Sunday Smatterings

Happy New Year and happy first Smatterings of 2019! I come to you today from Desk Central - people, I tell you, a good desk makes ALL the difference. I love it. I love having a single spot where all my work is happening (the office itself.) I love being able to slap down my notebook and write daily pages. I love the sense that this is my place, that when I enter the room, my creativity starts now. I’ve even been writing on the manuscript at the desk on the big computer instead of my laptop, which isn’t my usual MO. Change is good.

Speaking of change… I finished and posted the 2018 Annual Review Wednesday! It was a bear to get started, mostly because I was worried about revisiting some of the lows from the year, but in the end, I was able to chart some major positive changes from my year.

2019 is my Year of Joy, and I’ll tell you, I’m feeling very joyful right now. Be it this new desk, a fresh slate on the year, a new notebook, a haircut, being home with my kittens and a rainy Saturday of reading ahead, I don’t know, but I’ll take every ounce of happiness and joy I can get.

You’ve heard the phrase we make our own luck? I think we make our own joy, too.

What’s the one thing that will make you joyful today? Find it. See if it makes a difference in your week.

Oh, by the way, I’ll be on the ITW Thriller Roundtable this week discussing goal setting, should you want to follow along.

Now, on to the latest links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week: 

Ideas for Making and Reaching Your New Year’s Reading Resolutions. Great tips! I’m not much for resolutions, because I always break them, but more in tune with the overarching sense of making a difference long-term.

Why you should surround yourself with more books than you’ll ever have time to read. “Your overstuffed library isn’t a sign of failure or ignorance, it’s a badge of honor.” Amen. I’m prepared for the zombie apocalypse. Just in case.

This Is The Best Time Of Day To Clean. Listen to the monk! One of the best bits of advice I’ve ever heard - wash your bowl. When you’re done eating, wash your bowl. When you’re done with something, put it back in its place. This keeps the house tidy, and makes your day start off right.

Join Analog Social Media. An excellent resolution! In person interaction with people you want to engage with helps up the joy factor ten-fold.

Book Clubs Are Thriving In The Internet Era. I was just thinking about this today - every morning I receive so many emails from different sources talking about books. There is no shortage of material to discuss. Also, see analog social media, above.

5 Slightly Ridiculous Unsolved Mysteries of the Harry Potter Series. What fun! Though I will posit an answer to #2 - Dumbledore’s London Underground scar — he and Harry do end up in a version of King’s Cross Station…

The Big Thrill has a great interview about A THOUSAND DOORS. I’m so grateful to have the book featured in The Big Thrill! Have you read A THOUSAND DOORS yet?

Shiffrin Extends Winning Streak and Clinches 50th World Cup Victory. TEAR ME APART’s Mindy in action, ladies and gents! Mindy was based on Lindsey Vonn and Michaela is mentioned in the book!

Everyone Should Have a Winter Cooking Goal. What dish do you want to tackle? I want to master Coq au Vin!

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What I’m Reading:

DAISY JONES AND THE SIX
by Taylor Jenkins Reid

If you like music, you will LOVE this book about a tempestuous young singer and the band who launched her to stardom. The structure and multiple POVs give it the feel of a Rolling Stone interview. Very unique, very well written, and so good I immediately went to the store and grabbed THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO. Taylor Jenkins Reid is that good. (Available March 5, 2019.)

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That’s it for now. Pick your joy, make it happen, and find some time to see a friend in person this week. You’ll feel better for it! I’ll see you next Sunday.

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

It’s hard to believe this is the last Smatterings of 2018! But there you have it. Time marches on, whether we want it to or not. I, for one, am ready for the new year to be upon us. After a very quiet holiday week, the first Christmas I haven’t worked in over a decade, I’m feeling rested, and ready to tackle the new year.

But I’m trying to be very careful about stepping right back onto the merry-go-round I’ve found myself on the past few years. I’m a goal-oriented kind of girl, sometimes to my detriment. If there is anything I want to change this year, it’s allowing myself some grace when it’s clear I’m not going to meet a goal. And to only have goals going forward that are attainable. The ones I can’t control are going on a totally new list: desires. Needs and desires. Two very different concepts that I will explore further in my annual review.

