Get a head start on your holiday shopping with the Girls Write Now 2023 Gift Guide. Each week we’ve featured products from our mentors, mentees, friends, and partners designed to make gifting a breeze and a delight.
Our gift guide is just one way that we promote the work of our community. To directly support the next generation or writers, you can also donate to Girls Write Now this holiday season.
INSTRUCTIONS NOT INCLUDED
by Maja Kristin
The inspiring new memoir, Instructions Not Included, by entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Girls Write Now honoree Maja Kristin is an enthralling narrative woven with threads of passion, adversity, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Kristin’s journey is not just about personal growth; it is also about empowering others, especially women. Throughout the book, Kristin champions the cause of female empowerment, encourages women to break free from societal expectations, and shows them how to reach their full potential. Maja’s story is a beacon of hope, an inherent reminder that when women support and uplift one another, incredible things are bound to happen. Plus, proceeds from the book go to support Girls Write Now!
BODYMARK GIFT SET
BiC
We love these fun new markers from our friends at BiC, made for the artist in your life! Designed to mimic temporary tattoos, the vibrant ink in these body art markers can be worn for days or removed with makeup remover or soap and water to make room for your next starry masterpiece.
LOGO COFFEE MUGS
Sweet July
For the coffee lover and tea fanatic, check out these Sweet July mugs, complete with fun quotes from Ayesha Curry, Founder of Sweet July. Sweet July is all about finding joy in moments big and small, and what better way to remind yourself of that than with a perfect cup first thing in the morning.
BROWN GIRL DREAMING
by Jacqueline Woodson
Nancy Paulsen Books
Jacqueline Woodson’s National Book Award and Newbery Honor winner is a classic—a memoir that tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories.
RHODE SKIN
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin line is sure to make every skincare lover on your list happy. We recommend this holiday duo, including a tinted lip balm and their bestselling peptide serum—perfect for beating the winter skin blues!
THE LAST LOVE NOTE
by Emma Grey
Zibby Books
You may never stop loving the one you lost. But you can still find love again. The Last Love Note will make readers laugh, cry, and renew their faith in the resilience of the human heart—and in love itself.
MUSE: CICELY TYSON AND ME
by B Michael
Amistad
A poignant and glorious photographic memoir that pays homage to the lifelong friendship between the legendary Cicely Tyson and acclaimed fashion designer B Michael, who worked with her to make her gorgeous through her last bow. In this glorious four-color visual memoir packed with stunning photographs, many never before seen, B Michael recalls the bond they shared and what it was like to dress the Queen of Hollywood for all the extraordinary events of her life.
GIRLS WRITE NOW ON THE OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING: 2023 ANTHOLOGY
Dutton Books
And, of course, we know the perfect gift for everyone on your list—our 2023 anthology! Do you know what it’s like to communicate with your family across a salty ocean’s divide? Do you want the sun and moon to enter your home with stories written in embers? Do you seek voices that will shatter expectations? Welcome to the other side of everything. It’s the other side of silence, the other side of childhood, the other side of hate, the other side of indifference, it’s the other side of sides, where the binary breaks down. It’s a new paradigm, a destination, a different perspective, a mindset, a state of openness, the space between the endless folds in your forehead, hopes for tomorrow, and reflections on the past. This anthology of diverse voices is an everything bagel of literary genres and love songs, secrets whispered in the dark of night, conversations held with ancestors under the sea.
THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
by Cassandra Clare, art by Cassandra Jean Yen Press
Cassandra Clare’s bestselling series adapted into a graphic novel series! Hanging out with her best friend, Simon, is just about the most exciting thing in Clary’s life…that is, until she realizes there are people only she can see. But when her mother disappears and a monster attacks her, Clary has to embrace a world that she never even knew existed—a world full of vampires, werewolves, demons, and those who fight for the humans, Shadowhunters…
LOVE IN THE TIME OF INCARCERATION
by Elizabeth Greenwood
Gallery Books
This evocative and gripping investigation by Girls Write Now mentor Elizabeth Greenwood looking into romantic relationships between incarcerated people and their spouses on the outside “is impossible to put down.” In the vein of Modern Love, this book shines a light on how these relationships reflect the desire and delusion we all experience in our romantic pairings, changing the way you look at the American prison system and perhaps relationships in general.
THINK YOU’LL BE HAPPY
by Nicole Avant
HarperOne
In this searing and inspiring memoir, Nicole turns the pain of her family’s loss into the fuel that pushes her forward into an even more committed life of love and activism: “We can’t banish evil,” she writes. “We have to learn to swim through trauma and live for all of those who can’t.” Turning tragedy into inspiration, Think You’ll Be Happy—her mom’s last words to Nicole—provides a roadmap for anyone working to remain positive and anchored in hope.
MY UNEXPECTED LIFE AUDIOBOOK
by Martina Clark
Audible
For all the audiobook lovers in your life, check out Girls Write Now mentor Martina Clark’s story, written and read by her. My Unexpected Life is a braided memoir covering her life living with HIV for more than 30 years, her work as an HIV educator for the United Nations for decades, and a lot of traveling throughout. Honest, funny, and emotional, Clark’s story will leave you with hope about what it means to bear witness to the human condition.
GREETING CARDS
Cards by Dé
Cards by Dé is a Black Queer worker-owned stationery cooperative based in New York City and created by Girls Write Now mentor Sadé Swift. With pages of gorgeous designs to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect card for everyone in your life.
