5.1.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, lovelies!

Did you have a good week? Yesterday was my birthday—thank you for all the love, by the way!—so I'm still riding high on birthday weekend bliss and brand-new hardwood floors (which came after a leak in the kitchen, so... not planned, but certainly not unwelcome, either). Here's what they look like! I'm over the moon. I think they count as a birthday present, right?

Anywho...

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:
 

Check out some of the oldest libraries in the world. So cool!

You know I love a good productivity hack, something that helps you figure out how to do something you do every day even better. This list doesn't disappoint (alert: it's long—a podcast transcript, no less—but it's worth a read!). Especially important are ways to find deep work time, time without interruption that allows you to really focus on your work, and how to delegate. Writers are infamous for trying to do too much with too little time. This is a great guide for how to get the most out of your creative work life. 
 

The man who taught me all about crime, David Achord, retired homicide detective, and the reason Taylor and her team come to life on the page, has a new book out, plus it's free on Kindle Unlimited.
 

Colts QB Andrew Luck has started a book club—and he has good taste. Wouldn't it be cool if all our heroes started staring what they read?
 

Who wants to go visit this new museum with me?

And closer to home:

So I got to meet Margaret Atwood (swoon!). She's just as whimsical and wise as you think she'd be. Check out our chat about her newest book, THE HEART GOES LAST (and when you figure out what that title means, I guarantee you'll shudder...). 
 

Don't forget: I'll be doing a Twitter chat with book club extraordinaire She Reads this Thursday, May 5 (Cinco de Mayo!) at 7 pm CST. Use the hashtag #srbkchat to follow the fun.
 

Over at The Wine Vixen, Amy talked about a lovely light red that's perfect for your spring dishes.
 

Also, I had to share this with you because it's so cool: Deep South Magazine put together a Nashville travel guide based on landmarks in NO ONE KNOWS!! It is comprehensive and does a lovely job showing off our fine city. Thanks, DSM!
 

Oh: and the WHEN SHADOWS FALL ebook is on sale for only $0.99! Get yours now—this sale expires in a couple of days.

Alright, folks, that's it from me! Y'all stay out of trouble, and we'll talk again soon!

Xoxo,
J.T.

4.24.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, chickens!

Did you have a good week? I'm fresh off a whirlwind of travel, first a writing retreat in the desert followed by a weekend at one of my favorite annual signings, Southern Kentucky BookFest. I'm not sure which time zone I'm in, let alone which zip code, so I'm looking forward to a week of recalibrating . . . before we replace the flooring in the house because of a leaky dishwasher.

Oof.

Ain't no rest for the weary. But we'll soldier on, won't we?

Anyway.

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

First of all, can we talk about Prince? I'm devastated. But I send him thanks: for always pushing parameters, for showing it's ok to grow and reinvent ourselves, for always reminding us that even though we may differ on a lot of things, we're all just trying to survive. You'll be missed.

Y'all. The ADD in me won't let me sit still sometimes; even when I'm writing, I'm compelled to check all the things—because I can keep all the plates spinning, right? Well. I can't. *sigh*. But thankfully, my favorite productivity tool, Freedom, has a brand new, major update: the Freedom app. When I turn it on, I can choose to block access to certain apps that I know will be a time suck (hello, social medias). It prevents me from becoming my own worst enemy and I love having it on my phone and iPad, in addition to the laptop. 

If I were in England, I'd totally visit this exhibit: Books by earliest women writers in English on display together for first time.

Modern technology has changed the way we collect and distribute information; this can be seen probably most clearly in the way we use libraries. Check out how this young librarian is building a community of readers and thinkers for the 21st century.

Fellow Austenphiles: these 15 quotes from Persuasion will make you soon. Swoon!

Like Jane Eyre? Here are 17 books you might love.

 

And closer to home:

On The Wine Vixen, I shared a $9.99 Syrah that's gonna pair beautifully with both spring and fall dishes (check out my pairing suggestion—all I can say is YUM!).

Twitterverse: wanna join the She Reads Twitter chat about NO ONE KNOWS? Join the conversation at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST on May 5, and use #srbkchat to follow along.

