Exactly What Every Writer Desires

I am still basking in the joy of my time spent with a dozen lovely women two days ago. Yes, a lot is happening in my home in recent days. Family stuff, both good and bad is swirling around the people that I love. But deep down there is a smile that rises whenever I think about attending my first Book Club featuring my book!! 

Since I am a nervous driver, I've been memorizing the drive from my home to the book club venue. (My husband even drove me there once so I would not be surprised by any unexpected detours.) On Saturday with a tumbling tummy of excitement, I drove slowly along the street where the book club hostess lived and tried to see the house numbers up ahead. I noticed a woman parking and I grinned when I saw Walking Butterfly in her hand as she locked her car door! I knew I had the right house!

I entered a beautiful home and was greeted warmly by several women, some seated on couches and chairs and others lingering around a dining room table covered in yummy treats and a pitcher  of  sweet tea. The women approached me and began to tell me how happy they were to meet the author of Walking Butterfly. One woman held my hands and looked into  my eyes intently and said with a smile, "I know you so well!" It made me search my mind to see if we had met before, but I had only met two of the book clubbers previously. Of course she meant that by reading my book, she felt she knew me. 

Walking into a room full of people who have read your innermost thoughts and prayers is a bit daunting, but also totally delicious. 

The sandwich on the plate I carried to a spot to sit looked wonderful, but my mouth was too dry and  nervous to really eat it, so I munched on grapes and a tiny muffin. I'd like that sandwich right now actually! The hostess told me that they like to eat and chat a while before discussing the current book so we enjoyed a time of visiting and I could see that this group of women were good friends and truly cared about one another's lives. 

Then came the questions and observations about Walking Butterfly. What motivated me to write it? How did I decide which stories from my journal to include? How can we effectively share the love of God with those who do not understand? 

Over and over they told me of certain chapters that spoke to them, and when I heard them quoting me to me, I almost cried in happiness! Laughter would break out as one woman would bring up a funny line and others would nod and add their own favorite. Amazing!

Then a question was asked that I told them I was hoping would not be asked. A gentle young woman said that she really liked the chapter about God singing over us and having a special song for each of us. She said she could not figure out the tune to the little song that I described given to me. Would I sing it for them? I told them that I do not sing well, but since my preschool class hadn't objected to my voice I would go ahead and sing it for them...and I did!! What?? Tears came to my eyes as I did it and tried to describe the wave after wave of love God has for us. Just like the never-ending waves on an ocean shore. They never ever ever stop, just come and come and come. 

It turned out to be a special moment and I am glad she asked. 

After two hours they had some book club business to do and announcements to make and again, I was impressed with these women who love their community and are finding ways to share love and acceptance with  everyone around them. Then even as I could see that it was time to wrap up, more observations and questions about my book came my way. It was like they wanted to just keep talking about Walking Butterfly and the huge love of God. 

A favorite sight was seeing so many copies of my book filled with post it notes and underlined sections with turned down pages and wrinkled covers! I meant to take more photos but we were too busy talking away, I forgot until it was time to go. So I asked a woman if I could take a pic of her book and she said that she had a lot more post it tabs on her copy but took them off before coming. Haha! Happy heart for this writer!! 

What more could an author ask for? Readers who loved her words and said that they were touched and blessed by them. I was even told by one person that the end of each chapter, called "Your Turn" was used as her devotional in the mornings. My God is exceptional and ridiculously generous to me. I know this book club was about these women and for these women, but wow, it was a glorious experience for me that I will never forget.