UK crime writer, Pauline Rowson, Independent Bookseller, The Hayling Island Bookshop,  and Wightlink Ferries have teamed up to take the National Year of Reading initiative one step further than announced by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, in January. Instead of encouraging people to read in businesses, homes and communities around the country they are enticing passengers on board the Isle of Wight ferry, St Clare, by staging a unique eight-hour marathon book signing event on Friday 30 May and a chance for readers to ‘meet the author.’

The National Year of Reading was launched by Gordon Brown and Education Secretary, Ed Balls, in January in order to help build a greater national passion for reading among children, families and adult learners alike.  The Hayling Island Bookshop last year, with author Pauline Rowson, tested out the concept of a mobile author event experience with the cooperation of Wightlink and was so delighted with the success that it decided to repeat it and step up the activity for the National Year of Reading.  Pauline Rowson’s latest Marine Mystery crime novel, Deadly Waters, will be launched on board St Clare during the day.

Rowson who burst on to the crime writing scene in 2006 with Tide of Death, the first in the series to feature her Portsmouth based detective, Inspector Horton, is fast becoming a household name. Her second novel, also published in 2006, In Cold Daylight, a thriller, based on the tragic true story of fire-fighters killed by cancer whilst working in the line of duty, was shortlisted for the World Book Day Prize 2008. It came sixth in the top ten and third in a nationwide poll of one hundred books. 

Pauline Rowson will spend the day aboard St Clare from 8.45 to 16.30 meeting passengers and signing copies of her books whilst travelling between Portsmouth and Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight. 

Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries is the market-leading provider of ferry services between the Isle of Wight and the English mainland, operating a round-the-clock service, every day of the year on three routes across the Solent and sailing up to 230 times a day.  Wightlink, with its predecessors, has been operating ferry services for over 160 years and carries over 5 ½ million passengers, over 1.2 million cars and almost 200,000 coaches and freight vehicles annually on its three routes to the Island. With twelve ships in the fleet and a revenue of some £51 million per annum, it is a large and important business.

Marie Telford of The Hayling Island Bookshop says, ‘We organise many author signing events both in our shop and at venues around the area believing it is important to take books to people rather than always waiting for people to come to us. Pauline’s books are very popular and make entertaining and thrilling reading.  They are an ideal choice for the National Year of Reading, and this innovative event on board the Wightlink ferry will surely be one of the more unusual organised in 2008.’

Pauline lives on Hayling Island with her ex fire-fighter husband, Bob and is a passionate supporter of libraries and reading.  She says, ‘It is rather an unusual book signing and that’s what I like about it.  It is also highly appropriate for my novels because they are all set around the sea, in particular the Solent. I am very grateful to Wightlink for allowing me to do this and for being so enthusiastic about the event, and to the Hayling Island Bookshop for organising it.  It promises to be a great day out, and will bring new books to new readers.’

Ends                                                                                      

May 2008

All press are welcome on board at any stage for photographs, filming and interviews by prior arrangement only with Wightlink.

Call Kerry Jackson, Marketing Manager, on 02392 855427, or e-mail kerryjackson@wightlink.co.uk

Alternatively contact Christine Ball of Christine Ball PR on 01798 874177 or e mail: cball@cballpr.co.uk

Pauline Rowson can be contacted on pressroom@rowmark.co.uk  or telephone 07973 338543

Colin and Marie Telford of The Hayling Island Bookshop can be contacted on 07880 986624 or enquiries@haylingislandbookshop.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Pauline Rowson is author of Tide of Death, Deadly Waters and The Suffocating Sea featuring Inspector Horton and the thrillers, In Cold Daylight and In For The Kill. www.paulinerowson.com