A Good Thriller discussion

Sean wrote: "Members, please help out, as always when I send a message out, group message, one we loose about 8-10 members, alas not to worried, second authors approach me for a read along...

So as confirmed e..."

I do not get why anyone would leave the group over this. Pretty picky; If you do not like it ignore it. Sometimes and a lot lately I have had to do some of that with group letters. I appreciate you put the effort into it though and usually read it.

Sadly our group normally goes up 8-10 members a day.

Last 2-4 days up and down... 16-20 joiners, and same going...

I know these are members who see the update, and just leave, when we are only trying to help !

Although very let down by the volume of questions for our last two Q and A's authors.

Carter Wilson changed a lot of plans for yesterday, and not many questions.

Sean wrote: "...Although very let down by the volume of questions for our last two Q and A's authors.

Carter Wilson changed a lot of plans for yesterday, and not many questions."

I'm so sad I couldn't join but hope it's not the last time there's a Q&A with Carter Wilson and I've read The Comfort of Black by then.

Karen wrote: "I do not get why anyone would leave the group over this. Pretty picky; If you do not like it ignore it. Sometimes and a lot lately I have had to do some of that with group letters. I appreciate you put the effort into it though and usually read it."

Karen I'm on the same page. Usually I'm even glad about the newsletters - there's always something I miss in bigger groups and the newsletters are showing the latest changes, challenges or other important information and I think it you don't want to receive them you have always the possibility to change your email settings.

Normally with groups I get an update or a reminder the day before. I didn't for this. It's perplexing that people leave due to updates when you have the power to control how often you will get them or even none at all.

The only group I've left because of updates was due to the moderator of the group. I loved the group itself but the mod was so rude and her grammar was the worst I've seen in ages.

I apologize for not being here for this author. 😞

We're very mindful of sending out group messages and a reminder the day before would have been ideal but some seem to get really upset at receiving a group message. Treating it as a massive invasion?!! It's a couple of clicks to delete, a few seconds of time. Anyway we try to find a balance and hopefully get it right some of the time. No need for apologies here. We appreciate our members here and hope they get something out of this group. ☺️

To be honest, I don't know why so much focus is being put on the people who choose to leave the group. Especially when there are a lot of people IN the group who are active. As a member and not a moderator of this group, I don't really care if there are 10 or 1,000 people in it. As long as it has something that I like in it, which it does. But communication is key and if people don't know what is going on then they are not going to participate. And if people leave because of emails, then they leave. You, as moderators have to decide what way you want to do the group and then just do it. The people who quit probably aren't active anyway and if they are, then maybe the group just isn't the right one for them.
Just my opinion...

I was/am actually confused about this month's group read thing. I clicked on it and did not and still do not see any thread for the book. I own Mister Tender's Girl, but don't see a thread for it. When I click on come and join us I still don't get to the thread. I don't know if it is a glitch in my computer or what, but I do not see any way to participate in that.

Vicki your first paragraph (standing and applauding!!) Totally agree

This month's book was The Comfort of Black by the same author as Mr. Tender's Girl. Not sure why the one was picked and not the other, but the Q and A was Monday. The next one as I understand is Ann Girdharry (our PIFM pal) 's new book London Noir for Nov and is available free on Kindle 11/1 and 2.

A gentle suggestion to the dear mods,- if dedicated and loyal members are challenged finding the right info, there are so many other causal members who don't have a clue. Love you! :)

Yep, I understand those points and definitely agree on the members numbers thing. Never been an issue for myself. This month's Q&A was slightly confusing which I can't say much about but Sean may. The Q&As are usually organised by Sean, however, we did come to the decision that there won't be anymore readalongs or author Q&As after next month's for the foreseeable future. Hopefully we know what works and well stick with that for now. ☺️

I'm so sorry about all this, I still feel so new here so I still hadn't taken part in any of those events. I did read some of the Q&A's for authors I knew and find it all a wonderful job on your part. Also, I agree with what Vicki said on the newsletters. As one of the casual members I wouldn't have known of anything had I not received the message.

The mods are all doing a great job, that's for sure. I hope we'll have many more events in the future to take their places. :D

Vicki wrote: "To be honest, I don't know why so much focus is being put on the people who choose to leave the group. Especially when there are a lot of people IN the group who are active. As a member and not a m..."

Thank you Vicki! You were able to express what's on my heart much better than I thought possible :-)

Thanks for all the comments...

Let me go through points, and I do take in all comments that have been posted...

Firstly, maybe I am wrong but as I started this group, seven years ago and spent the first year building a membership to 30 members, I am very proud how the group has grown.

