8.15.16 - A little bird told me the FIELD OF GRAVES audiobook is on Audible...

Here's some happy news for a Monday:

The FIELD OF GRAVES audiobook is available on Audible! 🎉

P.S. It'll be available everywhere else on August 23. Hooray! 

8.14.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, chickens!

It's me, JT! How's your neck of the woods? I've been in Colorado this week, visiting my family and enjoying the big, blue sky out here (not to mention winning some golf money off of my dad's group—mwahaha!). Thanks to everyone who came to Tattered Cover for the signing this week—I always enjoy catching up with familiar faces and meeting new ones. You guys are the best.

Oh, and we're taking a family road trip this week. Yep, you read that right. Me, parents, and siblings are loading up to visit Mt. Rushmore.

Wish us luck.

And be on the lookout for photos on Facebook and Instagram!

Anyway...

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

I am a book nerd, and I love tea. Therefore, I love adorable book & tea accessories. BookBub compiled a list of 17 kitschy items that'd be great stocking stuffers for anyone on your list who loves to lose themselves in a great story while sipping a warm beverage.

I know y'all like finding new recipes as much as I do. This week Amy discovered (and loved!) this apple cider vinegar coleslaw recipe. Light and refreshing, this is the slaw to serve to your mayo-averse friends and goes great with bbq chicken.

It's no secret that I adore the brilliant Margaret Atwood—I even got to interview her for my TV show, A Word on Words! I was delighted to connect with her over our shared childhoods growing up in the wild—she in Eastern Canada, and me in the Colorado. The Wall Street Journal went a bit deeper into Atwood's childhood, and I grew even more fascinated. *Note: a WSJ login is needed to access the full article.

"This is why you shouldn't check email outside of work"—YES. I loved from The Daily Mail. Seriously, let's all agree to shut off our email at 6 p.m., shall we?

"To a writer, a body of work is a taunt." An interesting assertion in the New York Times Book Review. Fellow writers, do you agree?

And closer to home:

Darlings. The NO ONE KNOWS paperback is available for pre-order (!!!), and I've got to tell you, I love this gorgeous cover. Take note, paperback lovers: this will be in stores November 1. 

That's it from me! Y'all have a good week, hug your kitties, wear your sunscreen, and we'll talk again soon!

xo,
JT

8.11.16 - Waiting for the NO ONE KNOWS paperback? Check out this brilliant cover . . .

Y'all. I had to take a second to share this with you—the cover for the NO ONE KNOWS trade paperback!!! Isn't it pretty? I love the orange and black. It's the perfect accompaniment to a fall watching UT football, right?

If you've been waiting for the paperback, now's your chance to pre-order! It comes out November 1, so it can be an early Christmas present to yourself.

Pre-Order the Paperback

AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
BOOKS-A-MILLION
INDIEBOUND
SIMON & SCHUSTER

8.7.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hi, Guys!
 

Amy here. How was your week? Mine was a wee bit crazy, but you know what I discovered? There are such things as cookie delivery services. 

Let that sink in.

If you're running short on time or don't have all the ingredients in your pantry, yet want to show the love to someone you care about, you can order straight-from-the-oven cookies to be delivered to that someone. As someone who was a recipient of said cookies (I'm looking at you, Jake's Bakes in Nashville), they're a small little something that made my day. 

Just a thought the next time you want to feed your friend's soul with warm, gooey goodness.

Anyway!

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

For something a little different to beat the heat, I'm eying this sweet ginger lemonade. Sounds intriguing, no?

Wanna increase your productivity? Try the Pomodoro Technique.

Can you teach your brain to ignore things? 🤔

This week, Netflix accidentally placed the closed captioning of an Aziz Ansari comedy special on a National Geographic animal documentary, and the results were absolutely perfect.

And closer to home:

Do you like Romantic Suspense? Then you're going to LOVE this giveaway! Spoiler alert: a Kindle Fire is up for grabs!

