Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday! I hope you’re having a restful weekend.

When I sat down to draft Smatterings this week, I had a sudden realization.

I am out of practice living my life.

It sounds strange to say aloud, but that’s exactly what’s happening. For months now, I’ve been working toward the dual goals of book release and book deadline, doing knee rehab and managing both pain and expectations. It’s taken oodles of time, all my brain energy, and much of my physical energy, as well. 

But now the incredibly fun but taxing GOOD GIRLS LIE tour is done and the path is cleared for me to finish this book. I can go to the gym regularly without terrible pain. I’m reading a couple of great books and watching some excellent TV.

But everything feels... strange. I am not an adrenaline junkie, far from it, but the stress of the past few months has certainly temporarily rewired my brain to crave a different kind of excitement and stimuli than normal. 

Which is why I’m debating starting my social media sabbatical a little early, so I can get back into a more quiet groove. Wake, eat, write, gym, write, cook, read/watch, sleep. That’s my perfect day. It is simple, and calm. It gives me my best chance to produce work that you will enjoy. Which, truly, is the only thing that matters in the long run. I hope stepping away from the day-to-day socials early will help me find that equilibrium again. 

Speaking of watch: I’ve been watching the Netflix show THE WITCHER, which is based on Andrzej Sapkowski's fantasy books. It is so good, so much fun, a knight-errant tale that has all the best fantasy tropes: humor; romance; monsters; moral quandaries; sword-fighting; new worlds; evil, evil villains; and of course, magic. It’s been the perfect antidote to my own adrenal overload. I find Henry Cavill strangely appealing in this role, much more so than any he’s played. And it is littered with incredible female characters. I am mad for the Mage Yennifer, played by the stunning Anya Chalotra. I have to say, she would be AMAZING as Dr. Samantha Owens… Highly recommended.

I sent out a plea on Twitter this week asking for new shows to watch, so now I have a huge long list. I’ll report back my thoughts as I plow through them. I find great TV, like great writing, refills my well very nicely.

And with that, off we go!

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GOOD GIRLS IN THE WILD…

Though the bulk of the physical tour is over, more PR and media coverage continues to roll in, for which I am forever grateful! Here are a few of the places GOOD GIRLS LIE has popped up recently:

-Shelf Awareness: “An intense work of suspense, featuring a protagonist who holds her cards close to her vest…The final act's twist will send readers back to the beginning, eager to see how the pieces fit perfectly without having given anything away.”

-BookReporter: “I encourage readers to pick up what may be Ellison's most addictive novel to date. While reading, I could not help but think that this page-turner would make a great film or miniseries. Can you hear me, Netflix?”

-Game Of Books Corks and Conversation with J.T. Ellison: This was such a fun conversation. We chatted up a storm, and I know you’ll love their podcast.

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THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

New York Public Library’s Top 10 Checkouts of All Time. Not what I was expecting!

Crafters create pouches, mittens for burned animals in Australia. Attention, knitters and crafty folk…what a wonderful endeavor!

12 Genius Hacks for Bookworms. Do you do any of these?

Netflix’s ‘The Witcher’ Has Turned ‘The Last Wish’ Into An NYT Best-Seller, 27 Years Later. As plugged above… but this is a wonderful lesson on IP — intellectual property — it’s never too late for a book to be optioned!

10 Facts About Jane Austen’s Sanditon. The miniseries looks pretty great, and is on my list.

What I learned from studying billions of words of online fan fiction. "The overriding reason that authors wrote fan fiction, we found, was for the love of it. They unanimously believed that it had helped them to become better writers." Have you read any great fan fiction?

‘Little Women’ was filmed entirely in Massachusetts. Here are the historic, picturesque locations from the movie. Gorgeous! Have you seen the movie yet? I am SO overdue for a trip to the theater.

7 Dream Jobs For Book-Lovers. There’s nothing better than books.

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WHAT I’M READING:

DIGITAL MINIMALISM by Cal Newport

I’m sensing a theme this week, aren’t you? Cal Newport is always on my best of list when he has a book out, mostly because I admire how he stares into the digital abyss and finds a path for us mere mortals to navigate. I appreciate the thought behind this book—how can we find ways to make the internet work for us, instead of sapping our energy and creating issues? A wonderful quick read and a solid life plan for those of us who struggle with digital addictions.

What are you reading?

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That’s it from me. Take a day off the socials and see how it feels, find a great new show to binge, organize your TBR pile, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday! I’m out on the road touring GOOD GIRLS LIE, which has been incredibly fun, oftentimes moving, and laden with good friends, lots of great book discussions, some poignant moments, and many new readers. I’ll do a full wrap up later. For now, enjoy some links…

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GOOD GIRLS in the wild…

I have been having a blast on book tour! Thank you to everyone who has come out to celebrate GOOD GIRLS LIE with me. From Nashville to Boston, the events have been so much fun!

