HarperNonFiction launches kindness campaign

HarperNonFiction has teamed up with Jaime Thurston, founder of the charity 52 Lives, to run a summer-long campaign encouraging little acts of kindness, ahead of the publication of Thurston’s debut book - Kindness: the little thing that matters most, this Autumn.

Carolyn Thorne, editorial director of Harper Thorsons, bought World Rights from Jennifer Christie at the Graham Maw Christie Literary Agency.

Aiming to motivate and inspire, Kindness: the little thing that matters most is filled with 52 ideas on how to spread kindness. "Simple acts of kindness can have an astonishing impact, and when kindness is shared it has a ripple effect out into the world", the publisher said.

52 Lives is a global movement and charity whereby every week Thurston harnesses the kindness of strangers around the world to help change the life of one person in need. Thurston has helped over 700 people and built a global network of over 100,000 people who support the charity and help continue their work.

The #KindnessMatters social media campaign will launch at the start of July, and working with some of HarperCollins’ biggest names, including Gillian Anderson, Alice Liveing, Steve Biddulph and Joanna Cannon, the publisher will be encouraging "as many small acts of kindness as possible".

Thorne said: “Kindness is not just a book we are publishing but a chance to change cultural attitudes, because when kindness is shared it grows.”

Thurston said: “I’ve seen first-hand just how much difference a little bit of kindness can make to people's lives, and I'm so excited to have the opportunity to spread that message even further with the launch of this book. I couldn’t have asked for better people to bring the idea to life than the team I’ve been working with at HarperCollins - they’re creative, ambitious and embody the whole ethos of kindness."

Kindness: the little thing that matters most will be published on 7th September 2017.