Gifts for Writers Guide

“If I get one more journal…”

Sadly, this is the mental dialogue in every writer’s head when they start to unwrap a gift. Choose one of these items for a gift that will genuinely be appreciated by any author, journalist, writer or poet. Heck, some of them are so fun you might want one for yourself as well!

1. Create a photo blanket with an author’s book covers. Purchase: https://www.collage.com/product-blanket

2. “I turn coffee into books” coffee mug. Purchase: http://etsy.me/1QRtcp1

3. Writer bling! Purchase: http://amzn.to/1IBicJG

4. Fund a professional membership, conference, workshop, advertising or services (editing, cover design, etc.). Most writers have limited budgets and would adore not only the fiscal generosity, but your support of their career!

5. Eau de Paperback? Not sure musty aged paper works as a fragrance, but it’s definitely writer-oriented. Purchase: http://demeterfragrance.com/Paperback.html

6. If you’re a writer, you can’t ever have enough totes. This Betsey Johson bag is practical and pretty. Purchase: http://amzn.to/1IBketj

7. A gift subscription to Writer’s Digest is just $20 and provides a year’s worth of good stuff. Purchase: http://bit.ly/1MCjK1a

8. For any writer who puts in hours at a desk, this crazy-looking work surface is a must-have. Portable and mulit-functional, it creates several different work stations. Purchase: http://amzn.to/1mdiM6L

9. For those days or weeks when your favorite author is on deadline, give the gift of time. Coupons for meal prep, running errands or babysitting could save their sanity!

10. Writers love memes and Someecards are the best! A year’s worth on this tear-off calendar. Purchase: http://bit.ly/1mJ9fEq

11. Personalize a bottle of wine with an author’s book cover for a special remembrance. Purchase: https://www.personalwine.com/

12. Word fun! Bananagram is easily portable so perfect for writer retreats and travel. Purchase: http://amzn.to/22u0jU2

13. “Ask Me About My Book” hand-stamped keychain. Purchase: http://etsy.me/1NeLb2B

14. No more forgetting brilliant inspirations between the shower and the computer! Aqua Notes waterproof notepad! Purchase: http://amzn.to/22u1AdQ

15. Comfort is important, but so is looking good. Replace those worn out sweats with new yoga pants. Throw in some sneakers and fun T-shirts to remind your favorite writer it’s also important to get up and move!

16. Hip flask. This one is definitely on my list. Purchase: http://etsy.me/1RB32WW

17. For the “comma-happy” writer. Purchase: http://etsy.me/1QQDSoh

18. Assemble a gift basket of healthy goodies – nuts, dried fruit, turkey pepperoni, pretzels, dark chocolate, nut butters, granola, trail mix, fresh fruit.

19. About $15 a month, a subscription to Audible makes a great gift for authors. http://www.audible.com/mt/GiftMemCredits

20. Scarves are a popular accessory. For writers, these literary scarves really make a fashion statement. Purchase: http://amzn.to/22u0xKL

21. Shhh! Writer at work desk lamp! Purchase: http://bit.ly/1UcsPmX

22. Perfect for a spontaneous getaway or writer retreat!  Purchase:  http://bit.ly/1JDd1El

23. Whimsical literary tea bags. Purchase: http://bagladiestea.com/product/novel-tea-pouch/

24. For those writers battling procrastination. Purchase: http://amzn.to/1QWbAIk

What’s the best writer gift you received or gave?

Writing Tips from M.S. Kaye

The MAC Blog is pleased to present a new feature: Tips from Authors. Get tried-and-true advice from authors as they share what works for them when it comes to crafting high-quality stories, selling more books or reaching a wider audience. Special thanks to M.S. Kaye for inspiring this feature and kicking it off.

Thank you, Maria, for having me!

Welcome to my Quick Tips Blog Tour. I’ve put together ten short, easy writing tips to share. Follow my tour to see them all. Tour stops will be posted on my website.

Quick Tip 10:  The long and the short of it

Varying sentence lengths helps the writing from feeling repetitive and mechanical. We can also use sentence length to create a mood. People who are agitated or in a hurry tend to speak in quick short sentences, and poets writing about the calm beauty of nature tend to write long, flowing sentences. As a fiction writer, if you’re writing an action scene, use plenty of short sentences, as well as short paragraphs. If you’re writing a love scene, write like a poet (because we all know longer is better in love scenes). Hehe.

