Sunday Smatterings
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Happy Sunday! Yes, this post was written in advance of my sabbatical, so don’t worry, I promise I am NOT online.
It’s strange how we can communicate regardless, isn’t it? Stephen King talks about this in ON WRITING, how the reader and the writer have a psychic connection. No matter when you read a book, it’s always going to be months after it was written. And yet, when you open those covers, you’re transported directly into the writer’s brain at the moment they were crafting the story. If that’s not time travel, I don’t know what is.
We re-released A THOUSAND DOORS this week with a gorgeous new cover. I hope you’ve time-travelled into Mia’s world with all of us. If not, you should. It’s a thought-provoking read, perfect for book club. What if… it’s a dangerous, slippery slope, and our answer to that question is something I am incredibly proud to have been a part of.
I mention this because I’m working on a couple of short stories in addition to the new novel. I love shorts. (You can see all of them here.) They are so much fun. I love stretching my wings, discovering new characters and points of view. So I thought I’d take advantage of our physic connection today to share a couple of my favorites with you.
THE ENDARKENING is part romance, part horror, and utterly surreal, all with a Scottish backdrop. I hope you love it, because it was a blast to write. If you love it too, please don’t hesitate to leave a review. If you hate it, send me a note, instead. (LOL) Just because we need a little Halloween in July...
WHITEOUT is a Taylor Jackson novella, that not only revisits my favorite long-standing homicide lieutenant, it also introduced an assassin that you will never forget. I know I haven’t.
CATWOOD was inspired by a writers retreat I went on with a crowd of brilliant writers. Here we were, out in the woods, with the most adorable cabin and dock, a beautiful lake, a sunny day… and all I was thinking was wow… what if something happened to one of us. We’re in the middle of nowhere…
Finally, THE OMEN DAYS was a response to a great song that I love by Airborne Toxic Event called “Sometime Around Midnight.” It’s such a visual song, and I couldn’t help myself, I had to write it as a short story. of course, it took on a life of its own, and turned a wee bit supernatural…
And with that, on to the links!
Here's what happened on the Internets this week:
Kindle and Nook readers: You know you don’t own those books, right? Scary to entertain but something to keep an mind…
How to Keep Up With New Book Releases. Great tips!
Whole 60. Laura Lippman has always been a knockout. And this is a superb essay.
Proving Hitchcock Right, Bird Attacks Are Turning Violent This Summer. Yikes!
How Japanese RPGs Inspired A New Generation Of Fantasy Authors. This is a fascinating connection.
Sweden's bokbåten is a floating library that brings books to residents of remote islands. So cool!
The Horrible Place Between the Apps. “In short: We are not well.”
World War II Veteran Reunites With French Woman He Loved 75 Years Ago. What a sweet story!
How To Be A Good Library Patron. Let’s treat our library staff and fellow patrons well.
How to Create Better Digital Habits with Freedom’s Locked Mode. “Science shows again and again that people who experience less temptation better manage their self-control. Why? Because they aren’t hoping for super-human amounts of will power – they just don’t expose themselves to things that don’t match their goals.”
Wine of the Week at The Wine Vixen!
What I’m Reading:
THE DARK ABOVE by Jeremy Finley
I'm always up for some aliens and government conspiracies, and Jeremy Finley's THE DARK ABOVE is as intense as it is compulsively readable. Lyrically written and expertly plotted, moody and elegantly thrilling, it will hook you from page one all the way to the shocking end. This haunting follow-up to his stellar debut THE DARKEST TIME OF NIGHT firmly cements Finley in the who's who of today's thriller writers. It's perfect for fans of Strange Things and The X-Files, but also has a much broader appeal, sensitively handling the tenuous relationships between Will and his grandmother Lynn, fifteen years after the incident that started it all. Perfect summer reading. What are you reading?
That’s all for now. I’ll see you next week!
peace and hugs,
J.T.
