The Gerbil’s Jockstrap???

One of the big problems of starting this blog was choosing a suitable name.

A straightforward approach would lead to something very descriptive, but wildly unimaginative, such as “My Book Review Blog” . . . yawn . . . Not only was this a boring name, but also I guessed that it had been snapped up years ago, so the search for a more unique name began.

At first I tried to capture the profound influence that books can have upon our feelings and thoughts. I looked to the great thinkers of the past, searching for quotes about reading, books or literature. These were mostly too long, although I did like “Medicine for the Soul” the inscription over the entrance to the library of ancient Thebes. However, I decided that this was too obscure and serious: it didn’t have the right tone. The name had to be personal, and linked to the book group, whilst being funny and memorable. It needed to be recognizable to my fellow group members, but also inviting to other people.

After much head scratching I thought that “The Good, The Bad and The Trashy” reflected the range of our books quite nicely, but I wasn’t really happy with it, so I asked my hubby for some input. His brainstorming produced some (ahem) interesting suggestions. “The Gerbil’s Jockstrap” was his favorite, though I pointed out that Jockstrap is a British term (it is a sportsman’s cup/support thingy). He then swapped to “The Bat’s Nadgers” . . . I’ll leave you to guess what nadgers are . . .  and after a few more animals had their nether regions explored, I decided that he didn’t really understand what I was aiming for.

I wanted a name that summed up what happens at the meetings, but also conveyed the warm, cozy feeling of friendship and acceptance that I get from the group. Group meetings are easy-going and fuelled by our mutual love of books, rather than a tense and earnest debate of the finer points of literary technique. It is more like a coffee group than that . . . so that is where the name came from. We drink coffee, nibble cookies (or other delicious baked goods) and have a good time chatting about books.

And the chili peppers? They are how Jan and Sarah warn us about the “spice” level of the titles, so that people who don’t want to read that sort of thing won’t be offended or shocked: after all, we want everyone to enjoy a good read.

And so “Coffee, Cookies and Chili Peppers” was born. I hope it was worth all the brain strain.

Sue