Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Online group goes live with first get-togethers
In an attempt to offset last summer’s lockdown blues, former broadcaster and avid reader Heather Suttie set up Bookface 2020 on Facebook and urged her friends to share their book recommendations.
The response was overwhelming, and Bookface 2020 now boasts more than 1200 members from all across the globe.
To mark its first anniversary, Heather – who originally hails from Coatbridge – has arranged a series of book swap brunches across Glasgow, with the latest taking place this Saturday.
Heather, who is a creative director for a PR agency, was delighted with the response of the first get-together, which attracted 50 fellow book lovers and was hosted by broadcaster Sally Magnusson and author Maggie Ritchie in Glasgow’s Glaschu restaurant. The brunch coincided with the release of Maggie’s third novel Daisy Chain.
Heather told the Advertiser: “I’d like to thank each and every member for their contributions, it’s a lovely space to be in.
“Also, thanks to Judith Clumpas in New Zealand for helping come up with the name, my friends for being so supportive and to Becca Smith and Diana Quantana Catano for helping me with the events.
“The loveliest thing is that we’ve all bonded through a love of great stories, so at the events it’s great to meet people in real life.”
Explaining the Bookface concept, Heather continued: “We’ve built a community of book lovers where our currency is sharing great recommendations, this is all about the good stuff.”
The group is a safe space of pure escapism, where members trade suggestions in all genres for all age groups, including TV and film adaptations and podcast tips.
Heather continued: “I’m organising the book swap brunches because so many of us have missed swapping books with friends and colleagues. It’s a great way to save money and live that little bit more sustainably.”
And Heather is grateful to have bonded online with her fellow bookworms and created a passionate global group.
She said: “Even though we’ve all never met 90 per cent of people in the group, we’ve established a connection over the love of reading, with so many of us seeking solace and escapism in great stories throughout lockdown.”
Former Coatbridge High pupil Heather is already excited about her next Bookface brunch in Glasgow’s newest gastropub, the Duke’s Umbrella, this Saturday.
She added: “I’m excited about the next event, as are our members who already have tickets, as we celebrate a brilliant crime thriller writer.
“There’s another opportunity for the group to chat with fellow members about the books we love and, of course, everyone will leave with four new books.
“The venue is also lovely, a new stylish gastropub which opened in May and the food is fab.”
Tickets for the upcoming Bookface book swap brunch this Saturday at Glasgow’s Duke’s Umbrella cost £20, and are available by visiting Eventbrite at https://bit. LY/3CXFRH9