I am delighted to be short-listed for the CWA Dagger in the Library. This is an award for a writer whose body of work is popular with library users, and who supports libraries. It means a lot to me as I’ve been a lifelong library user, grateful that I’ve been able to satisfy my love of reading via my library card. I enjoy very much visiting libraries to talk about my work and share a pleasure in books with other keen readers. And I know the great majority of people who read my books borrow them from libraries. So thanks to them and the wonderful librarians who staff our libraries and our brilliant Public Lending Right system, which pays authors a few pence for every library loan. The Dagger Awards will be announced on June 29th.

Here are two of my favourite quotes about libraries, they sum up perfectly how I feel:

‘Congratulations on the new library, because it isn’t just a library. It is a space ship that will take you to the farthest reaches of the Universe, a time machine that will take you to the far past and the far future, a teacher that knows more than any human being, a friend that will amuse you and console you – and most of all, a gateway, to a better and happier and more useful life.’ Isaac Asimov

‘Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town library. The only entrance requirement is interest.’ Lady Bird Johnson

Happy Reading!