Philadelphia author uses home isolation to connect with fans digitally

Author Jennifer Weiner, who wrote "Good in Bed," "In Her Shoes" and more, was scheduled to go on a book tour this spring for her upcoming novel "Big Summer," but the coronavirus outbreak forced her to scrap her plans.

Now, she uses technology to connect with her readers.

"I'm doing virtual book clubs where I'm going through my back list, starting with the first book that I ever published, which was 'Good In Bed,' and I'm saying, 'Okay, here's the story behind this book, here's how I came up with the characters, here's how I came up with the plot,'" she explained.

Hello dear quarantined readers! I had a blast talking with you last Wednesday (bloopers and all), so I’ve decided to host a Baby Got Back(list) Book Club for the duration of the quarantine, or my backlist – whichever ends first. Each week, I’ll do a Facebook Live video at www.facebook.com/jenniferweiner. We’ll discuss a previously published title, starting with GOOD IN BED. You can post questions in the comments ahead of time about the book, or books in general, or my writing process, or finding inspiration…whatever you’ve always wanted to know. I will take your questions in real time, and I’ll also tell you… What I’ve been reading! What I’ve been watching! What I’ve been cooking! What workouts I’ve been doing! There may even be special guests, God and technology willing. I hope to see lots of you there. You can post your questions in the comments, and meanwhile, my newest book, BIG SUMMER, is still scheduled for a May 19 publication, and is available for pre-order. I’d be very grateful if you’d buy a copy. See you Wednesday! #goodinbed #bigsummer #jenniferweiner #jenniferweinerbooks #bookclub #virtualbookclub #quarantinebookclub #reading #amreading #readersofinstagram

A post shared by Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweinerwrites) on Mar 22, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Weiner hosts her book clubs Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. on Facebook and Instagram. She also goes live on her social media on Fridays at 2 p.m. as she bakes her weekly challahs for Shabbat dinner.

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"I can be with them virtually in real time and they can ask me questions," she said. "They can see what I'm doing, they can say, like, 'Oh, that's a cool picture in your kitchen, can we get a better look at that?' and I can move the phone and show them."

She continued, "I like the interaction, I like the idea that my readers can see that I'm a real person and I'm going through pretty much what they're going through."

For Weiner, times sure have changed.

"When I started publishing, the only way that a reader got to know an author was there was usually a postage-sized head shot on the back flap of the book and a couple paragraphs of biography," she said. "The internet really changed that."