Famed mega-author James Patterson is playing Santa this holiday season, personally handing out $2 million dollars of his own money to various independent bookstores and school libraries.
Patterson, according to the American Booksellers Association, launched a campaign to help booksellers back in October. $250,000 was divided between eighty-seven independent bookstores that Patterson personally choose to each receiving between $1,000-5,000.
The American Booksellers Association quoted Patterson on their website as saying:
“These grants and bonuses are my humble acknowledgment of some of the terrific work taking place in libraries and bookstores,” Patterson said. “Here’s to communities supporting their bookstores and libraries. Here’s to a country that makes reading a priority. Here’s to flourishing libraries and booksellers, and to a joyful holiday season!”
This isn’t the first time the author has opened his checkbook to help out the book selling community. In 2014 he gave more than $1 million total to 178 book stores.
Another excerpt from the American Booksellers Association explains a partnership Patterson has formed with Scholastic, aimed at helping school libraries.
Earlier this year, Patterson pledged $1.75 million in grants to school libraries in partnership with Scholastic Reading Club, and today he announced 340 more school grant recipients, bringing the total to 467 school libraries that have received grants from $1,000 to $10,000.
To read the full article, and to see a list of bookstores that received a grant, click here.
Kudos to Mr. Patterson for lending a helping hand to those that need it. This is truly one of the feel good stories this holiday season!
If you’re a fan of James Patterson’s novels his next book, NYPD Red 4, comes out on January 25, 2016. You can read about the plot or pre-order the book by clicking here