Gift Guide for the Creative People in Your Life

Here, just in time, is our Chenille Books 2019 Holiday Gift Guide. Although, let’s face it, it’s always the right time to get your favorite people presents, the holiday season provides us even more incentive. Because we apply ourselves every day at Chenille Books to working with and supporting creative people, we feel we’ve got some insight into picking out gifts for the ones you know. (Share the list with your loved ones!)

We’ve put together a curated selection of gifts to consider snapping up for the people in your life who’ll appreciate them. Prices are in US Dollars. (The first item in our Gift Guide will cost you nothing, yet will mean sooo much to the independent writers in your life! And check out the PS at the end, for another limited-time free offer for writers!)

The Gift that Is Small and Huge at the Same Time

Write Some Online Book Reviews

Use a laptop, phone, desktop computer, or other device for writing reviews online.

No link for this one, because for this gift, your online destinations are entirely up to you.

This gift costs you nothing except about five minutes of your time. Give the precious gift to authors of an online review. Are you familiar with the term “social proof”? The independent authors in your life – whether you’ve ever met or not – can always use more of it. Simply put, the more online reviews a book has, the more likely strangers to it will take a chance on picking up copies. Amazon and Goodreads reviews have the most impact statistically, but choose your favorite authors and vendors as you see fit.

Importantly, your review can be short and to the point. Wax rhapsodic if you choose, but you’ll help out the writers you admire by simply jotting a sentence or two into the appropriate section at the online vendors you prefer. Truly, something as plain as,“I really enjoyed this book, and will recommend it to my friends” can work well, if you’re short on time. Throw in five stars, and you’re golden. Add a link to the product’s sales page on one or more of your social media platforms, and you’ll make a writer’s day!

Books as Gifts

You might think that writers don’t need any more books, but you’d probably be wrong about that. Take a look at these choices. From poetry to fiction to craft and inspiration, there’s something to please a lot of creative people here. (You can read more about all our publications here.)

Poetry from Chenille Books

Andrea Fisher Rowland’s poetry collection, Family Album

Andrea Fisher Rowland’s collection, Family Album, makes a lovely gift for poetry lovers, and even poetry-shy readers. The book provides gemlike, yet approachable, poems about close relationships, nature, and the universe.

Chenille Books is proud to present this collection. Paperback is $15 online and at Baine’s Books Scottsville, VA and Appomattox, VA locations.

High Tide from Chenille Books

Andrea Fisher Rowland’s novel, High Tide

Andrea Fisher Rowland’s long-awaited novel, High Tide, explores love, nature, and the ways in which we humans behave contrary to the best interests of both. Chenille Books is proud to introduce High Tide. Paperback is $20 online and at Baine’s Books Scottsville, VA and Appomattox, VA locations.

FLOAT • Becoming Unstuck for Writers

A M Carley’s FLOAT • Becoming Unstuck for Writers

A M Carley’s FLOAT • Becoming Unstuck for Writers is a handbook and resource for all kinds of writers. Even though it’s written by the founder of Chenille Books, we immodestly include FLOAT in our holiday gift recommendations. Suitable for writers from woo-woo to pragmatic, introverted to extroverted, quiet to exuberant, contemplative to active, this book offers mindful interventions to help writers become unstuck. Includes over 80 tools, and a comprehensive method for applying them to cases of stuckness or creative block. Includes free online guide with helpful audio recordings. Paperback ($15) and ebook ($8) online and paperback at Central Virginia bookstores.

Coloring Books for All Ages from Jeanne S

Two coloring books from Jeanne S

Coloring is now recognized as a simple and enjoyable way out of a creative block. These two coloring books, from Jeanne S, offer a choice of mandalas or butterflies. Making Art with Mandalas provides the line art, ready to be colored, while Making Art with Butterflies offers a more unconventional coloring experience, where more creative choices can be made on the fly (ahem). $15 for each paperback from Amazon.

FLOAT Cards for Writers

A M Carley’s FLOAT Cards for Writers

Chenille Books founder A M Carley invites you to, “Pick a card! My deck of FLOAT Cards for Writers is a go-to for writers who sometimes feel at a loss for words – or motivation – in a writing project. The FLOAT cards let you draw on your own inner resources, and the wisdom of many who’ve come before.” An online guide is included with purchase, with ideas for using the cards in writer groups, classrooms, and workshops. The deck provides 52 ways to revitalize a creative practice.  Available for $20 online, including a permanent storage box.

PS – Just Announced! I’m offering a limited-time GIFT of a One Next Step Session for writers who’d like some focused attention and brainstorming on the one creative problem that’s bugging them right now. Completely free of charge. Details here!

Let us know in the Comments which items in our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide are most useful to you and the writers and other creative people in your life! #GiftsForWriters #GiftsForCreatives #HolidayGifts #GiftIdeas #BestGifts #BestGifts2019