Sunday Smatterings
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A voluminous Sunday hello! Yes, I'm in a very good mood. Much is happening in JT land–most of which can't be discussed just yet–but soon, chickens, soon. Most importantly, there are words. So many words. All week, they've chased me about the house until I capture them and commit them to the page. THE LAST SECOND is growing by the day, stampeding toward the mid-August deadline. Wish me luck it all keeps up!
Since it's July, it's time for assessing goals. I've done a brief check through my 2018 plans and so far, I'm right on track. I did make a major adjustment to my book reading plans. I'd hoped for 80, as I've done in years past, but since I've already read 58 and am in the middle of 59 and 60, I felt safe revising my estimate up to 100. If I can write two books and read 100, I call it a successful year. Adding in audiobooks did exactly what I hoped: Upped my totals. I can listen to a book while walking, doing chores, and also read a book at night and over breakfast. Wow, am I immersed in story! The best way to be–reading has always been an escape for me.
Interested in what I've been reading, and what's to come soon? Come on by Goodreads and take a gander. Yes, I do have 945 books on my TBR. Yes, I own 90% of them. Yes, I have a LOT of bookshelves and a couple of devices to handle them all. Am I a happy girl? YES!
I've just realized we're only 5 weeks from the launch of TEAR ME APART, so some brief housekeeping: Tour will be less concentrated this year since the book's release date changed. We're updating the Events page as we get confirmed dates. For you Nashvillians, I do hope you'll join me August 29th at Parnassus for the official launch. More to come!
Without further adieu, let's take a look at the latest and greatest book world buzz!
Here's what happened on the Internets this week:
25 Breakthrough Books of 2018 (So Far.) I have SO MANY of these on my TBR...Children of Blood & Bone, The Kiss Quotient, The Hazel Wood... Someone send me Hermione's time turner, would you?
The State of the Thriller: A Roundtable - International Thriller Writer Nominees Weigh In On The Genre. Some great stuff in here... and many congratulations to the winners of the Thriller awards this past weekend. I was so sorry to miss Thrillerfest this year. Never again!
'Colette' Trailer: Keira Knightley Fights for Literary Ownership in Feminist Period Drama. Well, this movie about French Nobel Prize-nominated author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette looks incredible! I adore Kiera Knightley, but I also love seeing the women behind the men.
Cry, Heart, But Never Break: A Remarkable Illustrated Meditation On Loss And Life. A lovely treatise on our greatest fear. I want to recommend this to anyone suffering right now.
What I Learned from Spending My 20s Working in the White House. "I spent so much of my twenties fearing I was falling behind. Yes, I ended up at the White House, but even at the epicenter of power, I was not remotely close to chasing my own dream of writing. Except that I was, I just didn’t realize that the writing I did in the morning and in the margins of my job would be what landed me right in the middle of my biggest dream."
The Ultimate List of Books to Read While Traveling. LOVE posts that give a good book to read in a foreign setting. Anytime I travel, I immerse myself in books about the area. I especially love reading Regency-era London books, then trying to imagine the city without all the steel and noise.
What Is a Southern Writer, Anyway? Another thought-provoking piece by Margaret Renkl!
And closer to home:
A DEEPER DARKNESS, the first book in my Samantha Owens series, has a new ebook cover, and I absolutely LOVE it. This is the first time the cover really evokes the story perfectly. If you don't know the story behind my Samantha Owens series, you might enjoy reading this post about how it came to be.
Download the eBook
DARK AND TWISTED READS, a new book compilation, is three novels in a single book that also came out this week. It features ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS, by yours truly, A PERFECT EVIL by Alex Kava, and BONE COLD by Erica Spindler. This is a perfect grouping of books. If you’ve read me, but not Erica or Alex, you’re in for a major treat!
Get your copy
STORIES OF THE NIGHT is now available on audio!
*A writer finds a cave keeping a dark secret for nearly a century.
*A ghost in a Scottish castle seeks blood on a wedding day.
*A student abroad loses herself in a dreamy art dealer and his dark painting.
*An undercover cop searches for the lover who’s haunted him for years.
These four stories reveal what happens when we allow ourselves to step toward the darkness—only to discover we are alone, with no escape.
And did you see Goodreads has another TEAR ME APART giveaway? 25 people will get Advance Reader Copies. Good luck!
That's all for now! Follow your favorite author on social media, cut some hydrangea for your counter, and give a favorite book a re-read. See you next week!
peace and hugs,
J.T.
