Crime novels raise money for charities

I've just heard that sales of one of my novels and a talk I gave at a literary lunch have raised over £900 for two charities: the Portsmouth Hospitals Rocky Appeal and the Wessex Cancer Trust.

I donated copies of my crime thriller novel, In Cold Daylight, to the Portsmouth Hospitals Rocky Appeal shop where they were snapped up within one week thus raising £90.00 towards the Three Peaks Challenge being undertaken by staff at the hospital to raise money for new digital keyhole operating theatres.

The appeal aims to raise £3million for the new state of the art space age keyhole surgeries in Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, England. These new theatres will be the most advanced in the UK and will enable surgeons to use keyhole surgery to remove complex gastric and colon cancers, hernias, spleens, and appendices; and to perform transplants as well as gynaecology, kidney and bladder operations and surgical procedures giving immediate benefit to patients including less pain, smaller scars amd faster recovery times.

Over £800 was also raised at a charity literary lunch on 17 November in aid of the Wessex Cancer Trust. I was the guest speaker and talked to a packed audience about my writing and my crime novels.

The Wessex Cancer Trust is an independent charity which has raised millions to help support and improve cancer services in the Wessex region, which includes the Isle of Wight, Channel Islands, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset. The Trust supports many aspects of cancer care, including leading edge research, the improvement of patient facilities, purchase of much needed equipment, patient grants, complementary therapy and counselling services.

This is great news and I'm delighted to have helped two such worthwhile charities to raise much needed funds in my own small way.