Greetings! Online Book Club Newsletter BURSTING WITH  ENTHUSIASM MARCH 2007 *** IN THIS ISSUE *** :: New MySpace Page :: New Books on the Reading List :: Reviews, Etc in the Forum :: Announcements from Authors :: I Want to Hear From You! You've waited long enough for the next Online Book Club Newsletter now here it is!! Greetings!     So many wonderful things are happening with the book club. I'm in such awe of the support I'm getting for this club.  Everyone has been so generous and kind.   Awhile back, I created a MySpace page for The Online Book Club. I invited a handful of authors to join my friend list. Since then, more and more authors have submitted in request to be added onto the friend list.  Currently, there are 108 on the friends list and most of that is authors.   108 might not seem like a lot. However, I don't go aggressively seeking people out of the blue to add.  As for me, 108 IS a lot because the more authors, the more books to read!!!   I do have to pay a huge compliment to the authors on my friends list. They have been some of the most enthusiastic and generous people I have ever met.  I'm always seeing many types of invites to online parties that give out prizes, invites to in person book signings, excerpts of their works and even free give-a-ways of their books.    One thing for sure I have learned from the experience of  creating a MySpace page for The Online Book Club is that there is so much hidden creative talent out there compared to what you see by the authors that have the backing of a big publisher.  I started out listing books to read for the book club by looking at the best selling lists of bookstores. I was often times disappointed with a few of the books that had so much hype and advertising behind them.   So, if you are tired of reading the same authors over and over again and want to try out some new highly creative talent, please add the authors on my friends list to YOUR fiends list.  I promise you, you won't be disappointed by the warm and generous reception you'll get from these people. You will also notice that they are great listeners as well when it comes to critiquing their works.  They want to please the reader and the only way they can is if you give them feedback both positive and negative. News/Announcements from Authors Rose Marie Wolf is launching her e-book Sweet Moon Dreams by throwing an online party. There will be posting excerpts and chatting about Sweet Moon Dreams and the Moon Series. Other authors will be there as well, posting their excerpts and promos for their releases. It's going to be fun, so stop by anytime before midnight on the 27th to join in at Rose Marie Wolf's Yahoo group here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rosemariewolf   Rose Marie Wolf also adds that there will be free stuff! One lucky person will win an e-book copy of Sweet Moon Dreams and another will win a beautiful wolf dreamcatcher. To enter the contest, send an email to rosemariewolf@ mail.com, with "Contest" in the subject line. Include your name, email, and the answer to this question: "In what year did I begin writing Sweet Moon Dreams?" The answer can be found on www.rosemariewolf.com, but I'm not telling you where. ;)   Larry Ketchersid proudly announces that his first novel, Dusk Before the Dawn, was recently selected as a Finalist for the 2006 Book of the Year Awards from ForeWord Magazine, to be given at the BEA in NYC June 1.   Steven Oliverez's next book will be the result of a "Best of MysSpace" collaboration of short stories submitted in by anyone that happens to read these announcements and is selected by Steven Oliverez to be included in this book.  For rules and prize clarification, check out the Short Story Contest page of StevenOliverez.com   Chris M. Kinney (horror author and wicked poet) invites you to his blog, http://www.myspace.com/darkside1972, to check out The Lunacy Machine Presents: Twisted Tales of Unfortunate Times (written in rhyme). Chris promises you his writing is unlike anything you've ever seen before.   Heath McNutt is looking for reader reviews for his new book out called Sight. It's a dark comedy and slightly perverse. I like it already!   M.A. Street is also looking for reader reviews for his new book out called Hands. It's about a healing touch. Look to the club's reading list for more info.   Doris Anne Beaulieu has a screen play in development. She proudly showcases her books out: The Torment's of the Modest,Secluded Farm Life,  Easy & Inexpensive Holiday Classroom Crafts For Teachers, Life of an old Woodsman, The Adventurous Travels of a Young  Best of luck with the screenplay, Doris.   Attica Lundy, author of A Quiet Time,  is doing a book tour this June. Check out her blog: http://www.myspace.com/aquiettime   John Everson, The Dark Artist has a birthday this March 14.  Check out his blog and wish him a Happy Birthday: http://www.myspace.com/johneverson   Gregg Olsen is already a best selling author.  