I started a bookclub to make friends

To build a new community in a new hometown, I put out a call to (hopefully) meet other readers. Would anyone care? Would I like them? Find out!

Nearly six months ago, I married my love and moved to join him across the country, from Los Angeles, to Upstate New York. A courageous story for another post.

And our first summer of love living together in one of the most storybook places I could imagine, in the home of our dreams, went wildly beyond expectations.

Then I fell down the stairs and spent months immobile, recovering.

Coming out of that recovery, my husband went back to his teaching job at the local university, and I transitioned into “regular life” — working from home writing content for Be Courageous.

Feeling anonymous

My husband had lived in this country and small-towns area for over 20 years. Well-known and beloved, I was constantly meeting people he knew when we went out. I loved meeting every person he introduced me to, but I realized how anonymous I felt, walking in town or in the grocery store. I longed for my own familiar faces.

It hit me, that while I have an incredible group of supportive friends and family around the country, I also needed to recognize people in my local community and build bonds with them.

At 50 years old, and having lived in my old community for over 20 years, I debated how to do this now.

Ideas for building my community

Some ideas showed up:

• Do yoga at the local library (sure, but in yoga there’s no talking).

• Join a walking club (maybe, but I don’t do mornings, and my ability for walking was still building from being immobile).

• Join a book club. I liked this idea, but was nervous to join a group that could potentially read scary, gory, or violent books (I cannot read those anymore), and also one that had already been existing for decades, where I’d be the “new kid.”

The new kid

I’ll never forget moving from L.A. to San Diego when I was in 5th grade. The principal, Mr. Wise, led me conspicuously into my classroom mid-session. All the kids had known each other since kindergarten. My cheeks flamed red and everyone stared at the weirdo from L.A. I did not want a repeat of this situation.

My husband’s good friend who works at one of the local libraries suggested, “Why doesn’t she start her own? As a published author, that could be really cool.”

Starting a book club

And so, I typed out a message onto the local Facebook group of my small town (so small it is called a “hamlet”). I included my book-reading caveat — nothing too gory, violent, or scary.

And then I watched as the comments burst in like fireworks, one after the other.

“I’d love to join!”

“This is exactly what I need, I’m new to the area!”

“I hate reading violent books too, I’m in!”

I reached out to a local restaurant for us to meet in, to support our little town. A staff member there turned out to also be a writer and the establishment loved the idea of us using their space for our regular meets.

I chose a time and day that my husband would not be home from work, as we savor every minute we get together building our new life.

I started a private Facebook group, and sent messages to everyone interested.

Guess what? 27 people joined!

The Hudson Valley Bookworms was born!

The hours leading up to the big night of the first meeting, I was shaking with nervousness. I made a sign for the table and simple little paper bookmarks on my basic printer.

As soon as I arrived, a friendly face was already there, rejoice! It was Nancy, a local inn owner whom I’d met while bringing my daughter to meet my now husband to stay at her gorgeous Gilmore Girls-esque inn.

I felt immediately relieved. As each person walked in, holding their favorite book (my suggestion was to bring a favorite book to talk about) I was washed in relief and joy…I gave them all hugs. I loved each and every person!

Co-ed, inclusive, kind, and fun, each person seemed fated to meet just like this. The vibe was exactly as I’d hoped. Safe, comfortable, warm, and laughter-filled.

My husband was so proud he came gallantly home with a huge bouquet of flowers and a special cocktail to celebrate “the bookworm lady” who started a new community of readers and many instant friends.

I can’t wait to be part of the development of this wonderful group of humans.

We are reading, “Lessons in Chemistry,” and my reading soul is so fulfilled to not only have this great group but to be reading regularly again.

Now, when I go to the grocery store with my husband, maybe this time someone will say, “Hi Shannon!” and I’ll introduce him to someone new!

Community is so important. Cheers to the courage to go out of my comfort zone to start a new one.