By Irish Echo Staff
Eight Facebook book clubs, with an aggregate membership of 50,000, are planning a virtual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on this Sunday beginning at 9 a.m., Eastern.
It will continue with panels through to the concluding 7 p.m. social event, though with a musical interlude from 4 p.m. with Si Bheag Si Mhor, out of Sturgis, Mich., who will be playing live at all of the bookclubs at once. “We are trying to go with a ‘We are the World’ feeling!” said Annie McDonnell, founder of the Write Review, and co-host of the event.
Participation is possible through joining the book clubs, which are the Write Reviewers Book Club, Linda’s Book Obsession. Sue’s Reading Neighborhood, Bookish Road Trip, Prose & the Pandemic, Blue Sky Boom Chat, Bookworms Anonymous and Reading is My Passion.
There are authors on panels every hour, but a highlight might be the Write Review’s “Lunch Time Literary Chat” with Claire Fullerton in conversation with Irish short-fiction writer and novelist Billy O’Callaghan.
Acclaimed Long Island-based memoirist, novelist and Irish Echo contributor Tom Phelan will participate in the Bookworms Anonymous panel “Irish Poetry & Prose” at 5 p.m.
And before that, at 3 p.m., the bestselling Rhys Bowen is on the Blue Sky Book Chat panel “Green Drinks & Irish Words.”
McDonnell said, “Over 30 companies have donated Shamrock- or Irish-related goodies for us to have giveaways at each book club.”
