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Congratulations to The Hayling Island Bookshop, my local independent bookshop, which has been voted by the Academy of British Book Awards as one of the UK’s best independent bookshops. The store is the South Region winner to go forward to the shortlist for the prestigious Independent Bookshop of the Year Award. Bookshop Owner, Marie Telford is thrilled to be on the shortlist for a “Nibbie”. The bookshop runs a range of book events working in partnership with different organisations including the Portsmouth Schools Library Service and the Hampshire Public Library Service. In 2008 the shop supported events for over 3000 people with authors including yours truly, Terry Pratchett, Anne Widdecombe, Ian Whybrow, Kate Mosse and Derek Landy. Marie Telford and her husband Colin are also very active in my local community sponsoring and organising the Hayling Island Scarecrow Festival. Well done and best of luck in the finals, which are tonight. Fingers crossed.

Independent Booksellers Week kicks off on 1 July and runs until 8 July and I would like to say a little something in support of my local bookshop on Hayling Island where I will be signing copies of my novels, including the paperback version of Deadly Waters, on Saturday 5 July between 11am and 12.00 noon. This little something has appeared in my local newspaper The News on the Letters page and in The Bookseller magazine. All too often we complain and criticise so I thought it was about time some praise was due. "I fully endorse Independent Booksellers Week to celebrate the role that Indies play in the community and am immensely grateful as an author to those bookshops that have supported me. But I don’t think anyone can top my local independent bookshop, The Hayling Island Bookshop for sheer commitment to the community. Marie and Colin Telford ( in the picture above) are a breath of fresh air in our island community. Here are just a few of the things they do: Organise flower baske...

Love Your Local Bookshop , is The Booksellers' Association's campaign to celebrate independent bookselling. It runs from 1st to 8th July 2008. There is a range of events taking place at over 300 independent booksellers nationwide, from literary festivals, to bookshop quizzes, children’s readings, girls’ nights in with Galaxy chocolate. and author signings. My local independent bookseller on Hayling Island - The Hayling Island Bookshop is organising a series of book signings that week, which include saga writer, Dee Williams signing on 1 July, Kate Mosse on 4 July and yours truly on Saturday 5 July between 11am and 12 noon. As a passionate supporter of local bookshops I am really pleased with this initiative and hope that it goes from strength to strength. You can visit http://lylbs.tbpcontrol.co.uk/ to find out what is going on in your area.