For years, I have traveled around the country for my interests. It was either going wild at concerts, learning craft at writers’ conferences, or meeting my social media sister (and brother) hood. Every time I grew my circle of new friends, I heard a common theme, “I wished you lived near me so we could get coffee together. I don’t have any close females friends.”

It pained me to hear in the moment. I wanted to travel back just to sit down for a cup of coffee over a baked treat of love I had made for my friend. When I went through my divorce and considered opening up a business all on my own, the thought of not having a strong female squad left me in disbelief. For if I didn’t have strong women in my life reminding me of how awesome I can be, how could I get through any of this? It was in those dark moments I realized I needed to do something to bring women together so we all could be stronger.

As with trying to find people to date, it’s hard to meet new people. If you don’t work for a big company or participate in a large organization, it’s darn near impossible to move outside your social circle. This is where Delish wants to help!

Starting in March, Delish will be sponsoring a book club! The featured book will be displayed on the store book case while being announced on social media and here. A meeting date will be given that allows enough time for even slow readers like me to get through the book. You’ll have to acquire it yourself either through purchase, download, or the old fashioned library. (Yes, you can still do that!)

The book club will take place outside of Delish business hours and you will NOT be able to purchase bakery treats. Nope, don’t even try to plead. This time is about meeting other people in your community, not about selling scones. Delish will supply some appetizers, drinks, and conversation starters about the book. You will have to do the rest.

If you decide to attend, your participation is encouraged. This is the only way people are going to get to know you. You may have the exact same perception about the theme as someone else. Or maybe your thought process is so different from someone else’s they just have to get to know you. Whatever the case, this time is about getting to know your community.

A new book will be selected every couple months – ish. Yes, this is on Susan-time, which means all times are on an “ish” basis. (If I say 10-ish, plan for me to be there around 10:15. Ha!) The genres will be diverse and hopefully expose you to stories you’ve never considered before. Even if you don’t “DO” Sci-fi, maybe the idea of hanging out with some cool ladies will sway you. Also, there may even be some cool surprises along the way.

I hope you’re as excited about this idea as I am. I’ve been rattling on about it for months, so it’s about time we get it started. If you have any questions, feel free to stop by the store and we can chat. I look forward to meeting all of you!