Happy Sunday! I hope this week’s missive finds you healthy and happy. I’ve been thinking about my health, and the health of those around me, this week. I’m fast approaching a rather major birthday, and of course, one must assess one’s physical and emotional status at this point in one’s life. Ahem.

All in all, I feel good. I have all my teeth. I can run a (very) slow mile. I have much more blond than gray, love glycolic acid, and I still can manage a night of revelry as long as lots of water accompanies the wine. I’ve birthed 22 novels and a small publishing house, and have been happily married for more than half my life to the same guy. I have my parents, both of whom are healthy; a wonderful family; fabulous friends; a career I adore, and I have the great privilege of making these assessments from a lovely, albeit undisclosed, location.

In other words, I am utterly, completely blessed. I don’t take a single thing on this list for granted. And as I march into the next year, I do it with gratitude, and a true sense of peace. I can’t wait to see what the second act has for me. But big birthday… 🙀

(Everyone join me in a big, deep breath. Hold it. Blow it out. Ahhhh… Doesn’t that feel good?)

With that, I bid you a fond adieu until next week. Let’s take a look at the latest links!

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

How to Host a Book Swap Party. What a fun idea!

50 Must-Read Crime Novels on Shelves April–June 2019. Because we all need more books to read, yes?

The Dos and Don’ts of Being a Library Superstar. Great tips!

Ten Books Featuring Complex Mother-Daughter Relationships. So cool seeing TEAR ME APART included here!

The Rise of Elective Sobriety. As an occasional tee-totaler and total lightweight, I find this interesting and encouraging. Then again, I've never felt pressure from the people around me to drink. Maybe this is a Southern thing?

Serial Killer As Instagram Influencer? On Killing Eve's Cool Girl Assassin. “A female Instagram influencer weaponizes her femininity in a corporate sense; for Villanelle, the act is chillingly literal.” 

In Denmark, long opening hours for unstaffed libraries. This is wild! 

How Walking Fosters Creativity: Stanford Researchers Confirm What Philosophers and Writers Have Always Known. “As great walkers of the past and present have made abundantly clear—anecdotally at least—we observe a significant link between walking and creative thinking.”

Apple News+ Is a Total Mess. And that’s putting it nicely. Apple would be well-served by ditching this interface and simply rebranding the Texture app, which is a far, far better experience. I’m sure they’ll make real improvements soon enough.

What I’m Reading:

QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas

Y'all know how much I love Sarah Maas. I finally allowed myself to read book four as a reward for all of my hard work the past several months and it did not disappoint. It's fascinating to see her growth as a writer and a storyteller. Maas's books showcase my favorite kind of story: the extraordinary female lead who inspires loyalty and love and is fearless in the face of adversity. I can't wait for her Crescent City series to come out!

What are you reading?

That’s all for now. Have an espresso, take a walk around the block, pull out the photo album and revisit some of your happiest memories, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.