Posts Tagged gifts

A Gift Giving Guide for Authors

You say there’s an author in your life and a holiday is fast approaching? No worries, we’ve got a list for that! For many of these ideas, I’m indebted to brainstorming sessions with my critique-mates and the Mixed-Up Filers.

Books!

At the top of the list, since authors are readers too, you can’t go wrong with something of the printed variety, preferably delivered with the following message: “I got this for you from a local independent bookseller.”

  • Reference Materials – How about a nice leatherbound dictionary? Or a dictionary/thesaurus set? For a style guide, many people swear by Strunk & White’s Elements of Style, while others prefer the gold standard that is Merriam-Webster’s Concise Dictionary of English Usage.
  • Books About Writing – The usual suspects include On Writing by Stephen King, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, as well as the long-awaited Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, based on the screenwriting books of Blake Snyder.
  • Professional Development – The current year’s Writer’s Market is a definitive guide for finding a book publisher. Also available from Writer’s Digest Books is the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market, Poet’s Market, and Guide to Literary Agents.

  • Guilty Pleasures – That rare out-of-print edition from their childhood, a signed edition from a favorite author, or an ARC from a promising upcoming title. For author/readers who love Star Wars like I do, Wrapped In A Ribbon has a great list of gift ideas from a galaxy far, far away.

Book Accessories

  • Bookends – Just the thing to keep reference materials at your author’s fingertips on the desk as they work.

  • Bookmarks – Because dog-earing the corners of a book is a sacrilege.
  • Booklights – Authors have many special powers, but seeing in the dark is usually not one of them.

Office Embellishments

  • Mini-Fridge – Dorm style!
  • Electric kettle or mug warmer – For a beverage that won’t go cold.

  • Screen wipes – Because monitors tend to smudge when you bang your forehead against them.
  • Wireless keyboard/mouse – Because sometimes you just need to cut the cord.
  • Second monitor – Because Facebook and Twitter are less distracting if they have their own space.
  • Inspirational Calendar

  • Printer/Ink – Those CMYK ink cartridges that are always running out make a practical gift.
  • Typewriter – Fun, personal, classy, antique typewriters can still be found in working condition. They are amazing to type on and inspiring to even just gaze upon.
  • Wall Art – Whether an inspirational poster or a framed cover, book page, or shadow-boxed paperback.

On the Go

  • Notebooks – Big ones, small ones, sketch pads, and a waterproof notebook for ideas that strike in the shower or bath!

  • Pens – Fountain pens, gel pens, quill & ink, waterproof, or the huge box of ballpoints that everyone needs.

  • Headphones or speakers – If your author compiles a book soundtrack or has a preferred channel of writing music, noise-canceling headphones are a must.
  • Laptop stickers – To personalize their writing tools.
  • Fidget Spinners – Because for some people, ideas flow best when their hands are distracted.

Software

  • Scrivener – A word processing, formating, brainstorming, outlining, and ebook rendering program.
  • World Anvil – A browser-based world-building service.

Educational

  • MasterClass – I’ve heard good things about the class by Neil Gaiman. Other lecturers include Margaret Atwood, R.L. Stein, Judy Blume, James Patterson…

Ergonomics!

  • Comfy Chair
  • Bright Lamp
  • Footrest
  • Standing Desk
  • Lumbar Support Cushion
  • Carpal Tunnel Supportive Wristpad

Wearables!

  • Book-Themed Shirts – I like the designs at Threadless, but there are many others.

  • Book-Themed Scarf – This one has text from Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice and can be found at storiarts.com

  • Book-Themed Jewelry – Lots of fun stuff on Etsy.

  • Book-Themed Skirt – One such as can be found at ModCloth.
  • Book-Themed Socks – As can be found at Out of Print.

  • These Fingerless Gloves Called “Wristies” Which My Critique-Mate Swears By.

Swag!

  • Buttons – With their book cover on them
  • Stickers – With their book cover on them
  • Bookmarks – With their book cover on them
  • Business Cards – In a fancy box or card holder? Yes!

Charitable Donation

  • A list of book-themed charities compiled by Caroline Bologna includes organizations that promote childhood literacy, make books available to children and communities in need, and bring families together to bond over books. A donation in your author’s name would be a gift that does good.

 

Inexpensive Bookish Holiday Gifts Middle-Graders Can Make

I have vivid memories of making things at my grandmother’s big dining room table, especially around the holidays. Usually under the urging of my Aunt Connie, we paper mached, decoupaged (there’s a word I haven’t used in thirty years) and macramed (make that two words).  I remember a year we made large paper globes out of old Christmas cards.  My grandmother, my Aunt Connie, and that old dining room table are gone now, but the desire to make something remains, and I appreciate having adults in my life who encouraged creativity.

I’ve selected (and even tried) some holiday crafts that are easy enough for nine-year-old hands and yield  a lasting treasure worthy of gifting.

Super Cute and East Button Bookmarks – A little hot glue and Grandma’s box of old buttons and this one is as good as done.  Click here for the details, or not. If you’re like me, you’re already thinking “How hard can it be?”

