Why Every Die-Hard Reader Should Have an Online Community

You see all those smiling faces?  Those are my girls.  Let me introduce you.  (From left to right) That's Stacy Grice, Shelly Collins, Murphy Rae, Kristin Delcambre, Kaci Buckley and me. 

This past weekend, we drove in from Texas, Alabama, Florida and met in Georgia to attend a Phillip Phillips concert together.  Just for the fun of it.  Because that's what college friends do, right?

But wait.  These aren't my college friends.  

Nope. 

This are my book friends.  People I have met online through a particular book club and have gotten close to.

I know, I know.  You can't always trust people on the internet and you need to make sure you aren't substituting a local community of friends by being online all day every day.  I'm not arguing with any of that.  But Stacy said something this weekend that I have said a thousand times before.  She said, "I just like being with you guys because I feel like I'm with my people!"

Amen.

It's the same reason I like to going to author events.  I'm surrounded by people who get me. People who can talk plot lines and character development for hours without being bored out of their minds.  People who get how crazy it feels to be head over heels in love with sixteen different men....none of whom are real.  People who understand the love of drama. (not creating it.  Just the stories behind it)

Check out the example in this picture:

Do you see the wires coming out of our shirts?  That would be evidence of the fact that both Murphy and I finished our current audio books during the 30 hours of driving we did.  Were our feelings hurt that we spent a few hours not talking, but immersed in a fictional story even though we were side by side?  Nope.  Because we both get it.  I guarantee that wouldn't have happened if I was road tripping with someone who wasn't one my "people".

When I first started meeting up with this group of ladies, my husband didn't quite understand my excitement.  He couldn't figure out why I was more excited to see people I had met over the internet versus some of my own family members!  

But a funny thing happens when you allow yourself to spend some times with other people who share the same passion as you...I became a better mom.  And a better wife.  I smiled more.  A part of me that wasn't getting fulfilled in  my "real" world was started to be fulfilled by my online world.  

You see, while my husband was able to sign up for a local soccer league and spend eight to twelve weeks getting to know people, there was no long term, organized group in my area for book junkies.  Sure, I looked for a book club in my area.  But the ones I have found don't exactly enjoy the same books I do.  Or are full of 70 year old women.  Not that I don't have 70 year old friends.  But even my 70 year old friends can only take so much.

Finding my online community not only gave me some more fulfilling friendships, it gave me people to hang out with at places like Book Bash.  Because author events are SO much more fun when you have dinner plans afterwards to discuss all the authors you met.  It gave me people to talk to when a book really moved me and made me emotional.  It gave me my "go-to" people when it was time to book a hotel room for NOLA.  It gave me people to visit when I have a layover in many unfamiliar cities around the country and world.

So if you are a die-hard reader, find an online community you connect with.  It's as simple as "liking" a favorite author's page on Facebook and interacting with people.  Find the people you enjoy talking to and connect with them.  You will be surprised how something as simple as a fun comment on Facebook can lead to something even more fun like this: