Happy Sunday! I hope you have the day off… I’m working today. In very exciting news, my editor LOVED the new book! I’m doing a quick and dirty passthrough addressing a few issues that I’ve come across on my cold read, and a few things she had questions about, and sending it off yesterday.

Remember I explained the process of a developmental edit? This is where the editor helps you strengthen the story by filling in plot holes, fixing issues, etcetera. Happily, she felt the book was solid to start, so we get to skip over that part. Never fear, before you get a chance to read it, it will go through the whole shebang editorial process, the tightening revision I’m doing now, line edit, copy edit, last pass pages. But that she felt the story itself was in good shape is incredibly cool.

Honestly, come to think of it, I did my own developmental edit when I all-stopped a few weeks ago and changed to first person. I had to identify the problems with the story then, and I think that went a long way to making this a smoother editorial run. Note to self: take a few days off right before deadline and give yourself space to think.

Of course, every book is different. Some fairly glide through the process, others require delicate brain surgery, and some need new limbs grafted on. It just depends. The writing of each is different, too. I’ve learned to respect this, if not welcome it. You want all your babies to have the best chance of success in the world, and that means meeting their disparate needs. Right?

And in a fun full-circle moment, I’ll be turning in GOOD GIRLS LIE just as THE LAST SECOND is launching. We’ve all been working feverishly behind the scenes on launch prep. It’s a very fun book, one I know you’ll love. So stay tuned for lots of blog posts this week! And a big, beautiful box of LIE TO ME paperbacks arrived today. SO MANY BOOKS!!!!!!!

Did you get your preorder in yet? Because the time is nigh—THE LAST SECOND comes out this Tuesday! Tomorrow is the last day to enter the Goodreads giveaway (US only) and there’s still time to enter this sweepstakes too (US and Canada only.)

Also: THE SIXTH DAY comes out in mass market paperback Tuesday as well! More on that tomorrow.

Now, onward to the links...

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Very happy I got to sit down with the brilliant Victoria Schwab to talk all things supernatural and insightful about publishing and life in this week’s episode of A WORD ON WORDS. Keep Reading!

A bookstore owner was in the hospital. So his competitors came and kept his shop open. “Slavinsky said although the Book Catapult is, strictly speaking, a competitor to her employer, she doesn’t see things that way. ‘The book world is a little bit different,’ she said. ‘I see this as helping somebody in the community. It’s the community coming together.’”

A 30-million page library is heading to the moon to help preserve human civilization. Wow! I wonder what Dr. Nevaeh Patel has to say about this???

15 women to watch in 2019. It’s always exciting to see how much great new talent is coming up through the ranks. Here are some ladies to keep your eyes on!

George R.R. Martin Really Wishes He Finished Those Books First. So do we, GRRM, so do we.

Handcrafting books: Labors of love. Absolutely incredible craftsmanship!

5 Ambient Sound Apps for Focus and Productivity. I love @RainyMood and @BrainfmApp. I do prefer to have a bit of ambient noise in the background when I’m drafting—classical, oftentimes. I used to find working in coffeeshops very difficult, but now, I dig the creative energy and have found great flows.

4 Novel Ways to Find Writing Inspiration. Great ideas! What inspired you?

Vanna White's Evening Gown Routine Involves 10-Pound Dumbbells. I loved this. Shows you that nothing comes easy, especially ridding yourself of batwings.

You're Just My Type: Hikers Compose Love Notes To The Grand Canyon. This is a neat idea! What would you have typed?

What I’m Reading:

A DANGEROUS COLLABORATION by Deanna Raybourn

If you haven't been reading Deanna Raybourn, dear readers, you are missing out! Her books feature strong, witty, pithy women with unique skill sets, from lepidopterists to amateur sleuths on safari. Her work is impeccably researched, bringing Victorian England, the continent, and Africa to life, with a dash of swoon thrown in for good measure. And when I say swoon…I mean SWOON. Her latest, A DANGEROUS COLLABORATION, is the 4th in her Veronica Speedwell mystery series and it's incredible. With nods to Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier, it is atmospheric, clever, and utterly romantic. Granted, I find good manners, lovely food, castles in Cornwall, and a naked Stoker on the shingle quite romantic… 😍 I also had the sheer joy of spending some time with Deanna this week, and I assure you, you will not be disappointed. Get the series, get this book, make a cuppa, and enjoy! What are you reading?

That’s it for now. I’m off to keep editing. Grab your copy of THE LAST SECOND, put some safflower seeds out for the cardinals, plant some tulips, and I’ll see you soon! (Really soon…)

peace and hugs,
J.T.