A few of the places GGL has popped up recently:

-BookBub: This Thriller Is ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Meets ‘Gossip Girl.’

-The Page 69 Test. It’s always interesting to see how one of my books does with this test.

-My Book The Movie. Here’s who I’d cast!

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THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

Winter 2020 YA Books: 175+ January–March New Releases To TBR. There goes my TBR. Again.

Why Ebook Subscription Services Will Finally Succeed In The Coming Decade. Very interesting…

I Almost Died on the Way to Mr. Darcy’s Estate. Absolutely fabulous.

How Sheet-Pan Cooking Took Over Instagram. It’s always interesting to hear how a trend got started.

'Like sending bees to war': the deadly truth behind your almond-milk obsession. A fascinating, sobering story. Save the bees!

The Voynich Manuscript: A New Documentary Takes a Deep Dive Into the Mysteries of the Bizarre Manuscript. Very cool!

17 Impossible Questions for the Writer in Your Life. Yes. Don’t ask me these.

Why the U.S. Sent Librarians Undercover to Gather Intelligence During World War II. Super cool story!

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WHAT I’M READING:

GIDEON THE NINTH by Tamsyn Muir

Every review you will see about this book starts the same way—I’ve never read anything quite so unique. This is the truth. I mean, you put together space, necromancy, wars and petty grievances, a kick ass heroine (Gideon) with a smart mouth and a longing to prove herself, pair her with a nemesis named Harrow who is the daughter of the Ninth House Leaders and as such in total control of her, and watch the bones fly. I’ve never read anything quite so original in my life. The cover itself gives you a clue about the journey—all those skeletons! Absolutely wonderful, and more to come in this series next year! I can’t wait.

What are you reading?

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That’s it from me. Think about a visit to our nation’s capitol, visit your local indie, watch a great new show, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday! I’m en route to Raleigh as you read this. Book tour for Good Girls Lie has begun. I get to spend the night with my maid of honor/best friend from high school tonight, then tomorrow, I will put on my author clothes and author smile and break out my Marvy’s, and it all begins.

We had a fantastic launch at Parnassus Books in Nashville Tuesday night. I did what we call an “in conversation” with my dear friend and fellow author Ariel Lawhon. We talked about life and writing and the book and had so much fun! Thanks to all of you who came out, it was a wonderful way to kick off the tour. Almost all my events this tour are “in conversation” so do come out, because you’ll get to meet and hear some incredible authors. I’ll be with Barbara Claypole White (NC), Emily Carpenter and Kimberly Belle (GA), Alma Katsu (DC), and Hank Phillipi Ryan (MA) - all brilliant authors and friends.

I admit this is the moment in the process I’d like to go off-grid, build a cabin near a stream, and disappear. Once I get going, it will all be fine, but the few days leading up to a big tour is a little stressful. There are so many moving parts, so much packing and prepping. Printing of itineraries, double-checking of routes. Of course, the thriller kittens know something is afoot, and Jameson has made sure to bless every piece of black clothing I’ve planned to take with a luxurious nap. That is just a natural cat instinct, I think, to keep us close, to keep us home. I understand this instinct completely.

I hope I get to see you out of the road. That’s what this is about, after all, sharing the book that’s lived in my head and heart for over a year with you. 

Two housekeeping notes—the January newsletter went out Thursday, so if you don’t have it, check your promo/bulk mail folders. And I posted my Annual Review this week, too.

With that, on to the links!

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Welcome to The Goode School

A few of the places GOOD GIRLS LIE has popped up recently:

-Fresh Fiction January 2020 Fresh Pick

-The Big Thrill: Up Close: J.T. Ellison

-Chapter 16: The Best Literary Citizen

-J.T. Ellison and Lisa Unger, In Conversation. This was a fun pen pal conversation about the writing life.

-CrimeReads: The Lure of the Board School Mystery. I really enjoyed putting this together.

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THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

The Turkish Novelist Elif Shafak Wants You to Read More Women. Here, here!

What I Accomplished In the Last Decade: Classic Literary Characters Edition. Too funny.

Here's how you can help Australia's bushfire victims. Sending love and prayers to all who are affected.

5 Books That Changed My Life In 2019. A very interesting, meditative list.

How Chinatown’s public library is adapting to its senior population, along with others around the country. This is great to see!

There’s A Way To Make Your Creativity More Efficient. It’s Just Not What You Think. Lots of great tips here.

Like People, Ghosts Come in Many Colors. Lovely and fascinating, the way the artists think.

