2003 SFR Holiday Gift Guide
AUTHOR: Jody Wallace

Whatever you call it, in many real and imaginary cultures this time of year is a time of gift-giving and receiving. In addition, many people take advantage of vacation days to spend time with their families and eat a lot of fattening food. Ironically, it has been noted by several mental health organizations that the holiday season also involves an increased level of depression due to all three of these things seemingly wonderful things. You?d think food, family and presents would bring joy, but sometimes they just bring stress! Here at the SFR newsletter, we?d like to do our very small part in making your upcoming holiday season more enjoyable by suggesting some inexpensive, SFR-friendly holiday gifts you could present to friends and family members, or at least ones who read the kinds of books we love.

(Note: Most of the following are books the newsletter was sent for review and hence ones I have actually read. I have not purchased items from most of the websites mentioned, though, so I cannot vouch for their customer service, but at least this will give you a starting point. All the books plus several other items listed are on Amazon, which I can vouch for. Plus, we get a miniscule portion of your Amazon purchases if you arrive at Amazon via a link on our site and actually buy something. Sometimes we even make enough to pay the hosting fees for the site! Woohoo!)

If your gift recipient loves vampires:

A GIRL'S GUIDE TO VAMPIRES (2003) by Katie Macalister is a goofy, R-rated romp at a Goth faire in the Czech republic. A lover of vampire romances might enjoy this novel paired with a set of amethyst runestones like the ones featured in the book. Runestones are also featured in Candace Sams? shapechanger novel GRYPHON?S QUEST (ImaJinn 2002). (http://www.thaigem.com/crystal_shop_rune.asp). There?s a bunch more at http://store.stormsong.org/cart/section.php?xSec=69&source=Overture.

SINGLE WHITE VAMPIRE (2003) by Lynsay Sands features a hermit of a hero who?s tricked into attending a Romantic Times convention by his editor/girlfriend. Along with this comic novel, what about a one year?s subscription to Romantic Times or the new romance genre magazine on the block, Arabella Romances? (www.romantictimes.com and www.arabellamagazine.com) For a completely different approach, you could buy your recipient some Red Berry Capri Sun pouches so she could pretend like she was drinking blood, modern vampire style.

SUNSHINE (2003) by Robin McKinley might not contain a traditional romance but it definitely contains references to good food! Our heroine Sunshine, who is kidnapped by vampires and left for another vampire to snack upon (and no, that?s not the good food I?m talking about), is a baker in a family-run restaurant. I salivated at the descriptions of desserts at several different places in the novel. A copy of SUNSHINE along with a package of cinnamon rolls or a dessert cookbook like the BUTTERCUP BAKE SHOP COOKBOOK would be a fun combination.

If your gift recipient loves aliens and space ships:

For this type of recipient, you might consider a book in the STAR series by Susan Grant. The most recent is THE STAR PRINCESS (2003), in which the royal alien hero hides out with the Earthling heroine while his advisors plan his marriage. During his time on Earth, he learns to enjoy such things as beer (Red Rocket Ale in particular) and Corn Nuts. If your recipient isn?t the type to appreciate beer, just the Corn Nuts will do.

SHADOW CROSSING (2003) by Catherine Spangler is a traditional futuristic romance, with a smuggler heroine who secretly loves to paint and a royal hero who is secretly NOT a robot, though the heroine thinks he is! Gardens and flowers appear frequently in this novel, so you could present your recipient with this book and a bouquet of fresh flowers from your local supermarket. Temporary, yes, but then your recipient won?t have a permanent display item that he or she then has to find space for on cluttered shelves.

For a slightly less traditional approach to science fiction romance, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller?s Liaden Universe is a great place to visit. Introduce your recipient to their world with PILOTS CHOICE (2001), an omnibus of two wonderful novels. Liadens often drink misravot, a blue alcoholic beverage, and you could pretend that a bottle of http://www.winterportwinery.com/pages/blueberry.html or http://www.loneoakvineyards.com/blueberry.htm was the same thing! For non-alcohol drinkers, a tin of jasmine tea would do quite nicely.

If your gift recipient loves werewolves:

Susan Krinard?s TO CATCH A WOLF (2003) has a unique setting: part of it takes place amidst a group of circus performers. Wouldn?t your gift recipient be thrilled with the latest Krinard werewolf novel as well as a jaunty CD entitled CIRCUS MUSIC FROM THE BIG TOP? Right now at Amazon you can buy it with SOUNDS OF THE CIRCUS VOL. 1 at a discount if you simply must get a CD for yourself as well.

Wolves, vampires and the like seem to inspire series in their authors. Rebecca York?s WITCHING MOON (2003) is the third in a series involving crime fighting werewolves. The wolves in this series have a Celtic heritage, so a piece of Celtic inspired jewelry might not be amiss. Here?s a selection at ?The Celtic Connection?: http://www.wicca.com/celtic/catalog/jewelry/jewelry0.htm. For a smaller-scale gift, check out these fancy FULL COLOR CELTIC STICKERS. Pair that with the CELTIC ANIMAL STICKERS--since we?re talking wolves here--and you may have a winner!

If your gift recipient loves time travel novels:

In essence, Kasey Michaels? MAGGIE BY THE BOOK (2003) is a time travel novel, because the protagonists of the heroine?s Regency mystery series sprang to life in her contemporary New York apartment. The heroine smokes like a stack, though I do not recommend the purchase of tobacco products, so a good match for this comic mystery might be a roll of quarters, particularly if your recipient is fond of playing the slots or purchasing sodas from vending machines. I cannot reveal here how quarters figure into the plot for fear of spoiling it, but if you read it, you?ll see!

