Dear Readers

[gl]

Dear Sarah,

Just wanted to join everyone else in welcoming you!  Thank you for the intro letter and giving us early look at your novel. I've been careful to read just a little so far - and it's wonderful!

Best,
Gaby

http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/

[wongpalms]

Hello Sarah,

At the break of dawn this morning, I sat up in bed and started reading your novel. Although I finished only one chapter, I am looking forward to catching up with Iris and Emma in the later part of day. So far, I enjoy your book enormously. Thanks for providing me such a opportunity to be your first reader.

Will be looking forward to the discussion in the next few weeks.

Shirley

[literature]

learningdragon wrote:

Hello, Ms. Sarah,

I'm looking forward to reading The Postmistress, as is my daughter. I invited her to join First Look this time around. We have received our copies and are starting to read this weekend. Thank you for the opportunity to be among the first folks to preview it!

---

Great! another mother/daughter pair!  My mom has got in on this one as well!  I hope she figures  out how to post!  

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Just to let you know, I also got my daughter to join so we're another mother/daughter team.  We've both been reading the book and having our little discussions, but saving the bigger and deeper discussions for after Oct. 5.  It is always a privilege to do these online bookclubs with the author because you get a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the characters and the plot via these discussions.  Also, it is always fun to throw out a hypothetical situation and (temporarily) change the course of the story or of one of the characters.  Looking forward to the discussions next week and to welcoming The Postmistress.

[boadiccea]

Thanks for your nice message, Gail!

Hope you enjoy your first FL and happy reading to you as well!

Beth

[freelamp]

Dear Sarah,

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read your book and speak with you online.  I am so excited to begin my first First Look discussion.   The time and place of your novel have me already loving it before I begin reading.  It is a subject near and dear to my heart. 

[AvidReader44]

Hi Sarah

Thank you for your letter, I love WW2 stories and I am having real trouble stopping myself from reading the book now! It will be interesting to read your book as the only WW2 ones I've read so far have been set in England and I am really looking forward to a different setting and will enjoy discussing this with you and others

Maggie

[Shelsie]

Hi Sarah!  Thank you for sharing your book with us.  I must admit, I couldn't wait to jump in and start reading and I am loving the story.  I can't wait for the discussions.

[barnsdale11]

Hi, Sarah, thank you for joining the discussion.

Actually, I've never discussed a book with its author, so I'm really looking forward to hearing what you have to say about it, and see you answering our questions

[Dotcat]

Hello Sarah,

I echo everyone in thanking you for sharing this story with us first. I have very much enjoyed the book so far and hate to

put it down after I start reading each day. I feel like I am living in that time period while I am reading.

I can't wait to "hear"  the discussion on the entire book.

Donna

[aprilh]

Sarah, I echo everyone here in welcoming you to First Look and thanking you for allowing us the opportunity to be among the first to read your novel. I started reading The Postmistress this morning and am loving it so far! Can't wait for the discussions to begin on Monday!

[Stellaluna99]

Welcome and thank you for this opportunity.  I'm looking forward to reading along and following the discussions.  I'm going to try my hardest to follow the schedule this time too...bad habit not knowing when to put down a book!

[phenomshel]

I've read the first chapter, and am anxious for discussion time to begin.  I am already absorbed in the plot and characters.  Thanks so much, Sarah, for the opportunity to be among the first to read your creation.

Shel

[boogiebuggs]

Dear Sarah,

I, too, am very much anticipating reading "The Postmistress."  And, being a photography enthusiast, I think the cover is truly one of my favorites ever!  If the cover gives us even a hint of the book itself, we should be in for a great ride!  Thanks for including me!

Val Spencer

[thewanderingjew]

I just wanted to put my two cents in and thank you for participating in First Look. I have read our first week's portion and I loved it. You have defined the times perfectly in different places. Your characters are drawn so true that I was able to identify with them comfortably and was easily transported from one to another without losing track of the story. Your style of writing is a pleasure to read.

I am looking forward to the discussion and I really cannot wait to finish the book.

Thank you again.

[pattycakeMN]

Hi Sarah,

I am so looking forward to the discussion group - my first !!  I am enjoying the book so much.  I was born during the WWII era, and I keep thinking of my Father who fought in Germany.

Patricia

[GrammiT]

Thank you, Sarah for sharing with us how the book came about & for joining us in our discussion.  I have almost finished the book & I have have enjoyed it immensely. I have a certain fascination with the WWII time period & love reading books about the war, the people involved, their struggles, etc., and this book really delivered on that score.  I am looking forward to the group discussion & to reading what others thought of this book.

[Fae-Kieran]

Thanks Sarah, I enjoyed the book. The Characters you put forewards were intense and I think you did a fantastic job of captureing the Era.

[mamawli]

I am also part of a mother and daughter team.  My daughter introduced me to the book club and we enjoy many conversations about the wonderful books that we read together.   We are happy to read  a book that features female main characters this time around. 

[GReba]

What wonderful sentiments to get this read started off right!  I am delving into the story as we speak (or, um, as I type) and can't wait to discuss the book with my fellow readers.  Thank YOU for this opportunity!

Gina

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

[bud12]

Hi S. Blake.  Just curious...who asked you the question about what would happen if the postmistress didn't deliver the mail?? Did you pose it or did someone else?

Another thought, some readers are commenting about abrupt transitions. Now that I am reading how you took 8 years to write it and that this involved many moves, including changing countries at times, it makes sense that you needed to go back to the writing after interruptions time and time again. It seems that moving so many times could have been an influence. Was it?   I personally didn't  mind the transitions and saw them as necessary to reflect the back and forth shifts among the various characters, some of whom lived in different locales (much like you?), or relected a different narration of the story. The "abruptness"  just reflected the changing lens of the story.

Thanks for sharing the book with us and leaving yourself open to so much input from the club members!