Road trip from hell brings women together.
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Rejected Writers' Book Club
Fiction
Lake Union Publishing
March 29, 2016
Librarian Janet Johnson is puzzled when she is invited--and practically dragged--to her first meeting of the Rejected Writers' Book Club. This quirky group of women would much rather celebrate one another's rejected manuscripts over cups of tea and slices of lemon cake than actually publish a book. But good friends are exactly what Janet needs after moving to the small town of Southlea Bay, Washington. Just as the ladies are about to raise a teacup to their five hundredth rejection letter, they receive bad news that could destroy one member's reputation--and disband the group forever. To save the club, Janet joins her fellow writers on a wild road trip to San Francisco in search of the local publisher who holds the key to a long-buried secret. As they race to the finish line, they'll face their fears--landslides, haunted houses, handsome strangers, ungrateful children--and have the time of their lives.
Moving to a quaint small town in Washington has been relaxing, but a bit lonely for Janet. As librarian, she has found work she enjoys, and her marriage is loving and companionable. What is missing is her tribe. She hasn’t found herself a group of friends to fulfill the companionship gap that only gal-pals can.
When she receives an invitation to attend a secretive ladies’ “Book Club” with a cornucopia of personalities, she feels like she has been dropped into the nut-house. On some level, she has. The “Book Club” is filled with aspiring, but unsuccessful, authors; one might even go so far to say they are un-talented. Instead of celebrating successes, they celebrate every rejection letter. Any successful author is automatically booted from the club. Reluctantly, she is pulled into the drama of a possible “acceptance” letter that threatens to pull the group apart.
When she is called to help her daughter in San Francisco, the ladies invite themselves along, 
so they can demand a rejection letter from the publishing company. The craziness that ensues is beyond what any of them could imagine, but oh, what a story!
The over-the-top characters of each lady make for a fun story, and it challenges the idea that finding friends that are “alike” is the only way to create a tribe.
Having recently moved to a new state (coincidentally – Washington), I can relate to Janet’s plight. This book is a reminder that sometimes all it takes is stepping out of your comfort zone and participating in something new.
You can get The Rejected Writers’ Book Club HERE and find out more about Suzanne Kelman HERE.
What’s your next adventure going to be?
