11.17.16 - Things I've Done Today Instead of Writing

Today was supposed to be one of those huge word count days. Instead, it is nearly 3pm, and I’ve written a single word. One. 

As punishment, I present to you my day thus far, highlighting all the things I did instead of writing, in real time:

• Sleep through my alarm
• Love on the cats
• Talk business with a friend
• Skip my morning walk
• Eat a lingering breakfast whilst researching a duplicate wine shipment (the horror)
• Read the news
• Read the news again
• Complain on Twitter
• Receive brilliant news from my editor
• Call husband and parents to share said news
• Text assistant to share said news
• Check email
• Write agent
• Research what said news actually means
• Complain to writer friends I am getting nothing done 
• Check email
• Talk to husband again
• Throw mice for the cats
• Open manuscript. Type one word.
• Check email
• Decide to get lunch
• As I leave, unmarked pizza delivery arrives
• Decide pizza delivery man is really an assassin. Check neighbor’s Facebook to make sure they are alive, because NO ONE IS HOME TO GET THE PIZZA AND THE DELIVERY GUY IS STANDING ON THEIR PORCH WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?
• Wait for pizza delivery guy to leave because ASSASSINS
• Go to Subway for lunch
• Read a book while eating stinky salad (stinky because tuna and onions, not stinky bad)
• Order groceries
• Heat up tea, get fresh water, take laptop to the porch
• Find something sweet (spiced pecans)
• Read the one word written
• Listen to small child next door calling “Is anybody here?” (a game, I assume)
• Read the news
• Pet the cat
• Check email
• Facebook
• Update my Goodreads queue
• See I’ve only read 60 books this year, but am relieved to see I’m on track for the 70 I committed to
• Look at stats on new book just released. Realize this is a very bad idea
• Check email
• See Parnassus Books Classic Bookclub is reading AND THEN THERE WERE NONE
• Admire cover copy
• Realize I am the last person on earth who hasn’t read Agatha Christie (again, the horror)
• Order my first Agatha Christie novel 
• Check email—receive assurance from BFF I am not a hack
• Decide to write a blog. Because if you can’t write, write about not writing, right?
• Take a deep breath, turn on Freedom, and write*…
• (Whilst writing, check email three times, prep and start dinner, and take three phone calls.) 

5pm update

*and write… 1080 words. Hallelujah and hurrah! That’s 1080 fiction and 425 non-fiction. I’ve earned my walk!

Hey, it’s one of those days.

11.15.16 - Are you a pencil geek like me?

I am a pencil geek (not to be confused with a pencil-necked geek).

I’ve always loved pencils. For an OCD writer, the pencil is a must. I get anxious when I make mistakes on paper (also why the word processor probably saved my sanity) and having a way to eradicate the mistake as quickly and completely as possible is a YUGE thing for me. 

In Toronto, during the marketing meeting, the pencil I was taking notes with became a bit dull. So I bent down and reached into my backpack as unobtrusively as I could, pulled out my sharpener, and proceeded to quickly sharpen my Pearl and continued taking notes. 

A moment later I realized there was complete silence in the room.

I looked up from my note-taking to see everyone in the room biting their lips, on the edge of hysterical laughter.

“You have a pencil sharpener?” my editor asked, incredulous, and the whole room busted up laughing. 

As I am the PROUD owner of a Blackwing Long-Point pencil sharpener and I have a trove of Blackwings in my (ahem) pencil case, pencils became the topic of conversation for several minutes. Which was awesome, not only for the historical context (Hemingway preferred pencil, as does Daniel Silva, both heroes of mine) but also the discussion of pencil styles, temperaments, lead, and erasers. I gifted my agent with a Blackwing and on we went, all warmer and happier than before.

Because that’s what pencils do. They make us happy. Which is why I love to use them.

Want to get started on Blackwing? Check this out.  

And, leave me a comment, and I’ll draw at random and send the winner a box — and a sharpener — so you can get your geek on in your next meeting!
 

Nerd out, peeps! 

11.13.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Another Sunday, this one much darker and colder than the last, as fall has finally settled in and (thank heavens) daylight savings is over. I'm not a fan of DST. I must be part bear -- the longer nights and earlier sunsets means I sleep better, get up earlier, and am in general a happier camper. Isn't that odd? 

I spent the week relatively unplugged, working feverishly on the revisions of my new standalone novel. Thursday night I spoke to my alumni association (RMWC, represent!), a fun night dredging up memories of the people who told me I wouldn't ever get published (HA! I say. So there!) but I've been home the remainder of the time typing and petting the cats, so I'm in turns stir crazy and ready to sleep for a week. One fun thing, we have a new title, and a new release date. Ready?

LIE TO ME will appear on shelves September 5, 2017.  

I do have to share one great mistake: 

Typo I just found: She died of a heroine overdose.

And with that, here's what happened on the Internets this week:

 

The quite divine Parnassus Books is celebrating their 5th anniversary. I can hardly believe it's been five years, and I am so honored to call them my home store. Happy Anniversary!

I know we've all done our Meyers-Briggs tests, but I particularly like this site's in-depth analysis. Which one are you? (I'm an INTJ, btw.)

