The lovely local author friends I was talking about in my last post are not just good writers – they are hyper-efficient in many other ways too!    Isabel Ashdown (author of ‘Glasshopper’) has just launched a new website called The Chichester Book Club, specifically dedicated to introducing local readers to books and authors in their region.

Isabel created the site in response to the large number of enquiries she was receiving from book clubs and reading groups in the Chichester area.  Many were looking for a comprehensive reading guide to  ‘Glasshopper’ whilst others just wanted to make contact and ask a few questions.

She says, “Like all the best parties, we like to keep it small; all our authors have a local connection, either living in or having grown up in the area, and many have links to the University of Chichester and associated groups.  It’s now easier than ever for inquisitive readers to access books, book club guides and event news from emerging and established authors in our region.”

As it explains in the official press release – “the Chichester Book Club Autumn selection has something to suit every taste and mood, with page-turning novels from award-winning writers, ranging from gritty realism to suspense-filled crime, from intriguing historical fiction to exhilarating fantasy. ” I have been lucky enough to have been included on Isabel’s list of authors, along with Jane Borodale, Peter Lovesey, Alison MacLeod, Bethan Roberts, Pauline Rowson, Jane Rusbridge and Tim Stretton.  We are all writers with a local connection;   some, like me, are debut novelists, whilst others are highly experienced and much published.   Each of us has put together a list of book-club type questions about our books.

“We are very fortunate to have so many talented and interesting authors in the Chichester area,” says Isabel. “It’s exciting to be part of such a creative community.” 

  You can follow the Chichester Book Club at:

• Official website: www.chichesterbookclub.com
• Official Facebook page
• Twitter: @ChiBookClub