Exclusive Q&A with the author of Book People, Paige Nick

If you thought the book community was nothing more than a bunch of sweet, well-behaved book lovers gathering to chat about novels over a glass of wine, think again. Paige Nick is here to shake things up with her latest novel, Book People, a sharply observed satire that peels back the curtain on the dramas, debates, and digital chaos that simmer beneath the surface of online book clubs (minus the near-murder, of course).

Inspired by her own real-life Facebook book club, The Good Book Appreciation Society , which boasts over 23,000 members. Book People dives into the quirks and complexities of literary communities in the digital age. Without giving too much away, the story centres on Norma, a fortysomething accountant based in London with South African roots. She runs a thriving book club online, but when one scathing review sends everything spiralling, she’s forced to face both the chaos in her virtual world and the unraveling of her personal life.

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The novel explores how digital spaces can be both harmful and healing , a source of division and a sanctuary for those seeking connection. With two novels to her name, Paige Nick brings her signature wit and warmth to this sharply funny, thought-provoking read. She has mastered the ability to take real-life issues and package them in a way that raises awareness, but still lands with a punchline. Book People is a clever reminder that behind every online persona lies a real, messy, and often hilarious human story.

We caught up with Paige to dive deeper into the inspiration behind Book People, the real-life book club that sparked it, and how she managed to turn the quirks and chaos of the online book world into a witty, laugh-out-loud satire.

You started out in advertising—how did you make the leap from writing ads to writing your first novel?

I started in advertising when I was 18, in 1994. I always wanted to write a book and had tried for years. Eventually, I realised that for five consecutive New Year’s Eves, I had made the same resolution: to lose 20 kilos and write a novel. Around 2008 going into 2009, I had a moment of clarity. I thought, “Maybe I won’t lose the 20 kilos, but I can focus on writing the book.”

So I took a week off work. I’d been arguing with myself for years, “You’re a writer, you should be able to write a book.” But as an advertising writer, you’re trained for short form, 30 or 60 seconds. Could I really write a whole novel?

That week, I did a writing course with the amazing Sarah Bullen, she’s a writer and coach. She taught us the fundamentals, and that led to my first novel, which was published by Penguin in 2010. After that, I kept writing, Then I took a break. Now I’m back, and we’ll see where this goes!

Let’s talk about "Book People" How did the plot come about? Was it theme first, or character first?

I hadn’t written since 2017. The publishing industry is really tough, and I felt uninspired. I’d written six novels and three collaborations, and I thought maybe that was enough. But in 2023, I looked at the book club I run on Facebook, the Good Book Appreciation Society, and I thought, “This place is fascinating.”

There are 23,000 members. It’s full of conversation, friendship, and even arguments. I thought, why not write a love letter to them? If just 1% bought the book, that’s 2,000 copies, a decent number. So I started with the world of the Facebook book club.

From there, I thought about what really happens in the group, the tiny arguments, the escalations. That’s where my characters came from. I just took real situations and escalated them dramatically. Of course, in reality, no one’s ended up in a coma or had the police called, but I amplified the microaggressions and passions a thousand-fold.

Norma, your lead character—did she, in any way, remind you of yourself?

Because Norma runs a book club like I do, I made a deliberate effort to make her very different from me. I write fiction, not memoir. So I made her an accountant, numbers are not my thing. I made her live in London while I live in South Africa. While we share the role of running a club in parallel universes, she’s not me.

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A post shared by Paige Nick (@amillionmilesfromnormal)

Norma is also quite introverted and started her book club with former colleagues. Was that similar to your own journey?

Yes, very similar. I was in a book club at the agency where I worked. We were just a group of friends who loved books. We’d meet at someone’s desk on Fridays at lunchtime, there was often cake, and we’d swap books and chat. One friend, Megan, once threw a Bret Easton Ellis novel out the window in rage, and a car ran over it!

Eventually, we left the agency, and people got busier. So we started the Good Book Appreciation Society on Facebook in 2013. Megan named it. We started with five members and three likes on the first post. Now it’s grown exponentially, and that’s the magic of social media.

Let’s talk about Harry. He really stressed me out! Why did you choose to make him male?

Great question—no one’s asked me that before! Some readers have noticed that many of the male characters are a bit toxic, which I hadn’t even realised until recently.

I think I needed contrast. If Harry had been female, the lines between characters might have blurred. Sometimes in books with too many similar names—like Charlotte and Caroline—I get confused. I wanted clear distinction.

Also, the internet tends to turn on toxic male behaviour more than female, so I felt it was more believable. He could behave badly and still be unaware of his impact. That created a good foil for Norma.

You explored the digital world and its impact on relationships. What inspired that angle?

Whether it’s social media or your local WhatsApp group, we all experience microaggressions daily. People behave differently online than in person. At a dinner party, if you disagreed with someone, you’d probably just smile and move on. But online? We dig in.

We feel strongly about even the smallest things—dog-earing pages, how people speak. There’s a mob mentality. So I wanted to explore those tensions, because that’s the reality of modern communication.

Paige Nick, Image: Instagram/@amillionmilesfromnormal

I really appreciated the humour in the book. Was that deliberate—to balance the heavy themes with comedy?

Yes, but also—it’s just my voice. Everything I write has a comedic edge. The world is serious enough already. Between climate change and wars, it’s not easy out there. So many books tackle these hard issues.

I feel like my role is to give readers a break. If I can make you smile or laugh, even just once, that brings me joy. I’m not aiming to write the next great South African literary masterpiece. I want to entertain. That’s where I’ve found my voice.

What’s your take on book club culture, especially in South Africa?

I love book clubs. I’ve been in several. Some people ask if it’s still a thing, or worry their club is just a wine club. I say—there are no rules! If your book club drinks wine and laughs and escapes the world for a few hours, that’s still valid. Books are a form of escape, and so are book clubs. Whether you’re talking about books or not, it’s a sacred space. I’ve met women who’ve been in the same club for 28 years. This book is a love letter to book clubs and to the GBAS community.

Did any real-life book club members recognise themselves in the story?

Yes! Some chapters are lifted verbatim from the Good Book Appreciation Society. I asked for permission, and everyone said yes—they were thrilled. There’s one chapter about the Bible—someone asked if it should be the bestselling book of all time. Another one features a photo of a library book where a child crossed out all the swear words, and another person uncrossed them and left a note - that was from the real bookclub. So yes, I think I've taken the real tropes, the real personalities that you find online, not just in a book club.

What’s the one thing you hope someone takes away from your book when they pick it up and start reading?

If you smile even once while reading my book, just once, then maybe you’ll smile again. That’s what I want. I want you to feel something good. To recognize yourself in the pages, to laugh, to pause, to say, “Oh yeah, I get that.” Just a moment of peace, of joy, of lightness in a heavy world. Let this book be entertainment. Let it be a soft place to land. If it brings you a little bit of happiness, even for a minute, then I’ve done what I came to do. That’s important to me.