WE BOW TO NO ONE
by Vera Sirota
Bottlecap Press
In her debut poetry collection, Girls Write Now mentor Vera Sirota honors the invincible spirit of ordinary Ukrainians enduring a brutal war. She also pays tribute to creative women who refuse to stifle their artistic visions, even in the face of misogynistic violence. We Bow To No One exalts the transformative force of poetry and is dedicated to creative rebels everywhere. Unflinching and packed with power, these luminous poems challenge, delight and beseech.
VAMPIRES OF A CERTAIN AGE
by Stella Fosse
Stella Fosse Books
A medieval healer turned vampire finds her true calling in a 21st century blood bank, where she falls in love with the one person who can destroy her. Here’s what one Goodreads reviewer said of this Girls Write Now mentor’s page-turner: “From Medieval England to the modern Midwest, Vampires of a Certain Age tackles the suppression of women’s rights, details the evolution of the blood bank, and illuminates the lore of vampires, all while telling the very human story of love lost and found. With sparkling prose and engaging characters, Fosse creates the best vampire novel I’ve ever read.”
ONE HUNDRED DAYS
by Alice Pung
HarperVia
From one of Australia’s most celebrated authors comes a powerful mother-daughter drama that explores the fault lines between love and control, pairing the claustrophobic intensity of Room and My Year of Rest and Relaxation with the youthful angst of Freshwater. Sixteen and pregnant, Karuna finds herself trapped in her mother’s Melbourne public housing apartment for one hundred days awaiting the birth of her child—and her mother’s next move in a shocking power struggle over who will raise the baby. To fill the seemingly endless hours of her imprisonment, she writes to her unborn child, determined that her baby will know the truth, no matter what happens.
HOW WE DO IT
edited by Jericho Brown
Amistad
More than 30 acclaimed writers—including diverse voices such as Nikki Giovanni, David Omotosho Black, Natasha Trethewey, Barry Jenkins, Jacqueline Woodson, Tayari Jones, and Angela Flournoy—reflect on their experience and expertise in this unique book on the craft of writing that focuses on the Black creative spirit.
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
by Morgan Parker
One World
With piercing wit and incisive observations, You Get What You Pay For is ultimately a portal into a deeper examination of racial consciousness and its effects on mental well-being in America today. Weaving unflinching criticism with intimate anecdotes, this devastating memoir-in-essays paints a portrait of one Black woman’s psyche—and of the writer’s search to both tell the truth and deconstruct it.
PACHAMAMA
by Ashley Wolfe
Third Place Books
From Girls Write Now mentor Ashley Wolfe, Pachamama is a perfect gift for the nature lover in your life. For millennia, Pachamama, Mother Earth, has witnessed births, deaths, miracles and tragedies of all living creatures. This all changes when the evil spirit Kenaima begins to prey on the men of a village deep in the Amazon. Weaving mythology and morality into a thrilling tale, this is a story of the rainforest and the push to survive.
THE LIBERATORS
by E.J. Koh
Tin House Books
From our friends at Tin House Books, comes E.J. Koh’s exquisitely painted story spanning continents and four generations of two Korean families forever changed by fateful past decisions made in love and war. Beautiful and deeply moving, The Liberators is an elegantly wrought family saga of memory, trauma, and empathy, and a stunning testament to the consequences and fortunes of inheritance.
LIGHT BEAMS:
A WORKBOOK FOR BEING YOUR BADASS SELF
by Valerie June
Andrews McMeel Publishing
An interactive journal that inspires us to choose a path of kindness and love in every moment, from singer-songwriter and poet Valerie June. Each of the instructive prompts is a recipe for cultivating more harmony, healing, and balance within yourself and the planet.
UNDER COVER EP
by Valerie June
The perfect companion to her Light Beams workbook is Grammy-nominated Valerie June’s Under Cover EP on special-edition magenta vinyl, featuring covers of songs from Bob Dylan, Frank Ocean, Mazzy Starr, Gillian Welch, and more. Plus, catch Valerie’s performance at our 2023 Girls Write Now Awards!
GIRLS WRITE NOW ON THE ART OF THE CRAFT: A GUIDEBOOK TO COLLABORATIVE STORYTELLING
HarperOne
Pre-order our new book out April 23 with HarperOne. This writing companion and hands-on guide—conceived of, written, and edited by the young people of Girls Write Now—includes original work spanning decades, advice on the publishing process, and critical thinking about the future of storytelling.
ROXANE GAY DRAFT
WRITING JOURNAL
BARONFIG
Everything a writer needs to organize their ideas, plan out details big and small, and create to their heart’s content! Enjoy this journal from Baronfig, a collaboration with Girls Write Now Champion Roxane Gay. And don’t forget their best-selling Squire Pen to match!
52 CARDS DECK
WORDS BY PRISCILLA
Created by Girls Write Now mentor Priscilla Thomas, this card deck offers 52 invitations to nurture your words. Whether you’re feeling stuck, you need some structure to rein in your creative output, or you’re looking for inspiration for your friends, students, or clients, these beautiful cards will do wonders.
HONOR OR REMEMBER
A LOVED ONE
WITH A GIFT TO GIRLS WRITE NOW
A donation to Girls Write Now in honor or in memory of a loved one is a meaningful way to show you care. In addition to creating a legacy in their name, your gift will directly support our important work to foster the next generation of writers.