Sunday Smatterings (The Kerr Edition)

Hi, peeps! It's me, The Kerr, filling in for J.T. while she makes her way home from vacation. She'll be back tomorrow—let's all be nice and welcome her back to the real world gently, okay?

Not that you wouldn't. You guys are pretty nice.

Did you have a good week? I did: my little sis came to town! It's been fun doing all the touristy Nashville things like walking down Broadway, playing in Dragon Park, finding new treasures at Parnassus Books, and eating hot chicken (forget what you've heard: if you visit and wanna try of our city's dish of the moment, Pepperfire is the place to go).

ANYWAY. You came for some links. Here's what happened in my world this week.

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What I'm Eating

I'll tell you what I'm eating this week: everything from READY OR NOT!, the new cookbook from my favorite cooks, Michelle Tam and her husband Henry Fong. They're the brains behind the hilarious yet informative cooking blog, Nom Nom Paleo.

The recipes in this book are super fresh, with tons of aromatics (ginger! garlic!) and herbs (cilantro! basil!) and sauces (roasted garlic mayo! sriracha ranch dressing!) to keep things delicious. The best part of this cookbook is the layout: instead of the conventional starter/entree/side we expect, this cookbook is laid out according to how ready you are to cook/how much time you have. For those of us who could use a little help with time management, this is genius.

Curious? Here's a peek inside!

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What I'm Playing

The title of a new podcast caught my eye: "Conversations with People Who Hate Me." 

How could you not click? Read the description, and let me know what you think. I listened to the first one, and I liked it. I'm intrigued to hear more!

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What I'm Reading

Slow reading week for Amy: I'm still not done with WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR, but I learned that my copy of JUST MERCY is available at the library. I better put my serious nonfiction kick into high gear before these books both expire!

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What I'm Watching

You guys. We are so close to football season, I can taste it.

To quench my thirst for pigskin, I started new season of ALL OR NOTHING on Amazon. Did you miss Season 1? All right, let's download: ALL OR NOTHING is a documentary that follows an NFL team for an entire season. And by follow, I mean follow them everywhere: practice, locker room, their own living rooms with their families. It's a fascinating look into the biggest money generator in sports and how it affects everyone from fans to families to staff.

This season of ALL OR NOTHING is bittersweet because (a) it stars the 2016 L.A. Rams, whose head coach is my main man, Jeff Fisher [aka former Titans head coach who took us to the Super Bowl in 2000 and we lost by 1 yard and I cried] but (b) I know what happens to my main man at the end of the season [he gets fired 😭].

Don't worry, that's not a spoiler—that's how the doc opens. 

Also, it's narrated by Jon Hamm, who has one of the best voices in the history of voices. I could listen to him narrate almost anything, which is why I get excited about Mercedes-Benz commercials, even though my dream car would be a brand-new Toyota Corolla. Because I have exquisite taste.*

*I drove a rental once, and I loved it. That's all. I know nothing about cars, don't listen to me.

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Dog of the Week

This is Lita the Greyhound! Lita is available for adoption through Greyhound Pets of America – Nashville. And if I didn't have two greys in my life already, I would adopt her because she is so precious, I can hardly get over it. Look at that face! 😍

Her favorite hobbies are loving stuffies and loving people.

Hobbies we should all strive for, Lita.

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That's all from me, folks! Bless you Southern parents who have school-age children going back to school. Our hearts go out to you and your early morning alarms and forcing your little ones to eat breakfast and saying Would you just get in the car already!? for the umpteenth time with clenched teeth. You Northern parents, y'all have fun with that in about a month.

For those of us without school-age children: I hope you also enjoy hitting Snooze on your alarm.

Warmly,
Amy

Sunday Smatterings (The Kerr Edition)

Hey, folks! Assistant Amy/The Kerr here. I'm stepping in for my boss, who's off on a well-deserved vacation. Even writers need to unchain themselves from their laptops sometimes. 

We're going to do Smatterings Kerr style today, which means we'll be all over the place. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

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What I'm Eating

You know what I can't get enough of? This ridiculously easy cucumber salad. All you need are:

• cucumbers, chopped
• tomatoes, chopped
• red onion, sliced thin
• a squeeze of fresh lemon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Mix together and boom. I'd take a picture of it, but I always devour it before I remember.

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What I'm Playing

Okay, I have to tell you about my new podcast obsession: Death, Sex & Money, a podcast about the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.

If you're a fan of NPR's Morning Edition, you know the best part of the whole week is 7:20 am CST, which is when the StoryCorps segment airs. 80% of the time I'm in tears by the end of the three-minute bit because people are on the segment are sharing some of their most defining moments, and I'm weeping because of the sheer tragedy or hope for humanity I hear. I'm a sap. 

