One of the things we’re hoping to accomplish here in our summer Read With Us LOUNGE . . . is to create a space that fosters a sense of community and connectedness among readers of our blogs and among lovers of reading. It’s a challenge to do this virtually, of course, when we can’t sit around together and chat in real time. But for those of you who regularly take part in our Read With Us quarterly book group, you know that this kind of connection is possible – and that it can work!
When we meet together for our Read With Us book discussions on Zoom, we usually start things rolling with some sort of quick ice breaker question. Nothing fancy or tricky — just a chance for everyone to say hi and connect with the group before we plunge into the “meat” of our book discussion. I thought that icebreaker concept might translate well to our summer group here in the LOUNGE, so today I’m providing an opportunity for us all to get to know each other a little bit . . . with a quick and fun little Lightning Round icebreaker!
How does it work?
Just cut-and-paste the following questions into the comment section . . . and add your answers. Don’t overthink. Just a quick answer will do! Don’t answer any questions you don’t feel like answering (remember the Read With Us LOUNGE motto: No rules. Just fun.)
AND . . . don’t worry about the fact that you will likely not get an immediate confirmation that your comment has posted (thanks, WordPress). I AM getting your comments, though, and they ARE posting. (Just . . . trust it.)
So.
Without further ado . . . join me for the . . .
The Read With Us LOUNGE Lighting Round:
(Just copy these questions, paste them into your comment, and give a quick answer!)
- In what state or country do you currently live?
- Favorite summer beverage?
- In what town did you spend your high school years?
- Middle name?
- Pets? Kids? Grandchildren?
- Zodiac sign?
- Favorite summer treat to eat?
- A book you loved as a child?
- A book you frequently recommend to others?
- What’cha reading right now?
And there you have it . . . the inaugural LOUNGE Lightning Round icebreaker!
Stop back sometime later this week to catch up with what everyone else posted . . . so we can all get to know each other a little better!
==========
The Read With Us LOUNGE is now open for the summer!
Grab a book. Find a comfy spot to read with us for awhile.
No rules!
Just fun!
And . . . psssst! . . .
In the spirit of the Read With Us community, head on over to Bonny’s today . . . and wish her a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
In what state or country do you currently live? Michigan
Favorite summer beverage? A nice, chilled Sauvignon Blanc.
In what town did you spend your high school years? Cheyenne, Wyoming
Middle name? Ann
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? 1 dog (JoJo), 2 kids (grown and married), no grandchildren . . . but 2 grand-cats and 2 grand-dogs
Zodiac sign? Aries (with a Sagitarrius moon and a rising Gemini) (which explains a lot, actually)
Favorite summer treat to eat? I’m a sucker for ice cream.
A book you loved as a child? The Phantom Tollbooth
A book you frequently recommend to others? The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
What’cha reading right now? I’m at the midpoint of Land by Maggie O’Farrell. (And reading slowly because I love it so much.)
In what state or country do you currently live? NJ
Favorite summer beverage? Iced tea
In what town did you spend your high school years? Quakertown, PA
Middle name? Sue, but I never use it
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? No pets, two sons, no grandchildren
Zodiac sign? Gemini
Favorite summer treat to eat? Creamsicles
A book you loved as a child? Winnie the Pooh
A book you frequently recommend to others? Shell Seekers or Shipping News
What’cha reading right now? Land by Maggie O’Farrell, and also reading slowly like Kym because I want to savor it.
This was really fun, and Happy Birthday to me!
In what state or country do you currently live? Pennsylvania
Favorite summer beverage? Iced tea.
In what town did you spend your high school years? Holland, Michigan.
Middle name? Ann
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? Yes, yes, and yes!
Zodiac sign? Capricorn (and unlike Kym I don’t know any of that other stuff at all… lol)
Favorite summer treat to eat? Ice Cream!
A book you loved as a child? Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web
A book you frequently recommend to others? Anything by Ann Cleeves… anything.
What’cha reading right now? Ann Cleeve’s latest! Haha!
