OFFICERS
Jacqueya Harris-Drake
Founder / CEO
I have to say Books and Words are in my blood. As a baby my mother made sure she read to me, she said I was trying to talk at 3 months. Once I became old enough to check books out on my own, the local library became a second home for me. While in middle school I began to write poetry.
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I met my friend Hisa in high school and we both learned that we had the same passion for Reading. We would share books and have a debate about them later. It was just the two of us for years, until I moved out of state for a couple of years. Moving in different directions we both never lost our Passion for Reading.
Today both of our favorite Hobby is still Reading, so we decided to share our Passion with others and create an oasis for Book Lovers like ourselves. What better way to build social connections than with a Book Club and a Cocktail!
Hisa Mike
Founder / COO
I have to say one of the biggest reasons why I read books is to gain knowledge and pleasure. I fell in love with books during my teenage years. I would buy books from a Novelty Shop which had a variety of books and all the latest must reads.
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Once I finished a book, I would call Jacqueya and Ribiyah to ask what book they have read lately. If we read different books, we would switch with each other and talk about each book when we were done. We would talk about how it made us feel, and if we could relate to the book etc. It was just the excitement and the glow I got after every book that made me want to read more and more.
We decided to start this Book Club to take our passion, love and hunger for knowledge of books to another level. This Book Club is a stepping stone to share our passion and our love of books with others in hope of building connections, bonds, family, friendship and passion through “Good Tales & Cocktails”.
Doreen Alston
Treasurer
Born and raised in Newark NJ, I always love meeting people and traveling. No matter where I go from the next city over to as far as Japan, there’s always someone with something to read.
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Reading always brings interests and conversations from people you would have never thought has the same interest. Good Tales and Cocktails is a start to a new adventurous beginning with unknown friends for years to come.
My role in this club is Treasurer. Expenses is a subject that some people are not fond of. And then there’s me… there’s something about the ins-and-outs about money that always intrigued me. Whether I record my weekly food spending or trying to decide on whether or not to save that extra change for a rainy day. As Treasurer I’ll make sure that expenses are kept up-to-date, so that this book club will be able to save for that “rainy day.”
April Gordon
Secretary
I absolutely love reading. In fact, I read so much as a young girl and teenager that I used to imagine my life like some of the characters in the books and what I would do if I were in their shoes.
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When Jacqueya and Hisa said that they were starting a book club I did not hesitate to say YES! I have only known Jacqueya for a few years, but from the day we met up until now it feels like we have been friends forever. I was born and raised in Newark, but currently reside in Somerset. I am married with three adult children and one grandson. I am a medical transcriptionist by trade, which I have been doing since I finished business school in 1991. I look forward to our book club growing into a mega club with book tours and girl trips in the future. We are building lifelong friendships /sisterhoods with women who share the same passion as us.
