Book Crossing

If you are a writer or would be writer, the only fair assumption that can be made is that you are also a reader.

The 'positive view of the world' part of me also reckons you will also be committed to other people reading and enjoying reading too. If I keep working up this track, then I extend this thought so far as to guess that you will also be interested in some book related fun and good deeds.

Bookcrossing.com is just the place to get some good ideas for such fun. I've been a member for a year now, and while I haven't released as many books as I would like to have, I have referred a few members.

How does it work? Well you get any books you have finished reading and are happy to pass on to others - even your own books if you have some published. Register the book on the Bookcrossing.com web site - where it will be given a unique number to pop inside the book with a bookplate (which you can download from from the web site). Then you "release it" in the wild - somewhere you think a relevant reader might pass upon it. I have left one at my local church, the Uni I teach at and a local shopping centre for example.

When someone finds your book, they are encouraged to put a journal entry on the web site saying they have found it, review the book or jsut say where they will be releasing it. Talk about good going around the world!

Encourage reading - and feel good about decluttering your own book collection and join the Bookcrossing phenomenon.

(c) Pamela Weatherill 2008