Now, let’s take a look at the latest links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week: 

The Night Hunter S. Thompson Might Have Given Me Writing Advice. “‘If you want to be a writer, you’ve got to meet Hunter,’ Marco said. Then he added, ‘But whatever you do, do not agree to get in his car and go back to his house. We are not going back to the house.’”

What Should I Read Next Ep 164: The couple that reads together ... needs to find books they'll both LOVE. So cool to hear Anne Bogel recommend A DEEPER DARKNESS! This is a fantastic podcast, and Anne’s blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, is a delight.

From the lovely Ann Hood: Five Books Filled with Food.

Charles Dickens Couldn't Stop Tinkering With 'A Christmas Carol.' What writer can’t relate to this???

Did Lao-Tzu and Confucius Know Each Other? There’s a reason my blog is called the Tao of J.T... I discovered the Tao Te Ching in college and felt an affinity right away. Loved this article.

18 Bullet Journal Tips And Tricks To Make 2019 More Productive Than Ever. I have a new notebook coming that I want to use as a variation of the bullet journal - more on that once it’s underway!

'I just stood there and cried': The Card Man's gifts keep coming months after his death. Such a wonderful story! What a legacy.

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Favorite Books Of 2018:

This week, I shared my Favorite Books of 2018! This was a great reading year for me—thanks to adding audiobooks to my repertoire, I was able to read 100 books. My list of favorites is longer than normal but there were so many great books to choose from! What’s one of your favorite books of 2018?

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That’s it for now. Raise a glass to a friend, declutter one drawer, make a resolution that will be good for you, and I’ll see you next week! And next year! Happy New Year!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Greetings, salutations, and warm hellos! I come to you from the land of new kittens! No, I didn’t add to the minions, I’m visiting my parents and their new baby, who is adorable! Her name is Jazelle and she has very similar marking to my girls. And just as much of a troublemaker as her cousins. And loud! My goodness, she is a squeaker. I’m besotted.

Last night, I sat down with my bullet journal to plan out my holiday break. There are 11 to-dos. 11. 🙄 It included two new habits I want to start (meditation and yoga) and the annual review compilation, clearing out email and Instapaper… nothing that can’t wait for a week. So… I scrapped it. Tossed it out. Yes, I have a few things I need to do, but I am going to wait until after the holidays. Take a few days to lounge on the couch and read. Eat some Christmas cookies. Play with the new kitten. Stow away my relentlessness.

One of the most common questions I (and every other author) gets is: how do you come up with your ideas? Because everyone has an imagination and impulses, which is the heart of story ideas, I interpret this question slightly differently. I think it is actually a genuine curiosity about how I can marshal said story into days on end spent at the laptop. Where do you come up with your ideas becomes how do you have the discipline to take a random idea and create a novel out of it? Did you see the D-word in that sentence? It’s about the discipline. Writing is discipline. Any creative endeavor is.

But… it can be taken too far. So that is one of my major goals for 2019, allowing myself to take time off, to recharge, without the crazy guilt that permeates the lives of every self-employed person — too often, if we aren’t working, we feel like we’re shirking our responsibilities. And when your office resides between your ears, it’s sometimes hard to turn it off. But I will try (see meditation and yoga, above.)

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. One of our family traditions is to burn bayberry candles in memory of those who can’t be with us, those who’ve passed. It’s clearly a pagan solstice tradition that’s been coopted into our Christmas, which I love. Lighting the candles makes me cry, but it also brings such peace and strength. I’m sending you all wishes when I light the candles this year. Wishes for your own peace, and strength. Love, and harmony. Happiness, and joy. This is a hard time of year for so many. Just know someone is thinking of you.

Now, let’s take a look at the latest links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week: 

Seattle high-school teacher shares ‘the wonder of books’ with students on a different kind of field trip. Such an incredible idea!

The Bigger, Badder 2019 Book Tracking Spreadsheet. This is super thorough, if you’re curious about tracking what you read.