He is a suspense novelist that writes of actual crime that took place.  His books feature such high profile crimes such as Mary Kay Latourneau, Seattle cyanide murders and The black widow to name a few. I just thought his work was fascinating and mention it here.     New Books on the Reading List Check the official website for complete current reading list    Pretty Little Mistakes by Heather Mcelhatton (I hope I did not slaughter her last name): This book has a twist to it. It's a "choose-your-own-adventure" book for adults.  You read this book over and over and end up in a different place each time. For example the story could take you to being married, or a millionaire, or homeless by the river. This is a perfect book for book clubs because of all the discussion it brings about. Watch for this book to appear in bookstores on May Day!!!   Sight by Heath McNutt: Heath says "It is a dark comedy about a psychic assassin going through a mid life crisis. The story deals with the issues of prostitution, getting rid of bodies and American history. It was written for everyone but seems to find the best recepton in the alternative crowd from sixteen to thirty. A lot of the subject matter in this story is dark and slightly perverse" Read a sample chapter on his blog here: http://www.myspace.com/sightthebook    Hands by M.A. Street: It's about a man born with the ability to heal by touch. You can go to http://www.Iuniverse.com/bookstore and search author M A Street, title HANDS to preview it.  If you 'browse before you buy' you can read the 1st chapter free.  Check out Streets blog here: http://www.myspace.com/mastreet   Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald: Laura says "It's a feel-good novel about a Persian girl who leaves Iran to come to America in search of the happiness she was unable to find in her homeland. I think you'll love it -- people tell me it's a make-you-laugh, make-you-cry story with a character (Tamila Soroush) that they can really root for." Learn more about this author at www.laurafitzgerald.com A Quiet Time by Attica Lundy: Attica says: "When lesbian Jayla Armstrong falls in love with Tanji Jacobs, she feels like everything in her life is finally complete. Business at her law firm is great, her family and friends are supportive, and she's on top of the world! She enjoys the beauty of a newfound love and goes all out to make Tanji feel like a princess. But, all is not as it seems to be, and Jayla's world is suddenly turned upside down when Tanji's past comes back to haunt her. Jayla is left in the dark until the truth comes out; and it's not a pretty sight. Through trials, tribulations and the help of her best friend Jennifer, Jayla embarks on a journey back into Tanji's heart. Along the way she learns a few of life's greatest lessons-the good and the bad-, and realizes that the love of a true friend is sometimes the greatest love of all. This is an enduring love story involving the awakening of one's soul and spirit once the quiet calm of peace has allowed vision."   Links Official Website * MySpace Page * Frazy Visit The Online Book Club's official website here:  http://online-book-club.tripod.com Visit the Online Book Club's MySpace page here: http://www.myspace.com/theonlinebookclub Check me out on http://www.frazy.com  Look for the ID name, nurseclaudia Forum Book Review/Discussion * Fun Activities See it for yourself! Click on the following link! http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3593030216   WRITE ME! Be in the news postings, ask questions, comments, Suggestions. Or if you happen to find something amusing to pass along to me.  theonlinebookclub@gmail.com   If you have managed to make it down to the bottom of this newsletter, I thank you for making the time to read this.   Sincerely,   Claudia Online Book Club PS: mytuskaloosa, please drop a line. You are greatly missed. Subject: News from Online Book Club You are receiving this email from Online Book Club because you purchased a product/service or subscribed on our website. To ensure that you continue to receive emails from us, add nurseclaudia@gmail.com to your address book today. If you haven't done so already, click to confirm your interest in receiving email campaigns from us. To no longer receive our emails, click to unsubscribe. Online Book Club Newsletter Newsletter Subtitle November 2006 in this issue The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green Small Town Odds Sony now Owns Grouper.com Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale Official Book Club Website for Complete Reading List Are You Reading a Good Book? Guestbook, Newsletter, Forum Thank You For Reading This Newsletter Dear Claudia, I’ve been a student off and on for a total of 9 years my adult life (I’m now 42). So, a good part of that was spent reading textbooks. Yes, dry facts and