Both Karen Marie Moning (THE DARK HIGHLANDER, 2002) and Janet Chapman (WEDDING THE HIGHLANDER, 2003) have time travel series connected to the Scottish Highlands. Perhaps a dual purchase of the most recent books by these two authors, whose heroes are both endangered by evil magic, plus a nice clock so the recipient can keep track of time, like the one pictured here, http://www.piperscove.com/pipergifts.htm, that actually plays bagpipe music on the hour. Word of warning: only purchase the clock if your gift recipient is: (a) a bagpipe fanatic; (b) hard of hearing; or (c) very, very tolerant!

A cheaper gift might be a set of black and white candles, used in magic spells to promote purity (white) and to repel evil (black). You can find ?provocatively masculine? candles (no, not shaped like THAT!) at Yankee Candle Company. For the white, they have Wedding Day candles.

If your gift recipient loves mermaids, selkies and other fishy sorts:

APRHODITE'S SECRET (2003) by Julie Kenner is another book in her superhero (Protector) series. This one has an affable, animal-chatting-up, dolphin-changing-into hero. Make a present of this book plus a sleek little dolphin charm: http://www.xinar.com/itemsl57.html. Such an item can be used in the traditional way or as a keychain or a zipper pull. Because it?s funnier than a dolphin, check out their catfish charm: http://www.xinar.com/itemsl84.html

ALICE AT HEART (2002) by Deborah Smith is the tale of an unsuspecting mermaid and the man she comes to love. In honor of the fact that the ladies in the story like going barefoot to show off their webbed toes, why not pair this lovely volume with a unique foot care basket? Peppermint foot lotion, ocean blue toenail polish, and a pair of socks with little water creatures on them, like: http://absolutesocks.com/fish.html. Better yet, what about a gift certificate for a foot massage or a pedicure? Naturally, if you live anywhere near your recipient, such things are better experienced together, so you?ll need to purchase two gift certificates and plan an outing.

If your gift recipient loves elves, dragons and the fantasy genre:

TINKER (2003) by Wen Spencer is a combination of Elven lore and urban fantasy. Since the heroine probably forgets to eat as she ?tinkers? on her inventions, perhaps you should give your recipient a copy of this book and a food basket? Items popular in the book are Juicy Fruit gum, peanut butter, strawberries, whipped cream, Iron City beer and Ouzo. Hmm, sounds like quite the interesting basket!

The second in a series (so maybe buy the first one, too), DRAGON BLOOD (2003) by Patricia Briggs is a non-doorstop, smooth reading fantasy novel with a fantastic hero and a saucy heroine...and a dragon. This second in the series has more romance than the first but both are excellent. Though not as unusual a combination as SINGLE WHITE VAMPIRE and Capri Sun packs, a copy of this book paired with a DRAGON FINIAL (lamp topper) that screws onto the top of a regular lamp would make a great gift for your recipient. So would a dragon switch plate from Fellowship Foundry. Nearly everybody has lamps and light switches, right?

In THE UGLY PRINCESS (2003) by Elizabeth Burton, the heroine veils her face through almost all of the book--and the hero loves her anyway, despite the fact she may be green and akin to troll! Pair this book with a container of fancy facial mask, like the selection here at Drugstore.com--notice there?s a nice, troll-green papaya one--or a cheaper vial from the cleanser section at your local drugstore.

If your gift recipient loves books about fairies and other spritely beings:

Like Catherine Spangler?s SHAMARA, Karen Fox?s CUPID'S MELODY (2003) contains a character who?s a very skilled painter, in this case the hero. A pack of Crayola crayons and the FLOWER FAIRY COLORING BOOK, the TROLLS, ELVES, AND FAIRIES COLORING BOOK, or the FAIRYLAND COLORING BOOK might be an amusing gift that your recipient definitely wasn?t expecting.

Io, the fey heroine of Melanie Jackson?s TRAVELER (2003), goes undercover in Goblin City and does some amazing things with a can opener spell that was supposed to be temporary. Be eccentric and give your recipient a copy of this urban fantasy romance along with a can opener and a can of ?goblin fruit?: take the label off some peaches or pears and make your own label based on the dangerous goblin fruit in the book. For an easier, albeit more expensive, gift, order a fruit basket: http://www.harryanddavid.com/

If your gift recipient loves characters who have magical or psychic powers:

In NO MORE LIES (2003, Susan Squires), heroine Holland Banks develops a condition that allows her to hear the thoughts of other people. It interferes with her daily activities as well as her nightly ones, like sleep! Combine this excellent romantic suspense with a sleepy time selection of chamomile tea (http://www.appealingtea.com/chamomile-tea.html). a tension-taming eye pillow (http://www.spashoppe.com/dreamareyepi.html), or even some soothing wind chimes (http://www.windchime.com/).

Robin D. Owens? second book, HEART THIEF (2003), is about a world where magic is called Flair. The heroine is an empath, the hero is anti-magic, and the sidekicks are a sentient spaceship and a talking cat. Either this book or Owens? first book HEARTMATE (2002) and a 2004 CAT CALENDAR would be right up your recipient?s alley.

Happy Holidays, and do let us know if the gift guide came in handy and we?ll repeat one next year.