Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and New York Times bestselling author Jane Green will take their literary wares to the Shopping Channel today, appearing in two 30-minute interviews.

As well, Penguin Canada will introduce its book club and offer special packages including autographed copies of Clarkson’s bestselling memoir, Heart Matters, and Green’s new novel, Second Chance, plus three of her bestselling paperbacks. As well, in a tie-in with a recently released Warner Bros. movie, a Nancy Drew gift pack will be offered to fans of the teen sleuth.

So what’s a nice publisher doing in a venue like this? ‘The busy lives of singles and families are conducive to TV, catalogue and online shopping,’ explains Yvonne Hunter, Penguin’s director of publicity and marketing. ‘The Shopping Channel offers a personal shopping experience that is ideally suited to book clubs, so this is both a brand and a demographic fit for us.

‘The idea is to bring the author directly into the home of the reader, much like they were visiting in person,’ she adds. ‘The potential is to reach thousands of viewers, not only with book club suggestions, but with a personal connection to the authors, and an online forum for direct feedback.’

Also in the works at Penguin is a television pilot to feature memoirs, fiction and children’s literature, hosted by Shopping Channel on-air personality Richard Nester.