Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, all! Second week of sabbatical, and I trust that all is well. I don’t know. I’m not here!

It’s these moments when I am so happy to have over a decade of blog posts to look back on to share. it’s like the greatest hits of my writing life. I’ve been blogging regularly since 2005. That’s a lot of words — I think my non-fiction word count probably outstrips my fiction 10 to 1. I found that writing about writing engendered my fiction, a happy by-product of my weekly schedule.

One of my all-time favorite blog posts was in response to having a little too much nitrous at a dentist appointment. I was listening to the Star Trek soundtrack and I had a truly transcendental experience… (ha!)

Enjoy this flashback into the grand abyss of my mind, and then it’s on to the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

B&N’s fate rests in hands of a British indie bookstore owner. "His turnaround strategy is centered on a simple premise: In a world where Amazon offers unbeatable convenience and prices, big book chains will only survive if they act more like independents."

Consider the Airport Thriller - It's time to reimagine the novels we read on airplanes. So great to see TEAR ME APART included in this list!

How to Live Intentionally in the 21st Century: An Experiment. I’ve read hundreds of articles in this vein. This is by far the best conceptually that I’ve seen. From a psychology student...

7 amazing, mouth-watering new food memoirs for summer reading (and cookout inspiration.)

SHAPE OF NIGHT gets a starred review from Publishers Weekly! Because Tess Gerritsen is the master of suspense. Can’t wait for this one!

500 Queries In 6 Years. “Write so much that it becomes less sacred.” This is some of the best writing advice ever, people. Well said, Wendy.

Books and Ink: The Literary Tattoos of NYPL Staff. I love a good literary tattoo.

Why the Pronunciation of GIF Really Can Go Either Way. Which way do you say it?

21 Must-Have Summer Reading Accessories from Amazon.

Wine of the Week at The Wine Vixen!

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What I’m Reading:

LABYRINTH by Catherine Coulter

When a Savich and Sherlock book comes out, people drop everything to read it. So clear your schedule for the weekend, friends! Labryinth is out and it's amazing. What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

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!

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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!

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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?

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That’s all for now. I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, friends! 

It’s hot and steamy here in Nashville, akin to stepping outside into a steaming hot wet washcloth. It reminds me of the summers we flew to Florida from Colorado, the same overwhelming wetness in the air. Southerners refer to this air as “sultry” because sultry sounds a lot better than suffocating and miserable and disgustingly gross and dripping wet. Ah, words. What would we do without them?

Thrillerfest was great. Crutches in New York at a conference? Not so much. I am forever grateful to everyone, from Lynn and Valerie Constantine to Kevin in the Grand Hyatt bar and everyone in between who offered help, succor, and good humor (and complimented my shoes. Thank you, Effortless Style!) I felt quite cherished, which, I admit, was awfully nice. A good time was had by all, even Maurice the Hawaiian Giraffe, may he forever rest in peace. 🦒

One of my favorite parts of Thrillerfest is the bar. Not for the drinks, because they’re ridiculously expensive, but for the camaraderie. There is an “us against the world” mentality, and it’s so much fun to grab a table and linger for a while, because inevitably, everyone makes their way to this gathering place. You can learn a lot just by sitting back and listening.

Soon, you’ll be able to purchase a download of the panels, and let me tell you, it will be worth it. I had to miss several and I will be grabbing them, because there was just so much incredible content.

Maurice’s unfortunate demise aside (don’t ask…just follow the links and buy the book), I loved getting a chance to meet and linger with so many folks. Can’t wait for next time.

It’s always a rough week post-conference for me, which is why I don’t do too many anymore. It takes me forever to get back into the swing of things. I’ve gotten a lot of business work done this week, but not as much writing as I’d like. I’m distracted, out of my habit, spending too much time online. And you know what that means. It’s time for a social media sabbatical. 🥳

It’s been a while since my last one. I think a couple of weeks offline (because when I say social media sabbatical, it’s really a whole-Internet sabbatical) will do me good, help me settle back into the story. I’m behind on my reading, too, so it’s well-timed. 

It’s funny, when you’re a writer, and you carry your office in your head,  getting offline is really the only way to take a vacation. 

Well, I did manage to get a few things accomplished this week. The newsletter went out Thursday -- are y’all getting it? There’s a super recipe in it this month. If you’re not already signed up, you can join us here.

A blog post is coming this week with a fabulous cover reveal, so keep an eye out.

