Happy Sunday to you all! Hope you’re having a lovely day. A little business first. In case you missed it, the November Newsletter hit inboxes Friday with a few ruminations on gratitude and a tasty banana bread recipe. We’ve been working busily behind the scenes to get moved over to a new delivery service, so we spiffed up the look, too. If you didn’t get it, check your bulk mail folder and sweep it into your inbox. Thanks!

There’s been a LOT of communication from me this week, which always feels a little cringey. It was a crazy week of books on sale, backlist titles on sale, the newsletter. Never fear, I will be going back to the more normal schedule of once or twice a week now.

We’re halfway through November and you know what that means — it’s time to check the NaNoWriMo word counts. Drumroll please... nope, not at 25,000 for the month — but I’m close. My goal for this month of concentrated communal writing is simple: move the story forward. That’s it. Yes, I want the coveted 50k, but I want to get out of this rut more.

It’s very normal for me to circle a story for several months, writing and rewriting and (rewriting) before it all clicks into place, and then I’m off to the races. This new one has been very different. I’ve been circling since May. Changed a thousand and one things, then changed them all back, then changed them back again. It wasn’t until I started this month determined to stop fretting and just write that it finally broke free. Things are grooving along again. I am more intimate with my lead characters than I have been before. I abandoned two subplots and new ones cropped up that work so much better. That’s always the way of writing, though. When you try to force an idea it’s like a square peg in a round hole.

Despite putting in my time on NaNo, it wasn’t just writing this week. As mentioned above, we managed to move the newsletter to a new email delivery service. Holiday prep has begun: I ordered Christmas cards, DH ordered a special soy-free turkey (did you know all the grass-fed chicken and turkey are given “vegetarian diets” which means soybeans? And that regular chicken is injected with a solution made up of soy? Yech!) I even moved around a little on the old knee. I’m still not doing cartwheels, but I can balance all of my weight on one leg, which feels triumphant. Before the second surgery that wasn’t even remotely feasible, it would buckle and I’d fall. The pain is gone, too, just twinges here and there. Hurrah! 

All in all, a good week. Might even make an apple pie this weekend as a Thanksgiving test run — I found an almond flour crust recipe that looks delightful.

On to the links…

THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

50 Best Harry Potter Gifts in 2019: Ideas for Kids and Adults. So many great gift ideas! I would love a Deathly Hallows necklace…

Author Zadie Smith On Difficulties Of Dressing For Life In London And New York. Just fabulous. I don’t speak the language of fashion, but I was fascinated nonetheless.

The Cat’s Meow: 14 Authors on Their Feline BFFs. Authors and their cats…what more do we need?

'His Dark Materials' review: A gorgeous introduction to a complex world. Sunday night on HBO is fun again. I loved how closely the first episode followed the books - hard to say this is the next Game of Thrones; the base stories are too dissimilar. But is this a fabulous fantasy adaptation? Yes!

A Word on Words #3607: J.T. Ellison. Behold: A very young thrillerchick in her first-ever interview with the brilliant John Seigenthaler — yes, I was on the other side of the A Word on Words interviews!) #keepreading

The 5-Hour Workday Gets Put to the Test. This is easily adapted to a creative workday as well...I can’t do more than 4 hours of creative without my head exploding anyway.

Philip Roth Left $2 Million to Newark, New Jersey Public Library. What an incredible gift that will keep on giving!

Time management Monday: How to use habit trackers to achieve your goals. I've only just realized my daily word tracker is really a suped-up habit tracker.

What are Preorders, and Why Do They Matter? Very grateful to everyone who has preordered my books over the years! It makes such a difference. You can preorder GOOD GIRLS LIE, out December 30!

Related: The Best Thing You Can Do to Support a New Book. Preorder, preorder, preorder, baby!

How to Use the Alastair Method Weekly Spread. Having some serious planner envy. If only I could make mine look like this…

WHAT I’M READING:

TRUTH BE TOLD by Kathleen Barber

I am so excited that Kathleen Barber’s book ARE YOU SLEEPING is being adapted by Apple TV – and being rereleased under the title TRUTH BE TOLD.

I loved this book. I was completely hooked from the very first page. Layers of deceit, family drama, a murdered father, a disturbed mother, mayhem, cults, lies, betrayals, and a possibly deranged podcaster--this story has it all. Lanie and Josie are Janus twins, and their twisting lives left me breathless. Who to trust? Who to believe? Who really killed their father? TRUTH BE TOLD taps into our collective conscience with a true crime podcast propelling the narrative and takes an unflinching look at the truths we create about ourselves. Kathleen Barber is a fabulous new author to watch. If you like twisty psychological thrillers, this is your book. And watch the Apple TV series, starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer & produced by Reese Witherspoon, coming soon!

What are you reading?

That’s it from me. Let me know if you liked the new and improved newsletter, pick some apples, start planning your Thanksgiving meal, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.