For every child (or grownup) who loves to imagine stories and write them down, I hope you find that author who shows you it’s possible, no matter how long it takes you to achieve your dream.

Myself and like any true book lover will attest to, books are my weakness and giving the gift of a book is something very special.

I was at university the year I got The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart for Christmas. That was more years ago than I care to remember, but I have never forgotten the impact the book had on me.

Revisiting favourite books can be a gift in itself.

I received a copy of *Frenchman’s Creek*, by Daphne du Maurier, for Christmas, when I was eighteen years old.

Out of all the gifts I’ve received throughout life I always love the bookish ones. The most memorable of the book-related gifts I’ve been given was Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone.

Books given as gifts do so much more than just tell a story. They hold memories.

The activities in the book, which included writing a personal mission statement, led to major life changes including a new job, moving to a new state, an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction, and a career as a published mystery writer.

Our reading tastes change and evolve and I don’t want to lose the magic of getting lost in its pages many years ago. But, the book also sits front and center as a reminder that the best gifts come from the heart.