Mark P. Henderson

Support for NHS Charities Together

A week ago I contacted Fantastic Books Publishing to suggest an idea. Suppose the collection of pun-laden performance pieces they published for me in 2016, Cruel and Unusual PunNishments, were to be promoted again through their social media etc. outlets, with the proviso that all royalties that would otherwise come to me as author would go instead to NHS Charities Together. This would be a way for me to pay a little in support of the front-line workers whom we’ve all learned to value more than ever during the past few weeks.

Dan, FBP’s CEO, and his colleagues liked the idea and spoke to more of their authors, two of whom have made the same decision: push at least one of our titles, and give the royalties not to us but to NHS Charities Together. I’m delighted that Penny Grubb (who also writes as Melodie Trudeaux) and Stuart Aken, two authors I respect, are among those offering these indirect donations to a cause everyone must appreciate. To add to their generosity, FBP are also offering e-books of five of their previous anthologies for the same charitable purpose.

Here is the link to Dan’s new blog on the subject, which provides links for purchasing the e-book versions of our publications (which make a lot more in royalties than the paperbacks, hence the decision!) and also a link for people to make direct donations to NHS Charities together:

https://www.fantasticbooksstore.com/blog/supporting-nhs-charities-together

(If the link doesn’t work from this blog, please copy it into your browser. The link’s genuine – I’ve checked!)

The complete list of FBP works that you can now download as e-books in the certain knowledge that you’re contributing to NHS Charities Together is:

1. Cruel and Unusual PunNishments – Mark P Henderson
2. Blood Red Dust – Stuart Aken
3. Falling into Crime – Penny Grubb
4. Horse of a Different Colour – Melodie Trudeaux
5. Fantastic Breads 1 – cookbook
6. Synthesis – sci-fi anthology
7. 666 – horror anthology
8. The Forge – Scifan anthology
9. The Dummies Guide to Serial Killing – anthology

I’ve read most of these and loved them! (Incidentally, I singled out Cruel and Unusual PunNishments from my own publications because people communicating with family and friends by video link during the lockdown might entertain each other – or at least elicit a few groans – by reading some of the little pieces aloud. But I can honestly recommend six of the other books on the list, too; I haven’t yet read the other two, but I don’t doubt they’ll be well worth buying.) Remember: none of the authors will make a penny out of this venture, but  NHS Charities Together will.

Is there any chance that other authors and publishers out there will follow our lead? I hope there will be!