Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Do You Give Books? – A Reader University Post

By Stacy S. Jensen


This is the twelfth post in a series of 12 ways to help authors (and your writing) by reading.


This can be another form of “buying,” but I see it as a little different.
Consider giving a book:
  • to all ages.
  • for all occasions.
  • as love notes.
As a parent to a toddler, I get invited to birthday parties. If I know about them in advance, I’ll buy books at writer’s conferences and get them signed by the author as a personal gift for the birthday boy or girl. I’ve noticed these gifts aren’t a favorite. They don’t make noise or have parts to be lost. One can hope they bring joy at a quieter time after the birthday cake and decorations are long gone. My son isn’t old enough to mind at the moment. So, until he protests — books will be our gift of choice.
Books make a nice hostess gift, too. They can drink up the words later while relaxing.
Books make nice holiday gifts whether they have a religious theme or not. My son received a nice Easter Story book last year in a basket from his grandmother.
Books as love notes? You may have provided a book love note without realizing it. You give a book that touched you in some way. I enjoy sharing The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow. While sad, to me, it’s a book about living, and worth giving to others.
Giving books obviously helps authors with sales, but the act also helps writers, who share a love for a book that touched her, moved her, or made her laugh out loud.
How do you give books?
Thanks for following along with the Reader University 12-part series. This wasn’t intended as a reading challenge, but the series kept me focused on reading and helping authors.
(This post originally appeared on Stacy S. Jensen's blog on March 24, 2014.)

About the Author: Stacy S.Jensen worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for two decades. Today, she writes picture books and revises a memoir manuscript. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and toddler.

1 comment:

  1. Excellent post, Stacy! I love giving books (and, well, I love receiving them, too). Not just because they help the author, but because they are a lasting, thoughtful, heart-touching gift that can last a lifetime.

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