Tough Edinburgh cop Chief Constable Bob
Skinner – the well-loved creation of master Scottish crime writer Quintin
Jardine (left) – will be introduced to whole new audiences of readers thanks to a
partnership project created by The Reading Agency and publishers Headline in
conjunction with Scottish public libraries.
Anticipating the 8 May publication of Hour of Darkness, the
latest Bob Skinner adventure, staff in participating Scottish libraries will
this month begin promoting Quintin Jardine’s books across their libraries. The
chance to play host to the bestselling author for reader events is being
offered as an incentive to the most supportive libraries for late summer/autumn
2014. (Please see ‘Notes to editors’ for details of participating libraries.)
Equipped with promotional materials
including specially produced bookmarks, posters, ‘shelf talkers’ and reader
review postcards library staff will promote Quintin Jardine titles to borrowers
of books by similar authors writing in the same genre. They will encourage
engagement, reader conversations and reviews, trackingissue performance of his titles prior to, during
and after the promotion. There is also the chance to win a case of
wine for the library which creates the best display reflecting promotional
activity and using readers’ reviews.
“My dad used to say, ‘People are afraid of
death, but they’re not afraid of ignorance.’ He was right, but times are
changing. Libraries have a crucial role in promoting lifelong learning. They
are an essential part of a healthy community, and they must be cherished, and
protected at all costs,” says Quintin Jardine. “This project is a great example
of the power libraries have to reach out to readers new and old, getting them
thinking, talking, meeting up and making new connections as well as reading
more, and I'm really pleased that my books are at the centre of it.”
Hour of Darkness will be Quintin Jardine’s twenty-fourth Bob Skinner novel. The series
spans more than 20 years, and there are over 1.4 million copies of Quintin
Jardine titles currently in print. Amongst them, Quintin’s Oz and Primavera
Blackstone adventures rival Bob Skinner in popularity as well as his
well-received ‘stand alone’ novel, The Loner. Quintin’s fortieth novel, Mathew’s
Tale is an historical set in 19th century Scotland and will be
published in autumn 2014.
Karen Cunningham, head of Glasgow Libraries, says: “Working together Scottish Libraries have a unique opportunity to
start a national conversation about this perennially popular genre and the
place of libraries to provide free and equitable access to books.”
"We’re delighted to be working with
Quintin, his publishers and Scottish libraries to bring his well-loved writing
to new Scottish audiences," says Katy Mendham of The
Reading Agency. “Projects like this demonstrate the unique links that public
libraries can offer authors and publishers in terms of not only reaching but
actively engaging with readers, and the creative ways that publishers can
support them.”
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