And with that, I’ll bid you adieu and let you look at the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

The Sandman, Catch-22, Cloud Atlas ... is there such thing as an 'unfilmable' book? What do you think?

A Harry Potter Book, Bought for $1 at a Yard Sale, Could Sell for More Than $37,000 at Auction. This is wild! Makes you want to start doing the yard sales, eh?

The Future of Ebook Pricing. In case you’ve ever wondered about how your library decides what digital books to buy. This is something to keep an eye on. We’re still in a disruption, no matter what people say.

Fall In Love With the Written Word at These Literary Themed New England Hotels. I want to go! Right now. Come on!

Licensed to fill out: from Stranger Things to Star Wars, the tie-in novels continuing the story. Fascinating. There are a lot of fun, interesting things about publishing that I’m still learning.

14 Pieces Of Advice From Self-Help Books People Actually Found Useful. What’s your favorite self-help book? Mine’s Twyla Tharp’s THE CREATIVE HABIT.

Writing About Synaesthesia and Face Blindness: Bee Larkham’s Murder. I'm looking forward to reading this book! I wrote a fun character who has synesthesia, and I know three people who have face blindness. Should be fascinating.

Top 10 books about cults. Something I will forever be interested in.

Wine of the Week at The Wine Vixen!

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What I’m Reading:

Look at this amazing stack of galleys I brought home from Thrillerfest! I don’t know which one I should start first. See any you’re excited to read? I’m trying to decide which one to read first on sabbatical…

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That’s all for now. Read a good book, watch some of the British Open, put some fresh food out for your hummingbirds, and I’ll see you next week—hopefully chill!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Greetings, salutations, and warm Sunday hellos! As you read this, I am winging my way home from Thrillerfest, so this is going to be short and sweet. I’m sure I will have many stories to tell and lots to share. 

Before I took off for NYC, I spent some time doing a bit of a digital detox. Awesome Assistant Leigh was here Monday to get Team JT squared away on social media for the rest of the summer. I love these quarterly get togethers. It’s a blessing to be able to do some work in person when you run things virtually. 

That’s the way I feel about Thrillerfest. Not only do I get to see friends, I also get to see my team. This year’s event was especially exciting because my longtime editorial leader Margaret Marbury received an award for her service to the genre. While I’ve had five brilliant editors over the thirteen years I’ve been with MIRA, Margaret has been on my team from day one. I met her the first time in Phoenix, at the inaugural Thrillerfest. She embodies everything that you think of when the words “New York” and “publishing”  are put together. Gorgeous, erudite, a lanky fashion plate with a wicked sense of humor, she’s utterly cool and unflappable.  She gives good advice, too. So cheers, Margaret! Congratulations on being named the 2019 Thriller Legend!

One thing I did treat myself with was leaving my laptop at home and bringing along my ARC of Erin Morgenstern’s THE STARLESS SEA instead. I have to say, this book is going to be a massive hit. It’s wildly imaginative, structurally brilliant, and so heartfelt. Sheer genius. If you like books, you’re going to love it - so yes, that’s ALL OF YOU!

Back next week with loads more... have a super rest of the weekend. Let’s take a look at the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Blown away to see THE FINAL CUT on the New York Public Library staff pick list! So cool!

Arctic fox astounds scientists by trekking 2,176 miles in 76 days — from Norway to Canada. I’m resisting dropping a why did the fox cross the Artic joke here... what an amazing girl!

The Best Audiobooks to Listen to This Summer. Have you listened to any of these?

Virginia’s University of Lynchburg Is Adding a Harry Potter Class to Its Fall Curriculum. I would love to take this class.

Weird Questions People Asked Librarians. Some of these made me laugh!

Jane Eyre is a startlingly modern heroine. A new ballet shows why. I’m very curious about this production.

Beautiful Libraries Around the World Every Booklover Should Visit. Making a list…

The Biggest, Most Purr-fect List of Literary Cat Names (200+ Name Ideas!)

Wine of the Week at The Wine Vixen!

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What I’m Reading:

LAYOVER by David Bell

There is something inherently sexy about meeting a stranger at an airport, especially one you connect with on every level. But what if that someone might be a missing person? It's a great premise for a book, and David Bell's latest, Layover, captures all the excitement and terror of this exact situation. If you like Harlan Coben, you will love David Bell.

