for the start of The Wayward Bus. Information about authors can also be terribly revealing as well, for instance J.D. Salinger's horrific WWII battlefield experiences and the impact they had on his writing as evidenced in Nine Stories. These things put new perspective on an author's work.

Q: How are books selected? Is a new one chosen at each meeting, or are they chosen for a number of meetings ahead of time?

A: We choose books every six months. Since I'm the bookseller and have so many resources at my fingertips, I put together a list of 12 suggestions that, through my own research, I think have great discussion potential and would interest our group. I do take suggestions from the members but am sure to check them out first. I put together a handout with a page for each book giving title, author info and either a brief summary of the book or an excerpt. I then present the twelve choices to the group, go over the handout and each person votes for the six she would most like to read. The top six vote getters are our next six books. I try to include a little bit of everything --- short stories, classics, new fiction, historical fiction, some nonfiction, etc. Sometimes I will suggest a title due to a previous title we've read. For instance, we read Reading Lolita in Tehran but most of our group had either A) never read Lolita or B) hadn't read it in 20 years. We selected it and met at my house, where we discussed the book over wine and appetizers (everyone brought something), and then watched the original movie version of Lolita by Stanley Kubrick, starring James Mason, Peter Sellers and Shelley Winters. This was a very fun meeting. Watching the movie really helped some people take the book a little less seriously and see how parts of it, although very black, can be quite humorous.

Q: What were some of the best discussions or favorite books the groups have read?

A: Our first book was Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks and we still talk about it. The Epicure's Lament by Kate Christensen was a good discussion as are all the short story collections we've read --- Nine Stories (Salinger), Interpreter of Maladies (Lahiri) and David Sedaris's anthology Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules. The Wayward Bus by John Steinbeck is a good, shorter Steinbeck; The House of Sand & Fog (Andre Dubus) gets people talking, and so does The Hours by Michael Cunningham. The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory) is what we're reading now and I think our discussion will be GREAT.

Q: How are book club meetings kept interesting and fun?

A: I think by choosing selections from every genre, you keep things new and exciting. Also, try to make sure your book topics are varied. For one six-month period, obviously without enough forethought --- my fault, we ended up choosing Confederates in the Attic (Horowitz, nonfiction), The Known World (Edward P. Jones, historical fiction), and March (Geraldine Brooks, historical fiction). What's the problem? Basically, three of our six books were Civil War books in some way or another and by the time we hit the last one, we were all over it.

A steady stream of new members (especially when current members fall out) and guests means a steady stream of new ideas and thoughts. Never discourage new faces.

Try to keep the discussion centered on the book. People love to talk about themselves and they love to relate personal stories related to what's going on in the book. Of course books should affect you on a personal level, wish that they all would, but nobody likes to sit and listen to a 10-minute diatribe about a stepdaughter's uncle's niece from Wichita's medical procedure that can barely be tied in to a scene from the book. The best thing is for someone to try and interject with "….getting back to the book, do you think…." and get the entire group re-enrolled in a conversation about the BOOK.

When reading a book you plan to be discussing with others, THINK about what you are reading. Dog-ear pages, highlight passages, use post-its to jot down thoughts you have about certain phrases. Be prepared to offer your opinion and then to back that opinion up with examples from the book. I read my group books in a completely different fashion, just like I read books for which I know I'll be writing reviews in a different way. If there is a fact presented in a novel, find out if it is indeed truth or fiction. Are there historical characters…ummm, the name Da Vinci comes to mind….that play minor or major roles in your book? Google them! Bring something to the table to add to your discussion --- it will enhance everyone's experience.

Q: What advice would you give to other bookstores that would like to start hosting book clubs, or provide resources for ones in the community?

A: Word of mouth, word of mouth, word of mouth.

Also, get involved with your customers beyond the "Can I help you?" approach. Find out what they're reading and why. If they're in a reading group, it will quickly come up in the conversation and there's your foot in the door. Be helpful in any way you can and you'll find that the word gets around and the groups will seek you out.

Q: What general advice would you give to book club members? Any specific ideas for making reading selections?

A: Try to choose more than one book at a time. So much of a monthly meeting can get eaten up by deciding what to read next. By picking at least three months ahead, not only can people plan their reading time accordingly, but it saves SO much time at the other meetings. Our group picks six months in advance, but a lot of groups like a bit more spontaneity, which is great --- but be aware of how much time is wasted when selections are picked randomly and monthly.

Try to meet outside of people's homes. Check out local restaurants that might have terrific lounge areas or semi-private rooms they would love to have used on a weeknight. Look at local bookstores or coffeeshops to see if they can accommodate you --- some will let you bring food and wine! Our group meets once or twice a year at someone's home (and everyone brings something), but otherwise, we stick to the Cottage. Here's why: when someone is hosting in their own home, the meeting takes on a different social atmosphere. Chit chat starts while people help themselves to food and drink and it takes longer to get the actual book discussion started. I've also seen the Martha syndrome going on when each hostess tries to outdo the previous month's hostess and, once again, attention is drawn away from the book and onto the grilled radicchio with prawns and pralines. Plus, if reading group means getting out of the house for everybody, you'll have a better turnout.