data from a textbook that I was forced to read. I have been so jealous of those that read novels for pleasure. People whom read for pleasure just seem so content. I want to be one of them! I also like meeting people from all over the world online. In the past, I have enjoyed making online friends from chatrooms and instant messaging. I have met some real gems of people online. However, I grew very impatient of all the mean and harassing people that constantly take over chatrooms. So, needless to say, I no longer venture there. I miss some of the aspects of the little online community I once enjoyed at the same time wanted to take up reading for pleasure. This is how I came up with the idea of forming my own book club and conducting it online. Slowly but surely, this club has grown over the past year. I’ve picked up members from existing friends, some family, through Grouper.com, people surfing and stumbling upon my website and lastly, through the myspace page I have recently created. When I started this club, I had no idea who was what author, etc. I got ideas for books to be put on the book lists from friend’s suggestions as well as checking out the best selling book lists on overstock, amazon, and barnes and noble websites. In the past couple of weeks, I created a new myspace page for The Online Book Club. I invited friends to join it. Then I surfed for authors on myspace and found out there are HUNDREDS of authors with myspace pages. I invited a handful of them to be on my friend’s list. I plan on inviting another handful, and another handful and another handful as time goes on. But, let me tell you, these authors on my myspace friends list are so kind, so generous and so approachable. They are always posting if there is a discount on any of their books, posting a chapter or two to read for free on their myspace pages, posting invitations to book signings, etc. It’s so wonderful to see all of this. I strongly encourage club members to check out the authors on The Online Book Club myspace page. http://www.myspace.com/theonlinebookclub Please to click on the authors on my friends list and see their pages and check out the works of these wonderful people that so enjoy writing and so appreciative of having their work read. If you do read any of their work, please do give them feed back. You can do this by writing a review on my forum http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3593030216 Just start a new post and write your review. Club members can make a discussion with subsequent replies. The book club website is going to be going through some changes over the next month or so. I’d like some feedback on steering this club and website in the right direction. So look for a survey in the near future. Now for some book talk. Claudia The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green Those that know me know I’m a HUGE Scrubs fan and just love Zach Braff. I did a little research on Zach Braff and found out he comes from a highly creative family. I also found out he’s got a brother that’s an author and has a book out. His name is Joshua Braff and the title of his book is The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green. It’s a comical tale about a young Jewish Othrodox male coming of age that takes place in the 1970s. From the reviews I have read, it seems that Jacob’s father is a very controlling and hot tempered father. The story depicts the quirky ways Jacob copes with all of this. The book has a 4 star rating on www.amazon.com I’m really curious to read this myself. Click here to go to Braff's MySpace Page Small Town Odds Small Town Odds is Jason Headley’s first novel. It’s another humorous book full of quirky characters that takes place in a way too small of a town in West Virginia. The main character is a male in his early 20s that was once a high school football star that was on his way to bigger things including college. But, he has made some mistakes along the way so, he remained living in the same town he grew up in working 2 jobs and helping raise his daughter he has out of wedlock. This book is highly rated as well on amazon. Click here to go to Headly's MySpace Page Sony now Owns Grouper.com No more promoting Grouper.com on the website. I still like grouper’s private files exchange program. I have made a few wonderful friends on there. However, it’s been bought out by Sony and I think it’s getting too commercial and losing it’s direction of what it’s originally meant for. I really have not made the time to be connected to grouper. So, all of my friends that I made that are receiving this newsletter, I do miss you. Sorry, I wont’ be back on a regular basis. If you'd like to check out Grouper.com yourself, click here Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale is still going on. Check it out on my forum. It’s pretty self-explainable. It’s a collective writing activity in which everyone