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Posts Tagged ‘Literary Gifts’

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Bookish Gift Idea #2: Sense and sensibility Cuff

by Celeste Ng

This wide brass cuff is pretty on its own—but when you add the text of Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, it’s elevated to a fitting gift for a bookworm. The designer, Jezebel Charms on etsy, describes itself as “literary jewelry with a steampunk edge” and makes versions with quotes from other Austen novels, Shakespeare, Dickens, the Brontes, and more. Or, for the gents, how about a pair of Dracula cufflinks—complete with drops of blood? Available from Jezebel Charms on etsy. And check back every day in December for another bookish gift idea from FWR!


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Bookish Gift Idea #1: Penguin Books iPhone Case

by Celeste Ng

Gift-giving season is upon us–and this year, Fiction Writers Review comes to the rescue, offering a bookish gift (that’s not a book) every day in December. Protect and beautify your iPhone—and show your love of books—with this Penguin Books iPhone case. I love the slightly faded, antique look of the covers—such a contrast from the sleek, futuristic iPhone beneath. Available from society6.com. And check back every day in December for another bookish gift idea from FWR!


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The essence of a story

by Celeste Ng

Kid-and-design blog OhDeeDoh pointed me to these beautiful, minimalist posters of children’s stories by artist Christian Jackson. Here are a few more: What I love most about these—aside from the obviously amazing graphic design—is the way each poster strips the story down to its most basic elements. It’s the visual version of the old writing exercise: can you tell your story in one paragraph? One sentence? One word? Here, each story is condensed into one image. You can see all of Jackson’s children’s story posters, as well as buy prints (or iphone skins!) featuring the artwork, on his website.


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Thursday Morning Candy – 826's Online Stores

by Celeste Ng

To thousands of young students, those three little digits mean one thing: writing. Yesterday, we put the spotlight on the Ministry of Stories in London, so for this week’s Thursday Morning Candy, it seemed only appropriate to showcase a fun way to support the organization that started it all: 826. 826 is becoming prominent enough that you might be thinking, “Old news… Heard it!” (For those unfamiliar with 826 and their work, a quick primer can be found on the national organization’s website.) But did you know that the 826 branches sell many of their “products” online? The Pirate Store […]


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Literary Gifts #4: Lit Mag Subscriptions

by Celeste Ng

I love giving magazine subscriptions as presents: it’s like a new gift every month. If there’s a reader–or a write–on your holiday gift list, how about a subscription to your favorite literary magazine? Most subscriptions run under $40, a bargain for a present that provides a fresh infusion of stories, poems, and essays over the course of a year. And you’ll provide much-needed support to literary journals and the writers they publish. Old standbys like The Kenyon Review, Glimmer Train, Tin House, and Virginia Quarterly Review put out beautiful, hefty issues 4 times a year. Want your stories more frequently? […]


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Literary Gifts #3: MotherReader's 105 Ways to Give a Book

by Celeste Ng

Books always make great presents, but just wrapping it up and handing it over is a little… blah. MotherReader offers a list of 105 books paired with complementary gifts. Ideas are grouped by recipient’s age range; many are aimed at kids and could be great ways to encourage budding readers. Here’s a sampling of my favorites: 3. Give a book with a movie theater gift card to see the upcoming film. 10. Give an interesting, insightful book with a restaurant gift card and a date to discuss the book together over a meal. 44. Everyone needs Mo Willems’ book Don’t […]


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Literary Gifts #2: Novel-T Tees

by Celeste Ng

Here’s a clever gift idea for the bookishly AND sportishly inclined. Novel-T offers a complete lineup of literary T-shirts–literally. Designed to resemble baseball jerseys, each offers “an opportunity to express your support for the all-stars of literature” and bears the name of a literary figure-cum-position player. Appropriately enough, the “expansive” poet Whitman plays center field, quick-witted Huck Finn plays shortstop, Bartleby is out in left field (where else?), and Ahab is both pitcher and–heh–captain. The front of the shirt bears an appropriate logo, from Hester Prynne’s A to Poe’s raven. Even many of the players’ numbers have been carefully chosen: […]


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Literary Gifts #1: EWN's Holiday Shopping Guide and more

by Anne Stameshkin

During this holiday season, many FWR contributors and readers enjoy giving friends and family gifts of the literary variety: novels we know they’d love, subscriptions to lit magazines or journals, a Kindle or Nook, blank notebooks, the perfect pen, novelist-friendly software like Scrivener. Want some inspiration? We’ll be linking to bookish gift ideas throughout the holiday season. Be sure to visit the Emerging Writers Network frequently over the next month: the site has just kicked off its Holiday Shopping Guide; in the EWN’s most recent newsletter, Dan Wickett tells us the guide will feature numerous posts (at least one a […]




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