 Watch the First Trailer for Marie Kondo’s New Netflix Show. What do you think? I can only Kondo my things so much before I push the box back into the closet…

Your 2019 Literary Adaptation Preview. So many books are being adapted for TV and film! Which are you looking forward to?

New study gives some handy tips on how to survive on Game of Thrones. Where are my dragons???

Female-Led Movies Have Outperformed Male-Led Movies for the Last Three Years. I would love to see some book stats with these parameters. There have been a LOT of hugely successful female-driven genre books this year….

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What I’m Reading:

Speaking of new habits…. let’s talk about habit. I’ve now both read and listened to this beautifully compiled work of art. Twyla Tharp takes an intellectual approach to building habits, with a deep dive into the history of art and its greatest creators. I adapted her one box for each project method years ago, and still stick to it.

You must read it. Do the exercises. See what comes of your newfound enlightenment. Let your mind dance. You won’t regret it. 

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That’s it for now. Eat some gingerbread men, cozy up with a blanket, some tea, and an excellent book, remember to breathe, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs, and Merry Christmas!
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Hello, my friends! Are you braced for the next two weeks of holiday joy? I’ve mailed all but two out of town gifts, and then I’m done. Which is good, because I have this silly thing… oh yeah, the deadline!

Which brings me to exciting news: we have a title for the book! Pretty much the moment I publicly admitted we were struggling, we landed upon one (thanks to my brilliant editor) that we could all agree on. So the September 2019 standalone is…

>>>>>>>>>> GOOD GIRLS LIE <<<<<<<<<<

I’m very excited about this book. The setting is one I’ve always wanted to dive into, an elite private boarding school for girls in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. You may recall that I, too, attended an all girl’s college in Virginia (Randolph-Macon Woman’s College) and I’m having a blast recalling, then deconstructing and embellishing, certain events. As soon as I have some official copy to share, I will.

Happily, I’ve gotten out of the dreaded first 25,000 words, and the book is rollicking along. (The first 100 pages is always like pulling fossils from rocks for me.) I’m going to do my best not to lose touch with it over the holiday. Which means sneaking off into corners every day for at least an hour to write, or edit, or otherwise touch the story. It’s a great trick for you writers out there — if you touch your manuscript every day, you’ll have an easier job of getting to the finish line.

My new office is done, too! Except for redoing the pictures on the wall, which is going to take a little shuffling, all the shelves are in, the desk is here, the rugs are in place, the chair is perched… I’m telling you, it’s starting to feel like a very creative spot. I caught myself the other day just standing in the door soaking up the ambiance. THAT is a good thing.

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I have 5,000 words left to make my annual goal, and I’m in the midst of 3 books, trying to hit that elusive 100 before year’s end. I’ve started compiling the data for my annual review, and it’s always so much fun to look back and see what I planned, and what I actually accomplished. Fingers crossed!

Now, let’s take a look at the latest links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week: 

16 Libraries That Look Like Hogwarts IRL. Now I’ve been in the Bodelian at Oxford, which is the actual library they used to shoot the movies, but these aren’t so bad…

Elizabeth Khuri Chandler Tells the Origin Story of Goodreads. I found this fascinating, and proof of the strength of word of mouth.

This Strategy Makes Procrastination Impossible. “When I look back at all the times I’ve procrastinated, it was always related to getting overwhelmed. When you haven’t even started something, the end result seems a million miles away.”

Holiday gift ideas: Books by Tennessee authors. How wonderful to see TEAR ME APART on this list! Thanks so much to Serenity of Humanities Tennessee!

Help The Book Report Network Expand. Great organization! I’ve been a fan for a long time, and Carol and team are a fantastic resource for news, interviews, reviews, and everything else you might need. The newsletters are great, too!

The Christmas Book Flood: Iceland’s Literature-Loving Holiday Tradition. Love, love, love. 

These Novels Prove That Women Make Fascinating Fictional Killers, Too. I’ve spent a career looking at evil in all its guises, female and male, and female villain is my bag, totally.

25 Literary Tea Gifts and Accessories for the Bookish Tea Lovers in Your Life. Because we all need more tea and tea gifts, yes?

