Y'all, it has been a crazy couple of weeks. We've known for months that the second half of the year was going to be busy, what with the regularly scheduled deadlines and book tours and conferences supplemented by parental joint replacement surgery and multiple tapings for Season 2 (!) of A Word on Words. And then Mother Nature decides to send a hurricane right at our beloved beach? It's the perfect metaphor, isn't it? Happily, the joint-replacee is doing great, the show is great, the deadlines were met, the hurricane did superficial damage, and I'm home of the foreseeable future (at least until November, LOL). Half of me is so sad we're heading into the second week of October, and the other half keeps saying "only 8 more weeks and things calm down!"

These are the blessings of my life, and trust me, blessings they are. Though I am looking forward to a quieter 2017. 💤

So. Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

First things first: if you'd like to help those who were devastated by Hurricane Matthew, here are some organizations you can look into for spreading the relief effort. Your help is so greatly appreciated!

Ever dreamed at working at a bookstore, or at least being Kathleen Kelly in You've Got Mail? Then you're gonna love these 17 behind-the-scenes secrets of working at a bookstore. I worked at a mall Waldenbooks for a while, and it was a blast.

A headline I know you didn't think you'd see today: Charles Dickens was a real-life Ghostbuster. Yes, we're getting into that time of year, people! 👻
 

If you're not reading the Bliss House series by Laura Benedict, you are missing OUT! Laura's prequel to the series, THE ABANDONED HEART, comes out Tuesday, and you need to go get it!!!! It's perfect reading for the Halloween season.

Looking to update your fall wine fridge? Here are 6 varietals to stock as the weather gets cooler.

And closer to home:

Would you look at this beauty!!!! Last week, the cover for Nick & Mike #4, THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE, made its debut and I don't think Catherine and I could be more thrilled with how it turned out! Mark your calendars for 3/14/2017, y'all, and pre-order it here.

The final episode of A WORD ON WORDS Season 1 just aired, and my guest couldn't have been a lovelier person: the wonderful Ariel Lawhon!!! If you're into historical fiction, you've got to check out Ariel's newest book, a masterful work on the Hindenburg's final flight—appropriately titled FLIGHT OF DREAMS.

That's it from me! Y'all be good, deck your porch with the trapping of fall (send pics, I'd love to see your decorations!) and I'll talk to you again soon!

xoxo,
J.T.