You and I both value indie bookstores. Like I've said before, walking down the street to a store owned by friends and neighbors, to have a gathering place for your local tribe, is vital. The torrential rains in Houston have flooded Murder by the Book and put quite a dent in their book sales. I'll be visiting in June, and I'd like to encourage you to purchase FIELD OF GRAVES (or any other book, for that matter) from them to offset their losses. Let's keep this indie afloat!

And on the Tao, I talked a little bit about my TV show, A Word on Words—and show you one of my favorite interviews so far: with All Souls Trilogy author, Deborah Harkness!

Are you signed up for my monthly newsletter? If not, you're missing out on exclusive treats, yummy recipes, the latest book news, and more! If you aren't signed up, now's the time to do it, because... 

I'm giving away 3 ARCs of my new Taylor Jackson prequel, FIELD OF GRAVES, to my newsletter subscribers!

You can join the list here. Oh, and if you're already on the list, you're already entered into the contest. But hurry—I'll draw names on April 26!

Alright, y'all, that's it from me! Enjoy the spring weather, go pet a kitten, and I'll talk to you soon.

Xoxo,
J.T.

4.17.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hi, lovelies!

How are you this fine Sunday? I've sequestered myself on a writing retreat, praying the Muse will fill me with words to jumpstart my latest projects (that's right—plural—hence the prayers). I hope this break from routine sparks some much-needed creative flow over here!

*Sidenote: I'm going to be at SOKY Book Fest this weekend!

If you're near the Bowling Green area, you should see me at the signing hall on Saturday. I'd love to say hi!!! If you'd like to visit, here's what you need to know.

ANYWAY.

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

This is the perfect gift for book nerds, AND I JUST LOVE IT.

Eye-opening: this is what it's like to have dyslexia. 

Here's what to read based on your favorite Harry Potter character.

And speaking of Harry Potter: here are 13 shows to binge watch with the Gryffindor (i.e. ME) in your life.

Want an autographed 1st edition of NO ONE KNOWS? Get one from VJ Books!

Random: I started a Q&A page! If you'd like to ask me a question, hop on over.

Some time management help: here's how to prepare for "the busy time."

Happy birthday to the adorable children's book, MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS, which turned 75 last week!

Do you like pretty, minimalistic book covers? Here you go. And speaking of book covers, when a book gets published in other countries, the cover can vary—a lot. 

Fascinating article: That Emoji Does Not Mean What You Think It Means.

And if you need a good giggle, watch this.

For the badass in you: here are 21 products that say "Don't f*** with me" so you don't have to.

And closer to home:

The Wine Vixen is BACK! Amy and I have been so focused on birthing new books into the world that we haven't been drinking much wine lately (irony, right?). Here's a delicious $9 Riesling from Washington State that Amy really enjoyed.

You love your indie bookstore, right? I love mine, too. And on the Tao this week, I talked about why we need to keep them around.

Speaking of love and books, I wrote a review on one of my favorite books for Off the Shelf: Deborah Harkness' A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES. Y'all. It's just so good. You should've seen the first draft of this review; I was quite literally gushing and had to be reined in. And—AND—I got to interview Deb for A WORD ON WORDS; she's just as delightful as I'd dreamed.

And if you want to follow my travel antics this week, follow me on Instagram.

Also, fun news: NO ONE KNOWS hit the #1 audiobook spot on iTunes last week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's beating THE ART OF WAR. I mean, that's pretty cool. Thank you for making it #1, you lovely people!

That's it from me! Have a wonderful week, come see me at SOKY, and we'll talk again soon!

Xoxo,
J.T.

4.10.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hi, chickens!

I hope you had a fabulous week! Things are starting to get back to normal around here, post-NO ONE KNOWS. I always breathe a sigh of relief when I'm able to get back to the page, to begin writing in earnest again. Writing is my happy place. 

I've started laying the foundation for the next Taylor/Sam book (yep, they're TOGETHER in this one!). It's called ALL FALL DOWN, and you should see it in stores sometime next summer. Wanna see how I start a book? 

I know. I'm a sadist. But don't pretend you hate it.

Anyway...

 

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

This is the coolest story. On Pen Pals, Brussels, and Hope: to Brussels and Back Again. The author, Roy Burkhead, is a good friend here in Nashville and the editor of 2nd & Church Magazine. You're going to love this. 

