Do you have any hobbies away from work? Do you take any college courses or volunteer? I would use any of those (or make some up) for why you left without another job lined up. I have used "personal projects" as an excuse. At one point I worked for a year or so trying to line up enough business to be self-employed, other times I worked part-time or seasonally because I was planning a trip and would be away too long to take a job; I quit one job and used my upcoming marriage/long honeymoon as an excuse why I was leaving the job, saying I did not think it was fair to be away that long, and wanting to free them up to hire someone else :-)

Work should be about what you are doing with your life too, not just what the employer wants. You should work for each employer for a personal reason, pick that job. Even if you have to say you have been interested in working for different employers to see how different employers handle the same work. . . differently that makes it look like you have your own agenda and are not just looking for a job, any job but have "picked" them deliberately. Find something out about the company you are interviewing with that interests you and bring it up, "I was reading the other day that John Bull is the company's new President and I admire his style; I read the stockholder's letter he wrote and decided I wanted to work in a company he was running. . ." something like that.

What did you do in the year you were unemployed? Turn it into a personal project. See if you can find this book in your library? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nickel-Dimed.../dp/1862075212 It might give you some ideas of ways you can make it look like you did not work, deliberately, because you decided not to.