Building Friendships Book By Book

Our last essay for National Reading Group Month is by the author of our October "Recommended Reading" selection, The Weight of Silence. Heather Gudenkauf is busy working on revisions to her second novel, which she says is about "the story of three women's undeniable love for one little boy who was abandoned as an infant." She was kind enough to set aside some time to share her book club experiences with us. Enjoy!

I’ve had the opportunity to meet with some wonderful Iowa book clubs since the publication of my novel The Weight of Silence including The Olives and Twists and Ladies of the Third Tuesday. Being a new author, I was very nervous about the discussions. Did the participants truly enjoy my book? Would I meet their expectations as to what they hoped an author should be like? I needn’t have worried. Friendship is an integral theme throughout The Weight of Silence and the alliance between silent Calli Clark and Petra Gregory is at its center. Similarly, there is something almost magical about the gathering of a group of people talking about something they love and feel passionate about…reading. During our discussions of my novel not everyone always agreed on certain interpretations of the story or the actions of the characters, but there was always a sense of respect and camaraderie among the group. Participants listened carefully to one another, laughed together, railed against the villain in the story and cheered for good guys together. Upon leaving each discussion, I’ve come away with all that I could have hoped for – a great conversation, new friends, and inevitably, the title of a great book to add to my must read list. I look forward to many more wonderful discussions with book clubs.
--Heather Gudenkauf

For more information about Heather and her books, please visit her website.