The holidays are upon us! What better way to celebrate than with books and book-based products? I know, I’m biased. BUT there are many of us out there and we can be tricky to shop for. Here are some gift ideas for the bookivores in your life with a special offer from us at the Café at the end.
I got my first Kindle recently! I finally caved because I was getting more than a stray submission to The Fictional Café as an e-book. I begrudgingly used it, hoping my REAL books wouldn’t scoff at me. Yet, I found myself loving this portable bookshelf for vacations or reading on the subway. Hey Jack, can I count this as a business expense for reimbursement?
All kidding aside, here is a gift idea for readers that I absolutely love and recommend. “Call Number” is a subscription-based book club box which features Black literature.
Here’s an answer to the age-old problem of how to keep reading when your hands are full. Who hasn’t been so engulfed in a book that they had to keep reading while eating a steak dinner? Just me? Okay.
What about when you find a passage that you just love and want to mark so you can go back to later? Whether you are reading for fun or for school, these line markers are a great reusable solution to “Where was that quote?” syndrome.
For those of you with young children (or if you’re looking to be the all-star auntie or uncle), here’s a fun book idea for the Christmas season. The Book Advent Calendar is the literary equivalent to the chocolate-based advent calendar of yore. Of course, recently, advent calendars have had a variety of fillings.
On the subject of “if you have young children,” sometimes reading can be tricky with a noisy household. These very affordable noise-canceling headphones are a reader’s dream. I own them myself and can attest that no doorbells get answered, phone calls picked up and, yes, no “hey honey can you come help me” beckonings are received.
When I saw this, I knew it just had to go in my post. It’s a personalized book stamper, for those of us who lend books and don’t seem to get them back. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, there’s also an embosser.
Someone buy me this. Check my Goodreads for inspiration.
Do you remember those days of childhood when you got to play with your tub toys? Enter adulthood and it’s all business. Take a trip back in time, or anywhere else you desire, with this bathtub caddy. Wine sold separately.
Knowing famous first lines is a rite of passage for many book nerds. Grab the Cliff’s Notes version which holds a cuppa your favorite java.
Etsy strikes again! These old school library-book-card inspired ornaments will be sure to show your guests you recall the time when Dewey was king.
If you’re looking for a collector’s item for a super fan (or looking to curry favor), check out these beautifully designed book series box sets.
Or, if it’s quantity you’re going for instead of quality, consider this panic-inducing life mission.
If you’ve made it this far, I either struck out with my previous suggestions or you can leave no post unfinished. Here’s your reward. I found this t-shirt in a street-front shop in Provincetown, MA and burst out laughing. Appropos for 2020.
Stay home, wear a mask and . . .
Shameless plugs: Of course, if none of these tickle your literary fancy, we have two offers from the Fictional Café family. First, the debut FC anthology, The Strong Stuff, is still available. This limited edition, one-off pressing is the culmination and of five years’ worth of the best poetry, prose and art at the Café. We’re offering 15% off and free shipping through December 24th. An Andrew Jackson gets you this 258-page 8×10 softcover 4-color book featuring over 50 members’ work. Orders of multiple books will be half price ($12.50) for each book after the first. Click here!
Second, our Editorial Consultant Barista, Jason Brick, is offering his brand new anthology of flash fiction. Not to be outdone, Jason’s book features 100 authors. You can find “Worth 1,000 Words” for preorder on Kickstarter.
Thanks for reading and happy shopping!
-Mike
