Gooseberry and the British Library

 

 

It’s March, and I’ve just had some exciting news. Gooseberry is to appear in a promotion by the British Library’s digital arm to persuade small digital publishers—such as my own Seventh Rainbow Publishing—just how easy it is to upload their titles using their portal.

 

Although digital publications have been around for quite some time, it often takes governments a while to recognize a new technology, to work out how it ought to be dealt with (a minefield of a question, which they could easily get wrong), and to find the necessary funding to implement their proposals.

 

In Britain in 2013, a law came into effect requiring digital publishers to fall in line with their traditional counterparts in offering a copy of any newly-published title to the British Library’s legal deposit. Thus the portal, the interface between digital publishers and the British Library, was born. I was proud to be included in the very first intake, and I am thrilled to be represented in the portal’s new promotion. I wish them the very best of luck.

Rather amazingly, “Gooseberry” has made it to the second round of voting in “The Three Bookateer” book awards on Facebook, in the “Best Cozy Mystery 2014” category, no less. Woohoo!!!

It may not have a hope in hell of winning, but wouldn’t it be great if it came second or third?…and you can help with this. Click on the link below, scroll down to find “Best Cozy Mystery 2014” (this is the hardest part, as the list is long, but your perseverance will be rewarded in the end), click the box to see the nominees, then tick the button beside “Gooseberry”.

 

Here’s the link to where you can register to vote: https://www.facebook.com/events/1528065474110144?/