It’s That Gifting Time of Year Again!

I can still remember the first time I got books for Christmas. My grandmother gave me Anne of Green Gables, Daddy Long Legs, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and Heidi. I’m pretty sure these were the first books that were mine, not jointly owned by all the siblings. 

I still love getting a book for Christmas, though now that I do most of my reading on my iPad or Kindle, I prefer getting them in digital format. It is true they are not as fun to unwrap, but the true joy of a book is not in unwrapping it but opening it and taking in the words. I’m not one of those people who spend a lot of time stroking and smelling my books. I love words. I love stories. I get a book, I open it, and start reading. 

So I thought it would be fun to talk about books as gifts today. 

One thing I like to know about a book gift, did you read it and love it or was this book a recommendation from a clerk or other friend? If you read it and loved it, you should say so. When I know someone has read and loved something, then it makes me place it on top of my massive to-be-read pile. Of course I know that not everyone of my friends and family will love what I loved, but it is a known fact that a recommendation from a trusted source means more than one from a random clerk or review site. 

So, if you read something you loved this year, why not share it with THAT friend or family member who shares your reading tastes? 

(What, they prefer audio books? Did you know that if you gift a digital book and there’s an audio version, sometimes your friend can get the audio book at a substantial discount?)

If you’ve read  or Open with Care and loved it, I hope you’ll consider gifting or sharing one or both books with a friend. I’d say they are cheaper than a cup of coffee, but I don’t drink coffee, so I don’t know. Lol What I do know is that books last longer than beverages. (I’ve almost finished a can of Diet Dr. Pepper just writing this blog, so that makes me an expert on beverage-to-words consumption time frames.)

One thing I know for sure, as I head into the holiday season, I will be shopping and I will be reading. And yes, consuming some beverages, so you can trust me on this. Books makes great gifts. 

Did you know I have a holiday book called Open with Care? Its a duet, two stories—one by me and one by my friend, Genie Davis. 

Here’s the blurb:

Unexpected guests come bearing gifts. This interstellar Christmas will be one for the ages…

Gini won’t let her bickering family or the incoming blizzard dampen her holiday spirits. But nothing could prepare her for the uninvited houseguests. She’s not sure if she’s ready to exchange gifts with the man who broke her heart or the little green aliens on the roof. 

But the intergalactic visitors have a gift for Gini… a taste of the youth and love she left behind…

Jane MacKenzie has never opened a Christmas gift that transformed her world. At least, not until she accidentally opens a box to find a man who was lost in a blizzard over 100 years ago. Jane isn’t sure how to handle the strange visitor and his otherworldly agreement…

But the Christmastime encounter may just open her heart to a love that can stand the test of time. 

Open With Care contains two sci-fi romances inspired by the spirit of gift giving. If you like simmering chemistry, snowy Wyoming settings, and family drama, then you’ll love Genie Davis and Pauline Baird Jones’ festive story set. 

Buy Open With Care today to discover why love isn’t alien on Christmas!

What’s your favorite holiday read?

Perilously yours,

Pauline