On Wednesday evening, January 28, something quietly special unfolded in downtown Denham Springs. Inside Le Chien Brewery, amid the low hum of conversation and the clink of glasses, Chapter Twenty Mobile Bookstore hosted its very first monthly book club, and it felt less like a meeting and more like the beginning of a tradition.
The night centered around Bewitched by the Voodoo King, a romantic fantasy by local author Alyssa Lonergan. What made the evening extraordinary was not just the book, but the presence of the author herself. Lonergan joined the group in person, turning a casual book discussion into an intimate and thoughtful conversation about writing, identity, and self discovery.
With drinks in hand, I opted for Le Chien’s Cherry Limeade Sour, which turned out to be unexpectedly refreshing. Readers gathered to talk through the novel’s themes as discussion flowed easily, touching on character growth, emotional vulnerability, and the familiar ache of feeling like an outsider. One reader summed it up simply, saying, “I cried a lot. Some of it was happy, too, but mostly… it just got me.” Heads nodded around the table in agreement.
Lonergan spoke candidly about her inspiration, sharing that many of her stories begin as vivid dreams that spark the creative process. “A lot of my books are actually a dream that I’ve had,” she explained. “With this one, I had never written anything like it before, and it was really outside my comfort zone.” She shared that encouragement from her husband pushed her to take the leap, a decision that ultimately led to a story that resonated deeply with readers.
Parts of the novel, she explained, were deeply personal. “I feel like I write a little bit of myself in all of my families and characters,” Lonergan said. “Maple felt really special to me. I kind of felt like I was rewriting my own story while I was writing hers and giving myself a second chance.” That honesty helped frame the novel not just as a fantasy romance, but as a story about belonging, healing, and learning how to love yourself.
The conversation was open and unfiltered. Readers laughed about characters they adored, admitted to moments that frustrated them, and debated pacing and perspective. One attendee noted how quickly the story pulled them in, saying, “I read it in twenty four hours. I just couldn’t put it down.” Another shared that the book reignited a love of reading they thought they had lost, calling it “one of those first books that makes you fall back in love with reading again.”
Discussion prompts passed around the table sparked deeper reflection. When asked what inspired the main characters, Lonergan explained that once she understood Maple’s journey, everything else followed. “Once I had Maple figured out and knew where I wanted her to go, everything else showed up,” she said. “He just came to me after that.”
Chapter Twenty’s approach to hosting was just as thoughtful as the conversation itself. The evening included guided questions, open discussion, and moments of lighthearted fun that kept the atmosphere welcoming. Attendees even brainstormed ideas for future meetings, from annotated reads to creative keepsakes that could be framed and dated as the book club grows.
Adding to the warmth of the night was a small but heartfelt surprise. Each attendee received wax melts from Southern Magnolia Candle Co., a simple gesture that underscored the evening’s focus on supporting local makers and creating an experience that lingered beyond the discussion.
Le Chien Brewery proved to be the perfect venue. The space was pet friendly, relaxed, and inviting, offering exactly the kind of environment where conversations stretch a little longer and strangers quickly start to feel like familiar faces.
Chapter Twenty’s book club will meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month, and if the first gathering was any indication, this group is poised to become a meaningful fixture in the local literary and creative community. As one attendee put it during the discussion, “It’s just nice to sit somewhere, drink something good, and talk about a book we all read together.” And that, perhaps, is exactly the point.
