Author events are the bread and butter of literature development. For readers to have the chance to meet the creators of their favourite characters and stories, to question them about how the work was put together, and to hear well known lines being read out in the first voice they were ever heard in, always gives me a thrill. To meet the actual person who thought the whole book up – right there in the flesh - can never be matched by watching a film or video, or by downloading a biog or podcast. And for the writer too, there is nothing to compare with a live audience. To get real feedback, or to get out and meet fans who give praise and validiation for the work you are doing must be a great help during the long solitary days spent developing a manuscript.
An important part of the work Cyprus Well does is provide funding to enable writers to meet with audiences, so that’s why we are working with the Reading Agency to bring writers and their publishers together with librarians from around the South West. The event is called the Reading Partners Roadshow and it will provide an opportunity for librarians to meet and talk with publishers about the kind of support they can offer.
Tomorrow we will host Robert Goddard, Amelia Carr, Lilian Harry, Graham Hurley, Sarah Moss and Julian Stockwin – and meet publishing staff from Headline, Orion, Hodder, Transworld, HarperCollins and Random House – so today I’m busy making the final arrangments.
From this Cyprus Well hopes to continue to raise funds to support this vital work. We manage the ‘Read South West’ network – so we’ve brought together that membership, of librarians involved in reader development, to represent as many of the libraries in the South West as possible. With library cuts biting into events budgets, it’s even more vital that Cyprus Well can continue to raise funds to make sure everyone has a chance to meet the real people behind the books they love, and by forging stronger partnerships with the publishers we hope to be able to bring events like these to as many places and people around the South West region as possible – so we look forward to seeing you at one of these in 2011!