From experience with other book groups, having a set monthly meeting is KEY. Our meetings are held on the third Wednesdays of the month. This means I can look seven months ahead and know when our meeting will be; then I can schedule around the meeting instead of trying to fit the meeting around nine people's schedules, which is a NIGHTMARE.

When selecting books, really think about whether or not the book is a good discussion candidate. There are lots of great books out there, but some just don't offer enough fodder for a two-hour conversation --- thrillers, murder mysteries, and romances just don't have much to sink your teeth into. Think about issues a book brings up, the underlying themes, or if there is controversy surrounding the title or the author. Ask yourself what you want to talk about in regards to the book. The answers to these questions will lead you to the answer of whether a title is a good book or a great discussion waiting to happen.

Q: How can book clubs better utilize resources at their local bookstores?

A: First, by making their book group members known to a local bookstore as such. Once the book group and members are identified, it's easy to ask if there is a discount available to them. However, it is of utmost importance that the group be responsible for keeping the bookseller aware of their current and upcoming choices in order to have them in stock. I know it is too much to ask that groups "pre-order" certain quantities, but if I don't know what the XYZ group is even reading this month, then I can't possibly have an adequate number of copies available when they need them.

Also, ask the store if they are willing to host your group's meetings. We don't host any clubs on a regular basis but some of the groups like to come in and have occasional meetings in our store. After Labor Day we close at 6pm so they have the store to themselves (I'm there of course) and we get the gas fireplace going, serve up cappuccinos, they bring some wine, food and have a great time.

Additionally, they should use booksellers as the fountain of information on books that they are. Booksellers love to use all that knowledge gleaned from newsletters, publisher's advances, media kits, and trade publications for something other than putting together an order sheet. I think most book clubs will find their local bookseller incredibly accommodating and enthusiastic if asked for any type of book club assistance.

Q: Does your store offer anything special for book clubs?

A: We offer a 20% discount (on the current/future reading group selection) to members of our in-house book group and several other local book groups. There is quite a large book club at a local church, so they receive 25% off.

Q: Do you have any horror stories, amusing anecdotes, or other tales to tell that you have heard from book clubs?

A: Several years ago, I was in a book group I'd recently re-joined after a few years absence. There were quite a few new members and, therefore, new dynamics. For several meetings in a row, The Vagina Monologues was put forth as a suggestion for the next month, but the proponents never had any additional information or reviews that would help us make the selection. Every time they brought up the book, the current discussion would disintegrate into the game of "if my vagina was a car, it would be a…." or "if my vagina wore clothes it would wear…". I don't know if they ever got around to reading the book since I quickly lost patience and left the group. To this day I am convinced that the ONLY reason most of them wanted to read it was so they could walk around for a month telling people, "Oh, I'm reading The VAGINA Monologues." Honestly, if you need a book title as an excuse to use the word "vagina," you most likely need therapy. (Incidentally, I have since read the Monologues and have no comment.)

Q: Is there anything else unique or noteworthy about book clubs (either ones that meet in your store or ones that you know of) that you would like to share?

A: One unique meeting idea I recently heard about is a "cookbook" meeting --- this is a nice change of pace for any group, plus it gives everyone a month "off" from having to read a group selection, and therefore having more time for free reading. For this meeting, everyone makes a dish from their favorite cookbook, then brings both it and the book to the meeting (along with plenty of copies of their recipe!) I'm going to do this for our July meeting as a type of "summer vacation" from book club reading.

Another book group met at our store for their Christmas meeting. Each member brought one of their favorite children's Christmas books and took turns reading their books aloud. It was unbelievable how many of them placed orders for books that they were introduced to that night by other members.

If the book you're reading has been made into a movie (even if it is an older version!) it is always fun to have a book and movie discussion in which the first part tackles the book and the second part is a viewing of the movie. There are so many books-into-movies out there and comparing the mediums is usually a lot of fun.

Q: Are you a member of a book club? If so, what do you enjoy most about the experience from a reader's perspective? Does being in a book club enable you to better suggest both titles and discussion ideas to reading groups?

A: Aside from taking part in the Cottage reading group, I do try to participate in another local group from time to time. I like the fact that when you are reading something that you know you will be discussing with others, you are able to really focus on the book --- what's happening and why. There's more character dissection going on in your mind and I often find myself preparing a "defense" for my opinions and views.

It definitely helps me suggest titles and ideas since being a part of a reading group makes me more aware of the components that must be present in order to provide ample topics for discussion. Some of those components are conflict, character growth, the inclusion of topics that inspire strong personal feelings in the reader, the blending of some truths and known facts in an otherwise work of fiction… and many more.

Q: What books currently on your shelves are you interested in sharing with book groups?

A: Night by Elie Wiesel, The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, Smashed by Koren Zailckas.

Q: What galleys and advance reader's editions that are in your store right now are you interested in sharing with book groups?

A: Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde, My Other Body by Ann Pai, Falling in Love with Natassia by Anna Monardo.

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