10.20.15 - Edgar Allan Poda

Courtesy of my friends at FoxTale Book Shoppe near Atlanta, GA.

10.18.15 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, lovely people. How was your week? Nashville is starting to settle into fall, the leaves are turning crayon-colored, the mornings deliciously crisp. Such a beautiful time of year. I want to bask in it for as long as I can.

Now, to the Internets!

First of all, did you see that I have a new book coming out?? My first standalone novel, NO ONE KNOWS, comes out in March, and it's unlike anything I've ever written . . .  

Are you looking for a give-you-goosebumps read for the Halloween season? Look no further than Laura Benedict's CHARLOTTE'S STORY. A Southern Gothic of the highest order, trust me—you'll be pleased.

"We are all beautiful and offer amazing gifts to the world, if we would just get out of our own way." A beautiful post that I really needed to hear.

The Wine Vixen says BEWARE: you may not be drinking the wine you think you are.

Baby animal alert: this little baby bat hugging his mama will fill up your Cute-O-Meter for the day!

What's better than attending a Readerfest? Why, attending a Readerfest in your pajamas, of course! Join me and fellow thriller author Laura Griffin at the XOXO Connects Readerfest this Saturday, October 24, at 12:30 pm EST. We'll be talking all things thriller and books and will have just a delightful time. This is a no-pants-required sort of deal, so no judgment from this corner if you show up in your skivvies.

That's all I've got for now, folks. May your weeks be filled with a warm mug of tea, a good book, and a toasty, cozy fire.

Xoxo,

JT

10.15.15 - I have a new book coming out! And here's the cover reveal . . .

Friends, Romans, Chickens, lend me your eyes.

Because I'm ridiculously excited to show you the cover of my first standalone novel, NO ONE KNOWS, coming your way March 22, 2016!

Isn't it gorgeous??

I can't wait until you guys read this one. It's been in the making for about six years now, and it's unlike anything I've ever written—but in a good way (according to my editor!). If you liked Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, I think this one will be up your alley.

Here's where you can pre-order NO ONE KNOWS and get it in your hot little hands on March 22!

Print

ebook

And here's a bit about what happens in NO ONE KNOWS!

In an obsessive mystery as thrilling as The Girl on the Train and The Husband’s Secret, New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison will make you question every twist in her page-turning novel—and wonder which of her vividly drawn characters you should trust.

The day Aubrey Hamilton’s husband is declared dead by the state of Tennessee should bring closure so she can move on with her life. But Aubrey doesn’t want to move on; she wants Josh back. It’s been five years since he disappeared, since their blissfully happy marriage—they were happy, weren’t they?—screeched to a halt and Aubrey became the prime suspect in his disappearance. Five years of emptiness, solitude, loneliness, questions. Why didn’t Josh show up at his friend’s bachelor party? Was he murdered? Did he run away? And now, all this time later, who is the mysterious yet strangely familiar figure suddenly haunting her new life?

In NO ONE KNOWS, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of the Nicholas Drummond series expertly peels back the layers of a complex woman who is hiding dark secrets beneath her unassuming exterior. This masterful thriller for fans of Gillian Flynn, Liane Moriarty, and Paula Hawkins will pull readers into a you’ll-never-guess merry-go-round of danger and deception. Round and round and round it goes, where it stops . . . no one knows.

You'll hear more about this book in the coming days. But you should probably pre-order it. Because let's just say, hypothetically, you forget that you ordered this (I know this is impossible, but just run with me here). And then it shows up unexpectedly on your doorstop or tablet. And then you've just basically thrown yourself your own mini-surprise party. I mean, at the end of March, I can guarantee we're all going to need a mini-surprise party of sorts. Just saying.

I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for helping me continue the greatest job on the planet! 

xoxo

10.11.15 - Sunday Smatterings

My chickens!!!

How've you been? I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off (but not one of you chickens, of course!). Busy, busy, busy has been the MO in the Ellison household for the past few months, between all the travel, all the book launches, and all the writing. Craziness. But good crazy. 

I do know this, though: I'm not traveling anymore until the holidays. So shall it be written, so shall it be done. I've got books to write and kitties to love on!

Whew.

Here's what caught my eye on the Internets this week:

Reunited, and it feels so good! The cats and I were ridiculously happy to be back together after so much travel.

This is the first trait of successful people, according to Om Swami (I loved this).

For all the hopeless romantics out there: watch the gum commercial that made Assistant Amy cry in the middle of Starbucks. That's some fine storytelling right there.

Some "artists prefer resistance to success. Are you one of them?

The incomparable Jackie Collins wrote a moving and inspirational final letter to her readers, in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

For all of you who dream of a vacation in Napa, tune into my four-part travelogue, In Vino Veritas, on The Wine Vixen. Oh, this was a fun one, folks, and I have wine recommendations to boot!

Also, my recipe this month is ridiculously easy and perfect for this chillier weather: turkey and sweet potato chili. Also, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, where you can get recipes, book recommendations, and my latest news all delivered into one pretty package in your inbox!

And on the contest front, I've got a couple for you: a Thrills and Chills Sweepstakes, courtesy of my publisher, MIRA (open to US residents only); and my monthly October contest. Click here to enter!

That's all for now. Stay warm, and I'll see you next week!

Xoxo,

JT

10.1.15 - 7 Minutes With... Barbara Freethy + a giveaway!

