A guest blog by Jenny Scoullar.
A few
months ago Chris and I stumbled upon Little Free Library. We were intrigued by some of the
testimonials that we read about how these little libraries were making such a
big difference and he wanted to see how Chater Publishing could get involved. I
don’t think Chris realized just how much of an impact this seemingly innocuous collaboration
would have on him, personally, and his writing…!
The
benefits of reading, for both adults and children, are well known – increased
mental stimulation (which may slow the progress of Dementia and Alzheimer’s),
memory improvement, longer concentration, advanced knowledge, better writing
skills and stress reduction to name but a few. So, what happens to the people
in countries where having access to a library is not the norm, or low-income
families who do not have the finances to provide books for themselves or their
children at home? Enter, Little Free Library!
Little
Free Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (recently named one of the
top-rated non-profit groups by the Great Non-profit Organization) which has helped
to build a network of more than 60,000 little libraries in over 80 countries worldwide.
Anyone may take a book from one of these libraries or, indeed, bring a book to
share – millions of books are exchanged each year across the globe. The
libraries help to inspire a love of reading, spark creativity in those who
partake and aid in building a strong community spirit. Even in countries where people
have access to free libraries, like USA and UK, these Free Little Libraries are
making a huge difference to communities, taking us back to a time when we used
to talk to our neighbors, learn their names and invite them in for a cup of tea.
So how
does it work? Well, if you would like to start your own Free Little Library in
your community, there are five easy steps:
- Identify a location and someone to take care of the library.
- Build your own library or purchase a library through Little Free Library’s online ordering service (the libraries range from $69 to $2,500).
- Register your library so that you gain access to their support network.
- Let your neighbors know about your cool new library (they’re the ones who will be using it, after all!).
- Add your library to Free Little Library’s world map.
The
city of Lake Worth in Florida has over 100 libraries for their population of
30,000 to enjoy – something for your community to aspire to perhaps?
If you
don’t have the time to start your own library right now, you can either donate financially through their website
(your donation is tax deductible!) or you can use their world map to find a
library near you and drop off some books. And that’s exactly what Chater
Publishing did in September this year!
Chris
decided that he wanted to donate some of his self-published books. I pulled up
the world map and realized that there were a handful of Little Free Libraries in
the area that he had spent his formative years, so we decided to take a trip
down memory lane.
It was
an inspiring and moving day because Chris hadn’t been back to that area since he
left as a young adult. It was great to see all the old houses that he had
played in with his friends, the curbs on which he had attempted (and failed!)
some advanced skateboarding tricks, and the lockers at his old school where he had
stored his first journals. He found it surreal to be back in the place which,
without a doubt, had helped to sculpt his personality and ultimately guided him
towards professional writing. He felt proud to be donating books that he had
personally written, and it felt strange for him to think that his old teachers,
school friends or their children, depending on their age, might pick up and
read his books. And, to me, the best
part of all: he left a little note in all the books in the hope that it might
inspire the next generation of writers to take the plunge and follow their
dreams, just as he has.
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Inscription reads:
"I grew up in this town wanting to be a writer, now you're reading my book.
If you enjoy it, please consider posting a review on Amazon.
Thank you,
Christopher John Chater
9/9/17"
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But it
turns out that it was Chris who was inspired! All writers will tell you that,
from time to time, they will get writers block or “hit the wall”. When we made
this trip, Chris was in the beginning phase of writing the sixth book in the Dating in the Apocalypse series and, as
he will attest to, he was struggling. He had created so many wonderful
characters in the first five books that he felt a huge amount of pressure to
ensure that he did them justice in the final installment. But all that pressure
was crushing his creativity and preventing him from writing.
Sometimes
it’s the smallest thing that can create a block or, in this case, remove one. Chris
enjoyed his day of reminiscing so much (he came home with a mind full of
memories and a heart full of love) that his creative channels began to open
again. Book 6 started to flow (slowly!) and he started to feel confident again
in his writing. It was wonderful to watch the transformation!
Now
Chris has completed the sixth installment, titled Ling: “The Scientist”,
and he looks forward to donating the Dating
in the Apocalypse series to Little Free Library once the final book is
released later this year!
For
more information on Christopher John Chater and to receive the first two
books in the Dating in the Apocalypse
series FOR FREE, visit his website.
You can
also find him on
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