“Books are something special—writer speaking to a reader—so I think making the reading of a book the center of a social event, the meeting of a book club, is a brilliant idea.”

–Yan Martel, author of The Life of Pi

I love to read.

That probably doesn’t come as a shock to you, seeing as how I’m an author.

As a reader, I have a peculiar taste when it comes to books. They must be fantastic—not only in quality, but in breadth of imagination and depth of theme. They should span lost worlds and reach into unexplored corners of the galaxy.

In short, the stranger, the better.

But there must be more than that. Every story carries a message, either overt or covert. Certain stories resound in my heart and mind. I want to read more of them—the stories concocted by brothers and sisters in Christ, whether those stories cleverly whisper the truth or shout it from page one.

Trouble is, I find few people with whom I can talk about those books.

But what if there were more? What if there were a place where you and I could meet to discuss the very best of Christian fantasy and science fiction, those speculative stories written by our fellow believers?

Guess what?

There is.

Lorehaven magazine is starting a network of book clubs, where fans of Christian-made fantastical novels—fantasy, science fiction, paranormal/horror, and beyond—can meet to share these stories, explore them, and delve into their truths and beauties.

And we want you, gentle reader, to join us.

“Wait a second,” you’re saying. “I don’t know anything about book clubs. I’ve never even been in one. How do I know where to join, what we’re reading, or even what to do?”

That’s where I come in.

I’m the coordinator for Lorehaven Book Clubs. That means I’m in charge of providing your leaders with all the tools necessary for organizing a book club in your area.

In fact, our first book club has already begun, thanks to the blessing of social media.

We’ll have resources aplenty, not only to show leaders how to make their book club experiences the best ever, but also to put you in touch with the nearest real live club in your region.

And that’s the crux: “real live.” After all, we spend hours communicating across the electronic ether about our likes and dislikes, our popular culture critiques, and discussions about faith. Yet we don’t often speak our minds to flesh-and-blood people.

With Lorehaven Book Clubs, we want to help you experience the joys of personal fellowship. My day job as a librarian will help in that respect. One of my tasks is to coordinate the ordering of books for seven private book clubs in our county. I’m bringing my experience managing different personalities and a variety of reading choices to the table, with the goal of making your entry into a book club as smooth as possible.

Want to join a club? Start with the Lorehaven Book Clubs group on Facebook—at least, until some courageous adventurer starts a real-world club near you. (Of course, this adventurer could be you.) Check Lorehaven.com for a complete list. You can also subscribe to email updates about book clubs.

I look forward to welcoming you into the Lorehaven Book Club network. Join us as we embark on a fantastic journey into the heart and spirit of Christian-made speculative stories!