4th February 2016
Today's publication day for The Anniversary, a book of ten short stories from bestselling authors to celebrate ten years of Quick Reads, part of The Reading Agency. It's a lovely collection of anniversary-themed stories – some heartwarming, some heartwrenching. There are also recipes from The Hairy Bikers to make a three-course meal plus nibbles, which sounds very good. I'm one of the contributors – my short story, 'May Day', is about Kateryn Parr, sixth queen of Henry VIII. The core of the story is the same as in my novel The Taming of the Queen, but I've told it differently – it's quite invigorating to have the opportunity to use the same material in a different form. The book's one of six new Quick Reads titles published today including an abridged edition of I Am Malala and a collection of Agatha Christie short stories – they each cost just £1.
Quick Reads aims to encourage that reading is for everyone, which I fervently believe. Research commissioned to celebrate the anniversary found that books have inspired over a quarter of the UK adults questioned to make positive life changes. As many as half said that reading makes them more sympathetic to other people's beliefs, while 35% said books are the most likely thing to give them comfort when they're feeling down (beating glasses of wine and hot baths). I think reading is a key way to develop the imagination needed to see life from other viewpoints – so important for improving the way you see others and yourself. I can't imagine life without it.
https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/books/detail.page?isbn=9781409159070
http://readingagency.org.uk/news/media/new-study-reveals-that-reading-for-pleasure-empowers-us.html
