I have corresponded with Margaret Paterson for a couple of years or more now - and was lucky enough to meet her once at a Devon Libraries Readers Day. Margaret personifies, for me, the spirit of the newbooks reader - intrepid and passionate about her reading and how important it is as part of our daily lives.

So it came as no surprise that she threw herself into WBN - as it now seems to be referred to.

"Hello Guy, Seems ages since I distributed the books yet it was only last week!

I chose Fingersmith by Sarah Waters because it was a book I really enjoyed albeit some time ago now. It was fairly atmospheric and set in a period I like and despite what has been said since, I found the storyline left [things] entirely to one's imagination.

My 'pitch' [to be selected as a WBN activist] was simply that I would distribute it to as large and diverse a group of people as possible and, in fact, I gave them to people in coffee shops, two of my local bus drivers and to some others I knew would not only read it but, more importantly pass it on.

The recipients were a mixture of the bemused, (hadn't heard of World Book Night) but generally grateful for the offer. My pitch to them was along the lines of how enjoyable it is to read and how fortunate we are to have the ability. Where there was conversation I explained that I am never without a book. So overall I believe it was a successful initiative and I will follow it up on the WBN web site.

I also attended a "book swap" event in a local Inn where, as well as swapping books with others, another "giver" was sharing her choice with a specific group. I understand from the report back that there were as many different ways as there were "givers". Why don't you contact Jamie Byng the Chairman of the WBN, it might be something he could add to his web site thereby promoting newbooks!!

Have a good weekend

Margaret"