In what state or country do you currently live? Pennsylvania
Favorite summer beverage? Plain seltzer or Sauvignon Blanc
In what town did you spend your high school years? Abington, PA
Middle name? Ellen
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? Mabel (cat), Colin (son), Iris (granddaughter)
Zodiac sign? Virgo
Favorite summer treat to eat? Bruschetta
A book you loved as a child? Charlotte’s Web
A book you frequently recommend to others? Out Stealing Horses (Per Patterson) and Crossing to Safety (Wallace Stegner)
What’cha reading right now? Missing (by E. A. Jackson)
This was fun Kym! And, Happy Birthday to Bonny!!
In what state or country do you currently live? Dry as bone Utah
Favorite summer beverage? Water (but I will join you with a glass of SB 😉
In what town did you spend your high school years? Murray, UT
Middle name? nope
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? Mylo the dog
Zodiac sign? Pisces
Favorite summer treat to eat? Anything lemon
A book you loved as a child? ALL
A book you frequently recommend to others? Emma M. Lion
What’cha reading right now? Antidote (finally)
In what state or country do you currently live? Wyoming
Favorite summer beverage? Chilled Chardonnay
In what town did you spend your high school years? Cheyenne
Middle name? Renae
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? No pets, 1 adult daughter, no grandkids
Zodiac sign? Aquarius
Favorite summer treat to eat? Ice cream, of course!
A book you loved as a child? The Little House on the Prairie book series
A book you frequently recommend to others? A Gentlemen in Moscow
What’cha reading right now? Land (and loving it)
In what state or country do you currently live? Pennsylvania
Favorite summer beverage? Iced coffee
In what town did you spend your high school years? Pittsburgh
Middle name? Dyan
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? 16-year-old daughter and 1.5-year-old dog
Zodiac sign? Pisces
Favorite summer treat to eat? Ice cream
A book you loved as a child? Too many to name?
A book you frequently recommend to others? Anything by Ann Patchett or Maggie O’Farrell
What’cha reading right now? The Tiger’s Wife (on audio) and The Memory Police (on paper)
In what state or country do you currently live? Oregon
Favorite summer beverage? Water (or diet coke but I’m limiting myself to one per week).
In what town did you spend your high school years? Clayton, MO, a suburb of St. Louis
Middle name? Pre marriage: Ellen Post marriage: Bartel
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? Yes no no
Zodiac sign? Taurus
Favorite summer treat to eat? Ice Cream All Day Baby
A book you loved as a child? Oh so very many but the One of a Kind Family series, the Betsy Tacy Tib series, Nancy Drew,
A book you frequently recommend to others? lately it has been Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Read as well as God of the Woods by Liz Moore. And the Ruth Galloway series.
What’cha reading right now? Just finished a ARC of the new Elly Griffiths Time Travel book and “The Award” by Matthew Pearl.
In what state or country do you currently live? Wisconsin
Favorite summer beverage? A cold IPA
In what town did you spend your high school years? Kaukauna & Solon Springs, WI
Middle name? Lynn
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? One granddog, three daughters, two grandsons & two granddaughters
Zodiac sign? Scorpio (Virgo moon, Capricorn rising) (I’m not sure what it means but I like to know)
Favorite summer treat to eat? Hot fudge sundae w/pecans
A book you loved as a child? The Little House series
A book you frequently recommend to others? Population 485 by Michael Perry
What’cha reading right now? John of John by Douglas Stuart
In what state or country do you currently live? Tennessee
Favorite summer beverage? Generally water, but I love a mimosa
In what town did you spend your high school years? Memphis
Middle name? Anne
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? A very long line of dogs – Wink, a new dog, a stepson, no grandchildren
Zodiac sign? Aquarius
Favorite summer treat to eat? Peaches, strawberries, mangos and watermelon
A book you loved as a child? The Bobbsey Twin series and whatever the children’s book club sent me
A book you frequently recommend to others? I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb, and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, although I don’t recommend books very much
What’cha reading right now? The Pied Piper by Nevil Shute
This lightning round was a great idea, Kym!
