A GRANT from a best-selling author is helping a bookshop owner reach out to young readers.

Bestselling author and bookshop devotee, James Patterson, has announced the first round of independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland to receive grants following his pledge to donate £250,000 in June 2014.

Octavia Karavla, owner of Octavia’s Book shop on Black Jack Street in Cirencester has received a share of the cash and she plans to spend it learning to drive so she can visit schools.

There are 45 schools that have accounts with the bookshop and up until now Octavia has not been able to visit them.

Octavia said: “It would be great to speak to the children at school assemblies and to fill their libraries rather than doing orders from afar.

“I am pleased it is such a nice thing. James wanted to make sure children were still involved in books. It is unheard of for an author but he has put his neck on the line to help.”

Octavia had put her driving lessons with her driving instructor, Peter Goddard on standstill due to financial reasons but after being given the cash she was able to have her first one in a while on Friday.

James Patterson said: “I have been completely overwhelmed by just how many people have applied for the grants and impressed and enthused by the calibre of the applications. It’s been a very difficult decision process and I have worked to identify independent bookshops for whom this money may make a difference. I’m excited to follow their progress and see the proposed ideas in action.”