Book Club: Sonoma County authors to read in 2016

A few years ago, the Redwood Writers, a local branch of the California Writers Club, decided to launch a loosely defined “book club” that would be open to all, not just to certain members.

The local club teamed up with Copperfield’s Books, which agreed to host the monthly meetings at its Montgomery Village store beginning in January 2015.

The fun part of this book club is that all the authors attend the meetings to discuss their books, so you can ask about their surprising plot twists and quirky characters.

The second annual series, now titled the Redwood Author Spotlight and open to the public, is scheduled to run January to June this year, with meetings from 6 to 8 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month. The first meeting will be Jan. 26.

Thoni Hevron, chair of this year’s club, submitted the reading list for 2016. The books were chosen for their readability and overall appeal.

“Something in Stone” by Linda Loveland Reid: In Dillon Beach, five dynamic, funny women spend a weekend wrangling over their foibles while being confronted with death and the overriding mystery of a death 35 years earlier.

“The Marvelous Journals of Miss Virginia Pettingill” by Gil Mansergh: Set in the fishing town of Gloucester, Mass., during the 1921-22 school year, this book features the private writings of a precocious seventh-grader who has the ability of “Sight,” which she must keep secret from almost everyone. Encouraged by her parents, she writes about her life, her town, her times and the things she “sees.”

“Just a Kiss” by Kate Kisset: This contemporary romance set in Sonoma County tells the story of lovely young Sarah as she balances relationships with her girlfriends, as she runs the Vine Cafe in the Sonoma Plaza and as she treats a broken heart by trying not to repeat her mistakes.

“Hardpan” by Marilyn Lanier: Set in Clark, Wyo., “Hardpan” tells the story of a young ranch family caught in the changing American West after World War II. After returning from the war to manage the family ranch in eastern Oregon, Kurt Glover confronts familial challenges to his new role. His decision to relocate his family to a remote cattle ranch in Wyoming introduces risks he never could have imaged.

“The Train to Concordia” by Marilyn Campbell: It is 1891 in Homestead, Penn. A steel strike, an injury and a fatal train accident leave Charley and Jennie O’Brien orphaned and homeless. This is a coming-of-age story about Charley as he and his sister ride the orphan train to a foster home in Kansas.

“Intent to Hold,” by Thonie Hevron: In this contemporary thriller, Sonoma County sheriffs’ detectives Nick Reyes and Meredith Ryan travel to Mexico to rescue Reyes’ kidnapped brother-in-law. Along the way, they battle corrupt cops, natural disasters and even family to save his wife’s brother.

Does your book club have an interesting reading list? Send it to Staff Writer Diane Peterson at diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. Follow her on Twitter @dianepete56.