jo_graham ([info]jo_graham) wrote,
@ 2009-04-24 08:39:00
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Book Group Discussions?
I have a question for you guys -- in both Black Ships and Hand of Isis we've had book group questions. I've never been in a book group myself, so I kind of flailed writing the questions.

Has anybody here read Black Ships or Hand of Isis in a book group? Were the questions helpful? What did you actually talk about? What was interesting to discuss?

I ask because it's time for me to write the questions for Stealing Fire, the next book, and it would be helpful to know what was useful. Thanks!

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[info]ambyr
2009-04-24 01:00 pm UTC (link)
I've been meaning to propose one of your books for the LambdaSF book group (a DC group that discusses LGBT themes in science fiction and fantasy). Since I have yet to actually do so (in part because I haven't made a book club meeting since, umm, June), I can't tell you what we'd talk about, but I can point you towards the archive of past questions we've used for other books. Maybe it'll spur something? If we actually do read one of yours, I'll be sure to report back!

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[info]jo_graham
2009-04-28 03:01 pm UTC (link)
Cool! Thank you so much! And if you do read one of mine, I'd love to hear what people said!

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[info]elfinecstasy
2009-04-24 04:41 pm UTC (link)
I just wanted to let you know, that I have sent a copy of Black Ships for you to sign, with return postage - and a copy of my novel as a gift :-) Look for a bright multicolored package in a few days :-)

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[info]jo_graham
2009-04-28 03:01 pm UTC (link)
Thank you! I'll be looking!

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Book group question
(Anonymous)
2009-06-26 09:31 pm UTC (link)
hmmmm....

one of the questions I asked myself was how I would feel sharing my partner with his male lover, and, how would I feel about sharing my partner with someone I felt I was intimate and close with as a family member-type. Eventually, I realized the questions were two:

1 - how would I feel about sharing my partner with his lover?
2 - how would I feel about sharing my brother with his lover?

So, I suppose the issues, for me, are possessiveness around my relationships (all of them, not just sexual ones) and, well, trust issues. Isn´t it wonderful how we can find mirrors for ourselves in fiction??? heh.

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Re: Book group question
[info]jo_graham
2009-06-29 01:36 pm UTC (link)
I'm glad Hand of Isis raised some interesting questions for you! That's one thing I'd hoped it would do. Those are two separate questions, aren't they? I don't think Charmian's relationship would work for a lot of people, but it does for her. One reason for this is that she's not going into it with the cultural ideal that the be-all and end-all of a relationship is sexual fidelity. That's not what her society assumes is the deal breaker. So she's coming from a very different place.

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Book Club Questions
(Anonymous)
2009-08-08 09:16 pm UTC (link)
I know you asked about the book club questions a while ago, but my club just finished reading Hand of Isis, which was wonderful by the way, but just thought you would like to know your questions helped tremendously to carry the discussion along.

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Re: Book Club Questions
[info]jo_graham
2009-08-12 01:00 pm UTC (link)
Thank you so much! I'm glad they were helpful! I'm very curious -- what did you guys talk about?

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Re: Book Club Questions
(Anonymous)
2009-09-10 01:22 am UTC (link)
Question 1 about the sisters relationship and the rolls available to women was probably the main topic for us. My group is all women and we spent quite a bit of time comparing todays roles with the roles the women played in the book and were surprised how similar we found them. Also question 10 about Marcus being a hero or a villain was tossed around. In the end just speaking for myself I felt very intrigued to learn more about Cleopatra and that time frame. I also appreciated the history you provided at the end and in your intervieew, it made your story feel even more real.

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Re: Book Club Questions
[info]jo_graham
2009-09-10 02:20 pm UTC (link)
Thank you! That's very helpful!

I think the question of the roles of women was one of the most interesting ones, and certainly one of the central ones of the book. As to Marcus being a hero or a villain, he's difficult. He's doing what he thinks is right, but it's totally the wrong thing to do. He has a long way to go, a great deal to learn.

I hope you enjoy the next one, Stealing Fire!

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