takes turns adding approximately 10 minutes or so to the story. Like I predicted, the story had taken some wild twists and turns. I have made a rule that 2 people have to write in after you do before you can have another turn. So, will some brave soul please step up to the plate and write their 10 minutes worth? Find Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale here: Click here to check out Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale Official Book Club Website for Complete Reading List For the rest of the current book list, please go to the official The Online Book Club website at: Click here for the official site and reading list Are You Reading a Good Book? If you are reading a good book and it’s not listed on my website. Please submit this book information to me at: nurseclaudia@gmail.com Guestbook, Newsletter, Forum Please to visit The Online Book Club website and sign the guestbook, sign up for the newsletter, and visit the forum. In the forum, you can read book reviews, write your own book review, join in on Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale, or any of the other fun activites and discussion on there. click here to sign Guestbook, go to forum, sign up for newsletter Thank You For Reading This Newsletter If you've made it to the bottom of this newsletter, I thank you for taking the time to read it. You don't have to be an active member to be in this club. There are no requirements. Just some enthusiasm is all you need. Remember, any suggestions for ideas, please contact me. Websites you may want to visit www.overstock.com book section Last Month's Newsletter The Online Book Club's MySpace Page Claudia's MySpace Page Find Claudia's Reviews on Frazy.com email: nurseclaudia@gmail.com web: http://online-book-club.tripod.com/   Haunted Hospital Short Story My Halloween Gift to You. You always read and see movies on haunted houses and haunted graveyards. But, how many stories have you read or seen about haunted hospitals? As you all know, I am a registered nurse and it takes a LOT to scare ME. Everyday in the hospital I see how we got all the blood, the gore, the guts, the needls and other sharp objects that will even make a big tough inmate prisoner cringe. This is why I decided to create this nice Halloween gift from me to you. A short story about a Haunted Hospital. YOu can catch it on my forum and even make comments on the story. Click on this link: http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3593030216/show/ 748648 Do be careful out there. I'd hate to have you end up in the hospital on Halloween Night. *wink* NurseClaudia Online Book Club email: nurseclaudia@gmail.com web: http://online-book-club.tripod.com

		September 2006 Online Book Club Newsletter How Was Your Summer? Dear Claudia, Yes, it’s been awhile since you have heard from me. I figured we were all busy doing fun outdoor summer things. I hope all had a great summer and what’s left of it. I did manage to read Da Vinci Code. This is one book in particular that I’d like to have a forum discussion on. I will write a review of this book in the forum in the near future. I also saw the movie, The Devil Wears Prada. I have some comments on this story for the forum as well. To get in on the discussion, please go to this link: http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3593030216
New Author Featured Here Makes Amazon's Top List.
Claudia		Hurry, this book is hard to keep in stock. What makes picking out a book even easier is when you come in contact with an author. As you know, I already befriended Timothy Furnish online and have featured his book, The Holiest Wars. This time I met online another wonderful new author that has already made his way to Amazon.com’s best selling list for fantasy authors. Remember his name, it’s Steven Oliverez. His book is The Elder Staves. The Elder Staves is now featured on The Online Book Club current books to be read list. I have this book on order and have yet to read it. What I know so far about Steven is how he likes to relate to his readers and be in contact with them through his blogs. I have Steven on my myspace list and it’s a joy to read his bulletin board comments and how he likes to involve his readers. Check out Steven’s myspace page. You won't be sorry Steven's Myspace Page
Current Reads
Claudia		Send in your wonderful suggestions The last book I was reading was The Camel Club by Dave Baldacci. It’s been such a whirlwind of a summer, I have not had a chance to finish it. So far, the story is still building up and getting staged before diving into the big plot. There are a lot of interesting personalities and characters in the story so far. . Oh and I'd still like to read Kite Runner. So many other books I'd like to add to the list. Keep the suggestions going by e-mailing me at nurseclaudia@gmail.com I will make a whole new list of books to be read on the book club website.
