HarperCollins' Authors to Join Reading Group Discussions

Posted on January 10, 2003

HarperCollins Publishers has launched a new promotional program that targets reading groups. Through Invite the Author, reading groups nationwide will be able to invite featured authors to join in the discussion of the author's book via telephone. HarperCollins will also provide additonal resources for reading groups on its website.

Each month, HarperCollins will announce the selected author and book, drawn from across its adult imprints, on the HarperCollins website and in the Readers' Roundtable email newsletter. The featured authors will then discuss their book via telephone with randomly selected reading groups that have registered on the website to win the discussion. Reading groups can sign up for this program, and to receive the monthly newsletter of book recommendations at harpercollins.com/readers.

This month, Invite the Author will feature Ann Patchett, author of the New York Times bestseller Bel Canto; in February, Wally Lamb, author of the New York Times bestselling novel, I Know This Much Is True will be featured. Other bestselling authors will follow. The program will include books from the following HarperCollins imprints: HarperCollins, Perennial, Quill, Amistad, ReganBooks, William Morrow, Rayo, Fourth Estate, HarperEntertainment, HarperResource, Avon, Ecco, HarperTorch, HarperSanFrancisco, Eos, and HarperBusiness.

"We are excited that so many of our authors will be participating in this program," said Cathy Hemming, President and Publisher of the HarperCollins General Books Group. "We think that the opportunity to speak directly with reading groups will be an enriching experience for both the authors and their readers."