In what state or country do you currently live? CT
Favorite summer beverage? Water with a splash of Roar or lemonade
In what town did you spend your high school years? Meriden, CT
Middle name? Joy
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? A Cat, down to just one now, Penny who is about 4 and I got her in 2023
Zodiac sign? Pisces
Favorite summer treat to eat? Ice Cream
A book you loved as a child? Where the Wild Things Are
A book you frequently recommend to others? The Correspondent
What’cha reading right now? Summer in the City by Alex Aster ( a Woolberry Wool book box sadly no longer around) and Enough Already by Valerie Bertinelli
In what state or country do you currently live? Ontario, Canada
Favorite summer beverage? Wine and soda water
In what town did you spend your high school years? Belleville, Ontario
Middle name? Doreen
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? Had 2 labs(sadly gone), 1 son, and no grandchildren (and not holding my breathe they will come)
Zodiac sign? Capricorn
Favorite summer treat to eat? Dairy Queen Buster Bar
A book you loved as a child? Any of the Nancy Drew mysteries
A book you frequently recommend to others? The Measure
What’cha reading right now? Wish You Were Here, by Jodi Picoult
In what state or country do you currently live?
Massachusetts
Favorite summer beverage?
Homemade iced tea, with lots of lemon. No sugar, please.
In what town did you spend your high school years?
Lowell Massachusetts
Middle name?
Marie
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren?
3 great grownup children.
Zodiac sign?
Sagittarius
Favorite summer treat to eat?
Ice cream, no contest!
A book you loved as a child?
Little Women
A book you frequently recommend to others
A Man called Ove
What’cha reading right now?
The Correspondent
Thanks, Kym, for the icebreaker. It’s fun to learn a little about each other!
In what state or country do you currently live? Colorado
Favorite summer beverage? decaf black iced tea, lemon and sweetener
In what town did you spend your high school years? Wilmington DE
Middle name? Alison
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? Cat, Mr Freckles (ginger cat); three grown kids; two college age grandsons
Zodiac sign? Virgo
Favorite summer treat to eat? Ice cream; fresh peaches; home grown tomatoes (it’s a toss up)
A book you loved as a child? The Princess and the Goblin
A book you frequently recommend to others? Brian Doyle’s One Long River Of Song; also James Michener’s novels
What’cha reading right now? How To Read A Book by Monica Wood
In what state or country do you currently live? Massachusetts
Favorite summer beverage? gin gimlet
In what town did you spend your high school years? Ashland MA
Middle name? Anne with an E
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? Yes, 1, no
Zodiac sign? Aquarius
Favorite summer treat to eat? Lobster roll
A book you loved as a child? Lassie Come Home
A book you frequently recommend to others? The Art of Racing in the Rain
What’cha reading right now? More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen
Fun Kym!
In what state or country do you currently live? New York
Favorite summer beverage? Chilled white wine
In what town did you spend your high school years? Lewiston, NY
Middle name? Marie
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? No pets, 2 sons, 2 grandchildren
Zodiac sign? Sagittarius
Favorite summer treat to eat? Fresh tomatoes
A book you loved as a child? Harriet the Spy
A book you frequently recommend to others? The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
What’cha reading right now? Just borrowed The Traitor’s Wife by Allison Pataki
In what state or country do you currently live? Wisconsin
Favorite summer beverage? A gin and tonic with a lot of lime
In what town did you spend your high school years? Sheboygan Falls, WI
Middle name? Lee
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? 1 young adult son, 1 dog, no grandkids
Zodiac sign? Cancer
Favorite summer treat to eat? Ice cream
A book you loved as a child? Any Trixie Belden or Nancy Drew
A book you frequently recommend to others? Usually one of the last things I read
What’cha reading right now? The Insomniacs by Allison Winn Scotch
In what state or country do you currently live? Massachusetts
Favorite summer beverage? Aperol Spritz
In what town did you spend your high school years? Brockton MA
Middle name? Anne
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? 2 Siamese cats, Fred and George. 4 kids. 3 grandkids.
Zodiac sign? Virgo with a Leo moon and Gemini rising
Favorite summer treat to eat? Lobster rolls
A book you loved as a child? Stuart Little
A book you frequently recommend to others? The Names
What’cha reading right now? The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
In what state or country do you currently live? Nebraska
Favorite summer beverage? Ginger Ice Tea
In what town did you spend your high school years? Norfolk, Ne.
Middle name? Ann
Pets? Kids? Grandchildren? no pets, a daughter and son, four grandsons, one granddaughter
Zodiac sign? Virgo
Favorite summer treat to eat? watermelon
A book you loved as a child? Little Women
A book you frequently recommend to others? When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams
What’cha reading right now? Volume 8 – The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion