WORLD BOOK NIGHT.

How can I possibly have missed out on WORLD BOOK NIGHT?

To take place on the 5th of March World Book Night (WBN), and I quote, represents the most ambitious and far-reaching celebration of adult books and reading ever attempted in the UK and Ireland in which one million books will be given away.

YES, one million books.

So how does it work? The book give-away will comprise 40,000 copies of each of the 25 carefully selected TITLES, to be given away by 20,000 ‘givers’, who will each distribute 48 copies of their chosen title to whomever they choose on WBN. The remaining books will be distributed by WBN itself in places that might otherwise be difficult to reach, such as prisons and hospitals.

You mentioned 'givers', are you one of these? Sadly not but I hope to participate in any further events.

A million books ..... You would think everyone would be happy. Not so ..... some booksellers have branded WBN MISGUIDED AND MISJUDGED.

Masterminded by Jamie Byng, managing director of publisher Canongate, the event has a roster of starry supporters and will receive extensive coverage on BBC2. Many of the authors – who will all waive the royalties on their books – have given WBN enthusiastic public support.

But But Vanessa Robertson, who owns the Edinburgh Bookshop in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, has claimed that, far from spreading the joy of reading WBN will simply flood the market with free books and devalue the work of authors in the eyes of the public.

In a highly critical blog posted on the website State of Independents (click HERE to view) Robertson says many booksellers are "horrified" by the "misguided and misjudged" venture.

(More of a valid point to me) Andrew Bently-Steed, who manages the Edinburgh Bookshop said "The authors whose books have been chosen are superstars, but most authors have under £7,000 average annual earnings and some major retailers are treating their books like loss leaders." and suggested that a better event would be a "Fair Trade Book Fortnight" at which all retailers agreed to charge the full cover price for their books to support authors. - Benedicte Page, the Guardian (11/02/2011)

Hmm, some interesting points. I suppose it would have been a good thing if perhaps some lesser known books/authors had been involved in WBN as a way of showcasing and promoting their works BUT surely anything that promotes reading (and the possible buying of other books perhaps by less well known authors) has to be a positive thing.

WHAT THINKS YOU?

Oh and one other thing ........

You remember my mentioning the INDIE LIT AWARDS and how my vote went to BALTHAZAR JONES AND THE TOWER OF LONDON ZOO? Well, the winners have been announced - click HERE to see just who won.