MarketingProfs on Tuesday launched a free online book club designed to give readers the opportunity to chat about new marketing book releases - with each other as well as the authors - to sharing ideas and best practices across the marketing community.

The first book on tap is the just-released Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message, by customer evangelists Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba.

It's a virtual version of a community book club, without the coffee and cookies (or beer and nachos, depending on the nature of the discussion). Members of the club, led by marketer and MarketingProfs contributor Christina Kerley, will have a new book to read every two months.

Each discussion will kick off with an author Q&A in the MarketingProfs newsletter and website; the discussions will take place at the MarketingProfs Know-How Exchange, an online discussion forum. The first 30 people to sign up for each book discussion get the book free.