Every author will tell you, this business has ups, and downs. In this great essay on Writer Unboxed, Robin LeFevers covers The Seven Stages of Publishing Grief. If you want insight into the writer's mind, what's happening behind the scenes, read it. 

Steven Pressfield has an interesting look behind the scenes on why it takes so long to publish a novel - with handy step by step processes! 

Kristine Kathryn Rusch has the second and third parts of her series: Why Writers Disappear 

Southern Festival of Books was very fun this year. I did a panel with the indomitable Sandra Brannan, which was raucous and the most fun I've ever had on a panel. Here's a deeper look at the festival, and why it draws in so many people. 20,000 Turn Out for the Southern Festival of Books  

My writer friend River Jordan sent me this great essay from Josh Ritter's blog on the joy (and myth) of the writer's desk Lots of truth. Sometimes it is the fantasy of being a writer that gets in the way of the writing.

From the TERRIBLE MIND of Chuck Wendig, a totally cool interview with one of my favorite writers, Margaret Atwood. All I have to say is, "Up yer kilt!"

On Hilary Mantel's Booker Win for "Bring Up the Bodies" in The New Yorker - I loved the way Mantel is talked about here. She's making history, and read through to the very end, because her revelation is intense.

On the squishy feel good side, some serious truth about how the universe works: Everything You Want Is Waiting for You 

And on this week's Tao of JT: Not ANOTHER NaNoWriMo Blog...