Writers Read

by Marshal Zeringue

J.T. Ellison is the author of the critically acclaimed Taylor Jackson series: All the Pretty Girls, 14, and Judas Kiss.

Last week I asked her what she was reading. Her reply:

The holidays have just ended, which means I’ve done my annual revamp of my writing system and set my goals for the year. Every Christmas, I take a week off from writing and focus on the art of the craft. First up is Stephen King’s glorious On Writing, one of the best writing books out there. By the end of the year, I’ve become so bogged down with deadlines and To Do lists that I stop reading for pleasure. King’s book helps me refocus, gives me permission to read what I want, to enjoy the art of reading for its own sake instead of simply for research. It’s invaluable advice, because I find that when I’m reading, I write cleaner and more voraciously.

I added a new book to the fray this year, another that’s going on my annual recharge list, Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit. This is a must read for any creative person, be you writer, painter, dancer, musician…. I was so struck by her concepts, the approach she takes to harness her creativity – because honestly, as artists, we sometimes lose the forest for the trees when it comes to creating. Tharp’s insouciant attitude, honesty and work ethic barrel through the pages, making every chapter a foray into the parts of your psyche that you don’t often credit for honing your craft. She’s helped me reconnect with the joy of the creative process, not just the rush I feel from writing.

Julie Morgenstern’s Time Management from the Inside Out was a big hit with me this week, because I’m looking for efficiencies in my schedule that will allow me more creative time. I used the book to create a Time Map, one that schedules all my waking hours, and flips my writing day so I write in the morning, then deal with business in the afternoon. I’m excited to try this new method.

And finally, I rounded out the week with Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. Just excellent, funny and accessible to everyone.

J.T. ELLISON TO RELEASE NEW NOVEL, JUDAS KISS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Crime Thriller Shows That Sometimes the Camera Does Lie
Nashville Author Kicks Off Book Tour in Local Area

NASHVILLE, TN—December 15, 2008—MIRA Books announced today that J.T. Ellison, Nashville resident and acclaimed author, will release the mystery/thriller, JUDAS KISS in January 2009. JUDAS KISS is the third novel in the critically acclaimed Taylor Jackson series, which includes ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS, 14, and the forthcoming EDGE OF BLACK due out in September 2009.

Ellison will kick off her book tour with a personal reading and book-signing at two Nashville area book stores. On Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 11:30 a.m., Ellison will be at Sherlock Books, located at 200 Maddox-Simpson Parkway, Lebanon, TN 37090. On Thursday, January 10, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., she will be at Davis-Kidd Bookstore located at 2121 Green Hills Village Drive, Nashville, TN. 37205. Ellison will be joined at both events by fellow author Laura Benedict, author of CALLING MR. LONELYHEARTS.

All of the books are available at all bookstores as well as internet sites such as Amazon.com. In addition, ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS has been translated into French and 14 is in the process of translation. Both books have been released in Australia.

JUDAS KISS-A Taylor Jackson Novel

As the details of a gruesome murder emerge, the city of Nashville is shaken by the grisly images—a bludgeoned victim, a crying child and tiny bloody footprints scattered throughout the house. Homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson discovers, however, that this victim’s seemingly perfect suburban lifestyle has a dark underbelly, one full of dark desires and fetishistic deeds—which connect all the way to the lieutenant herself, threatening to destroy her personal and professional life forever. JUDAS KISS (MIRA Books, January 2009, $6.99 U.S./$6.99 CAN.) is the third book in the Taylor Jackson series, following All the Pretty Girls and 14.


ABOUT J.T. ELLISON

J.T. ELLISON is the author of the critically acclaimed Taylor Jackson series, including ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS, 14, JUDAS KISS and the forthcoming EDGE OF BLACK. She was recently named “Best Mystery/Thriller Writer of 2008” by the Nashville Scene.

J.T. Ellison is a graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and received her master’s degree from George Washington University. She was a presidential appointee and worked in the White House and the Department of Commerce before moving into the private sector. As a financial analyst and marketing director, she worked for several defense and aerospace contractors.

After moving to Nashville, Tennessee, Ellison began research on a passion: forensics and crime. She worked extensively with the Metro Nashville Police, the FBI and various other law enforcement organizations to research her novels. Ellison was mentored by one of her literary heroes, best-selling author Lee Child. She lists Child, John Sanford, John Connolly, Erica Spindler, Tess Gerritsen, Alex Kava, Jeff Abbott, Tasha Alexander and Michael Connelly among her favorite authors.

Ellison’s short stories have been widely published, including "Prodigal Me", featured in the anthology KILLER YEAR: Stories to Die For, edited by Lee Child, from St. Martin's Minotaur. Currently, she is the Friday columnist at the Anthony Award nominated writer's blog Murderati and is a founding member of Killer Year, an organization promoting the debut novelists of 2007.

J.T. ELLISON currently lives in Nashville with her husband and a poorly trained cat. For more information, please visit, www.jtellison.com

About Mira Books

MIRA Books™ is Harlequin Enterprises’ mainstream women’s fiction imprint. Featuring a lineup of some of the bestselling authors across North America, MIRA Books is committed to publishing the very best in commercial fiction, from historical and contemporary romance to suspense and psychological thrillers. In 2007, 36 of our titles placed on bestseller lists (New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly). MIRA Books currently publishes over 100 books per year in hardcover, mass-market and trade paperback formats. Please see the MIRA Books Web site—www.MIRABooks.com—for more information.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Kim Dettwiller, Team Strategies, 615-330-5656, kimdet@comcast.net

Don Lucey, MIRA Books, 416-445-5860, don_lucey@harlequin.com


Team Strategies | 1803 Broadway #519 | Nashville, TN 37203 | phone: 615.321.4073

Nashville Scene Names JT Ellison Best Mystery/Thriller Writer

Best Mystery/Thriller Writer

J.T. Ellison

A former White House staffer, Ellison moved to Nashville and began writing stories about serial killers. As it turns out, that beats the hell out of moving here for a career in country music. She's set two wildly successful books in Music City (All the Pretty Girls and 14) and credits the Metro Police Department as her collaborators. Their expertise helps give Ellison's hero, sexy homicide detective Taylor Jackson, her street-level realism. Minus the serial-killer part, Ellison's work reads like a Nashville travelogue in which local haunts like Radius10 and Cheekwood glow with a big-city sheen. —PAUL V. GRIFFITH

Killer Year Goes International - Cheers, UK!

Stories to die for…from the hottest new crime writers.

The Killer Year are a group of new and up-coming thriller writers who have turned their talents to this compelling new collection. Each author has been mentored along the way by some of the biggest names in thriller fiction and there are special introductions to all the stories from authors, including:

LEE CHILD
JEFFERY DEAVER
TESS GERRITSEN
JAMES ROLLINS
DAVID MORRELL

With a special afterword from Laura Lippman included, this pulse pounding anthology is sure to keep you coming back for more.

ISBN: 9780778302759
Price: £12.99