WRITING TOPICS

Gift buying time approaches again
Think books, especially for the writers on your list

While we’re still getting the kids ready for Halloween and haven’t even begun to think about Thanksgiving, stores are already putting out Christmas decorations. Yes, it’s that time again, and retailers are pushing all types of useless goodies for you to buy for your friends and relatives. You know the types of gifts that are opened and then quickly forgotten? New commercials for perfumes and colognes are already on the airwaves. Okay, I admit I’m not a fan or either, but I can think of a lot of items I’d rather buy for others, too.

Books make a great gift for almost anyone on your list. Who doesn’t like to read? Okay, there are some people who are content to sit in front of the TV every day and night for hours on end, and claim to never read. Still, books are a welcome addition to most people’s lives. They entertain, and enrich lives by informing, encouraging curiosity and firing the imagination.

Mothers tend to become more difficult to buy for as they grow older. They’ve already received enough cologne to float a battleship and enough jewelry to make a serious dent in the precious metals market. Also robes, lingerie, blouses, purses, and sweaters in sizes too small or large fill their closets to overflowing.

One Christmas I decided to buy a selection of books for my mother that I knew she would enjoy, along with some comfy slippers. So I picked out several books on a variety of subjects, including fiction and nonfiction, and boxed them together with the slippers. She was thrilled! She had something to fill her hours, which would have otherwise been spent watching uninspired TV shows. She remembered that gift for years afterward, something that couldn’t be said for the fancy robe my sister and I purchased for her when we were teens, or the costume jewelry that was our favorite gift to give when we were young.


I recently sent a book that was written and autographed by an Arizona writer to my five-year-old great-niece. It was about bedtime for desert baby animals and had a photo of the author and the illustrator in the back. My niece tells me little Maddi shows that book to everyone and points out the pictures of the writer who signed it, and the artist who drew all the cute pictures of animals. It’s become her favorite bedtime story.

Books have a way of opening up the world to adults and youngsters, alike. I can remember favorite books from when I was a child. So if you’re in a quandary about what to buy for those special people on your gift list, think about their interests and find a book on a subject that they love. They’ll long remember your thoughtfulness and appreciate the thought you put into choosing a gift especially for them.

If you know any aspiring writers, young or old, why not give them a copy of Portable Writing for Christmas. Or maybe you’d want to buy a group of writing books that will help them get started on their writing adventure. They’ll always remember that you’re the one who opened the doors for them, and encouraged them to take the leap. It’s amazing what books can do.

Another idea for this holiday season is to create a book about a beloved family member, including a favorite pet for someone special. I'll tell you how to put one of these together using your computer in the November issue. It doesn't take a lot of time if you start organizing your thoughts and getting photos, notes, etc. together now.