When you receive a book as a gift, it’s unlike any other present.

It’s obvious from the first page that MURDERESS INK was written by someone who savored a murder a day, in the privacy of heR reading chair.

Even in this age of internet recipes, I still use my copy of THE JOY OF COOKING and wouldn’t dream of parting with it, despite the stained cover and pages, the broken spine, and the place-marker ribbons worn to shreds.

It’s that vividness that inspired me to create my own stories, first as a child, making them up in my head before I fell asleep at night, and later, as an adult, writing romances.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Revisiting favourite books can be a gift in itself.

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.

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.

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.

I have a fond memory of a Christmas morning, age nine, opening the box set of The Chronicles of Narnia. I had never seen a box of books before.

I return to Wuthering Heights for Christmas most years, but my love affair with the tempestuous Catherine and mysterious (okay – rotten) Heathcliff has never ended.

There's something magical about discovering an inscription inside a book. As though the book has had its own, secret, past.

14 unforgettable book gifts by romance and crime writers, to inspire your holiday shopping.