GONE GIRL author Gillian Flynn is working on an HBO show for her novel, SHARP OBJECTS, and it's bound to be ridiculously good. SHARP OBJECTS is my favorite of her books. 

Y'all know how much I love my adopted hometown of Nashville. This article does a pretty good job of chronicling why it's so great—and how much it's changed lately.

I know you enjoy good books as much as I do. Here's a whole slew of them: nominees for 2016's ITW Thriller Awards!!!

From Anne Shirley to Samwise Gamgee, these are the best travel companions in literature.

Wine and cheese: it's the perfect pairing after you've outgrown PB&J (or, for some of us, a great pairing in addition to PB&J). I'm always a sucker for a good pairing, and this article breaks it down for us.

In super crazy news, just in time for Shakespeare's 400th death anniversary, a new copy of the First Folio was found. In a house. During an estate inventory. Can you even imagine??? This is why you always check your books before you take them to Goodwill.

The secret of life from Steve Jobs in 46 seconds. Need I say more?

The age-old question: how many grapes are in a bottle of wine? 

And closer to home:

In the middle of all the NO ONE KNOWS promo hullabaloo, I got word that my first little book, the one I hid in a drawer for ten years, FIELD OF GRAVES, was chosen as a SIBA Spring Okra Pick. Y'all. I can't tell you how much this means to me. It will be in your hands June 14. Taylor's back!

I wrote a blog from the heart this week: How Loss Shapes Us & Makes Us Stronger. I hope it helps you find some solace, to move past whatever is weighing you down.

I got to talk to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Geraldine Brooks, for A WORD ON WORDS, and she was so delightful! Why a war correspondent chose to write about an ancient king was quite fascinating.

That's it from me! I hope you have the loveliest spring week, and I'll talk to you soon!

Xoxo,
JT

4.3.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, chickens!

How were your weeks? Did you get April Fools'd that much?? 

It's been an interesting week in Nashville. Just wanted to do a PSA: I gave my fur babies some Advantage Multi (by Bayer) for fleas/ticks, and a few hours later noticed the kitties just seemed...off: dilated pupils, drooling, ataxia, lethargy, etc. I called their vet, then poison control, and we ended up at the emergency overnight vet. As it turns out, bad reactions to this product are common. SO common, in fact, that Bayer Veterinary has a quick-dial option on their answering machine to report this very problem. Thankfully, Jameson and Jordan are ok, but I'm livid. Why is this product still available!?!?? It's beyond me. So be vigilant, pet parents.

Anyway. PSA = over. Without further ado...

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

It's always such a pleasure to talk to ITW about my latest book, and James Ziskin was no different. Here's our interview, where we talk Nashville, switching narrative POV, and TV.

Fellow winos, here's something Amy and I will be sipping on this spring: Grüner Veltliner! They say it's like sipping spring in a glass (grüner, after all, is German for "green").

This I love: author Beverly Cleary is turning 100 years old, and she's just as sassy as ever.

What does it take to launch something new into the world—and get people to hear about it? You'd be surprised. Creatives, you should tune into this one.

JK Rowling published some of her rejection letters on Twitter, and it's a great reminder to budding creatives to never give up.

An intriguing editorial in The Washington Post: eBooks are not the answer to a literacy crisis.

This TED talk by Brené Brown  was a huge inspiration for me this week, and I hope it is for you, too! WATCH: "The Price of Invulnerability" 

Also inspiring: Why Your Critics Are The Ones Who Count

QUIZ: can you name the most commonly used words in English?

These are the top 10 bookstores in the world, and they're breathtaking.

What's really going on when someone seems "too sensitive"? The answer may surprise you.

 

And closer to home:

My A WORD ON WORDS interview with author Geraldine Brooks aired this week. In honor of her retelling of King David's story in her book The Secret Chord, we discussed how to live like a king (minus the murder). She's delightful!

And on the Tao, I did a roundup on all the things (well, at least all the things at that moment) that'll been said/written about NO ONE KNOWS. As crazy as it seems, there's more to come! Like the fact that two days ago, my lovely friend and brilliant author Ariel Lawhon and I got word that both of our books were selected as Book of the Month Club picks for April!!!! 

We are just a teensy bit excited.

Alright, y'all, that's it from me! Enjoy yourselves, stay out of trouble, and I'll talk to you soon.

Xoxo,
J.T.