Thursday, December 11, 2008

Fourteen Shopping Days Left

Christmas is two weeks away. Have you finished your shopping yet? If not let me suggest a few items for you.


For the preteen book lovers on your list ...

Barrie Summy's just released -- I So Don't Do Mysteries. Barrie is a frequent visitor to this blog and a My Town Monday participant so I encourage all of you to buy multiple copies of her book to give out this year. Here's a description ...

SO HERE I am spending spring break in California with my best friend, Junie. Our chaperon is a teenager, like us. And soon I’ll get to hang out with the coolest, cutest boy in the Southwest. Life is so good.

Except I should tell you that I’m not actually in San Diego for fun. Even though I’m a normal person who likes normal stuff—friends, clothes, the mall—I’m supposed to be solving a mystery, one that involves a rhino heist and a crazy chef. And I have to do it because my supercop mom is counting on me. Did I mention she’s a ghost? A ghost who can make

contact with only one person. Me, Sherry Holmes Baldwin. My mom is flunking out of the Academy of Spirits, and if I don’t help her, she’ll be banished to an afterlife for ghost failures.

But . . . I so don’t do mysteries.


Fellow Amarilloan, Kimberly Willis Holt also has a preteen series of Piper Reed books that any young reader would love to discover under the tree.
As a matter of fact Kimberly has many fine books available that both boys and girls can read and enjoy. Look for her name and the selectionavailable at a bookstore near you. Many of her novels will apeal to readers of all ages. And she is a National Book Award winner for the fabulous novel, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town.

Danette Haworth's Violet Raines Almost got Struck by Lightening is another great preteen book that I first mentioned her on this blog a few months ago. Here is a link to that post if you want my complete review.

Here are some selections for adult readers.

For the fantasy lover on your list you can't go wrong with Charles Gramlich's Talera series.



For thrillers and suspense, check out Mark Terry's books here.

For romance in a variety of sub-genres pick up one of Erica Orloff's many available titles. See the list here.

If you have a cowboy on your list pick up one of Terry Burn's inspirational westerns.

If for some ridiculous reason someone on your list claims to be a non reader tell them to straighten up and fly right and then shop at these places.

Debra from over at My Skilled Hands is one of the donors to the Cups of Kindness, a benefit of the Canton-Akron area food bank. Artisans have donated a variety of pieces which are for sale here. The items would make great gifts for yourself or someone else. And be sure to order the world famous Little Blue Santa from Debra. She sells out a lot of years so it may be too late to get yours before this year's big day, but you can certainly pre-order for' 09.

Speaking of art, stop by Lana Gramlich's site and look through her many fabulous paintings which are priced very reasonable for original artwork of such fine caliber.

I'll be back later to night or tomorrow morn with another post. Until then, happy shopping.

22 comments:

Melissa Amateis said...

I have one of those "non-readers" on my list and it's agravating since there are SO MANY books out there they are missing out on!

Janna Leadbetter said...

Oy, no! Don't remind me! :P But I do have books on my giving list.

Angie Ledbetter said...

Thanks for the PSA. I'll be doing my shopping as usual, on Christmas Eve, at the hardware store where there are now crowds or grouchy frantic people. And thanks for voting in my Christmas contest! (Shameless blog promotion~~
http://angie-ledbetter.blogspot.com/ )

Mary Witzl said...

I've only got a couple of non-readers on my list and they know better than to talk about it to me. And thank God for books -- so much fun to buy, so easy to wrap.

laughingwolf said...

good stuff, trav

i have all of charles' books...

Anndi said...

I have a reader... I'll be finishing up my shopping this weekend (God willing).

Annie said...

Ahh my favorite gifts to give and to receive! I'll keep my eye out for these.

Chris Eldin said...

This is really nice of you! And it feels cool to know so many wonderful authors!

Monnik said...

Great gift ideas, Travis!! Books are always the best gifts, IMO.

Jess said...

Lovely list! Although I think, that since it's a Christmas story, "A Christmas in Old Tascosa" should have been added...
(yes, a shameless plug).

I really do thank you, I have to buy a bunch of books for book exchanges/gifts (my family is definitley NOT the "non-reader" type) and now I have some great leads!

pattinase (abbott) said...

A great roundup, Travis. Let's hope it's a Christmas that defies The Grinch. READ, people.

Cloudia said...

Good suggestions, Travis.
Ready . . . Set . . .SHOP!
Aloha-

Lana Gramlich said...

Awwww, shucks. You're too kind! I totally owe you a beer someday!

debra said...

Thank you for sending folks over to Cups of Kindness. Many hands have come together to make this benefit
work. And we do still have the lBS :-)
Books are the best! And try to visit an independent seller, too :-)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing these. I so do not have my shopping done. Maizie keeps changing her list daily. I finally told her Santa has her list done and is not taking new requests. Sigh.

Charles Gramlich said...

I'm definitely picking up "I so don't do mysteries." Thanks for the plug as well. Much appreciated.

Junosmom said...

Would the Gramlich book be okay for a fifteen year old? My daughter is really into fantasy, but as you might guess, I have to watch the content. I know Charles comments here so maybe he can say.

J. L. Krueger said...

This year I did all my shopping online.

For the first time ever, all done before Christmas Eve.

Then again, if I hadn't, nothing would have gotten to the right places in time.

Danette Haworth said...

I love Barrie's title, and Kimberly's cover is so engaging! Thanks for the shout out!

Terrie Farley Moran said...

Excellent list, Travis, with a lot of variety.

Might I add the mystery anthology Dying in A Winter Wonderland. All author and publisher profits are being donated to the USMC Toys for Tots, and I am proud to have a story in DIWW. (It has a great You Tube!)

Terrie

Terrie Farley Moran said...

PS,

I used Dannette's violet Raines book in a school literacy day I did with some other authors last month and I already told Barrie, I am looking forward to using I So Don't Do Mysteries next year!!

Terrie

Charles Gramlich said...

To Junosmom, Charles Gramlich here. Thanks for asking about the Talera novels.

The Talera books don't have any sex in them at all. There is a "romantic" subplot between the main male and female heroes, Ruenn and Rannon. Since Ruenn is an old fashioned kind of hero in some ways, he's a loyal and upstanding kind of guy.

I think there are one or two "Hell's" in the book but no serious cursing. There is quite a bit of physical fighting, though. I don't know how you feel about violence. The first book, "Swords of Talera" has less. I wanted the reader to feel like they were right there swinging the sword with Ruenn, though, so I tried to describe swordfights pretty clearly. I don't think they are overly graphic. I think they are certainly not more graphic than what you saw in the Lord of the Rings movies.

Again, thanks for asking. :)