Happy Sunday to you. I hope today’s missive finds you well. It’s chilly here, so I’m ensconced by the fire working hard on the new book, fleshing out my main character. She’s been quite shy thus far, which should tell you something about her personality. I’m so used to writing larger-than-life, flashy, almost show-offy leads, and Logan has been very reluctant to open up to me. She’s making me work to get to know her, and I hope that means she’ll be richer for the experience. If not, I may have to throw her off a cliff. (Never fear, you’ll get the reference when you read this book.)

I’ve been trying to keep up with my NaNoWriMo word counts. I went gangbusters for the first 4 days, then trickled off again, but the weekend has brought a bounty of words, so I’m moving the marker forward again. I’m halfway into the story, and there is so much left to happen I wonder if I’m actually only 1/4 of the way in. It will come. It always does.

I’m starting to think about the holidays, the idea of Thanksgiving in two weeks, Christmas in six, is starting to freak me out a bit. I love to have my cards done by Dec 1, love to put up my tree the day after Thanksgiving, and right now I’m just looking down the barrel of the book and wondering how will I do it all?

Isn’t that the issue we face daily, though? From dawn to dusk, living our lives, working, loving, playing, nurturing, we have to find a balance in order to do the things we love. Do I need to put up my tree so early? No. But it gives me such pleasure that I want to. Do I need to make cornbread stuffing and pumpkin pie? No, but it gives me pleasure, and so I will find the time.

This year, instead of worrying so much about what needs to be done over the holidays, I’m going to worry about what makes me happy, and do that, instead. 

Would love to hear how you balance your wants and needs lists.

Oh! A brief, exciting announcement before we hit the links:

Hundreds of Episodes of A Word on Words Now Available Online. This is the coolest news ever: the original, unsurpassable A WORD ON WORDS TV show with the late, great John Seigenthaler digitized and available for viewing. You can even watch the episodes I appeared on before I was a host. It was always such an honor to don my pearls and sit down with John for a chat. #keepreading

On to the links…

THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries: Real Gabinete Português de Leitura. This is beyond gorgeous.

How To Wrap A Book: 8 Unique Options. These are all great ideas! I insist on giving books as presents; it’s just the writerly thing to do.

The Talented Patricia Highsmith’s Private Diaries Are Going Public. As a reader and fan, this is tremendously exciting. As an author, it's kind of my worst nightmare.

How Magazine Pages Were Created Before Computers: A Veteran of the London Review of Books Demonstrates the Meticulous, Manual Process. What an incredible amount of work! I’ve seen letterpress readied and it’s so fascinating.

Tune In To These Great Libby Audiobook Hacks. Are you getting your audiobooks from the library? You’ll love these great tips!

Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: Glamorous Women in Crime Fiction. “Many of my favorite mysteries combine a bit of glitz with their murders, showing us how bright lights can cast the darkest shadows.” I love me a dangerous woman.

Single Father Adopts 5 Siblings Under 5: 'They Deserve to Be Raised as Siblings.' I loved this so much. It’s a great story, and a great reminder to be the change you want to see in the world.

Want To Borrow A Library Ebook? Why It Might Become More Challenging (& How Libraries Are Fighting Back.) Macmillan’s ebook embargo went into effect November 1 and this is a good overview of how libraries will be affected. I’m not sure how I feel about this yet. I understand the desire to sell physical books, for sure. But I also hate to see library patrons unable to read our work. I fear this isn’t the end of the story.

An ode to the magic of Britain's country house libraries. Such interesting history. I don’t know about you, but a real library is on my #lifegoals list.

WHAT I’M READING:

IF SHE WAKES by Michael Koryta

I just finished this amazing title from Michael Koryta on audio. The conceit—the main character in a coma—scared me off at first, but several people told me Koryta pulled it off, so I dove in. And holy cow. This story rocks along, and has one of the scariest villains I’ve read in a long time. Think of a rattlesnake sheathed in the skin of an assassin. His female leads are fantastic, heroic, leap off the page larger than life, and the intricate storyline is A+. There are also multiple points of view, all handled wonderfully. Just a superb book all the way around.

What are you reading?

That’s it from me. Send me some good writing mojo, take a nice long walk in the leaf-strewn woods, cuddle up to the fire with some hot apple cider, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.