Of course, we are facing a world in which digital forms of entertainment have gained rapid ground. For younger people, in particular, they are the the first resort when it comes to choosing how they wish to spend that segment of their leisure time.

I touched on the subject of digitization in my previous post and its effects will have far-reaching consequences for all creators of original entertainment. Those who fail to adapt to the new environment may find that there is no longer a place for their work on any platform.

You can read what Anthony Horowitz has to say on the subject here:

Horowitz Blogging at The Bookseller

This is not because of any lack of love of books but rather the result of an intense burst of writing that has seen me publish a trilogy and start two completely new projects in a short space of time.  Compared to the other members of the panel and the audience, however, I classify as a wimp.  In one small area of West London there are eleven known book groups and probably many more beavering away anonymously.  Judging by the discussion that ensued, they are well-read, positively keen to overlook hyped up bestsellers and hungry for excellent writing both classic and new.

The debate bore out the old adage that you should never underestimate your audience.  Publishers sometimes make the mistake of thinking that dumbed down sells.  Maybe in Dan Brown’s case but then he is an exception to every rule.  What was apparent is that people everywhere, from all walks of life, still love and appreciate a good book.  We need more festivals like this to bring together such passionate bibliophiles. 

All praise to Torin Douglas (pictured) for his superb organisation of the event which attracted such luminaries as Michael Frayn, Jacqueline Wilson, Antonia Fraser, Anthony Horowitz, Sir Ian McKellen, Michelle Paver…and me.  All the money raised went to support three worthy charities.

For more about the festival visit:  http://chiswickbookfestival.org

As for that perfect book club book…there isn’t one.  The book club members I met were far too diverse, erudite and interesting to be pinned down to a genre, never mind a single book…

And where better to start than with Mr. Alex Rider himself, Anthony Horowitz?  Actually, this part of his site is my favourite – a very cool section on all things Alex.  You can check it out at:

http://anthonyhorowitz.com/alexrider/

Next up I paid a visit to the creator of Coraline, one of the best films I have seen all year.  Make that the past ten years.  As you would expect from the multitalented Neil Gaiman, this site is a visual feast full of quirks and surprises.  Do like I did and spend many a happy hour digging through all the amazing content on offer.  You can find it at:

http://neilgaiman.com

I know that the equally talented Eoin Colfer is keenly interested in all things technical and it shows at his whizzy site.  There’s an excellent online game,  The Artemis Fowl Inner Circle, and plenty of useful information alongside an eye-popping design.

http://eoincolfer.com

Before you think I’m biased, there are a couple of female authors with excellent, interactive sites that I enjoyed enormously.  Most of the fun at Cathy Hopkins’ site goes on within Cathy’s Club and it’s well worth joining:

http://cathyhopkins.com

Meanwhile, Michelle Paver has a devoted fan following and a buzzing forum at her Wolf Brother series site:

http://torak.info

Lastly, I had to mention the Maestro of the macabre and his equally chillling site:

http://darrenshan.com

It’s a gore fest par excellence and if it doesn’t scare the pants off you then  quite frankly nothing will.