James Patterson Gives $500 to Hundreds of Indie Bookstores
- Editor OGN Daily
- 20 minutes ago
- 1 min read
Over the past 20 years, Patterson has donated millions of dollars to schools, libraries, literacy programs and others in the book community. And he's still at it.
One of the world's most popular and prolific authors, Patterson's books have sold more than 425 million copies, and he is once again doing his bit to bring some Christmas cheer to America's independent booksellers. For the past several years, he has made a tradition out of sending $500 checks to 600 independent booksellers who have been recommended by peers or patrons. This year is no different.
“I’ve said this before, but I can’t say it enough - booksellers save lives,” Patterson said in a statement. “What they do is crucial, especially right now. I’m happy to be able to acknowledge them and their hard work this holiday season.”
After years of giving millions of dollars to literacy programs, bookstore employees and librarians, earlier this year Patterson has launched an initiative on behalf of emerging authors. The bestselling novelist and true crime writer announced that the first 12 recipients of grants from his "Go Finish Your Book" campaign had been awarded. Each recipient received up to $50,000 to help them complete their manuscript. "There are so many incredible stories out there that never get written because life gets in the way. I wanted to give these writers a little time, a little space, and a push to say: your voice matters - now go finish your book," said Patterson.
Patterson received an honorary National Book Award medal in 2015 for his “Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community.”