13 Book Club Questions To Energize Any Meetup. These questions are great!

'It's not going away': Vets still seeing cases of dog heart problems linked to grain-free food. Careful with your baby’s diet...

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WHAT I’M READING:

STRONG IS THE NEW BEAUTIFUL by Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn is one of my heroes, and I thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into how she keeps her body running at world champion level. If you have been dieting, or exercising, and aren’t seeing results (or are starving to death) read this. It’s a wonderful, simple, straightforward way to look at our health, and how we nourish our bodies.

What are you reading?

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That’s it from me. Pack an umbrella, polish your shoes, oil your leather goods, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 🥂

Smatterings is going to be short this week, because I’m deadlining and working on the Annual Review. But wow, what a week! It was a blast seeing Good Girls Lie launch into the world. Next week is the official launch party at Parnassus, and the following 2 weeks I’m out on tour. I am so, so grateful to all of you for buying the book, sharing it with your fellow readers, and spreading the word. THANK YOU!

Now that GGL has released, my focus has shifted entirely to writing the next book, getting the story rebuilt. It’s funny, how we let go of the angst and worry about a book once it’s out. It’s too late to fix anything, too late to change anything. So we let it go. 

Case in point, I wrote a friend the other day whose book I was reading and made mention of a tiny moment between the characters in her novel. She wrote back laughing—it took her a minute to place who I was talking about. 

That happens all the time. I had it happen with an edit, once. My editor called and said “We need to talk about Jane,” and I said okay, took notes, then hung up, still trying to figure out who the hell Jane was. (She was a tertiary character, a roommate of a victim.) I was already so deep into the writing of the next book that I had to search the manuscript for any mentions of a Jane.

That’s how things go. Writers are sharks. We can only move forward, look ahead. Sideways or backward and we die.

And with that, I give you the links! Annual Review coming this week!

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It’s here!

GOOD GIRLS LIE is here! Did you get your copy yet?

A few of the places GGL has popped up recently:

-Secrets prove deadly in J.T. Ellison’s latest thriller: “The truth is terrifying, and while it appears to be a straightforward story with obvious thriller elements, it’s a manipulative journey that is completely unpredictable. “Good Girls Lie,” and Ellison is the best one of them all.”

-Fresh Fiction: “Unnerving surprises through out each chapter. Just when you thought you had the story figured out it, it smacks you with another twist.”

-The Big Thrill: “Ellison takes readers on a twisty-turny journey through the halls of a school that is the perfect backdrop for ghost stories, cruelty between teenage girls, and secrets and lies.”

-Paul’s Fantasy Writings: Interview With An Author: J.T. Ellison

Podcast interviews:

• The Inside Flap

• Biblio Happy Hour

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THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

The 50 most anticipated books of 2020. It’s hard to believe that a new year of reading is upon us. How many of these are on your To Be Read list?

The Best Books Of The 2010s, According To 30 Of The Decade's Debut Authors. I love hearing about the books other authors love.

Megan Abbott on Her Book 'Dare Me' Becoming a TV Show. Great piece. I absolutely can’t wait - this is one of my favorite Megan Abbott books.

EduHam: The Educational Component of Hamilton: The Musical. What a remarkable program!

Why Americans Are Always Running Out of Time. Interesting piece. My husband and I came at it from completely different angles, too. Trust me, if someone did all my housework, laundry, and cooking, I’d have more time.

Emma Watson has hidden 2,000 copies of 'Little Women' around the world. This is really cool! Have you seen the movie yet? It’s on my list!

Bookish Bullet Journal Supplies for Readers. This is a great resource.

How ‘The Godfather’ Became an Unlikely Holiday Classic. Fascinating.

7 Bookish Tea Blends to Pair With Your Perfect Book. Bookish tea! What a clever notion.

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WHAT I’M READING:

BAG OF BONES by Stephen King

My friend and fellow author Jeremy Finley has taken it upon himself to educate me in the ways of the King, and this was my first foray back to his world since THE SHINING scared my pants off. Since I enjoy King’s accent and inflections, I chose to listen to the book. At 18+ hours, it was a commitment, but the writing is gorgeous, and the story so intriguing—it’s a mystery, and a love story, with a ghostly backdrop. I don’t know how much scarier I can go with King, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

What are you reading?

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That’s it from me. Tell me what your resolutions are, give yourself an afternoon off for a movie, see that holiday spirit intact, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, compadres! Here we are, the last Smatterings of the year, the decade, and I find myself at a loss for words. I’ve actually been staring at this screen for an hour (in between playing with my parents’ cat) trying to decide how I want to end the decade here. It always feels like “the last of” needs to be momentous, not oh hey, the m key decided to stop working on my laptop so I’ve had three days of no M or double M. (Trust me, that sentence took a while.)