Kindling the Past
by M.S. Kaye

Kindle is fighting to survive on her own, to break free from her possessive and violent ex-boyfriend, and trying not to let her best friend, Anna, know she’s in love with her husband. Most of all, she fights the visions she sees of the past—she doesn’t believe in that kind of stuff.
Then Anna is shot and killed.

In their grief, Kindle and Ty, Anna’s husband and Kindle’s Taekwondo instructor, grow closer. Although Kindle is careful never to let him too close, he helps her learn to accept that her visions are real. Eventually, the truth about Anna’s death breaks through into Kindle’s visions, and she must find a way not to let it destroy her.

Buy Links:
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M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband, Corey, in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at http://www.BooksByMSK.com. Contact M. S. Kaye at:
http://www.Facebook.com/BooksByMSK
http://www.Twitter.com/MSKosciuszko
GoodReads

Excerpt:

Prologue
I fought the visions. My mother used to tell me my expression turned stupid when I had them, but I didn’t care about that so much anymore. I hated when the visions were true somehow, actual bits of the past. I didn’t believe in that kind of stuff.

Chapter 1: Fight
“She’s such a snob,” one of the young women whispered on the other side of the locker room.
I stayed faced away, trying not to hear their gossip. I tugged my jeans on and pulled my shirt over my head. When I glanced in the mirror to fix my hair, I barely saw the dark brown framing my fair skin—only the way the other girls looked at me. I bent over to pick up my shoes.
“The guys don’t even ask her out because she’s so stuck up.”
I didn’t understand why they thought like this about me, but I didn’t much care anyway. As soon as I had my shoes on, I threw my gear bag over my shoulder and walked out.
Master Trahem was on the workout floor sparring with Mr. Schmidt. Master Trahem’s uniform was starting to come open, and sweat glistened on his well-built chest.
I looked away.
“Bye, Kindle,” Mrs. Trahem said as I passed the front counter. “See you tomorrow.”
I smiled at her, one of the few people I reserved my genuine smile for. She was a big part of the reason I came in early to help every day, her and her atrocious typing skills. She always held her fingers above the keys like a fisherman wielding a spear, as if expecting them to squirm out from under her aim.
But honestly, helping with data entry was just an excuse—Mrs. Trahem was the best person I’d ever known, and I felt calmer when I was around her.
“You’ll be there early, right?” Mrs. Trahem added. She tucked her silky dark hair behind her ear. There was a grace to her movement. No wonder Master Trahem had married her so quickly. At twenty-nine, she was a few years older than me but looked just as young.
“Definitely.” Then I kept walking. Before I gave into the urge to turn and watch Master Trahem.
The girls from the locker room followed me out into the parking lot. I sat in my car and started the engine.
While I drove the forty-five minutes home, I fought to stay awake. At least traffic at nine-thirty at night was thin. I always missed rush hour. I left my apartment before six every morning and didn’t return until after ten. Being tired felt normal.
As I pulled up to my building, I examined each car. I knew to whom each of them belonged, as well as half my neighbors’ friends’ cars. The girl across the hall traded boyfriends every week. She drove me nuts.
I had no way of knowing what Chris was driving. I had to know which cars were supposed to be here in order to know if there was a new one. Most of my neighbors drove beaters like me, and Chris had always liked something flashy. But with him, I couldn’t depend on consistency. He was smart.
I recognized all the cars tonight. I parked under the streetlight and kept the door locked while I pulled my gear bag onto my lap and slipped the strap over my shoulder. Keys ready, I jumped out of the car and jogged up the steps. I hated apartment buildings in Florida. The halls were open, no security doors to block unwanted visitors from knocking on your front door, from lurking in shadowy corners.
Within about ten seconds, I was up the stairs, down the hall, and at my door. Just being able to move quickly without running out of breath was worth the cost of Taekwondo classes. I felt more confident, less scared.
My door unlocked, I glanced down the hall one more time then slipped inside. I closed the door, locked it, and flipped the lights.
I was not alone.
He was right there, tall, thick, and blond as always. I was seeing as clearly as if through acid. I blinked to make sure he was really there. I always did that. It was stupid.
Chris was always there.