Hello, my dears. It’s all about the books this week! 

Yes, I know we have a wild crisis on our hands but I did promise you a COVID-free feed, so here’s my attempt. Forgive me if we have some leakage. 

I’ve had a *very* busy week.  Things are happening with HER DARK LIES, and I had to rewrite the synopsis of the book — let me just say, right here, right now, I find writing a synopsis on par with nails on a chalkboard. It is not my bag. I’m good with log lines and quick pithy summaries, but when I have to actually lay out the story in stark black and white, it always looks so blah to me. Plus, so much changes that it sometimes feels pointless. But write the new synopsis I did. 

I also did an essay for my friend Patti Callahan Henry’s newsletter, wrote a script for a PSA (The gist? STAY HOME, for heavens sake), did 1000 words on a secret project, touched base on another secret project, taped the PSA, taped a hello for a bookstore, taped a hello for y’all, had several business calls, wasted too much time trying to upload a video to Instagram, cooked forty thousand times, unloaded the dishwasher fifty thousand times, and folded about two hundred thousand loads of clothes. And kept the cats out of trouble, which believe you me, is not the easiest. Jordan decided to help me tape a PSA video on staying home. Crazy cat.

Clearly, keeping busy helps.

I had one minor meltdown. I’m not much of a crier, it doesn’t really help me feel better. My tears generally come in anger or extreme frustration.  But I had an honest-to-God cry fest for about thirty minutes, called a couple people for comfort, then I gobbled down two Sunday Scary CBD gummies and got back to work. 

Hey, these are damn scary times. Though I’ve seen us rushing headlong to this point—the shutdowns, the quarantines—I don’t know what happens next, and that uncertainty got to me. Sometimes it’s nice to remember I’m human, after all.

So we’re doing something new on the blog this week. Since so many authors are having their new book releases interrupted, we gathered up a lot of them to share with you. There’s been a massive rush to the indie bookstores to help keep them open, and I applaud this effort. ALL bookstores need love right now. I applaud the head of Waterstone’s and B&N James Daunt arguing to the government that books are essential items. They absolutely are. So after the links, you will find a whole section of just released and upcoming books. Go forth, and order!

For the record, these are affiliate links. Any fees I receive through this, I will donate to BINC, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation.

With that, onward!

THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

When Did Reading Books Become So Competitive? Do you feel like this sometimes? I do. I can’t keep up with all the books and I get frustrated.


A delightful spring recipe for a yummy rosemary orange cake. What better way to spend your time than baking (and freezing) some sweet treats?

20 board games to beat the rainy day blues. Modern Mrs. Darcy people are my kind of people. Games, and puzzles — I am officially ordering a puzzle. Wonder if the cats will stay out of it.

Lionsgate Wins Movie Judy Blume Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. Oh, I can't wait - this was one of my favorites!

In which I chat with the divine Meg Tucker bookclub about GOOD GIRLS LIE... This was so much fun! I love Meg’s chats.

Coronavirus Diaries: I Own a Bookstore. I Don’t Know How Much Longer We Can Survive. Support indie bookstores however you can! Ordering online is always an option. More on this below.

Why Are Hardcover Books Published Before Paperbacks? The more you know.

Everything is cancelled, so join us for Stay at Home Book Tour. Love what Anne has put together! We have several of these books listed below, too.

This video of a dog jumping in a big pile of leaves made me so happy, and we all need some happy this week.

The Scottish Play: Why Actors Won’t Call Macbeth by Its Title. Do you think it’s actually cursed or does Eccleston’s explanation make more sense?

5 adorable UK Airbnbs with libraries in for book lovers. Very cool - some travel to look forward to!

Watching ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ with 18,000 teenagers was one of the most profound theater experiences of my career. "This wasn’t just a harnessing of potential young people power; it was a demonstration of theater power."

Why Are So Many Scary Books Set in Maine? It makes sense. (And it’s not just because Stephen King lives there.)

VIRTUAL BOOKSTORE TOUR:

Ta-da! As promised, here are 15 books that have just released and need some love. I know for a fact that your indies and BN will bring the books curbside, and many are actually delivering. Just remember to hit them with a Clorox wipe or Lysol, just to wipe away any lingering germs.

We’ll have more books next week!

DEACON KING KONG by James McBride (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

DON’T OVERTHINK IT: MAKE EASIER DECISIONS, STOP SECOND-GUESSING, AND BRING MORE JOY TO YOUR LIFE by Anne Bogel (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

FOLLOW ME by Kathleen Barber (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

HIDE AWAY by Jason Pinter (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

MY DARK VANESSA by Kate Elizabeth Russell (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

ALL YOUR TWISTED SECRETS by Diana Urban (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

AMERICAN DAUGHTER: A MEMOIR OF INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA, A MOTHER’S DARK SECRETS, AND A DAUGHTER’S QUEST FOR REDEMPTION by Stephanie Thornton Plymale with Elissa Wald (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

BALANCE 2.0: PREVENTING FALLS WITH EXERCISE by Amanda Sterczyk (Amazon only)

CINDERELLA AND THE GLASS CEILING: AND OTHER FEMINIST FAIRY TALES by Laura Lane and Ellen Haun (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

DARLING ROSE GOLD by Stephanie Wrobel (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

THE BOY FROM THE WOODS by Harlan Coben (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

THE DEEP by Alma Katsu (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

THE JUNE BOYS by Courtney Stevens (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

THE MOUNTAINS SING by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

THE TILT TORN AWAY FROM THE SEASONS by Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers (Barnes & Noble | IndieBound)

That’s it from me. How are you doing?

Stay safe, stay well, stay well-read, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.