I had the honor of meeting Barbara Freethy at one of Catherine’s awesome author lunches, and we hit it off. She’s incredibly smart, incredibly dedicated, a take-no-prisoners business woman, and a wildly creative writer—talk about the whole package. When Barbara talks, I listen, and I’m not the only one. From her groundbreaking self-publishing career to discussions of love and life, she always has the right thing to say. And her books are fantastic—for all my romance, romantic-suspense and women’s fiction reader peeps, Barbara’s your writer. With multiple series and titles and sagas, there’s enough of her work to keep you busy for ages! I can’t wait to sit down with her and get all the insider scoop on independent publishing. At least we’ll get a sneak peek today. 

Oh, and she’s agreed to give away three copies (print or digital—winners’ choice!) of her latest book, BEAUTIFUL STORM, which comes out today! Contest details are below.

Barbara, take it away! 

_________

Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

“Blank Space” by Taylor Swift
 

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

I'm writing LIGHTNING LINGERS (Book #2) in my Lightning Strikes Trilogy.

What’s your latest book about?

BEAUTIFUL STORM (Book #1 in my Lightning Strikes Trilogy) begins a three-book overarching romantic suspense trilogy. The heroine, Alicia Monroe, is a news photographer by day and photographs lightning storms at night. She's obsessed with lightning after her father's plane went down in an electrical storm ten years earlier. When the book begins, Alicia sees what appears to be a murder in the flashes of lightning. She finds a military ID tag on the ground that belongs to a missing woman, and soon Alicia is on a dangerous search for truth and justice.
 

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I write on a laptop, and I often sit in a big, comfortable chair with an ottoman. I have one in my bedroom and another in my office. I also write some afternoons with two writing friends at Starbucks.
 

What was your favorite book as a child?

That's a difficult question. I was a voracious reader as a kid. I probably read every single Nancy Drew adventure, so I'd have to put that series high on the list of favorites.
 

What’s your secret talent?

I'm a really good tennis player.
 

What book are you reading now?

I'm reading THE HARBOR by Carla Neggers.
 

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Probably in college, but I didn't realize I could actually make that a career until years later. But eventually I sat down and wrote that first book, and that started the fantastic journey I've been on for quite a few years now.  
 

Who is your writing idol? Have you met him/her? If so, did you completely nerd out or keep your cool? 

I really love Nora Roberts. I respect her writing philosophies and love her books. I've never met her personally, so that would be fun. I have met Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Catherine Coulter, and Debbie Macomber, and each was amazingly wonderful and charming.
 

 What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

Don't worry about writing a bad first draft. I always find that once I start digging into my story, wonderful things come out that I never imagined. For me the experience of writing is about telling myself the story, so I try to give myself permission not to be perfect during the draft stage. There is always time for revision!
 

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

I look in the refrigerator a lot for inspiration—LOL! But I rarely find it there. I do find that taking a shower sometimes loosens up the jam in my head. But ultimately when there is no time for writer's block, I just push myself to write something—anything—and that usually gets me going.
 

 Are you creatively satisfied?

Yes, I love being a writer. I can't think of a better job. Even when it's difficult and the words don't come or the story doesn't seem to work, there's nothing more fun that creating a story and a world out of nothing. 
 

What would you like to be remembered for?

I'd like to be thought of as a good storyteller.
 

Alright, now for the really important questions:

• Beach or mountains? Beach! Love the crashing waves.
• Coffee or tea? Tea, but my real vice is Diet Coke.
• Skydive or bungee jump? Neither—I am definitely not a thrill seeker when it comes to heights.
• Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate!
• Winter or summer? Summer—I grew up in Southern California. I love the summer heat.
• Cake or pie? Cake
• Cats or dogs? Both but currently have two kitties—so I have to say cats!
• Pens or pencils? Pens, unless it's a cool automatic pencil. But I rarely write with anything these days. It's all about the keyboard.
• Truth or dare? Truth.
• Print or ebook? Ebook—except at the beach. Then I still love print. 

_________

About Barbara Freethy

Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 45 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Traditionally published for many years, Barbara opened her own publishing company in 2011 and has since sold over 5 million books! Twenty of her titles have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.

Known for her emotional and compelling stories of love, family, mystery and romance, Barbara enjoys writing about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary adventures. Barbara is launching a new romantic mystery trilogy in 2015 with BEAUTIFUL STORM, the first book in the Lightning Strikes trilogy.

If you like lighthearted family series and romance, check out Barbara's ongoing Callaway Series. 

For information, visit Barbara's website or follow Barbara on Facebook.
 

And here's a little more about BEAUTIFUL STORM, which is out TODAY!

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Barbara Freethy comes the first book in a new romantic suspense trilogy, Lightning Strikes. In these connected novels, lightning leads to love, danger, and the unraveling of long-buried secrets that will change not only the past but also the future . . . 

When her father's plane mysteriously disappeared in the middle of an electrical storm, Alicia Monroe became obsessed with lightning. Now a news photographer in Miami, Alicia covers local stories by day and chases storms at night. In a flash of lightning, she sees what appears to be a murder, but when she gets to the scene, there is no body, only a military tag belonging to Liliana Valdez, a woman who has been missing for two months. 

While the police use the tag to jump-start their stalled investigation, Alicia sets off on her own to find the missing woman. Her search takes her into the heart of Miami's Cuban-American community, where she meets the attractive but brooding Michael Cordero, who has his own demons to vanquish.

Soon Alicia and Michael are not just trying to save Liliana's life but also their own, as someone will do anything to protect a dark secret . . . 
 

Like I mentioned earlier, Barbara is giving away three copies of BEAUTIFUL STORM to you, my lucky chickens! To enter, leave a comment below answering this question: 
 

Have you ever seen anything that gave you the creeps during a storm?

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