7 Gift Ideas for Book Lovers

Christmas time's a-coming! If there is a book lover on your list, then you might be wondering what to get them. Lucky for you--and anyone else in this predicament, book lovers are easy to please!

How could we not want to go above and beyond to reward book lovers for their happy-go-lucky nature when it comes to receiving presents? Here are some ideas for the book lover in your list:

1. Bookmarks - It might seem like the obvious choice, but we book lovers can't ever have too many bookmarks. I use mine in both books I'm reading, and notebooks I'm using to jot down ideas for my next writing project.
   
2. Book Light - Show me a book lover, and I will show you someone who stayed up reading past their bedtime. Clip-on book lights allow reading in the darkest of conditions, whether you clip it onto your book or your glasses.
   
3. Notebook - A book lover can use a notebook to write down thoughts about their favorite books. And a writer can never have too many notebooks--just sayin'!
   
4. Book Art - Sites like Etsy and Uncommon Goods offer unique gifts, a lot of which are handmade by up and coming artists. You can tickle the book lover in your life while simultaneously supporting creative arts.
   
5. Gift Cards - I have never known a book lover to turn down a gift card. In the past my family has given me cards for shopping at Amazon, coffee shops, and local bookstores, and I've enjoyed them all with equal enthusiasm.
   
6. Travel Mug - It's easy to get lost in a good book, but important to stay hydrated. A travel mug helps solve the problem and if it gets knocked over then the lid means the mug's contents are less likely to spill on the pages.
   
7. Warm Blanket - Last year my mother-in-law gave me a blanket for Christmas. It is not only dog-themed, but it is also made from the warmest fleece I have ever felt in my life. When I curl up on the couch to read on a chilly evening, you can bet I have my blanket with me.

And there you have it! It is no coincidence that writers are also book lovers. If you have a writer on your holiday shopping list, then many of these ideas would work for them as well.

Do you have a different idea not listed here? Tell me about it in the comments section below!

Why Fiction Writing Is like Therapy

Writing fiction is like therapy. I enter a virtual room (within my brain) where a group of people (my characters) sit in a circle and tell me their stories. Sometimes their stories intertwine, and sometimes their stories are standalone.

And sometimes, their stories imitate things from my life.

Let's look at Maggie Sawyer, for example. Unlike me, she's in her mid-30's and single. Her high school boyfriend has just re-entered her life, but they're not hooking up any time soon. Like me, Maggie has some issues, one of them being a parent with an explosive temper. (Boy do I know about that!)

When Art Imitates Life

It's no secret that artists create things that imitate life, and nothing makes art more appealing than a little tragedy. When I write, I slip the dark things from my life into my fictional works. It helps me confront them in a creative way.

Slipping those negative emotions into my fictional work also helps me take control of the details of the situation behind them. Sometimes I come up with a different outcome. Maybe even a better outcome.

Accepting the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Everyone has creative talents and I'm blessed with more than a few. During my quilting phase, I made memorial photo quilts. When on my knitting kick, I whipped up scarves and hats for the local cold weather coalition. And during my pen and ink era, I sketched pets that had crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.

Looking back, it's easy to see how I've spent my entire life using art to get past the rough times in life. Depression and the holidays go hand in hand, and the ugly black claws are already threatening to sink in. If this happens to you, then please reach out and talk to someone.

For now writing is doing the trick for me. Whenever a dark memory threatens to drag me down, instead of wallowing in it, I'm pulling out my notebook and jotting down details. Making poor Maggie Sawyer suffer along with me in her own, fictional way really does help.

If you're a writer, I'd love for you to chime in with your thoughts on this subject. And if you're a reader, then let me know how you tackle the tough times, through the holidays or otherwise.

Happy Thanksgiving!