Welcome book groups! I love to meet with groups in person or via SKYPE. If you’re interested in having me join the discussion, just drop me an email at jan@janellison.com.
Discussion Questions | A Conversation with Jan Ellison Baszucki
“A great book club selection…both suspenseful and literary. Topics like love, obsession, betrayal, forgiveness, marriage, and second chances make it interesting to dissect.”
— Booking Mama
“A Small Indiscretion was our book group’s 29th book. I insisted that our group avoid every single review online — a minefield of spoilers! — and just trust me that this novel was a knockout. We didn’t need to refer to the Discussion Questions; we all brought LOTS of questions to our meet-up. The themes resonated with all our members, married or single, in a relationship or not. Without doubt, our best book so far, and getting to meet Jan herself at an event meant we got to pose our trickiest questions to her in person. Definitely try to catch her at a reading or at an event if possible!”
— Tracy Turner, Belmont Beer ’n’ Books
“The plot was wonderfully woven with lots of suspense; several members reported that they couldn’t put it down, even though it’s not a mystery per se. Our discussion went far deeper than usual, centering on marriage and what makes or breaks it, about characters’ choices and the consequences. The theme of forgiving oneself resonated with this seasoned group of baby boomers; we pushed the envelope and tucked away memories of things we wished we hadn’t done in the fervor of breaking down cultural barriers and societal norms. One of the best book club meetings we’ve ever had!”
— Book Group in Albuquerque, New Mexico
“This is such a beautifully written book! I adored this story; that favorite read by far this year. This made such a wonderful book club discussion book.”
— Emily R. Foltz
“I found [A Small Indiscretion] to be a fantastic book for our book group. If you read it for yours, think of the following questions to ponder “What constitutes a small indiscretion vs. a larger one?” “When should one be truthful vs. not?” “What would you do if you met with your first love later in life?” Well, those are just a few but you could discuss this book for hours. There are some very interesting plot twists which surprised me and hopefully will surprise you too. The writing skill of the author is superb and lovely to experience. I highly recommend this book.”
— Cindy Roberts
“A wonderful read! This book was picked for one of our monthly book club reads…an excellent choice! I read this book in two days and was sad when I finished it because it left me wanting more. I loved the story telling from past to present back and forth. With all the detailed descriptions of each setting, I felt like I was actually there in the story, it really draws the reader into the story.”
— Patrick J. Moriarty
“I recommended Jan Ellison’s book, A Small Indiscretion, to my book club at the YMCA. The first time I read the book, I couldn’t put it down and read it rapidly. While reviewing the book before the book club’s meeting, I realized how beautifully the story was crafted. We had a lively time discussing the book and a variety of subjects, like: Is the past a dangerous place to visit? Does life experience clarify our past actions? Should we keep secrets from a husband? Do our parents’ marriages leave scars?”
— Book Group in San Diego, California
“One of my favorite books of the year. So loved it that I have invited the author to my book club and author series Cap Radio Reads in March.”
— Victoria L.
“This is Jan Ellison’s first book and it is amazing. She brings her story to life. You feel the characters’ pain and are compelled to keep reading to discover how they resolve their issues. She goes between the main character’s past and present to tell the far-reaching effects of seemingly inconsequential acts of the past. I greatly recommend this book for reading by yourself or as a book club selection. Not only is it a marvelous story, it will make you think about how one small act in your past, may have completely changed your future. I think anybody in a book club should recommend this book, as it would make for a fabulous discussion.”
— Diane M. Moyle