Grouper Is Where It's At
Claudia		File share your ebooks and audiobooks with only people you know. A good deal of The Online Book Club members I have picked up from a wonderful service called Grouper. I have been MIA from Grouper due to my old computer crashing and me losing everything I had in my file sharing file. I have since got that old computer working and now am using a brand new computer and having to start from scratch with my sharing library all over again. So, slowly but surely, I am building back up my library of audio books as well as ebooks. Grouper is a private file sharing community that allows you to share only with people you know. You can also post “glogs” in which is a bulletin board for all in the group to see your message or you can chat with whom ever in the group. I have had nothing but a positive experience from grouper and have made a few new chat/reading friends along the way. If you have not experienced grouper yet, please go to www.grouper.com and download the service. Once you are there, search for Online Book Club or contact me for an invite. See you there!!! Once you are there, you can search for Online Book Club and request to join there. or just email me for an invite. Click here to download Grouper
Visit The Online Book Club Website
Claudia		find past newsletters, current lists, link to forum, make suggestions Don't forget to check out the website on occasion. I"m always up for suggestions. Click here to go to The Online Book Club website
The Online Book Club Forum
Claudia		Fun stuff, Air your opinion, participate in some creative writing. All kinds of activites are to be had in the Online Book Club Forum. From book reviews, discussions, silly stuff, as well as a collective creative writing activity that is the craziest thing ever. It's called Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale. If you would like to start your own creative writing on here for all to critique and see and have fun with, please feel free to do so. Click here to go to The Online Book Club Forum
		Contact Information email: nurseclaudia@gmail.com web: http://online-book-club.tripod.com Join our mailing list!

Subject: News from Online Book Club June 2006 Oh Geez! Why is Dad so hard to buy for... and...what do you get a grad nowadays? Suggestions suggestions suggestions for Dads and Grads Dear Claudia, The current books being read by the club are still the same as the last books mentioned in last newsletter. One book I forgot to mention was Da Vinci Code. Has anyone seen the movie yet? I thought I already had a copy of the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown but turns out I don't. So, I had an excuse to go online and do some shopping. One exiting purchase I have aquired recently is a palm pilot. I got the Palm TX. I got it to read ebooks on. This particular model has the biggest screen and I'm so impressed with the clear and crisp display. I havent had a chance to load up any ebooks on it yet, but I will keep you posted on how well it's working out. Speaking of purchases..... I can't believe it's June already. Father's Day is here and the kids are just about out of school and graduation ceremonies are going on. Do you have gifts to buy? Read on... Nice Ideas for Dad   or maybe you'll just keep them for yourself "Coffee table books" always go over well and here are 2 that Dad will be sure to display and show off. The first on here is The Complete Calvin and Hobbes a lavishly produced three-volume boxed collection of all the strips that detail the friendship between Calvin—the egotistical, feverishly imaginative, wised-up young tyke with the vocabulary of a Yale lit major—and his animal familiar, Hobbes. Hobbes is seen by Calvin's parents as a nondescript plush toy and by Calvin and the reader as a pouncing and amiable "real" tiger—Calvin's slightly-more-sensible better half. I'm sure these books need no introduction. They are indeed a fave in my own household. Ultimate Garages is a great book, of classic cars and garages. While the cars and garages may be unrealistic for most, it gives us ALL something to dream about. Great photo's and great descriptions about 13 grown boys addictions; their cars and their respective garages. Forget the Dictionaries and the SAT books   Give the gift that enhances the college experience Whether your new grad is entering the workforce, going off to college, or wants to travel he/she will be in new environments meeting new people. What better way to break the ice and warm up to new people than with a few jokes to make them laugh. If this grad is going off to a University, pair this joke book with a Twister game and the DVD Animal House and you have the ultimate college party makings. Your gifts of these will definitely rise above the boring old dictionaries, pen and pencil sets. ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING A BOOK THAT'S NOT MENTIONED ON THE WEBSITE?   By all means, please suggest it and we'll have a discussion on it. So many books out there and so many of you are good at spotting an interesting read. One book someone mentioned to me in the past is called Wicked. I'd like to make that a book on the list to read in the near future. I am always open for suggestions and you do have some really good ones. Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale   Its' still going on and will start a new one The original story line is still going but needs a brave soul to make an entry so that I can jump back in and have another turn. Don't be shy. Click on this link and take a stab at it http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3593030216/show/ 673924 Some really like the idea of this type of story writing so much, I've been asked to start up a new ongoing story. Keep a look out for it Thank You for Reading this Newsletter   Check out the website, suggest a book, talk about books in the forum. This Book Club does indeed offer a lot. Book suggestions, sharing books, file sharing great titles on e books and audio books on Grouper, a forum for discussions on books, and some creative writing fun with the Ten Minutes to a Tall Tale. Feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone that loves to read and discuss books. Lastly, thank you for reading this newsletter. Happy Reading!!!   Contact Information email: nurseclaudia@gmail.com web: http://online-book-club.tripod.com/ Join our mailing list!