You're not dreaming: turning the clock back an hour takes a toll on your mental health. Here's how.

The answer to many of life's questions is "be more like Beyoncé." Wherever you are on the Beyoncé spectrum, I think you'll agree she does social media the way we probably all should.

Two of my favorite things combined: Harry Potter yoga!!!!!

These giant flip books in the middle of the woods in New Hampshire are mesmerizing.

 

And closer to home:

On the Tao this week, Amy and I came up with 40 things to take your mind off the election (still valid), and I talked about my recent trip to visit my publisher (spoiler alert: click for book news!).

There's still time to enter to win a copy of NO ONE KNOWS, plus 30+ more thrillers + a Kindle Fire!

And Leonard Cohen passed. Hallelujah is one of my favorite songs. So I leave you with the SNL version. That's all I have this week. I love you, I stand with you, and we'll talk again soon.

xoxo,
J.T.

11.10.16 - Toronto on My Mind

Week before last, my agent and I went to Toronto for meetings with my publisher.

It was a very exciting day, with so many takeaways I barely know where to begin. The main focus was on the new standalone, which will be coming your way around Labor Day next year. It was incredibly gratifying to see all the plans for this new novel, touch base with all the folks making it work, Facebook Live, sign books, and eat (and eat, and eat). It was truly a special day all the way around. 

I was very struck by several things.

One, obviously, I am extremely lucky to have the chance to sit down with my publishing team and discuss upcoming book plans.

Two, as the proprietor of my own small indie publishing house, it was incredible to see all the moving parts of a full-strength bonafide publisher at play. From research to marketing to art and social media, seeing the full force of a house in publishing mode was fascinating and gratifying. Makes me very, very happy I don’t have to all this on my own.

And a note about teamwork—I am endlessly grateful to have this team behind me. The players have changed slightly over the years, but I’ve been with MIRA Books for a decade now, and I’ve watched them weather all the recent publishing storms with aplomb, good humor, and an innovative attitude. These people are madly, passionately,  head-over-heels in love with books, and with the authors who create them. I’ve bumped up against people in the industry who take for granted the contribution authors make to the process; Harlequin and MIRA have always made it a point to let their authors know that without us, they don’t work. I’ve always been thrilled to be a MIRA author, I am even more overjoyed to be a part of this team now.

Also, marketing a standalone is very different from marketing a series. The differences were astounding to me, and I learned so much. Honestly, I’m still trying to process it all.

Many years ago, I wrote an essay about the value of face-to-face meetings with the people you’re doing business with, especially your agent and editor.  As a ten-year veteran of the same house, I’ve had the luxury of knowing the folks I work with forever. And I’ve known them so long because I made a special effort to meet them early on. I’m telling you, it is so worth your time and energy to find a conference your people are attending, or make a trip to visit them in their natural habitat. You won’t regret it for a minute. 

So that’s the book report on my exciting trip to Canada! More to come from the standalone front in the coming weeks, especially on the title! In the meantime, #keepwriting and #keepreading!

11.8.16 - 40 Things To Take Your Mind Off the Election

Unsettled, are we? It’s only natural when the entire universe is watching, waiting to see what direction we as a country, and as a world, will take moving forward.

Instead of fretting today, Amy and I offer to you a list of activities to occupy your thoughts:

1. Adopt a cat or dog from your local shelter
2. Eat ice cream
3. Handwrite those thank-you notes that have been stacking up
4. Start on your holiday cards
5. Read a book
6. Buy a book!
7. Gift a book!
8. Make friendship bracelets
9. Add "refollow all my friends" to your To Do list
10. Pour a glass of wine before you refollow all your friends
11. Reorganize your bookshelf
12. Clean your closet
13. Go on a Christmas present-buying rampage
14. Fill that Goodwill giveaway box that you’ve been neglecting
15. Get a manicure and pedicure
16. Rake your neighbor’s leaves
17. Jump in said pile of leaves
18. Check the batteries in your smoke detectors
19. Double check you’ve set all your clocks correctly
20. Laundry. Always laundry
21. Learn Morse code
22. Get a Ham radio (not saying there’s an impending apocalypse…)
23. Binge-watch that show you’ve been waiting for
24. Go for a walk
25. Go to a museum
26. Drink some Limoncello
27. Drink some water
28. Take a quick online Italian lesson and practice on someone
29. French kiss
30. Stare at the sunset. If it’s raining, pretend.
31. Use the word whom properly
32. Learn who Edward Hopper is
33. Look up the names in the Acknowledgements of your favorite author’s latest book
34. Buy all that author's books
35. Go to the library
36. Read "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe aloud in a fake Italian accent. Because why not?
37. Donate $5 to your favorite charity, more if you can
38. Make some coffee, tea, or cocoa in your favorite mug. Shut off the computer, turn off your phone, and enjoy
39. Remember that the world will continue to spin no matter what happens
40. Vote! (ok, so this might have something to do with the election, but we didn't tell you what to vote for—maybe you're judging a Cutest Kitten Contest, because that would be awesome)

It's all going to be okay. Pinkie swear.

Love,
JT and Amy

(P.S. this list was compiled by both of us, one of whom may have had a taste of Limoncello—you wondered about all the Italian references, didn't you?)