Get Reading National Touring Programme.

One of the unexpected joys of having books out in the public domain is meeting readers, which probably sounds crazy, but I hadn’t thought past getting a book published.  I’ve spent the last month crisscrossing Australia as part of the Get Reading Programme. It’s been exhilarating, enlivening, exhausting and, at times, emotional.

After every talk, without exception, a reader has sort me out for a quiet chat about something in my talk that resonated with them or echoed an event in their life. It’s very humbling to hear those personal stories and it’s a reminder that truth can be far stranger and more heart wrenching than fiction.

The last few days saw me leave the warmth of a northern winter and fly south to Waurn Ponds and Ballarat. While the weather gods may have had a laugh at my expense by conjuring up single digit temperatures, the warm welcome inside the libraries made up for the chill in the air. It was a lovely reminder too that no matter how strong the move to digital books there are still many, many people who love the feel of a book in their hands.

Libraries are very different places to the grey silent buildings I remember from my childhood. You can now access stories in paperback books, in audio books (available as downloads as well as on cds), large print books, and of course e-books.  Libraries have become hubs in their villages and suburbs where all ages can come together and enjoy stories. Literacy is such an important building block of learning and it’s wonderful to see the effort going into encouraging children to read.

I was fascinated to find many regional libraries are situated in complexes which also house the local swimming pool, gymnasium and ball courts. They’ve turned into a one-stop shop for entertainment, which will hopefully pay dividends and ensure future generations value stories and reading.

The Get Reading Programme is an Australian government initiative which partners with publishers to bring authors to regional areas. They tour an author a month from February to November as well as promoting ’50 Books You Can’t Put Down’ in September. The focus is on Australian authors and right now Get Reading is asking people to recommend their favourite Australian novel. Visit them via this link and have your say.

Of course the success of the programme depends on the audience. Have you been to an author visit recently? If so what did you enjoy most? Was it learning about the way an author goes about writing their story? Perhaps it was finding out the inspiration behind the characters or the setting. If you haven’t been to an author chat then next time you see an advertisement for one put it in your diary and come along, join in the conversation. I can guarantee you’ll make an author very happy!

Thanks for dropping by Helene…. Check out Helene’s latest novel, Half Moon Bay.

Get Reading : www.getreading.com.au       http://www.heleneyoung.com