6 Gifts To Give Your Favorite Author Without Leaving Your Desk

Something I like to do every Christmas is to target an author. Not with a lightsaber or sniper paintball gun (though that’d be fun…), but with a Cupid Christmas arrow.

I wrote up this post when I wasn’t an author, and then I got published and felt too weird to post it because it seems like I’m fishing for gifts. I’M NOT! This is an attempt to sic rabid readers on other authors. [evil laugh]

Okay, here are 6 things you can give your favorite author for Christmas: (Tweet this)

1. A Review of Their Book

The greatest gift you can give an author is a review of his or her book on Amazon or Goodreads or Barnes & Noble or Book Depository or any online book store that allows you to write reviews.

I see some eyes glazing over already. Wait! Don’t follow the light! A review can be short. Just share your thoughts about the book. (Tweet this) It’s simple. Don’t freak out. Just do it. 😉 Some examples for your convenience:

Jill’s newest release — Darkness Reigns — is unlike any fantasy I’ve ever read. In a good way! 😀 

I LOVED this book — I will read anything Angie Brashear writes.

Oh my goodness, Leith! *swoon* Read Tricia Mingerink’s book if only to fall for the double-agent assassin hunk. 😉 

2. Request the Author’s Book for your Library.

A lot of times this can be done online through your library’s site. Or, if you’re really adventurous, go to the library itself and break the “don’t-leave-your-desk” rule in my post title. This costs you no money, but it (hopefully) gets that book onto the shelves for other people! Or, if you’re really zealous, you could buy a book and donate it to your library. *gasp* (Too much commitment? 😛 )

3. Go vote for their books on Goodreads’ Listopia.

If you have a Goodreads account, go have some fun on Listopia! Here, you can go to a certain book’s page and you can see what lists it’s on. Then go vote for it! This helps the book get more notice!

4. Follow, Like, and Connect on Social Media

Almost every author has a Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram, or other social media account. If you have those accounts, go like, follow, and friend them! Authors are on there to connect with you. It’s really boring if readers aren’t on there, too. 😛

5. Sign up for their Newsletter!

Enough said. If you want secret updates, giveaways, and real connection with your favorite author, see if they have a newsletter (links are usually on their author website) and sign up for it! These are for your benefit. They’re not like spammy department-store e-mails.

6. Give their book to someone for Christmas.

Go to Amazon. Click order. Ship it to your uncle’s step-niece’s brother-in-law’s door and voila! You’ve just turned his Christmas into a day of adventuring.

I’ve given almost everyone I know a copy of Love Does by Bob Goff. Looking back, I really should have just bought them in bulk. 😉 But if you are passionate about an author or book, give it as a gift! Paperback, e-book, audiobook, almost every format is giftable.

That’s it for now! Just takes a few minutes. After all, what author will refuse your virtual stalking stocking stuffers? 😉 (Tweet this)

Which author are you going to give these gifts to? 

Which gift idea do you like best?