The First Rule of Book Club...

...is that you must never, under any circumstances, talk about the book you were supposed to have read.  Them's the rules, kid...

Actually, that's not strictly true.  Tonight was the third anniversary of our Book Club and I can honestly say that joining was one of the best things I've ever done.  Not only have I read things I would never have picked up of my own volition - and enjoyed them - but I have made some truly wonderful friends as a result.  Admittedly we don't dissect the book to within an inch of its life or do any of those bizarre "questions for book clubs" you so often find in the back of novels, but we talk a lot, laugh a lot and eat a lot!  And we also support each other - tonight's book, for example, was the unedited manuscript of my novel, which while faintly terrifying was actually a really good experience for me: I got invaluable feedback from people I trust and from a diverse background of interests.  Whereas your mother is contractually obliged to greet every scrawled offering with "but it's simply wonderful, darling!!!" I knew my Book Club friends would be honest without deliberately hurting my feelings, and they didn't let me down.  Ladies, I am eternally grateful to you all; I know it can't have been easy reading 300+ pages of unedited drivel, especially knowing my slightly skewed take on life, and I promise you that should the book ever make it into print form you will be the first people mentioned in the acknowledgements.

Here's to another successful year of Book Club and more stories, more chat, more laughs, more food and more fun.  You truly are a wonderful bunch and I'm privileged to know you all!