Where Fiction Meets Friction
Book Club Drama is back. Last month, there was a scramble to reschedule at the last minute after Gail’s bird flu exposure. At Barb’s, before a discussion of The Correspondent, Gail delivered a monologue on pathogens, then left early for ketamine treatment, prompting a secret thread about ousting her from the group.
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Subject: Re: This Month’s Meeting—Strangers
From: Melissa (Host)
To: Prose & Cons Book Club
Date: Monday, 8:01 a.m.
Hi everyone,
Looking forward to Thursday at 6:30. The book is Strangers by Belle Burden, who got dumped big time when she thought her marriage was just fine. Dinner will include GF comfort foods and multiple DF desserts.
From: Diane
Date: Monday, 8:27 a.m.
I’m finding it interesting. The way people fail to see what’s right in front of them.
From: Melissa
Date: Monday, 8:31 a.m.
Agree. Yes. Brutal. And dare I say, triggering. FYI: And Gwenyth is playing the part of Belle when it hits Netflix.
From: Gail
Date: Monday, 8:33 a.m.
Hi loves,
Devastated to miss this one. Having a reaction—unclear if it’s histamines or extreme narrative escalation. My ENT feels I should avoid anything with tension or subtext for the next 5–7 days.
From: Diane
Date: Monday, 8:34 a.m.
We’ll miss you as usual, Gail. FYI—I’ve been working on a brand new … novel.
Working title Me, Alpha.
It’s fluid, but I’m exploring absence as a form of presence. And superiority as a form of inferiority. Would love to read a short excerpt Thursday.
From: Janet
Date: Monday, 8:36 a.m.
How short.
From: Diane
Date: Monday, 8:38 a.m.
Under 20 minutes.
From: Melissa
Date: Monday, 8:40 a.m.
Let’s see how the night flows.
From: Gloria
Date: Monday, 9:02 a.m.
Dear Ones,
Still on my Backroads tour. Met the coolest couple who have a well-priced adventure retreat in Guyana—our hemisphere. No malarial danger, just dengue. Time for a group trip?
Love and light,
G
From: Janet
Date: Monday, 9:10 a.m.
Let’s focus on Thursday first. Also, it looks like we might be traveling to NOLA together for Lisa’s dear son’s nuptials. Let the good times roll!
From: Laurie
Date: Monday, 9:12 a.m.
Er, I haven’t gotten my invite yet.
From: Lisa
Date: Tuesday, 7:42 p.m.
Hang tight. Dante and Kyra are working on the guest list, and they insist on only inviting those who they’ve meaningfully interacted with. On another note, I just realized that I accidentally read The Stranger. Not the same, I know, but at least I finished it.
From: Abby
Date: Tuesday, 7:45 p.m.
There may be overlapping themes.
Subject: Last Night
From: Melissa
Date: Friday, 8:02 a.m.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for coming. I thought it was a strong discussion—honest, focused, real.
From: Janet
Date: Friday, 8:11 a.m.
And dare I say a lot of engagement because it could happen to any of us at any moment. The lemon squares and dirty martinis worked for everyone’s agita.
From: Melissa
Date: Friday, 8:16 a.m.
I keep thinking about Diane’s line: “She paused where the pause had already been.”
From: Diane
Date: Friday, 8:18 a.m.
Thank you. That’s central.
From: Gloria
Date: Friday, 8:24 a.m.
Dear Ones,
Did I mention I’m journaling now? If not Guyana, we can always do the Camino. The short 75 km version.
Love and light,
G
From: Ellen (NEW HOST)
Date: Friday, 9:05 a.m.
Hi everyone,
My turn to host next month. The book is Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. A romance, thriller, and historical fiction love letter to the galaxy. Which is on everyone’s mind now.
From: Melissa
Date: Friday, 9:07 a.m.
Perfect. We need more lesbians in space.
From: Janet
Date: Friday, 9:18 a.m.
Also, logistics—moving to separate thread.
Subject: Re: Logistics (Private)
From: Janet
To: Melissa, Diane, Lisa, Abby, Gloria, Ellen, Laurie, Barb
Date: Friday, 9:21 a.m.
Shhh. Have removed Gail. Let’s discuss.
From: Abby
Date: Friday, 9:23 a.m.
She hasn’t read a book since Obama’s first term.
From: Lisa
Date: Friday, 9:24 a.m.
And even then she always watched the movie.
From: Diane
Date: Friday, 9:25 a.m.
Her only contribution has been to the organ recital—her skin, her kidneys, her spleen.
From: Melissa
Date: Friday, 9:26 a.m.
We need to be kind.
From: Ellen
Date: Friday, 9:28 a.m.
We could tell her we’re disbanding and then start a new incognito club.
From: Laurie
Date: Friday, 9:29 a.m.
Or how about we suggest a break.
From: Abby
Date: Friday, 9:30 a.m.
A break of 3-5 years. But what if she then starts reading the books and comes back?
From: Gloria
Date: Friday, 9:31 a.m.
Dear Ones,
Sometimes love looks like letting go.
Love and light,
G
From: Lisa
Date: Friday, 9:32 a.m.
Two of us Zoom with her. Calm voices. No metaphors.
From: Melissa
Date: Friday, 9:33 a.m.
I’ll do it with Laurie.
Subject: Post-Call
From: Laurie
To: Private Thread
Date: Friday, 11:05 a.m.
Done
From: Melissa
Date: Friday, 11:06 a.m.
She took it well. We framed it as removing pressure. Focus on healing. She said—and I quote—“That actually makes sense.”
From: Abby
Date: Friday, 11:08 a.m.
That’s concerning. But I guess relief can be destabilizing.
Subject: Quick Update
From: Gail
To: Melissa
Date: Friday, 4:42 p.m.
Hi Melissa,
Just wanted to say—I feel incredible. No symptoms all day.
I’m starting to think the stress of not finishing all those books may have caused everything? And coincidentally my primary (Dr. Wang) just told me he heard there was an opening at a book club, and he was on the waitlist even though they don’t take men. That couldn’t be us, right?
Out of curiosity, I picked up Strangers and read 60 pages straight. No reaction whatsoever. So save my place. I might be back before three years! Having hyperbaric O2 therapy to celebrate.
Love,
Gail
From: Laurie
To: Private Thread
Date: Friday, 4:45 p.m.
We cured her. Ugh.
From: Janet
Date: Friday, 4:46 p.m.
Of course we did.
From: Melissa
Date: Friday, 4:47 p.m.
Just a thought, but what does everyone think about letting Dr. David Wang in? Would help with all our symptoms, and we’re not getting any younger.
