The Darlington & Stockton Times has launched a new venture - an on-line book club called the Reading Room.

Membership in the Reading Room is simple. All people have to do is read the book of the month selection and submit their views on the book. Comments and reviews will be published on-line at www.thisisthenortheast. co.uk/leisure/readingroom.

Author Anne Fine, who lives in Barnard Castle, is the Reading Room's honorary president. Anne has selected the first Reading Room book - The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.

She said: "Why, with so much television and so many brilliant films around, do people still crave books? The answer is that reading is special. A book takes you well beneath the mere soap opera surface of what people say and do.

"Books show you something underneath, the deep, peculiar workings of character and conscience.

The Reading Room is supported by Waterstone's and Ottakars, which will supply a dozen copies of the chosen book to give away each quarter.

To win this month's selection, simply log on to the Reading Room website, or send your name and address on a blank post-card to: The Reading Room, Darlington & Stockton Times, PO Box 14, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF. The competition closes on March 26.