Welcome to The Lost Book!

The Lost Book is a collaborative adventure in storytelling. It’s taking place online and anyone can join in. At its heart is an animated web series: the adventures of 21st century investigative journalist, and BookCrosser, Aileen Adler. Episode 2, the first of five episodes to be written by the public, was launched on Friday 06 March 2009. It sees intrepid Scottish journalist Aileen and her dog Watson travelling to Iowa City in search of a stolen book and a secret society of bibliophiles - watch the story so far.

Where the story goes next remains in your hands. You can suggest plot developments by visiting www.thelostbook.net now. Each month between now and July the storylines will be pulled together into the next episode, animated and published online.

There are loads of ways you can get involved and it won’t cost you anything. You can help us to write the story for the web series. You can join our special guest writer Jasper Fforde to reconstruct a stolen book in our weekly microstory competition. You can enter our soundtrack competition by creating your own music for the web series. You can produce your own animation.

And, you can read this book, tell us what you thought of it, give it away, and follow its journey.

The Lost Book is a partner project to the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust’s 2009 reading campaign, The Lost World Read 2009, which is using free books, online resources and events to get people reading The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle. The Lost World Read is the largest collaborative reading project ever seen in the UK. We're extending the reading campaign, thanks to the generosity of project sponsors Canongate, by giving away other free books throughout The Lost Book.

Being Emily is the coming of age story of Fiona, one of four O'Connell children. The language, Fiona's native Glaswegian Scots, brings the characters vividly to life.

So join in, wherever you are, and have fun!

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Left on the big table in the front window last night.

If you've found this book - welcome to BookCrossing! I hope you enjoy Being Emily and then pass it on to continue its journey. It'd be great to find out where it has travelled to and read your review. You can stay completely anonymous if you prefer, or you can join BookCrossing (it's free) if you'd like to take part in this booklovers' community.

To find out more about the adventure of The Lost Book, go to the website at www.thelostbook.net and to read more about The Lost World and the reading campaign check out www.lostworldread.com.

I was leaving the Barony Bar in Edinburgh when I spotted the book on a table next to the door. Having heard of book crossing I was excited to at last see one. The book was one that I was thinking of buying anyway so I enjoyed reading it very much. As I live in Spain I am not sure where to leave the book for someone else to read, but will give it some thought.

CAUGHT IN EDINBURGH MIDLOTHIAN SCOTLAND

Have now read this book which I thoroughly enjoyed. Have passed it on to my sister in Edinburgh who will leave it somewhere when she has read it.

My sister lives in Spain and was staying with us in Edinburgh and passed it on to me. I'd read Anne Donovan's book Buddha Da and really enjoyed that once I'd got used to the Glaswegian dialogue. This is very similar and equally enjoyable.