What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Sunday blessings on you all! Independence Day has come and gone, and now we’re settling in for the dog days of summer. If you’re a curious sort, as I am, you may wonder where that term came from. It conjures images of hot, sweaty dogs panting and searching for shade to me, but the Romans, who coined the phrase dies caniculares, did so because the bright star Sirius—part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog—rose in concert with the sun for two months in the summer, and they thought it added to the heat. So now you know.

Because there was no way to safely managed the crowds with my unsteady but healing knee, we stayed home and watched the fireworks on TV. The Boston Pops had an extravaganza that was broadcast on Bloomberg, and I’m telling you, it was spectacular. From the music, to the guests, to the message of unity and inclusion, to the impressive fireworks, everything was pitch perfect. I was especially impressed with the inaugural national youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman. Her poem, set to the Battle Hymn of the Republic, blew me away. Definitely treat yourself and watch it. I daresay she’s going to become a household name soon enough.

It was a good work week, too, though a bit jagged around the edges. I wrapped up my #1000wordsofsummer participation with 13,000 words in 14 days, which I was thrilled with. I settled on a solid idea and wrote up a few scenes, and retitled the book’s working title to match. I was feeling pretty good about things. And the next morning, I opened Publisher’s Marketplace to see a sale announcement—for the exact same story concept, and the EXACT SAME TITLE.

Sigh.

This happens more than you can imagine. With all these creative minds plugged into the zeitgeist, it’s hard not to generate the same sort of ideas. Granted, everyone’s take on this general concept would be different, but the broad strokes were just too similar to my idea, so I had to change it. Trust me, I wasn’t thrilled.

Y’all know I’ve been watching authors on the Master Class (leave me a comment if you’d like a discounted pass…). I put on Baldacci’s class, and DH and I started to watch. I got frustrated pretty quickly, because in the beginning sections, he was saying things I already knew. The problem was my story had just been yanked out from under me, not that I needed to do more research. This is no knock to Baldacci, the class is great and clearly helped. We hit pause about 50 times as I talked it out with DH and my notebook. I grumbled. I complained. I knew I was circling something, but I couldn’t land on it. We tossed around a couple of ideas that felt possible, and I slept on it.

Sure enough, I woke up with an even bigger concept, and the first lines of the proposal. How to tell the story. What the story really was. The underlying theme, the moral question, the villain’s motives, all of it. I changed the name of a main character, and boom went the dynamite. I wrote up the proposal, and will submit it tomorrow.

Listen, there are only 7 plots. Every story is derivative of these 7 plots. (Tangentially, there are only 10 types of female energy, per this twitter thread...) How you tell an original story is in your voice, your treatment, your structure, your characters. Settings, too, play a large role. Unless a concept has quite literally been done to death, a fresh take on a classic tale will always, always sell.

I’m off to Thrillerfest this week (assuming I’m cleared to travel Tuesday, of course.) I hope to see some of you in New York!

Let’s take a look at the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

So stoked to see GOOD GIRLS LIE is a Publishers Weekly editors' pick for Fall 2019 titles!

A library of one's own: Meet the man who owns 12,000 books. Can you even imagine? This makes me curious about how many books I own…I’m going to guess I’m in the 4,000 range.

Barnes and Noble Bought by Hedge Fund. Major news, if you missed it. I’m curious to see what shakes out here.

Use Your Calendar to Record What Actually Happened. Superb advice that I follow regularly. It’s a boon at tax time, too, for deducing mileage.

What’s On These Local Author’s Summer Reading Lists. Including yours truly. I had a hard time narrowing down my list! Also, if you’re not reading the Nashville Edit, you should be.

The Norwegian island that abolished time: 'You can cut the lawn at 4am.' I kind of love this idea. Not necessarily sunlight 24/7 for three months, but the idea that time is irrelevant. Because really, it is.

We Asked 24 Fantasy Authors For The Book That Made Them Fall In Love With The Genre. Filling up my TBR…

What Makes The Perfect Book Club Read? We Asked 3 Experts. Great advice for anyone who is thinking about starting a book club.

Sarah Haywood Shares Advice For New Writers. A lovely, encouraging essay.

Wine of the Week at The Wine Vixen… a white, for once!

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What I’m Reading:

LAST SUMMER by Kerry Lonsdale

Here’s the best beach read of the summer! LAST SUMMER is out Tuesday and it’s a captivating page-turner of a suspense. You need it! I think Kerry is a superb writer. She knows how to build characters.

What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. Donate three things to your favorite local charity (don’t forget the animal shelter- they LOVE old towels!), cut some hydrangea for your kitchen counter, clean your desk, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.