I sat back, speechless.
"How in the world did he get anything negative out of my comment?"
Honey and sugar sentiments had crystalized on every word I wrote. How could this person find anything negative about these words? I sat in confusion, staring at the screen.
[An online experience of mine.]
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I was typing an opinion on a popular media site and a random stranger replied to my statement. It felt more like a release of his frustration on any unfortunate soul. A thought came to mind. "There has to be something better than this. Something safer for intellectual sharing."
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By the way, my name is Melanie Dugas. Nice to meet you. I am originally from Louisiana but I've moved around a bit. Ended-up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and have been based in the high desert for the last seventeen years. But back to the didactic bit, the story! This online experience of mine (and I'm sure many others have experienced this) was pivotal. I realized:
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1, Online media is a powerful tool.
...and...
2. The experience I was having was a horrible waste of this tool
and its capacities.
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I knew that I loved books and discussion, and wanted the experience of online community, sharing, and some debate. However here's the question: Could we have this within a safe environment? Yes. Can we have an educating experience that engages us in thinking outside our own limited experiences? Yes, again yes. Can we have this within a well designed structure that not only provides an enriching experience but also encourages our own growth? Yes, definitely.
The creative within me stepped forward and said, "Lets make this space."
The next day I called up a good friend, Amy (her real name I'm keeping private), and Amy and I met up at a restaurant in Albuquerque, NM called The Frontier, located on the famous Route 66 highway. Amy and I had coffee and breakfast, and our papers and notes were scattered across the table. Hasty brainstorms and plans were scribbled across pages. This is how an idea became fleshed. The beginning. Meetings such as these were the groundwork for this beautiful club. Anyone who has created and nurtured anything to a tangible state recognizes these first steps.
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Amy had to take care of her parents and focus her time with them. She could not continue with the development of the club. However I'm eternally grateful for her support and energy to assist in giving this project wings.
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Since those meetings at The Frontier Restaurant, there's been ups and downs, the club closed for a season then came back. But this literary organization is a space to expand your exposure to quality, award winning, artful literature, have amazing debates and discussions, and meet wonderful people from across the U.S., and around the world. We don't aspire to be a large club, but we do emphasize diversity, respect, and literary community/involvement. With this being said, welcome to TigerLily Book Club. I hope you make our club your literary home.
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Warmest Regards,
Melanie Dugas
Administrator, Designer, and Owner
7/23/2022 (latest edit)
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