Now we have an ever growing membership, and we do our best to keep everyone happy, not always easy...

Next, I work full time, and lead a hectic life, but I also spend many hours marketing and working and e-mailing top authors to do a Q and A's for our group, so I do feel hurt when is becomes very embarrassing when we have only 4-5 questions, which has happened for our last two full Q and A's authors.

Who have given up their time to do the Q and A's.

Vicki you make a good point from a members view, you want the updates, as many do... and I am getting used to members leaving and they always will.

But what many of you don't know is the private messages I get from members who are furious that I keep sending messages to them, some are very abusive and rude... Hard to explain we are only trying to keep them informed..

Personally I do feel it is such a shame our Q and A's has not been popular, I do have authors waiting to do Q and A's and a readalong who are all members here...

But I am also aware that many chase me to do a read along, but are not active as members, and as a group we are very supportive of authors, but it would be nice if they did become active..

Re Carter Wilson, he new book does not officially come out till January 2018 and wanted to pick winners to win that book, and his Q and A's was on any book, but most members had read his book Comfort Of Black that was a top selling book.

Hope that explains re Carter Wilson...

I did have a confirmed booking of Jack Patterson in January for a group Readalong with a new book, free end of December called "King Of Queens".... Do I cancel ?

All I want to do is help the members, get more members involved... I do not understand members joining but never posting, just my thoughts, so trying to encourage and offering the best we can to make the group better.

There has to be a reason that Book Social voted us as the best, friendliest and fastest growing group !

I am grateful so much from the help I get from Janet and Lorrea, and believe we have a group of 100 regulars who I regard as my family and friends.

We do our best to try to keep everyone happy here...

Want can we do to help and make our group even better !

Unacceptable to have hateful personal mails. I would report them then block them. I don't have strong opinions on carrying on or passing with the read-alongs. If they do continue, the authors need to understand there is no guarantee on the response. Thanks for your efforts, Sean, you've built a terrific community of readers!

Jack Patterson's would be a read along for January? Or was it December?

I'm about to have a horrible November but I predict the following months to be less hellish. I confess I don't know any of the authors mentioned and my TBR is already crowded with NG ARCs until March... But I did like what I just read about King of Queens. Plus, it doesn't seem to be long. The ideal for trying something new.

Jack Patterson has moved to January.

I'm sure members enjoy the group for many different reasons and participate in different ways.

I love being part of Pick It For Me - it's really fun and I get to see books that others read and comment on and what choices people make...
Others might like posting book reviews (I like doing that too!), some people will join in with Read A Longs and others will be more active on the chat boards - not everything is going to suit everyone.
Also, I'm sure lots of members are 'silent' - and find book recommendations here but don't necessarily want to join in.

I agree with Vicki - this is a lively group, so, for me, a few members leaving over updates wouldn't be something to get upset about. That said, I'm sorry the Mods have received horrible messages - I just don't see why someone would behave like that!

Sean wrote: "Thanks for all the comments...

Let me go through points, and I do take in all comments that have been posted...

Firstly, maybe I am wrong but as I started this group, seven years ago and spent th..."
I get confused trying to find my way around and what’s recent

Sue

we will always do our best to update members, and do our best to add dates etc... for our read along and our Q and A's

All our topics are in certain headers to make it easier.

Also all you have to do is ask.

We have lots of regular members who are always happy to help.

Sean wrote: "...I did have a confirmed booking of Jack Patterson in January for a group Readalong with a new book, free end of December called "King Of Queens".... Do I cancel ?

All I want to do is help the members, get more members involved... I do not understand members joining but never posting, just my thoughts, so trying to encourage and offering the best we can to make the group better.

There has to be a reason that Book Social voted us as the best, friendliest and fastest growing group !

I am grateful so much from the help I get from Janet and Lorrea, and believe we have a group of 100 regulars who I regard as my family and friends.

We do our best to try to keep everyone happy here...

Want can we do to help and make our group even better !"

Fist of all Thank you Sean, Janet & Lorrea - you make great work here.
My internet connection was pretty patchy in the last two months so I almost missed the information about the Q&A with Jack Patterson and the free book I'll be on the look out and plan to join if the book's available in Germany as well.

I support the opinion of all members who say please keep us informed - if there're are people who want leave the group because you make life easier for us - let them go. I'd rather be in an active, supportive and friendly group of 50 people than deal with people who never contribute but have issues with the great work our moderators do!
Most of my groups send monthly notifications and I never heard any members complained so I don't get that kind of people - it's great to get informed in one single message instead of browsing through hundreds of pages in a huge group. I don't want to sound harsh I'm just no more very understanding in this area.


