Spread The Word - The Book To Talk About 2008

We're busy slaving away over a hot bookshop, putting the final touches to the literary part of the Abingdon Arts Festival - which is just over two weeks away (gulp). You just wouldn't believe how much effort goes into some nice looking fliers, posters and tickets when you've been used to whizzing off home-made marketing collateral on the trusty old inkjet. Phew! We've also added a new event - which I'm bursting with excitement to tell you about. But first...some back story. This year, the powers-that-be that organise World Book Day put together an initiative called Spread The Word. In very simple terms, they picked a longlist of 100 recently-published books which were neither bestseller nor Richard & Judy, but nevertheless were great reads - and asked the public to vote on them. The idea was to stimulate the kind of buzz that surrounds the larger literary awards, but for smaller presses and authors. Nicki and I thought it was a noble idea, and just the kind of thing for World Book Day (which in the UK has tended to focus mainly on children's reading). We drew up our own shortlist based on those books we liked - and were delighted when two of the authors we'd picked were shortlisted for the £5,000 prize (which will be announced on World Book Day itself). So I'm even more delighted that both of these authors - Angela Young and Eliza Graham - will be coming to Mostly Books for an event on Monday 3rd March - three days before the winner is announced. Exciting or what? Now, obviously we'd like loads of people to come along on the Monday event (7.30pm) for what I feel will be a very special event. But if you can't, go take a look at the shortlist and vote for your favourite book and learn more about the two authors from their websites: Angela Young and Eliza Graham. Tickets are £3 - redeemable against a purchase on the evening. Numbers will be limited, so please phone or email to reserve a ticket. Fingers crossed for these two on Thursday March 6th - but good luck to all the books and authors on the list. I feel all of them would be worthy winners...