I opened my Email and there it was, the love letter every author hopes for in the form of a thoughtful review. Thank you Go On Girl Book Club for sharing the club’s thoughts about, Provenance.
And, to answer the question you asked—the sequel is just a few months away.
I am still savoring the spectacular Saturday afternoon I spent with Baltimore’s Sistas Thrilled About Reading Book Club. Member, Jean Moore, whom I met at the 2017 Baltimore Book Festival, extended the invitation to surprise the members of the club when they discussed my novel, Provenance.
Jean told them I was a friend of hers just sitting in on the club because I was considering becoming a member. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear the remarkable group of ladies discuss their honest impressions of the book, raise questions about the characters and speculate just what the author was thinking. It was as much fun, after Jean revealed that I was the author, to have the opportunity to answer their questions, explore the character’s motivations and actions and, gain insight into readers’ perceptions.
Thank you, Jean, and the entire book club for a great afternoon of conversation and commandery. I will definitely take you up on your offer to come back when Promise, the sequel to Provenance, is published in the fall of 2018.
To: Donna Drew Sawyer, Author of Provenance: A Novel Subject: “Provenance” has been selected for the Go On Girl Book Club reading list It is our pleasure to inform you that your book, “Provenance” has been chosen as our May 2017 reading selection in our Novel category.
That email arrived last November, from the Reading List Chair and the Author Correspondent for the Go On Girl! Book Club. With over 30 chapters in 16 states from California to the Nation’s Capital, Go On Girl (GOG), is one of the largest national organizations dedicated to supporting African-American authors. Every year they choose just 12 authors to read, discuss, review and champion. This year I was honored to be one of them.
Throughout May and into June, I was lucky enough to sit in on GOG book club meetings with chapters from across the country, from California to Maryland/DC right in my backyard. College-educated African American women buy and read more books than any other demographic group and the women in GOG epitomize this audience of engaged and impressive women readers. It was such a joy to talk with them—as an author I gained insight into my writing and got to see firsthand how the characters and story I created resonates with readers. They all hated Charlotte, loved Hank and worried about Lance. They embraced the historical figures that I intertwined with my fictional characters and I was thrilled when several GOG readers told me they did additional research on Belle da Costa Greene and Eugene Bullard.
I thank all of the Go On Girl chapters across the country for reading my book and especially the chapters I was fortunate to talk with for sharing their enthusiasm about Provenance. A special thank you to everyone who wrote reviews on Amazon and Goodreads—those reviews are manna for an author.
My time as the Go On Girl Book Club reading selection has been an honor. Thank You!
There is nothing better than spending a rainy Sunday basking in the warmth and company of book lovers. Yesterday I had just that kind of perfect afternoon with the Readings of Diaspora Book Club. The visit was hosted by Tina Boyd whom I met at the 2015 National Book Festival last Fall. She contacted me after the Festival and invited me to join her book club when they discussed my novel, Provenance. There was plenty of spirited talk, laughter, insightful questions and delicious food to fuel the discussion in the comfort of Tina’s beautiful home.
It was truly a wonderful experience for this author to meet such passionate readers; to hear their opinions and impressions and know that they connected with my characters and the story I tried to tell. Thank you Tina and all of the members of Readings of the Diaspora Book Club. It was an honor and a pleasure to be in your company yesterday.
Is your book club planning to read Provenance? I’d be glad to visit or Skype in for your discussion.
Does your book club crave fiction that begs to be talked about? Well, have I got a book for you! My novel, Provenance, is perfect book club fiction—a page-turner that leads to lively discussions about race, family, love, lust, deception, history, heritage and destiny. The novel’s flawed and captivating characters will give you plenty to talk about and stay with you long after the book’s final page. As the author I’m more than a little biased in my opinion of Provenance, so here’s what other readers have said.
I’d love to join your book club, writer’s group, civic or social club, sorority or fraternity (yes – men like the book too!) for a discussion of Provenance. Read a full chapter Excerpt from Provenance then, contact me here and let’s find the best way to get together for some spirited conversation—in person, via Skype or an online chat.