It’s almost upon us, the–depending on your point of view–holiday gift season. You are running around the mall, scanning the stores, burning up your mouse trolling websites looking for the ‘just right’ gift for you mom or dad or uncle, brother or sister and children.
Rest easy. I am here to help.
Here are 12 selections that should cover just about anyone on you shopping list.
1) Do you have a friend or relative who is a big fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Or just likes pirates in general. Then you should have a copy of Pirate Haiku: Bilge Sucking Poems of Booty Grog and Wenches for Scurvy Sea Dogs. The book is full of hearty chuckles as it tells the life story of the fearless, but slightly incompetent scourge of the Seven Seas Captain One Leg Sterling. It is sure to bring a smile to the face of your pirate loving kin. In fact you can complete the ensemble with our Pirate themed “Got Rum?” t-shirt for your favorite scallywag. Sure to please!
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2) Those of you who regularly read my blog know that I’m a big advocate of using comic books to encourage kids to read. And you also may have read or heard about DC Comics and their decision to re-launch their entire universe of characters with new books.
That’s right. Starting over from scratch. None of the superheroes have met each other. They’ve collected all 52 of the 1st Issues of each new comic in a gorgeous hardcover book. You have to admit, even if you disagree with the premise, it’s a way cool gift and it’s a great way to get your kid hooked on comics and by extension hooked on reading.
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3) Tired of signing the same old Christmas Carols around the tree this year? Don’t blame you. Jazz things up with It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Zombies: A Book of Zombie Christmas Carols. Christmas will never be the same. And while you’re at it, you may as well pick up Every Zombie Eats Somebody Sometime: A Book of Zombie Love Songs. That way your Valentine’s Day shopping will be done as well.
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4) If you love the movie Zombieland then I have to recommend our t-shirt two pack ALWAYS DOUBLE TAP and NUT UP OR SHUT UP. Remember all the shirts mentioned here are available in sizes up to 5XL and come in about two-dozen different color options. But they are printed on demand, so hurry.
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5) Here is a gift perfect for either the boy or girl middle grade reader. It’s Roland Smith’s I,Q series. And it’s a smartly written story about a boy name Q and his step-sister Angela, who get caught up in some very interesting international intrigue. Book 1 I,Q: Independence Hall is out in paperback. And book 2 I,Q: The White House is now available. You can look for book 3 in July.
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5) Speaking of smartly written books for young readers I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my Youngest Templar series. Starting with The Youngest Templar: Keeper of the Grail then the action continues in The Youngest Templar: Trail of Fate and reaches a stunning conclusion in The Youngest Templar: Orphan of Destiny. All three books are now available in paperback and make a great gift.
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6) If you have a student or aficionado of the American Civil War on your shopping list this year. Why not try out our “CIVIL WAR BUFF” t-shirts. We have a version of Robert E. Lee and a version of Ulysses S. Grant. These shirts are only available online.
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7) If you’ve got a wee little future Albert Pujols living in your house, try a copy of the funtastic alphabet book Baseball From A to Z: A Baseball Alphabet. Learning the alphabet has never been so much fun! Batter up!
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8 ) For grown-up readers and by that I mean adults. Adults. Not kids. Let me be clear, this is not a book for kids under the ages of 16. But my favorite holiday pick this year is When Elves Attack by Tim Dorsey. It’s non stop hilarity from page one. You’ll never look at the Christmas holidays the same way. Trust me. And it’s for adults. Did I mention that?
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9) Have you sent out your Christmas Cards yet? Me neither. But it’s not too late. And be the only one of your friends to send Zombie Christmas Cards. Really, you’ve got to try these.
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10) And speaking of sending cards, you don’t have to send them by Pony Express anymore, but you could still read about the Pony in the Wrangler Award winning OFF LIKE THE WIND! The First Ride of The Pony Express with stunning paintings by Layne Johnson this is book your young Pony rider will want to read again and again.
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11) Okay, if you’re going to break down and buy an e-reader this year. Why not pre-load it with a copy of the newest Spy Goddess novel Spy Goddess: The Spy Who Totally Had a Crush on Me? It can be found at smashwords.com in any format for any device. This book picks up right where Book 3 left off so don’t worry about the Manga editions. Like the ‘prequel’ to Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid it never happened. Are we clear? It never happened.
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12) And to round out your twelfth day of Christmas. You’ll want to pick up a copy of Jack And Jill Went Up To Kill: A Book Of Zombie Nursery Rhymes. Why? Because it’s the perfect stocking stuffer for all of you people who are watching The Walking Dead on AMC and not admitting it.
