I’ve always found it special that World Book Day falls close to my birthday, and today it’s actually on the same day! It’s a fantastic tradition and charity, and for an author, it’s a day worth celebrating. So that’s two reasons today’s going to stand out for me.

Right now, a lot of World Book Day events occur in schools, and rightly so, because getting children interested in reading and writing is fundamental. In a world of phones, social media and TV – the art of reading is sometimes forgotten. But, it can make such a huge difference to a child’s life and imagination. It gives them the chance to see the world differently, and dream. And it’s so important to dream when you’re young.

Especially with the levels of poor mental health in children rising, being able to escape and read is even more important. It gives children an escapism, and I know when I was young, that’s what kept me going. Knowing when things were difficult, I had another place I could go in my head. I could pretend that was real for a while and that’s why I started writing. For a child who’s never had that place to go, reality can be terrifying, but with the world of a book or one they can create, they have something else to focus on.

It also really helps authors – as we have to compete a lot with these new types of media: films, Netflix, the internet. Having a day where everyone appreciates the thing you work to create every day is great. With numbers of self-published authors rising continuously (and the pay not so much) it’s hard to stand out. So I’d recommend as an adult, if you’re looking for a new book to read, why not try a self published one? Give an indie author the spotlight for once and trust me, you’ll have a different experience. You might find something more out there that you wouldn’t have expected to read in a mainstream bookstore. You’ll have different types and styles of writing which you may not be used to, but it’s just as valid as a traditionally published book. Today on World Book Day could be a really good chance to give it a go. Believe me, it’ll make a huge impact to an author – much more than you ever would for a publisher.

So, while a lot of people may wonder whether reading is a forgotten art and has no place in the modern world, don’t let that be the case today. The theme of World Book Day 2020 is ‘share a million stories’. To bring back reading for pleasure, especially for children. It may not feel important, but you never know the impact one story could have on a child. Who knows? You could even help make a future author!

Happy World Book Day everyone! Let’s keep reading at the fore front of everyone’s minds and keep writing to ensure it never has to die out!

Atlantic Split, At Liberty To Live and An Undercover Dream, the first three books in The Luke Bright Series are available to purchase NOW! The final book of the series A Long Lost Time will be released in 2020!

Please follow me on my blog and social media links below, and use the links on my website to purchase a copy of each if you have not done so. Don’t forget to leave a review! Thank you once again for taking the time to read this blog post.

N.A.K