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What I’m Reading:

It’s very fitting that this author’s middle name is Sly, because that’s the perfect description of SORORITY. A series of conjoined vignettes, it tells the story of a sorority from the inside out, the good, the bad, and the ugly – and wow is there a lot of ugly. The writing though – it is perfect, sparse, descriptive, incredible. I haven’t been this excited about a debut author’s possibilities since SWEETBITTER. I’ll be watching for Crane’s work in the years ahead. 

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That’s it for now. Sneak a holiday card into a stranger’s mailbox, make a snow angel if you have any snow to work with, light a stick of nag champa and blissfully chill out, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Hello, friends! It’s that time again, to set aside an hour, pour a steaming mug of tea or coffee, and do some Sunday reading and contemplation. One of my goals for 2019 is to take Sundays to read the articles I’ve “clipped” during the week, pieces that look interesting but I don’t have time to read immediately. I use Instapaper, and I will be the first to admit my reading list has grown a forest of saplings in my absence. I spend a lot of my holiday time culling lists, organizing files (mental and physical) and otherwise doing year-end tidying up. My plan is always to move into 2019 with a clean slate. Instapaper is first on the list to prune back.

The December newsletter came out this week (if you didn’t see it, please check your Spam or promotions/updates tab.) In it, I do a bit of year-end contemplation, and I am always so touched by the responses I receive to these ruminantions, how readers are always willing to say hey, I got your back. It’s something so very important for our society to look at right now — finding those connections, new ways to love, new ways to communicate. This is what the season is about for me: kindness, love, charity. Stepping away from your own problems for a moment to consider the needs of someone who has less than you, who might be suffering quietly, who might be lonely. We’re all in this together. Be the light.

Now, let’s take a look at the latest happenings!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week: 

The Lady Hero’s Journey. Spit tea on my keyboard, I was giggling so hard…

Lee Child: How to write – and get revenge. Tons of great advice here. True confession: most of my career has been spent asking myself—what would Lee do? It steers me right.

A lovely list of things to make you happy. Because we all need a little extra happiness, don’t we?

Rockin’ Around the Book Tree: A Roundup of Festive Ideas for Decorating with Books. Do you decorate with books? So many cool ideas…

This Company Has 'Office Kittens' And Here's What They Do All Day. Make sure you watch the video! I think we could all stand to engage a few new furry interns, yes?

4 Steps to Starting Your Novel. Sage advice from the brilliant Signe Pike. THE LOST QUEEN is a really fabulous novel, too.

Hard Knock Life: What Are the Turtles Telling Me? “It’s just that assigning meaning to events is so satisfying. I want themes, threads, a plot that proceeds toward resolution. I want people to learn their lessons and change their ways.” Great piece from Mary Laura Philpott, who’s hitting her stride as an essayist, to all of our benefit.

20 Years of The Strand Magazine. Crime fiction's best is celebrating! The Strand has been a staple of my career for over a decade, and is always full of brilliance. I remember my debut year when a couple of Killer Year mates were named to their best of list, and we all celebrated! I was blown away to be included this year. Check this out!

Beautiful Wooden Bookshelf Inserts by Japanese Artist Monde. These are absolutely incredible!

The Competitive Book Sorters Who Spread Knowledge Around New York. How’s this for an interesting story….

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And closer to home:

One of my favorite accomplishments this year — turning people who don't care for anthologies, like A Soccer Mom’s Book Blog, into lovers of A THOUSAND DOORS.

The Real Book Spy included TEAR ME APART in his Best Thrillers of 2018 list!

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What I’m Reading:

A heads up – you’re going to see THE WINTERS on my Best of 2018 list soon. It is sheer and utter perfection. A modern retelling of REBECCA, with incredible writing, character development, and a modern edge. I loved it, and you will too.

Would love to see some of your 2018 favorites in the comments!!!

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That’s it for now. Bring your neighbor their paper, or take in their packages if you know they won’t be home for a while (sadly, thieves abound this time of year, filching packages off front porches), buy some fresh marshmallows for a mug of hot chocolate, try smiling at someone you don’t know, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.