Subject: News from Online Book Club

		March 2006 Online Book Club Newsletter The snow is starting to melt and what are you reading????!!! Happy Reading! Claudia, OK, it doesn't snow in my town here on the coast of California but, would you believe it snowed in all the neighboring mountains just a short 20 minute drive from my house??????? It was so unbelievably cold for us Californians, but it sure made up for good weather to snuggle down with a good book. I'm just about done reading My Sister's Keeper. This is the book about a family that has one daughter with leukemia, thier son is not a donor match, so they give birth to a designer baby to save daughter #1. When this designer baby turns 14, shes' about had enough of undergoing painful tissue harvesting to keep her sister alive longer. It has come to the point where it's expected of her to give up a kidney. She gets herself a lawyer in order to be emancipated from being a donor. I have to say, the author has done her homework well at making this story medically accurate and also depicting a family's response to grieving over an illness. Good things are happening to this book club. Not only is the membership growing at a nice steady pace each month, but something wonderful happened!!! I had the honor of meeting (online through my yahoo 360 blog) the author Timothy R. Furnish. Some of you may already have heard this name as he had been interviewed on FOX News channel as well as several articles out there written by Tim. I will get to Tims new book later on in this newsletter.
Did anyone see the movie Memoirs of a Geisha?
Me		....and did you read the book first? I read the book first, then saw the movie. I watched the movie with my husband that did not read the book. Well, I had to do some filling in and explaining. No, hubby isnt' slow :P There is just so much detail to the story that the movie couldn't possibly fit all the explanations in. The movie is long enough as it is. Lok for the new forum discussion on this story here: http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3593030216 For those of you that are curious about the movie, here is a short version of it curtesy of Mad TV :P Click here for short version of Memoirs of a Geisha
Remember when the Soviets were the enemy?
yes, me again		Timothy R. Furnish has a new book out shedding light on Islamic Mahdis, Jihads, & Osama bin Laden. Since 911 our lives have changed as well as a growing interest in learning about culture in the Middle East. For many years while nobody was giving any thought about the Jihad or even heard of Osama bin Laden. Timothy R. Furnish has spent his career studying this culture (as well as others being a world historian). Timothy holds a doctorate in Islamic History and Teaches World History at a university here in the states. In this book you will learn more about the origins of Mahdism, mahdist movements throughout history, counter-mahdist rationales and policies, and mahdism and anti-mahdism today. This book is under 200 pages and is written for those who want to learn more. So, please don't be intimidated by this book. I just received my copy of this book today in the mail. Of course, I ordered it from www.overstock.com Read the reviews on this book on amazon.com. click here
Are you still chatting in chatooms? Stop it!
who else???		Join my gouper group and chat with new people there. I can't tell you enough about how impressed I am with this wonderful cutting edge service called Grouper. I not only get to swap files with new friends, but also chat in there as well. Folks you are missing out by not joining me in Grouper. Grouper is free, it's by invitation only so you only swap files with friends either myself or you invite. Many other features are available. Becuase this Grouper technology is so new, it's still considered to be beta testing, so there are few and I mean few glitches to be worked out. They are minor compared to what is all offered and the fun to have. Click here to go to download.com to get your grouper, then let me know you got it so I can send you an invite to the Online Book Club File sharing and chat group
Thank you for being a member
by who else?		Look glamorous, read a book! Thank you for reading the Online Book Club newsletter. I know all of you are busy people. Your contributions to the club and file sharing are that much more appreciated. Stop by the website once in awhile to see what's new. Pass it on to a friend even. Remember, I'm always open to suggestions. Happy reading!! Click here to go to the Online Book Club webs