But fall back on the banal I will. We had a lovely Christmas. I took three days off. Now I’m back to work, lap desk in place, driving a new plot through the new book. Yes, at the 11th hour, I’ve had to shift gears entirely. The book will be better for it, but the deadline... alas. 

And that is how 2019 has been. It was quite a year. Major highs, major lows. New deals and new books, new friends, new paths to follow. I’ve laid the groundwork for my next few years, and that feels very good indeed. My knee is healing, getting stronger, the pain less and less. The new book isn’t as far along as I’d like, but it’s working again, which is a very good thing. Everyone around me is happy and healthy. I read many, many excellent books. These are all reasons to rejoice. 

And of course, I end the year with a book release. GOOD GIRLS LIE comes out tomorrow. I’ve poured an awful lot of energy into this book this year, from the truncated period it took to write to the PR, and every high and low in between. I can’t believe it’s finally here. 

It will be yours tomorrow. No longer mine. I’ve spoken before how this feels like sending a child out of the nest. I’ve always equated it to sending said child to college, but after experiencing the fear and joy of a child getting behind the wheel of a car for their first solo drive with friends this year, the tumult of emotions watching their child strapping in and driving away, I think that comparison is more apt. You’ve trained them, cautioned them, given them all the tools, and now you have to hope and pray they listen to you, keep the radio turned down, their seatbelt on, their eyes on the road and their hands upon the wheel. 

Yes, that’s what this feels like. It’s gifting freedom into a machine that could hurt them if not operated properly. 

In other words, sheer, unadulterated terror.

I know its just words. But the people inside the covers are alive to me. The story I’ve told is like blood from my veins.

I hope you love it. 

And I hope the decade to come brings as much joy as the decade past. May the road rise up to meet you, always.

And with that, off we go…

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It’s time!

GOOD GIRLS LIE comes out tomorrow!!!

A few of the places GGL has popped up recently:

-Crime By the Book’s Best Psychological Thrillers of 2019: “Blending drama worthy of Pretty Little Liars with layered, intricate plotting and seriously sinister secrets, GOOD GIRLS LIE is, simply put, a heck of a lot of fun to read.”

-Chatelaine: 9 New Thrillers For Chilling Fall Reading: “Who doesn’t love a prep school/secret society/inexplicable murders tale?”

-BookRiot New Release Tuesday: Rincey highlights GOOD GIRLS LIE!

-J.T. Ellison, December’s Rogue Recommendation, Goes Rogue. I love going rogue, and was so honored!

-Heather Gudenkauf: Boarding Schools, Ghost Stories & New Year’s Resolutions ~ A Pen Pal Conversation with NYT Bestselling Author, J.T. Ellison. This was such a great conversation!

Paul from Paul’s Fantasy Writings interviewed me about the book and the writing life

Don’t forget to check out the Events page to see if I’ll be in your town for book tour. I would love to see you! If I’m not coming to your area, you can preorder a personalized copy from Parnassus Books.

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THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

How reading has changed in the 2010s. Always interesting to see the trends that emerged. I was sure domestic suspense was over… thank heavens I was wrong!

Bats Are Hanging Out in the Library. What Gives? Super cool! Trust me.

Writing through fear. Such a wonderful piece, really hit me where I needed it.

Something to Chew On: Tracking Down the History of the Library Cake. This is so neat! And a good reminder to give credit where it's due.

'I thought you’d like to read this': the etiquette of gifting books. Great tips!

Neil Gaiman Talks Dreamily About Fountain Pens, Notebooks & His Writing Process in His Long Interview with Tim Ferriss. Lovely interview.

This 'Harry Potter' Christmas Pop-up Bar Is Basically the Yule Ball. I want to go!

How I Found the 4 Hardest-to-Find Bookstores in the World. Sounds like a good challenge…

I dropped my Top Books of 2019 list this week. I chose 13 out of the 85 I’ve read. It was a good reading year, for sure.

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WHAT I’M READING:

NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo Ishiguro

I found this slim volume when I was looking for boarding school mysteries. I saw the description of the three friends as Hailsham School and bought it without a second though. I had no idea what I was getting into. Ishiguro was awarded the Nobel for Literature in 2017, and I’ve experienced other works of his, but nothing as deeply disturbing as this. The movie of the same name is an excellent adaptation, though it’s more up front about what’s happening than the book is. The slow reveal of Hailsham’s true purpose shocked me, troubled me, and hasn’t let me go. I suppose the title couldn’t be more perfect.

What are you reading?

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That’s it from me. Grab a copy of Good Girls Lie for you and a friend, think about your goals for the future, take a nice, long walk, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.