Book ornaments – This one is probably my favorite holiday gift craft ever.  I made these a couple of years ago and they were a hit. Talk about easy and no mess! Start with empty glass ornament balls, which are easy to find most anywhere. For younger crafters, plastic ones are available, but for middle-grade hands, glass is fine and classier and the clarity makes a difference when reading tiny words.  I had many old paperbacks that were either well worn or duplicates, and I chose books that fit recipients – The Hobbit for the Tolkien fan, Little Women for my favorite Jo March friend, etc. I cut narrow strips of text and rolled each strip around a pencil. It’s surprising how well the paper curls. I found that if I left it around the pencil, and then inserted the pencil into the opening of the ornament, then let it fall off, it was easier than taking the strip off the pencil before trying to insert it. I chose lines with proper nouns – character names, places – in order to make the book easily identifiable. Play around with length of strip and how many to use. You’ll know what looks good. And the book lover in your life with adore you!

Scrabble Coasters – Okay, guys. I made these for my critique partners this year, and if I can do it, so can you. Our holiday gathering is the same day this post goes live, so I’m hoping they don’t read it before they open their gifts.  I ordered 500 letter tiles and found them to be fairly consistent in size. There were a few oddballs, but aren’t there always?  And I used these adhesive cork squares, which were a bit too large and had to be cut on one side. That made me nervous because I can’t cut in a straight line to save my life, but I used a paper cutter with grid lines and, surprisingly, I did all right!  I had planned not to trust the adhesive and bought wood glue, but discovered that the adhesive side of the cork was VERY sticky, so I ended up not using the glue. Hooray! The last step was to coat the finished coasters with an acrylic spray. After all, they are meant to hold sweaty glasses or hot cups. Voila! I have to thank my daughter Maggie who, upon hearing me lament “I don’t know. It sounds complicated,” said “Mom, just do it.”

                   

Ribbon Bookmarks – This one is, admittedly, a bit more complicated and took some planning and tools I didn’t previously own. But, wow, what a response I got when I gifted these to my book friends a couple years ago! The good news is that in one trip to a large craft store, I got the ribbon, the metal ends, the little O rings, and a nice set of jewelry-making tools that I’ve used over and over again since. The most challenging part for some might be collecting the little items to attach. You can buy small charms, I’m sure, but I’m a repurposer and collector of tiny things, so I had a drawer of old watch faces, luggage locks and keys, broken earrings, tiny charms, and baubles and bangles of all sorts. I mean, doesn’t everyone? (Don’t answer that.)  If nothing else, you can start collecting for next year!


Book Trees – These are so cute and not hard to do at all. I found this great video that demonstrates just how simple they are to make. You can leave them “au natural” or bling them out with paint, glitter, and glam.

 

There’s still time, and none of these are too messy or difficult. You’ll make more than a gift. You’ll make a memory or two, I’m sure.

 

Gifts for the Bookish Types

I nearly titled this post My Holiday Wish List, but  I thought that might be too personal and only my family would read it. So, I decided to broaden the scope just a bit. Here’s a list of gift ideas for anyone who loves books. (And if you happen to be in my family: pay attention!)

Bookplates  Bookplates come in all forms. I found some great traditional sticky Charley Harper bookplates at The Wooster Book Company last month.  I think these Bookplate Stamps  are pretty fun, too!

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Click the link for more than a dozen styles and options! (Mom, I just can’t decide which one, so you pick for me, OK?)

 

 

 

 

Book embossers If sticking or stamping your name into your books isn’t permanent enough, you could always engrave it right into the paper with a super-cool book embosser from Horchow.com.zzembosser

Book scarves Wrap up your shopping with one of these! zz-john-green-scarves zzjgscarf

Several different John Green quote scarves are available here.  And, if your reader prefers classics, find some sweet Jane Austen, Dickens, and Anne of Green Gables scarves here.  (Dear daughter, I already have the Alice in Wonderland scarf, so maybe the Jane Eyre one? Hint. Hint.)

Literary Phone Cases  The reader on your list would love one of these!

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You’ll find a million different book-related phone cases here. (I may be exaggerating just a bit, but there are pages and pages of them!)

Literary ornaments  I could have a whole tree of these! Aren’t they awesome? Find A Wrinkle in Time, James and the Giant Peach, Charlotte’s Web and a hundred more (I’m not exaggerating!) at Novel Adornments Etsy shop.  I could have a whole tree of these. (I know I said that already, but it seemed worth repeating. Ahem.)

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Wax and seal kits Some readers are writers, but all readers love the mystery of a sealed letter. Give your reader a wax and seal with their monogram.

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A wand for your wizard  Is your wizard a Luna Lovegood? Or a Neville Longbottom? A Lupin, Weasley, or Krum? There’s a wand for every wizard here!  (Honey, I think I’m a Trelawny. Just saying.)

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And who’d have dreamed that these are even a thing?

Periodic Table of World Literature   Yes. You heard me. Who says there’s nothing scientific about being a book nerd? You’ll find the proof here.

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Candles, Lip Balm, and Beard Oil   With scents that include Unicorn Breath, Narnia Forest, and Gatsby’s Shoreline, you’ll find candles and lip balm for the reading ladies on your list and, yep, beard oil for the headmaster of your holidays if you stop by From the Page.

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Library card socks  While you’re here buying library card socks, check out all the other bookish clothing at www.outofprintclothing.com.

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The greenest book mark you’ve ever seen.  Find your page or grow a garden. It’s up to you with Green Marker.

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So, now my family is well prepared to start their shopping. I hope the rest of you got a few ideas as well.

P.S., Honey (and the rest of you)– Shop early! Some personalized, customized, and handmade items take a bit longer to ship. (Wink.)

Michelle Houts is the author of many books for young readers. She loves gift-giving and takes pride in being “the book aunt” in her family. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @mhoutswrites , on Facebook, and at www.michellehouts.com.