I know that you all know the crime book club has closed as I managed to get the message out in time last week on social media just before a meeting was due, but I feel that I want to say something more, something a bit longer than the few words I used to close it down, because it was something dear to me and it did run for nearly 18 months.
Last week, for the entirety of the week, I was suffering from a head cold. (It’s why there were no posts on here at the latter end of the week as well.) I just couldn’t shift it. It was making me feel awful. It seems that because I’m ill anyway, if I catch a normal everyday virus that is going around, I just can’t cope with it very well. The timing of it wasn’t good as Wednesday was the book club meeting. I knew I couldn’t run the meeting and I realised that this wasn’t the first time that I had been ill at the same time as a book club meeting. Timing sucked.
It was then that I knew I had to consider closing the virtual doors of the book club. I wasn’t capable of giving it everything it deserved. It hadn’t grown the way I had hoped it would. Maybe that was because people are afraid of the technological side of it? I know there are still a lot of people out there who love books and who love crime books.
I hope that once I am in a healthier place – probably when my neck issue has been resolved – I will be able to restart the book club. I already have ideas for revamping it! I’m just sorry I don’t have the energy to do it right now.
I’m sorry if I have let anyone down. I loved the book club. We had a great time. I think a virtual book club is a great idea. It felt like my baby and it makes me sad to stop running it. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I do think, for now, it is the right one for me.
Thank you to everyone who ever attended. You are all brilliant! And I will miss you.
MarinaSofia says
You spent so much time and energy on this and I really appreciated all your efforts! I very much enjoyed the sessions I was able to attend, the atmosphere was always friendly, informative and I discovered authors I might otherwise not have read. I hope you will be able to restart once you are in better health, and I for one will do my best to spread the word.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Marina. I hope one day we will again be book clubbing 🙂
MarinaSofia says
Going out clubbing has just taken on a whole new meaning…
Jose Ignacio says
I feel sorry for not having had the time to participate in the Crime Club Meetings, Rebecca. All the best.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you and don’t worry Jose, I always appreciated your support in spreading the word. You always shared the book club posts and I appreciated that.
Alex J. Cavanaugh (@AlexJCavanaugh) says
I’m sorry you had to close it down, but your health is more important. As you said, once you’re in a healthier place, you can start it again. You’ll have so many cool ideas by then.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Alex. Yes, hopefully it will start up again and be better than ever 🙂
mbarkersimpson says
I agree that your health is the most important thing and when you’re in a position to run the club again, I’m sure it’s going to fabulous. Give me a shout when the time comes – I’ll do anything I can to help (spread the word, host a round, participate, etc.) Hope you’re feeling better 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Mel. I’m feeling much better (cold wise) this week thank you. And thank you for your support. I’ll definitely let you know if it starts up again in the future 🙂
Margot Kinberg says
Rebecca – I’m so grateful to you for starting the book club and for facilitating it as you did. I enjoyed it immensely, and like Marina Sofia, I read books I otherwise wouldn’t; and that’s a good thing. Your health has to come first, so I think you are making a wise decision to concentrate on getting better. If you do get to the point of opening the club up again, I’ll certainly want to join and try and be a part of it.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Margot. You were a big part of the book club, both you and Marina Sofia and that’s why it makes me so sad to close it down, but hopefully one day in the future it will start up again and we can enjoy our monthly meetings again. 🙂
Prashant C. Trikannad says
Rebecca, I wasn’t part of the book club but I could see how much it meant to you. I’m sure you’ll come back with it in near future.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Prashant. It was a difficult decision. Made more difficult because I knew that the members loved it as much as I loved it, so yes, fingers crossed it will start up again in the future.
FictionFan says
Sorry to hear it’s closing Rebecca. I never participated, but I enjoyed watching several of the discussions. Hope you get the neck issue resolved soon.
Jacqui Murray says
I’m sorry to hear this, Rebecca. I didn’t participate, but always thought I would ‘some day’. Sigh.
Steph Rothwell says
Morning Rebecca, I meant to post yesterday but events overtook me. I’m really sorry that you have had to close down crime book club. It must have been a very difficult decision to make. Like others before me I’m grateful to you for introducing me to authors whose work I might not have read. The two that stand out are probably Hermann Koch and Alan Bradley. Hope that you get some help very soon with your health and I will be interested in the future if you decide to do the book club again xx
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