Death, Sex & Money is like an extended StoryCorps segment. I don't know how they find such fascinating people to interview, but the producers do a fantastic job of picking people from all walks of life (the guest could be Alec Baldwin or your Uber driver, you never know) and just talking to them about random things. Break-ups. Student Loans. Incarcerated Spouses. Retired NFL players. Surrogate mothers. Kevin Bacon. If you're into exploring human relationships and what makes people tick, this is the podcast for you.

The show's been a around for a few years, which is great for me because I have a lot of episodes to catch up on. 
 

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What I'm Reading

After whipping through Tom Perrotta's Mrs. Fletcher, I thought I'd try When Breath Becomes Air. Are you reading anything good?
 

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What I'm Watching

Confession: after starting and quitting a bajillion new comedy series, I've decided to watch Cheers all the way through on Netflix. I'd forgotten how hilarious this show is: the writing, the comedic timing. And tell me you don't love the answers to How's life treating you, Norm?

Plus, it has the best theme song ever. You know it's true.

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Dog of the Week

When I was a kid, all I wanted was a golden retriever. Though I am now a proud greyhound mama, I still have a soft spot for goldens like Lulu (she's available for adoption here in Nashville!).

Look. At. Her. Face. If you live close by, you should think about getting Lulu or a friend like her from Adopt a Golden Nashville.

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That's all I have today, guys. Don't mind me, I'll be sitting over here, shopping for fall décor and dreaming of cooler temps (no joke—I will be putting this up on my front door September 1, I don't care what it feels like outside!). 

Warmly,
The Kerr

Sunday Smatterings

Hey, y'all! How's tricks? The Ellison house is trying to stay cool during the heat wave, and thankfully that's more possible now that our air-conditioner is fixed...er...completely replaced. Yes, our 30-year-old unit took one look at the heatwave and said, no, nope, no way and quit. Oh, the joys of Tennessee summertime... 

Got a bit of writing done on the new Brit in the FBI book, though not as much as I wanted. But like I said, hitting a rough patch at this stage of the book, a quarter of the way through, is normal for me. Sometimes you just have to buckle down and write through it anyway. It's not fun, by any stretch, but as a professional, sitting down and doing the work is something I have to do. The end result will be worth it, and I think you're all going to love this book. Plus I get to go on vacation soon, a proper one, something I haven't done in a couple of years. That's a nice light at the end of the tunnel.

Anyway. It's been a while since we've had a Sunday Smatterings, so without further ado...

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

BLAME, the stunning new thriller from Jeff Abbott. Y'all, do yourselves a favor and pick up a copy of my buddy Jeff Abbott's latest novel, BLAME. It's a five-star read!

10 Writing Rules You Can (and Should) Break. Amen. What makes your writing yours is how you break the rules.

Revered and Feared in the Book Review. "A good murder novel, she once wrote, can be 'a portal to a wider world.' Here she is literally at home among them, windows into alternate realities as familiar and vital to her as they can be strange and sinister to others."

Should You Make Your Book Available for Pre-Order? I, along with 13 other authors, weigh in.

The Handmaid's Tale: How to Soundtrack a TV Show Set in Silence. If you haven't seen the TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood's THE HANDMAID'S TALE, trust me when I say the soundtrack of the show is sheer brilliance. I enjoyed this peek into the creative minds behind it.

Emma Watson Interviews Margaret Atwood on "The Handmaid's Tale." Speaking of tapping creative minds, Hermione Granger interviewed the author herself. The meeting of these two smart, savvy women is so enjoyable!

The Golden Age of Bailing. "Technology makes it all so easy. You just pull out your phone and bailing on a rendezvous is as easy as canceling an Uber driver.... But we should probably make bailing harder."

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And closer to home:

This week, not only did we receive a wonderful starred PW review (!), I announced dates and locations for the LIE TO ME tour! I'm heading to some new places on tour this time. Am I going to be near you? If not, never fear: I have a LiveSigning planned on September 21! What's a LiveSigning, you ask? It'll be a live streaming video where I'll sign books on camera, talk about LIE TO ME, and answer your burning questions—just like a regular bookstore signing. And guess what? You can get yourself an autographed book and submit a question before the livecast! Want to learn more? Details here.

New J.T. story: THE ENDARKENING. Have you read my latest short story? It's the perfect ebook read for a plane ride or a day at the beach. Especially if you're into sexy Scottish Highlanders...

JUDAS KISS is only $0.99 until tomorrow! If you've never read Taylor's 3rd book, now's your chance to get the ebook for a bargain.

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That's it from me! Y'all enjoy a lazy summer day or two, binge-watch something good, be safe in the heat, and we'll talk again soon.

xo,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Hello, chickens, Happy Sunday. How are you doing? I write to you from ALA, the conference for America's literary superheroes: librarians! I haven't been to this conference before, and I'm delighted to be here. Librarians are my people, and between panels and cocktails and talking about our favorite books, I can tell we're going to have a lot of fun together before the weekend is over.

