Noted author joins Scariff Library virtual book club session

SCARIFF Library is promising a real treat on December 15, when its virtual book club will be joined by award-winning author Helen Moffett.

Dr Moffett’s novel Charlotte is the book of choice for the event which will be held on Zoom, as part of the regular Morning Zoom Book Club series. The engaging plot follows one of the minor characters of Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte Lucas. While she may have been written off by Jane Austen’s heroine, Elizabeth Bennett, this novel gives the dowdy Charlotte a new lease on life, as a woman determined to make the most of her opportunities and carve out a place in the world.

“There was a lovely happenstance when I was publishing details of the book club meeting on Twitter,” explained Library Assistant, Samantha Morrissey. “I tagged Helen, who is a very accomplished writer, really interesting and very friendly. She tweeted back and asked if she could help us in any way, I was delighted when she agreed to join us live on Zoom.”

Tweeting about her guest appearance, Dr Moffett said that he had had “a few happy weeks” hitch-hiking around Clare and that it was her “favourite part of a favourite country”.

The book club has around ten members, but Samantha is welcoming people from outside the East Clare area who would also like to get involved. “We can open the event up a bit, because it’s virtual,” she explained. “People just need to get in touch with us to find out about joining. The morning book club is something that has been popular, because it’s a good time for people who have just dropped the kids off to school or who are retired. Sometimes, people are just too tired in the evenings for things like this.”

The library remains closed under the current pandemic restrictions, but paper copies of Charlotte are available through a delivery services. They can also be obtained in electronic format, as eBooks and eAudiobooks through the library’s very popular online Borrow Box facility at clarelibrary.ie.

Since March, Clare library services have been doing everything they can to keep in touch with their communities of readers and Samantha said they are delighted to get the support of authors like Dr Moffett. “We’ve gotten use to hosting our events online now, from the book club to childrens’ events, history lectures, story time sessions and even crafts,” she outlined. “I’ll be organising a Facebook Live story-telling session for kids in December. We’ll publicise a range of events and we’ll be working to maintain as much contact as we can.”

The Morning Book Club Zoom session takes place on December 15 at 11am. Details are available by calling 061-922893 or emailing scarriff_library@clarecoco.ie.

ENDS