Some ideas from other groups (to keep members informed):
A separate group section with messages from the moderators about planned events, books we read, new challenges or whatever comes along - in one or two groups the mods freeze those threads after posting so the information and comments threads are kept apart. That makes it much easier to see what's new and to join/follow discussions only if you really want to - I'm aware it's more work for the moderators but helps.

A group has one thread each member who want be informed about each single news as fast as possible posts a message to a thread created for this purpose, changes notification settings for this thread and gets e-mail-notifications each time the mods add a message (the downside is you get the notification if other members join this thread as well) all people not interested just stay away from this thread and everyone's happy - and it's easy enough to change settings back if you're not interested anymore.

One group made an advance notifications they prefer to keep active members only and members who never posted anything or are not active for a period of time (it's 3 Months there) are automatically deleated at the beginning of each month - all members working on long-term challenges or dealing with real-life situations can either post an update in the challenge thread or the thread moderators created to say 'I'm still active - just updating the original message(s)' and it works great.

If I see anything else I'll let you know - perhaps you'll like this idea :-)

I'm also planning to take part in the readalong with Jack Patterson. It'll be my first here in the group and I'm really hoping it goes okay. Are there any news on it?

Yes as mentioned Jack Patterson is doing January, so he book will be free the last few days of December.

Agnieszka thanks for all your comments.

Lots of groups have taken/pitched many of our ideas, I take it as a compliment, look as see now the groups that have a"Chat thread", we were the first to do Book Pals.

Also I work closely with 2-3 groups who have asked for my help on re-building their groups.

Thamy may remember Net Galley Group went through a hard time, and changed all moderators, but is going strong now.

Overall I think we are doing fine, and have rested at the moment our Q and A with top authors, unless I here from one of the very top.

Keep our own authors Q and A Read a longs, just not too often.

We will see how things will go.

Sean wrote: "Yes as mentioned Jack Patterson is doing January, so he book will be free the last few days of December.

Agnieszka thanks for all your comments.

Lots of groups have taken/pitched many of our idea..."

I'm glad the book will be available for free. I'll wait until then to get it.

I don't think I was part of the NG group when the moderators changed because I don't remember any of that. But it's certainly going strong now, that I can attest.

All the strength to you and the others taking care of this group, Sean! Thank you for the great work. :)

Any interest in the below. E-Mail I received..

Janelle Brown Skype Q&A for the A Good Thriller group
message: Hello!

I’m reaching out from Random House on behalf of Janelle Brown, author of the New York Times bestseller, WATCH ME DISAPPEAR, now in paperback. If you select WATCH ME DISAPPEAR as an upcoming book club pick, Janelle would be happy to do a Skype author Q&A as part of your discussion.

Who you want people to be makes you blind to who they really are.

WATCH ME DISAPPEAR follows the disappearance of a beautiful, charismatic mother, and the family left to piece together her secrets after she vanishes. If you loved Big Little Lies, this is your perfect next read: It’s a Target Book Club pick, and book groups across America are already finding it a thought-provoking talker!

But don’t take my word for it. Hear what others have to say:

“Watch Me Disappear is just as riveting as Gone Girl.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“A twisty, involving mystery.”—People
“Tantalizing and twisty…you won’t be able to put it down, but you won’t forget it either.”—Megan Abbott, author of You Will Know Me
“A smoldering summer read with depth and insight.” - New York Magazine

if you are interested in having a GoodReads chat with Janelle, please reply to me and I will coordinate.

Thanks, and have a great day!
Jessica

I'm interested!

We have two regular members who want to do A &Q and a read a long.

HN Wake, and FBI Book.

Another just confirming shortly let me know members if you are interested.

Sean wrote: "We have two regular members who want to do A &Q and a read a long.

HN Wake, and FBI Book.

Another just confirming shortly let me know members if you are interested."

Happy New Year, Sean!!! I would be interested in this.

Thanks

Happy New Year to you !

Date set for January 25th and 26th for a Group Read a long.

From our own regular members H.N Wake

The new Dom Walker book goes live Jan 14 on Amazon.

There is a mobi/Kindle ARC loaded up for early download for the Good Thriller Goodreads group here:

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8qp4dug0km

If anyone needs a PDF/Word or extra help they can email me: [email protected] and I'll get them a copy.

I'd be delighted to do a Q & A the following dates; Jan 25-26.

Also date set for our own member Kevin Land Patrick new book

Silkworm

for February 16th and 17th

The book will be free, please contact Kevin

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Anything for June?