May 2013
Vol. XXIII

Gentle Readers: 

Flowers, gardens, allergies, thunderstorms and floods — yes, it’s May in Nashville! 

It’s been an incredibly busy month — and I have something special to share with you. The cover for my novel with Catherine Coulter — THE FINAL CUT 

Pre-order Today!​

It’s on sale September 17, 2013, and here’s a sneak peek at what the book’s all about:

Scotland Yard’s new chief inspector Nicholas Drummond is on the first flight to New York when he learns his colleague, Elaine York, the “minder” of the Crown Jewels for the “Jewel of the Lion” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was found murdered. Then the centerpiece of the exhibit, the infamous Koh-i-Noor Diamond, is stolen from the Queen Mother’s crown. Drummond, American-born but raised in the UK, is a dark, dangerous, fast-rising star in the Yard who never backs down. And this case is no exception. 

Special Agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich from Coulter’s bestselling FBI series don’t hesitate to help Drummond find the cunning international thief known as the Fox. Nonstop action and high stakes intensify as the chase gets deadly. The Fox will stop at nothing to deliver the Koh-i-Noor to the man who believes in its deadly prophecy. Nicholas Drummond, along with his partner, FBI Special Agent Mike Caine, lay it on the line to retrieve the diamond for Queen and country.

Sound good to you? I can’t wait for you to read it. There will be all sorts of goodies upcoming, including excerpts, so stay tuned. Catherine’s Facebook page  is the spot for all the great breaking news on this book. 

Had a lovely time at the Southern Kentucky Bookfest in Bowling Green. I was honored to meet Henry Winkler, who was as charming and sweet as you can imagine. You’d think he was a southern boy! And so many readers! There’s nothing like spending the day surrounded by authors and books. Thanks, SOKY! 

More news: The brand spanking new JTEllison.com is up and running. I hope you love the new look — clean and clutter-free, easy to navigate, and still full of the information you love. Let me know what you think! 

Tours 

One of the major overhauls on the site was the Events page. Do check it out — and if you’re in the middle Tennessee area — come by the Williamson County Library on May 18 from 11-2 for a multi-author reception and signing sponsored by the Music City Romance Writers. If romance, YA, paranormal or romantic suspense is your thing, we’d love to see you. Refreshments and books and chatting with authors — what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon? 

And May 28, I’ll be hanging out in East Nashville with the East Side Story bookclub, talking about A DEEPER DARKNESS. RSVP to Chuck Beard 615-915-1808 if you want to join us! 

Get Thee to a Bookstore 

So many books, so little time. My TBR pile is growing exponentially, and I’m telling you, this is a problem I love to have. Here’s a list of my favorite books this month: 

Patti Henry Callahan — AND THEN I FOUND YOU
David Bell — THE HIDING PLACE 
Frank Bill — DONNYBROOK
Delilah S. Dawson — WICKED AS SHE WANTS 
Julie Kagawa — THE IRON KNIGHT (If you haven’t read the Iron Fey trilogy, do it!) 
Daniel Palmer — STOLEN 

I’ve made a commitment to track all my reading this year, so if you’re on Goodreads, friend me, and follow along. I’m always interested in what you’re reading, too! 

Contest 

Every month there’s a new contest on my site. The May contest is live now — enter to win a signed copy of SO CLOSE THE HAND OF DEATH. 

Also, the Brenda Novak for the Cure of Diabetes auction is up and running. I have a super special treat for you — have you ever wanted to be in a book? I’m donating a character name to the auction, and you have your choice, be very very good, or very very bad. There’s also an advanced reader copy of THE FINAL CUT up for grabs, so get over there and start the bidding! 

May Recipe 

I was watching Nick Stellino last Sunday and he made one of my favorites — Pineapple Upside Down Cake! There’s a video included with this if you’re interested — and I highly recommend watching — this is cooking with a cheerful Italian! Fast, delicious, and such a nostalgic treat! 

Ingredients

• ¾ cup C&H® Golden Brown or Domino® Light Brown sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 20-ounce can pineapple rings, drained
• Maraschino cherries

Batter

• 1½ cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup C&H® or Domino® sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
• ½ cup milk

Directions

• In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the brown sugar and the butter, and cook, stirring well, until the mixture starts to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Pour this mixture into a baking pan, then add the pineapple rings. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring and a few cherries around the outside of each ring.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

To prepare the batter:

• In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, then add the eggs and mix well, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the melted butter and the milk, and keep stirring until they are completely incorporated.
• The batter will be stiff. Pour it over the pineapple and spread it well. Then bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Let the cake rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes, then loosen the sides of the cake with a butter knife and invert it onto a serving dish.

I hope your spring is glorious, your gardens lush, your cakes properly risen, and your reading divine. See you in June! 

xoxo, 

JT