Great news!

One USA based & one UK based!

Want to literally wear your love of books?

Maybe spruce up the house with a little book magic?

Or how about a mug for the office?

I’m going to highlight two online stores I came across recently, and why I got happy-dance excited to share them with you.

[disclaimer: this is not a paid ad! All views are my own and I genuinely want to highlight book and writing related awesomeness]

*Drumroll please*

Out of Print Clothing & The Literary Gift Company

These companies both offer clothing, accessories and home/office ware from your favourite literary works and other book-ish loves! [see the library inspired stuff!]

What more do I need to say?

No longer will people with a love of words be left with disappointing, generic slogan tees that frequent the high street [you know the ones I mean]. No, now you can wear your bookworm label with pride.

Why do I think this is good?

Well, I love a good t-shirt as much as anyone, I own a lot of t-shirts that show off my ‘fandoms’, but they have usually been from films, TV or comic book/geek related genres, this is the first time I’ve seen stores just having a book related niche… and it’s wonderful!

I’ve often found that having something visible is a great way to show off what you like, express your interests in general and to get a conversation going.

Amongst book lovers and writers alike, there’s been this fear lurking with the digital age that books are going out of style. With digital technologies advancing and e-books becoming so accessible some fear the physical book market is heading for a nose dive.

Maybe that’s true, maybe it will be proved wrong, that debate is for another time – the reason I feel these two shops are brilliant is that they enable those of us still in love with books and all that they represent [the library, the book covers, favourite quotes etc.] to buy items that appeal and are meaningful to us. We become the best billboard for those books, a living recommendation and conversation starter.

And I think that’s pretty cool.

So, if you love books and you’ve already bought all the accessories from your local bookstore [Waterstones for me], then I urge you give these sites a go.