And happy release week to our friend, the brilliant Catherine Coulter! Catherine's new Savich & Sherlock novel, INSIDIOUS, hits shelves this week, and she's celebrating with this contest.

FYI, Denver peeps: JT's going to be signing books at Tattered Cover–Aspen Grove this Thursday night at 7. Go! Have fun! Get all the books!

And in the newly released August News, we shared this recipe for super-easy Cajun Roasted Chicken (this is perfect for those busy school nights coming up). Wanna get awesome recipes like this in your inbox every month? Sign up for JT's email list. There's a free ebook for you, too!

That's it from me, friends. Give someone some cookies, stay cool, and I'll talk to you soon!

Cordially yours,
Assistant Amy

7.31.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hi, guys!

Amy here. How was your week? I can't believe we're already at the end of July. The. end. of. July. You know what this means? Christmas decorations are going to start crawling into the corners of craft stores, and as soon as Back-to-School is underway, then it'll be a full Holiday Décor onslaught. 

Madness. 

By the way, our local schools are starting this week. 

I know. I know. Let that sink in.

Anyway.

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Full disclosure: I'm on a Rambo-charged organizing kick. I'm not sure why: perhaps my inner neat freak has been inspired by too many Instagram posts of beautiful closets with everything meticulously in place and labeled. Regardless, I'm going to share my obsessions with you.

You're welcome in advance. 

This plastic file box has become home to all of my important documents. I'm telling you, there's no peace of mind like knowing you don't have to sift through piles of envelopes and minutiae to find your birth certificate or a rogue instruction manual—it's all there.

I really like these storage boxes from The Container Store. They're a lovely way to store printer paper or corral craft supplies. They come in all kinds of colors, so you can mix and match to your heart's content.

My closets have become much more manageable with these cloth storage totes. I can divide and conquer my smaller cabinet fare, like First Aid items, pill bottles, toiletries, cosmetics, and more. Gone are the days of the Great Travel Shampoo Bottle Avalanche, thank goodness! (it happened more often than you'd think, trust me—I like free shampoo, ok?)

Book nerd alert! It's a card catalog! I have not purchased this, because I have no idea what I would put in it (so. many. drawers.). Thoughts?

For holding overflow produce or berries on the counter, there's nothing cuter than this little ceramic basket. I mean, come on.

So these napkins don't fall into the "organization" category, but someday I hope I have my life together enough where I entertain with cloth napkins on the table...and have the ability to get the stains out afterward. 😂 Don't you get a Girl Scout badge for entertaining with cloth napkins? Regardless, these are adorable. They remind me of a beautiful flower table cloth my grandmother would use for her spectacular Sunday dinners.

This Pressure Cooker Mexican Beef is my current recipe obsession. I've made it for two weeks in a row and, thanks to a recent Chuck Roast sale at my local Kroger, I might be making it for Week #3, and I don't even care. And thanks to my Instant Pot, I can dig into my roast in 1/3 of the time it normally takes to braise in the oven—and I don't have to turn on my oven, which means my house and I stay cool. Plus I have an excuse to eat avocados with something else. Win!  

This week, I read about the worst book signing of all time. Truly. It was horrible. By the time I was done reading, I wanted to give this author a huge hug and a bag of chocolate.

Lucky us: the brilliant Catherine Coulter's newest Savich & Sherlock thriller is coming out next week! And she's giving away a. ton. of. prizes. Including an iPad mini! Go check out her epic giveaway!

 

And closer to home:

This week's Wine Vixen post brought a delicious Pinot Grigio you white wine-lovers shouldn't pass up!

Are you on JT's monthly newsletter list? Sign up for book news, contests, and so many delicious recipes. Also, you are automatically entered into any contest she runs for life. For reals. We've got a newsletter coming out this week—it's the perfect time to join the fun!

That's it from me, y'all. Have a great week, eat some tomatoes 🍅, and I'll talk to you soon!

Cordially yours,
Assistant Amy