Every year I struggle with what to get my friends and family for the holidays. I already feel like I have too much “stuff,” and I know lots of people who feel the same way. My family and I have been trying to focus on “experiences” over “stuff” in general for a few years now, which is why this year Jo’s studying in Japan, Wendi went to see Beyoncé live in concert with friends, and I made a point of seeing special screenings at our local indie movie theater, Grail Moviehouse, including The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023), and The Talking Heads’ amazing concert film Stop Making Sense (1984). Fingers crossed that one of our local movie theaters gets the 30th anniversary rerelease of Die Hard! (Yippee ki-yay!)
With that in mind, I have some experience gifts lined up for Wendi and Jo: a hot stone massage at a local spa for Wendi, and memberships to writing organizations like SFWA, MWA, and SCBWI for aspiring writer Jo. They’ll enjoy those, and won’t have something to find shelf space for afterward. That said, we still love our stuff, even if we’re being more selective about what we acquire now. I’ve bought the next installments in a few of Wendi’s favorite book series, and some Blu-Ray editions of old Kurt Russell movies for Jo that include a lot of bonus features. (You tell ‘em I’m coming, and hell’s coming with me!)
I confess, I did acquire some nice stuff this year though. Wendi and I re-watched Endeavour on PBS this year, and I became obsessed with the way Shaun Evans holds his ballpoint pen near his head and clicks it when he’s thinking about a case or doing a crossword. That clicking sound is like ASMR to me, and realized it has been a long time since I owned any clicky ballpoint pens. I tried a few, and finally discovered a favorite: the Parker Jotter in Waterloo Blue and Chrome. (It’s even British!) Now I find any excuse I can to write by hand—and thoughtfully click my Parker Jotter like I’m a mystery-solving genius. (Mind how you go.)
You have to have a great notebook to go with a great pen, and while I’m something of a notebook hoarder, I did actually use and love the A6 Notebook in Lilac from Bookaroo. I also picked up this awesome Turquoise Pen Pouch that fits over the cover of larger notebooks, and this matching Book & Stuff Pouch, which can hold your tablet, notebook, and or book.
Board games count as both stuff and as experiences, I suppose, if you pull them off the shelf to play them, and this year we played the heck out of two favorites: Wingspan and Everdell. The same goes for books of course, and I would be remiss if I didn’t plug my own, including Captain America: The Ghost Army, which came out earlier this year! You can get signed, personalized copies for the Alan Gratz fan in your life from my hometown indie Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, NC. Just tell them who you want me to dedicate the book to, and I’ll personalize and sign your book before they send it out!
Okay, from stuff to buy, to giveaways and auctions!
Now through December 14th, you can sign up on GoodReads to win a free Advance Reader Copy of my new book Heroes, a story of the attack on Pearl Harbor! The book officially pubs on February 6, 2024, so this is your chance to read it early!
And once again, I’m auctioning off a free, live, one-hour, virtual school visit to benefit We Need Diverse Books! I’m not doing individual school events anymore, either in person or virtually, unless it’s to raise money for a good cause, so it you want to get me one-on-one with your kiddos, this is your chance. Hurry though—the auction ends December 11th!
Didn’t win the auction to have me join your school live? Join me for one of my free, live, virtual events next year! In January, I’ll be hosting another virtual school visit where I talk about my books and answer kids’ questions live, and in February I’ll be hosting a live, virtual book launch event for Heroes! You can also see where and when I’ll be appearing in-person in the near future here.
Heroes tour dates and locations to come next month!
What I’m reading for kids
Flying Through Water by Mamle Wolo, an immersive novel about a Ghanian boy who escapes human traffickers only to face an arduous journey of survival on his way home.
What I’m reading for adults
The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck, a novella about World War II published during World War II, about the people of a small Northern European town finding the courage to resist their Nazi occupiers.
That’s it! Thanks! You’re awesome.
The Moon is Down is one of my favorite novels.
Wingspan is such an incredible game!!!