Birthday Musing: 5 Gifts for the Author in Your Life

On this last day of 39, I wouldn't do a thing differently. I am excited about the creative turn my life has taken and can't wait to see what the next 40 + years bring. I know that at least two more volumes in the In The Reins horse book series will debut! 40 always felt like a long way off but as that BIG number started getting ever closer, I realized that if not for my husband my accomplishments as an author would have been much more difficult to obtain. 

My hubby has given me the best gifts an author could ask for so I thought I would recount them here in a blog post so other people with writers in their lives might gain some insight on what those best gifts are! So with out further delay, here are 5 from-the-heart gifts you can give the author in your life on their birthday, a holiday or merely a simple day!

1. Encouragement

Support your loved ones' creativity with words of encouragement. Every morning my hubby sends me little graphics that he finds online to motivate me, to inspire me, to celebrate my life as an author.  The graphic above was modeled after one of the daily graphics he sends to me. Without his words of encouragement and endless support, I am not sure In The Reins would have ever seen the light of day. His encouragement jumpstarted me every time I felt stopped. Give the aspiring and established writers in your life the gift of positive words!

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2. Time

Writing is a solitary phenomenon and a writer needs time to let the words flow.  I definitely get the most writing done in my home office during my morning writing sessions with the help of my husband (my human alarm clock)!  We get up every morning at 5:30 am and start our day by walking our dogs then return home and meditate for about 15 minutes.  Taking in the beautiful Arizona landscape and then quieting my mind really prepares me for creativity!  Then I pour my first cup of coffee and settle into my office for my morning writing session.  I am not a morning person but it seems like my morning routine is when my creativity is most alive. Be your writer's partner in creating time for their passion. Give them the gift of supporting a writing routine or surprise them with the gift of an hour of uninterrupted writing time.

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3. Share

The moment In The Reins was published my husband sent out the most beautiful email to his family and friends asking them to support my book and if you take a tour of his Facebook page you'll see it is filled with nothing but wonderful posts in support of me and In The Reins. The biggest gift you can give your writer friend is to simply spread the word about his or her book in your community.  How?  Well, a few easy things you can do is to post a review, share a comment about their book on your Facebook page, post a little tweet on Twitter, mention it at your next horse show, PTA meeting or book club gathering etc. Every time you tell someone about a book you help blooming (and established) authors grow! Give their creativity the gift of your voice and spread the word!

Photo ©melanie-elise.com

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4. Review

Authors often have a hard time asking for and getting reviews but it makes a huge difference for their books and helps them keep writing new ones! Reviews are the easiest way to say THANK YOU to the authors you love.  Also, your reviews let publishers know that they should produce more of the books that you like to read.  You don't even have to purchase a book on Amazon to review it there either! Cool beans ;) A review only takes a minute and is an easy gift to give the authors that you love. For a video on how to leave a review on Amazon, check out my blog post called "A "How To" Video: Your Reviews Make a Difference!"

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5. Buy a Book

Sadly ... authors aren't rich. ​In fact, most authors make less than $10,000 a year (and that 10K is if they're lucky AND selling a lot of books).  I make $1.50 (one dollar and fifty cents!) from each paperback I sell at $9.99. Being an author is a SMALL BUSINESS. When you support authors you support small local businesses. Even my hubby bought his very own copy to have and to hold! Good hubby! If you've been thinking of picking up an author's book (but just haven't gotten around to it yet) go ahead and give them the gift of making the purchase! If you have been procrastinating on In The Reins maybe today is your day! Visit my Amazon author page to pick the book up here: amazon.com/author/carlykade 

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So there you have it! 5 priceless yet affordable gifts you can give the author in your life! I am grateful for my hubby's contribution to my writer's journey through these gifts. To readers of In The Reins, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the gift of your support and readership!  Gallop over to the blog again next week, I'll share new videos, pics, and stories that highlight interesting cowgirl topics, horse tips, as well as In The Reins sequel sneak peeks, updates, and release info! ​

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