The Crime Writers’ Association has appointed leading Scottish author Aline Templeton as its first Booksellers’ Champion. In her new role, Aline will promote closer links between crime writers and booksellers of all kinds. Her appointment follows the CWA’s decision earlier this year to appoint its first Libraries’ Champion, Ruth Dudley Edwards.

Martin Edwards, Chair of the CWA, said: “Crime books are a hugely important part of the bookselling market, and we are keen to develop the links between our members and booksellers, to mutual benefit. Most important of all, readers will benefit from an increasing range of bookshop and other events featuring crime writers the length and breadth of Britain.”

Aline Templeton said: “The link between the CWA and booksellers is a very natural fit: we want to sell more of our books – they want to sell more of our books. Working together to raise the profile of our authors and promote the independent booksellers to our readers is an exciting prospect.”

Welcoming the initiative, Tim Godfray, Chief Executive of the Booksellers’ Association, said: “The Booksellers’ Association is really delighted to be working with the Crime Writers’ Association in general, and with Aline Templeton in particular. By working together more closely with the CWA, booksellers can help writers of crime books get closer to their potential readers through bookshops – and thus increase sales, to mutual benefit. The BA has developed some web services which will be of great help to CWA members and their publicists in getting authors into bookshops”.