The popular author of the Discworld books is visiting Hayling Island Bookshop next month as part of a two-venue book launch of his new title Nation.

At only three metres square, the bookshop is the smallest bookshop in the country and there were only 200 tickets available for fans to meet the author.

The tickets are free but because the shop is so small only a limited number of people will be able to see the author during his two hours at the store.

Most of the tickets went within 36 hours – but the bookshop held on to three to give News readers a chance to meet the writer. The tickets are limited to under-18s to give young fans a chance to see their writing idol.

The tickets are numbered eight, nine and ten which means the competition winners will be in the first group of 10 to see him.

Hayling Island Bookshop is also giving away a copy of Nation worth £16.99 to each of the three ticket winners as part of the competition – see the panel.

The competition echoes the aims of The News Spread the Word literacy campaign, a year-long drive to enthuse youngsters about reading.

Colin Telford, husband of bookshop owner Marie, said: 'It was non-stop on the phone for a day and a half with people trying to get through to us. We had to disconnect the phone at night so people above the shop could sleep at night.

'We even had a queue of 15 people outside trying to get hold of a ticket and six of them turned up before we opened.

'It was a terrific response.'

The author will sign books for two hours from 9am on September 13, before heading up to London to Waterstone's 5,000 square metre Piccadilly store – the biggest bookstore in the British Isles.

The two 'island' bookshops were chosen for the launch as Nation is set on a small desert island.

Three Pratchett books can be signed at the launch. One is The Folklore of Discworld, the second is Nation, which is a non-Discworld novel, while the third will be a limited edition copy of Nation only available at launches.

Fans can buy copies of all three at Hayling Island Bookshop on the day.