LOST RIVER - 1 WEEK TO GO

There's just one week to go before publication of the 10th Cooper & Fry novel LOST RIVER, and I have a series of signings lined up for the launch:

FRIDAY 2nd APRIL, 1 - 3pm

Bookthrift bookshop, 5a St John Street, Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

For details, phone 01335 300299.

SATURDAY 3rd APRIL, 10am - 12 noon

Bookworm bookshop, Spa Lane, Retford, Nottinghamshire.

For details or to order a signed copy, phone 01777 869224 or email: sales@bookwormretford.co.uk

website: http://www.bookwormretford.co.uk/

SATURDAY 10th APRIL, 2 - 4 pm

Scarthin Books, The Promenade, Scarthin, Cromford, Derbyshire.

For details, phone 01629 823272.

website: http://www.scarthinbooks.com

SATURDAY 17th APRIL, 1 - 3 pm

Waterstone's, Vicar Lane, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

For details, phone 01246 231061.

SATURDAY 24th APRIL, 12 - 2 pm

Waterstone's, 78-80 St Peter's Street, Derby.

For details, phone 01332 296997.

NEW LIBRARY IN DERBY

Derby City Council open a brand new library today in the Mackworth area of the city, funded by the Big Lottery. It's always great to see new libraries opening!

http://www.derby.gov.uk/LeisureCulture/Libraries/Findyourlocallibrary/About+Mackworth+Library.htm

As part of the celebrations, I'll be doing an event at the new Mackworth Library on Wednesday 21st April (7pm). Apart from a series of bookshop signings for LOST RIVER, this is the only event I have scheduled in April, so don't miss it! The evening is free, but booking is essential. Book at any Derby City library or call the Central Library on 01332 641702.

The new Mackworth Library:

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE STORYFEST

March is StoryFest month here in Nottinghamshire. There are lots of events going on around the county, including appearances by authors such as Ann Cleeves, Jon McGregor and Karen Maitland.

Personally, I'll be at Sutton in Ashfield Library on Wednesday 10th March to talk to readers, and at Kirkby in Ashfield Library on Wednesday 24th March.

Here's the full StoryFest programme:

http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/storyfest.pdf

WORLD BOOK DAY

World Book Day is approaching again in the UK. It takes place this Thursday, 4th March, with lots of book-related events going on all over the country:

http://www.worldbookday.com

This year, I'll be talking to readers at Droylsden Library, Tameside (in the Greater Manchester area), from 7.30pm. It's a FREE event, but if you're in the area and you'd like to come along, phone the library on 0161 370 1282.

I have more library events coming up in March, too. Details here:

http://www.stephen-booth.com/new%20events.htm

Droylsden Library:

Gary Barber / CC BY-SA 2.0

NEWSLETTER #24

Well, this blog has been a bit quiet for a while! But I do have books to write, you know...

Anyway, my latest newsletter has just gone out, and I'll be updating news on my activities here very soon. If you're not already on the newsletter mailing list, you can sign up on the website, and get the latest issue:

http://www.stephen-booth.com/Newsletter.htm

BOOK CHANNEL INTERVIEW

Yes, this is me talking about THE KILL CALL during an interview at Lowdham Book Festival this June:

“MOST BOOK FESTIVALS IGNORE MOST PEOPLE”

I recently did a couple of events for Lowdham Book Festival, the largest festival of its kind in Nottinghamshire.

I won't be surprised if you've never heard of Lowdham. It's a medium sized village about midway between Nottingham and Newark, and it's a bit too easy to pass through it on the A612 and not notice it at all. But the book festival is 10 years old, and it's been growing in leaps and bounds. It even has spin-offs in the form of a film festival and a winter weekend, in addition to the summer festival.

This year, 6,000 people attended a total of 54 events in and around Lowdham. Every venue in the village is used, from the Women's Insitute to the Methodist chapel, and a series of tents set up behind the village hall. The village is also lucky enough to have its own independent bookshop, The Book Case.

Lowdham isn't really like any other book festival I know of. It has music, as well as books. And on the last Saturday it becomes a cross between a book festival and a village fete, with allotment holders selling their produce, and local people turning out in their thousands to support "their event". Every session on the last day (and there are lots of them!) is free. The atmosphere is buzzing.

One of the tireless organisers of this festival, Ross Bradshaw, has been blogging about Lowdham , and book festivals in general. His view is that many festivals become indistinguishable, with a similar line-up of 'celebs' promoting their latest books, and no real connection to their location. Lowdham does have its big names, but that's certainly not what it's about.

Read Ross's take on festivals here:

http://literaturenetwork.org/?p=1404