Last week, Team JT put the final touches on LIE TO ME, and it's safely off to the printer. The next time I see those words, I'll be able to slide my fingers across them as they sit on printed pages. I can't tell you how much lighter I feel with this book officially out of my hands. The story is no longer mine—now it belongs to you, dear reader. I do hope you enjoy it.

Yesterday we shot the first episode of A WORD ON WORDS Season 3. I can't tell you who the guest was, but suffice it to say I was beyond thrilled to interview this giant in the publishing sphere. I can't wait to share this one with you later this summer!

Without further ado, here are the links you came for:

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

The Washington Post: kitten nursery saves tiny lives in a city aiming to become ‘no kill’. Talk about bringing a kitty mama to tears. Adopt, adopt, adopt.
 

The Kill Zone Blog: Empowering History? I always fall on the side of the empowered female heroine. Just sayin'.
 

Travel + Leisure: This Is the Ultimate Nanny Job Abroad — If You're Not Afraid of Ghosts. Let's  look at the trade-offs here: beautiful Scottish wilderness. Haunted house. I think I know what I'd choose...
 

theSkimm. If you don't read theSkimm, I highly suggest you begin to. Smart, to-the-point news that keeps you informed on the important things, and stuff on the lighter side, too.
 

The Guardian: Buying houses in cash and selling millions: meet self-publishing's 'hidden' authors. Because there's room for everyone at the table—even if you fashion the chair yourself.
 

Bustle: 14 Careers For Readers, Because It Is Possible to Make a Living Off Your Love of Books. Chin up, English majors. There are many opportunities to use your degree that don't end with "do you need room for cream?"
 

New York Public Library: Pencils At Dawn! 6 Writers and the Duels They Fought In. I really enjoy the New York Public Library's Twitter feed (follow them here, if you don't already). I'm always learning new, fascinating tidbits from them. This article was no exception.
 

YouTube: Game of Thrones Red Keep in Lego. Perfect for nerds of today and yesteryear (less than a month until Season 7, folks!!! Have you seen the new trailer? #WinterIsHere).

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And closer to home:

5 Things I'm Into This Month (June 2017). From my zero-prep lunch to fashionable and comfy sandals, these five things are making me breathe easier.
 

Click here to read the first three chapters of LIE TO ME. Mwahahahaha. 😈

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That's it from me, darlings. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, stay in the shade, put on plenty of sunscreen, and we'll talk again soon.

xo,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Hi, chickens, welcome to Sunday. Happy Father's Day to my Daddy, and my friends who are dads, and you, too! If you didn't know, Father's Day originated as a day of remembrance for fathers who were gone. I'm so thankful I have mine to celebrate with.

What a week it has been, a hard one, a sobering one. The attack in Washington, intensive work, and a bevy of life's little things that need my attention have drained me physically and emotionally. Time and again, I have gone back to the words of my friend, Rev. Katie Ladd, who shared how to begin to cope with tragedy and grief, and how we work for a better world after. Her words are still bringing me comfort and love in this hard week. I hope you find some light in them, too.

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Here are a few other things that happened on the Internets this week:
 

BookExpo: Females as Strong as Hell Edition. Thank you, BookRiot, for rounding up the books with strong heroines we need to look for soon. We need more badass heroines, in fiction and real life.
 

2017 Gale/Library Journal Library of the Year: Nashville Public Library, TN. From sports to books to libraries, Nashville rules. Yay, NPL!
 

James Michener’s Nomadic Pursuit of Depth. Author of DEEP WORK (one of my favorite books ), Cal Newport, profiles the author's great lengths to pursue his art. "If you want to produce big things, you need to be willing to go big with your work habits." So true.
 

How Deep Work Can Change Your Life Forever: 3 Strategies to Overcome the Distractions. Speaking of Deep Work, productivity and publishing guru Michael Hyatt is a fan of Cal Newport, too. This is why.
 

Pain, satin and paper towels: What it takes for ballerinas to dance on their toes. It is amazing to see the lengths people will go, the sacrifices they will make, in pursuit of their art. Ballerinas sacrifice so much. Talk about true grit.
 

7 Books to Devour on a Plane. A fabulous reading list for your summer travel.

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And closer to home:
 

Review: Lie to Me. I've seen reviews of LIE TO ME begin to trickle in, and I'm so pleased to find readers are enjoying it! I particularly enjoyed this review from Stacy Camp. Thank you, Stacy! (PS click here to read the first three chapters of LIE TO ME!)

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That's it from me, y'all. I hope you have a great week, drink plenty of water, pick some flowers for your Dad or a friend, and we'll talk again soon.

xo,
J.T.