Free copies of a book featuring the work of Scots contributors will be available from seven Specsavers stores across the Edinburgh area this week, to celebrate the first Book Week Scotland.
The opticians have teamed up with Scottish Book Trust to distribute My Favourite Place – a collection of heartfelt and inspiring stories, poems and songs. Amongst the participating Specsavers stores are North Bridge, Cameron Toll, Gyle, Jewel, Morningside, Shandwick Place and Leith.
More than 150,000 free copies of the book will be gifted to people across the country through more than 60 Specsavers stores, as well as bookshops, public libraries, National Trust and Historic Scotland properties, workplaces, CalMac ferries and train stations.
Jennifer Ballantyne, store director, Specsavers North Bridge, says: “Specsavers has supported lifelong learning and literacy in Scotland for more than 20 years, and we’re proud to continue that tradition by supporting My Favourite Place and distributing the books through our Edinburgh stores during Book Week Scotland.
“They will be available throughout the week and, if we have any remaining afterwards, we will continue to give them out for as long as stocks last.”
My Favourite Place features the winning entries of a creative writing competition held in partnership with BBC Radio Scotland, as well as original commissioned contributions from famous authors including Michael Palin, Alexander McCall Smith and Liz Lochhead.
There is also contemporary art from Kate Davis, Louise Hopkins, Helen Douglas, Donald Urquhart, Alasdair Gray and David Faithfull, and Scots and Gaelic contributions from James Robertson and Aonghas Padraig Caimbeul.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, says: “The people of Edinburgh are sure to love My Favourite Place and we are delighted Specsavers has teamed up with us to help distribute it as widely as possible to mark Book Week Scotland.
“The truly personal and diverse nature of the contributions to the book – by celebrities, writers and the public – evoke a strong and wonderful sense of this country. It is a fitting tribute to the beauty of Scotland and what it means in the lives of the people who live here.”
To find out more about Book Week Scotland visit http://www.bookweekscotland.com or http://www.scottishbooktrust.com where you can find even more stories and details of the 450 events taking place throughout the week.
