Road Trippin' with LaShawn - Baltimore

I went to Baltimore, MD this weekend. It was the first stop on my book tour. I met some Ah-MAZING reader friends. First, I’ve never been to Baltimore. Second, it was great! I mean superfreakin’ fantastic! Mary Brooks, Vondetta Carter, Shea Swain, and Regina Stewart-Hunt rolled out the red carpet and made me feel right at home. I even had some of Maryland’s FINEST crab meat and WHOO chile…it was good! For those who wanted to, but couldn’t attend, check out some images and video below! Charleston, SC . . . YOU’VE GOT NEXT!!

Rise and Shine!

Up at 4:30am getting ready for the day!

VIDEO OF ME LEAVING FOR THE AIRPORT

Oh No!

My face when there appeared to be a flight delay. Ended up being all good and on-time!

Flying over the great city of BALTIMORE & about to land!

I MADE IT and had SUCH a great time with some incredible women. We ate. We laughed. We had a few drinks. We talked about books and a few other things we’ll keep just between us! Thanks again for having and hosting me! Next stop....9/7...Charleston ❤️!!!

---

SHEA SWAIN - THANK YOU

Thank you thank you and THANKS again for hosting my Baltimore stop. If you don’t know, she’s the author of Chained to the Devil’s Son & Heaven on Hell Island (one of my favorites)!

AUTHOR SHEA SWAIN (click on the name for more information)

ON-SITE BOOK CLUBS ARE MAKING A COMEBACK!

How many of you are a part of a book club? One where you actually leave the house and interact with other people? Just curious since I'm doing some traveling this summer and it would be nice to visit a couple!

It is so much easier to commune with readers online for so many different reasons, but I’ll tell you, since I’ve been a published author, I haven’t had an opportunity to be a part of many on-site book clubs! The laughter, the discussion, the WINE! Lordt…I miss sharing two of my favorite past-times with my friends - drinking wine and discussing books we enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy)! Apparently, on-site book clubs are making a comeback. I know I for one can’t wait to hit the road this summer to visit a few!!

I saw this list in another blog - Read It Forward and thought I’d share the 13 Reasons Why Book Clubs are Changing the World. Check it out!

1. Book clubs bring people of all backgrounds together to talk about great propellants of change: books.

2. They provide people with a sense of community and remind them that they are not alone.

3. Book clubs champion diverse thought and points of view. From the members in the club to the authors of the books, voices that are not always heard finally have a chance. Empathy is built and strengthened, which is no small feat.

4. Lifelong friendships are formed through bonding over the same book.

5. Wine and cheese platters are everything. Seriously.

6. When everything else seems unstable, you can rely on your regularly scheduled meetings to put your mind at ease.

7. They create a chance for conversation, which seems simple but really helps those who might not have an outlet for such things.

8. Reading and finishing a book that you picked with a special group feels intimate and even more rewarding.

9. You will learn things about each story from your book club that you may have not noticed on your own.

10. They provide an escape from reality.

11. You will read books that you may have not picked for yourself.

12. Regular reading becomes a must because you don’t want to miss a meeting or discussion.

13. Book clubs are uniting and not dividing, which is a huge deal today.

Are you a member of a book club? Let me know and maybe I’ll see YOU this summer!