INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING AUTHOR BACKS BIG CITY READ

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 6th Jul 2009

International best selling author Philippa Gregory will be in York next week to back City of York Council's Big City Read Initiative.

The author of best-selling novels including The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance will be discussing her books with an audience at the National Centre for Early Music at 7.00pm on Monday 6th July.

Philippa will also introduce her exciting forthcoming project, The White Queen, which is due for release in September 2009.

The event is part of the Big City Read project, which this year has a Tudor theme and is encouraging people to read the same book and then take part in events celebrating the chosen novel.

This year's chosen novel is 'Sovereign', a murder mystery set in Tudor York by author C.J Sansom.

Free copies of the book were given away by library staff in St Sampson's Square on the 26th of June and events are taking place throughout the summer to tie in with the Tudor theme of the book.

Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion Councillor Nigel Ayre said, "Having such a successful author supporting the Big City Read is a great boost for the event. "

"Hopefully people who come to the event to meet Philippa Gregory will be inspired to find out more about the Tudors and take advantage of the events that are being run as part of the Big City Read."

"Events like the Big City Read are a great way to get people to read more and to encourage people to find about the fantastic facilities our libraries have to offer."