Welcome to the NoVA Lit Chicks on the web!
We are a group of women who live and work in the greater Washington, DC area. The group is called the "NoVa Lit Chicks" as a tribute to our living, working or playing in Northern Virginia and being all women who love to read. The group began meeting monthly in November 2004. We still have several original members, but most of us are newer to the group.
Q: How many members do you have? How many men, how many women? What age are most of your members?
A: There are 12 of us, all women. We are all in our 20s, 30s and 40s. As the group has continued, many of us are now married with children.
Q: How often do you meet? Where do you meet?
A: We meet every month, usually on the first Wednesday. Since the majority of members live in one local area, those members take turns hosting at their home. People are welcome to attend from all over the greater Washington, DC metro area, but the meetings are all in Arlington, Alexandria or Fairfax counties. We welcome members from Maryland, DC or Loudoun and Prince William counties if you're willing to join us!
Q: Do you eat at your meetings? What do you eat? Who brings the food?
A: We do eat at our meetings, sometimes that is the most fun! We try to keep the food options fun and no-pressure. Since we meet on a Tuesday night after work, everyone is usually looking forward to eating dinner, so we do ask that the hostess provide an entree for the group. Everyone else is welcome to bring a side dish, drinks, or dessert. We understand that as working women with family and professional commitments, sometimes it's all you can do to make the meeting!
Q: How many members do you have? How many men, how many women? What age are most of your members?
A: There are 12 of us, all women. We are all in our 20s, 30s and 40s. As the group has continued, many of us are now married with children.
Q: How often do you meet? Where do you meet?
A: We meet every month, usually on the first Wednesday. Since the majority of members live in one local area, those members take turns hosting at their home. People are welcome to attend from all over the greater Washington, DC metro area, but the meetings are all in Arlington, Alexandria or Fairfax counties. We welcome members from Maryland, DC or Loudoun and Prince William counties if you're willing to join us!
Q: Do you eat at your meetings? What do you eat? Who brings the food?
A: We do eat at our meetings, sometimes that is the most fun! We try to keep the food options fun and no-pressure. Since we meet on a Tuesday night after work, everyone is usually looking forward to eating dinner, so we do ask that the hostess provide an entree for the group. Everyone else is welcome to bring a side dish, drinks, or dessert. We understand that as working women with family and professional commitments, sometimes it's all you can do to make the meeting!
The hostess is welcome to set a theme for the monthly meeting, and plan her meal around the theme. Last month was Indian food, as we read Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's Heat and Dust.
Q: Who leads the discussion? Do you use reading group guides?
A: The discussion leader is whoever selected the book for the month. That way, everyone gets to lead a discussion once per year. It is up to each leader how they want to lead the group. Often times, they use the guides in the backs of books or on websites, but sometimes people are brave and make up their own questions. It sometimes takes only one or two questions to get everyone talking, and then the discussion takes on a life of its own.
Q: What kind of books do you read?
A: We read absolutely everything! Most of the genres lately have been general fiction, historical fiction, autobiography, nonfiction, short stories, young adult fiction, and yes, some chick lit.
Q: How do you choose your books? Do you choose one new book at each meeting, or do you choose the books for a number of meetings ahead of time?
A: We choose our books on a quarterly rotation. Whoever is hosting for the upcoming quarter presents 2 or 3 book options for the entire group to vote on. This way, everyone chooses their own book for their month, but the group has some input into what they'd like to read.
Q: Who leads the discussion? Do you use reading group guides?
A: The discussion leader is whoever selected the book for the month. That way, everyone gets to lead a discussion once per year. It is up to each leader how they want to lead the group. Often times, they use the guides in the backs of books or on websites, but sometimes people are brave and make up their own questions. It sometimes takes only one or two questions to get everyone talking, and then the discussion takes on a life of its own.
Q: What kind of books do you read?
A: We read absolutely everything! Most of the genres lately have been general fiction, historical fiction, autobiography, nonfiction, short stories, young adult fiction, and yes, some chick lit.
Q: How do you choose your books? Do you choose one new book at each meeting, or do you choose the books for a number of meetings ahead of time?
A: We choose our books on a quarterly rotation. Whoever is hosting for the upcoming quarter presents 2 or 3 book options for the entire group to vote on. This way, everyone chooses their own book for their month, but the group has some input into what they'd like to read.
If a book you love isn't chosen, you are welcome to post a Book Review on our Recommendations page here on the blog, and have an online discussion about it instead!
Q: Where else can we find you online?
A: We have a group on GoodReads, please check us out! We also have a closed Facebook group for members only.
H1! I just sent you an email about my novel, The Bloody Mary Club, chick lit. I'm a local author and would love for your book group to read it, we could have a bloody mary reading!
ReplyDeletecheck out my website: www.debbiedyke.com
Thanks
Debbie