December

December!

And as Christmas approaches, we enter the season of #Shedvent, in which, from December 1st, the Shed opens to reveal a different surprise every day! Follow the hashtag on Twitter to collect them all…

And, for the bookish folk in your life, here are my top ten Christmas gift recommendations…

  1. Chocolate lover? Student of Life? Get this Chocolate Therapy app, and find out what your favourite chocolate says about you…
  2. Need a bit of magic in your life? Grimm & Co’s Novel Tea Box contains all kinds of magical goodies – including a copy of either THE BLUE SALT ROAD or  A POCKETFUL OF CROWS – your choice. And all the proceeds go to helping children’s literacy and creativity…
  3. Everyone knows that writers (and readers) flourish best on tea and cake. Botham’s of Whitby provide hampers to suit any budget. Look out for the terrific plum bread, and the phenomenal ginger brack… 
  4. These personalized pencils are great for the storyteller in your life – or for a favourite teacher…
  5. Why not offer a writer friend a professional assessment of their manuscript, synopsis or first 50 pages? 
  6. Or what about a custom piece of jewellery with their favourite inspirational quote?
  7. Of course, you could always give them a copy of our very own #Storytime CD – only available from this website. Four original story/songs, written and performed by me and the #Storytime Band..
  8. If you’re feeling flush, you could buy them a pair of Dickensian fingerless gloves (in luxurious cashmere, of course) for those long, cold days in the garret…
  9. Too polite to tell your friends and family to leave you alone? Let this existentialist doormat deliver the message for you.
  10. Or you could buy them a subscription to the Society of Authors, and help them invest in their future…Also:  This Christmas, BookTrust has launched a scheme to help give vulnerable children access to books. If you’d like to know more, check out this link…