Sunday Smatterings

Hey, y'all, welcome to Sunday. You doing okay? I've been thinking especially about you, Texas peeps. Nashville knows the devastation that floods can bring. Please know you're in our hearts.

I write to you from Decatur, Georgia, near Atlanta, the first stop on my LIE TO ME tour. It's a banner day – I'm on a panel with the stellar Tess Gerritsen. This is a full-circle moment for me. When I was a publishing newbie, a mere three weeks after I got my deal, I committed one of my biggest faux pas with the gracious Ms. Gerritsen... so I'm looking forward to sharing a stage and keeping my excitement buttoned up to a professional level this time. 😜

Without further ado, I give you today's links.

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Learning From the Feynman Technique. I'm a big fan of this when building a book. But what do I know?
 

Louise Penny: By the Book.  Lovely, classy—this is how it's done.
 

A Debut Novelist’s Descent Into Darkness. Gabriel Tallent's debut novel, MY ABSOLUTE DARLING, seems like a masterpiece wrought out of thin air. But Tallent, a waiter who just quit his job, has been working on this novel for much longer than anyone would realize...  
 

BookBub's 19 Thrillers to Read Before Summer's End.  Lots of goodies in here, and a few familiar faces... 😉
 

Developing Your Creative Habit. Actionable steps included... the most important part of creativity, in fact.
 

Seven Habits That Are Killing Your Creative Growth. Preach!
 

Goodreads' 21 Big Books of Fall.  For our ever-expanding TBR lists!
 

Rules For My Son.  A wonderful read. I love this!
 

“Wearing a uniform is also a way of asserting your status as a protagonist. ” On the virtues of finding a uniform—this appeals to me in so many ways...

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And closer to home:

Before you dive into LIE TO ME's marriage from hell, I present to you... my own love story—and why I think it works. A certain book we all know about releases on Tuesday (ahem). And you're going to see a lot of promotion around it. But here's a piece that falls close to my heart: the story of my own marriage. 

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That's it from me! It's a big week coming up, so you may see me around the Internets more than usual. Nashville, Minneapolis, San Francisco—come see me this week, I'll be in your neck of the woods and I'd love to say hi. Y'all be good!

xo,
J.T.

THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE is out in paperback today!

Hey, chickens, look what's out in paperback today! If you haven't read Nicholas Drummond's 4th adventure, now's your chance to snap it up at a deliciously low price.
 

Get the Paperback

Here's a bit more about the book:

“He who controls the weather, will control the world. He who controls time, will never be around.” —Thomas Frey

FBI Special Agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are the government’s Covert Eyes—leading a top-notch handpicked team of agents to tackle crimes and criminals both international and deadly. But their first case threatens their fledgling team when the Fox calls from Venice asking for help.

Kitsune has stolen an incredible artifact from the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul, and now the client wants her dead. She has a warning for Nick and Mike: she’s overheard talk that a devastating Gobi desert sandstorm that’s killed thousands in Beijing isn’t a natural phenomenon, rather is produced by man. The Covert Eyes team heads to Venice, Italy, to find out the truth.

From New York to Venice and from Rome to the Bermuda Triangle, Nicholas and Mike and their team are in a race against time, and nature herself, to stop an obsessed family from devastating Washington, D.C.

Sunday Smatterings

Hey, peeps, happy Sunday! Hope you had a good week. Did you do anything fun?

Lots of quiet time for me, writing and storing up energy for a busy fall. I'm looking forward to traveling to across the country over the next few weeks. I do my best writing on planes, actually, because I have nowhere to go and no immediate distractions – no phone to answer, no kitchen to clean, no errands to run, no kitties to throw mice for. On top of that, I get to say hi to so many of you, for which I'm so grateful! LIE TO ME is about to be born into the world, and y'all are the ones who make it all possible. Thank you, darling readers. Truly.

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

19 Thrillers You May Have Missed This Summer. Stock your TBR lists, people! Winter is coming. You may see some familiar faces here...
 

A Discover of Witches TV Show Announcement. If you've been around the Tao for a while, you know I feel pretty strongly about Deb Harkess (I love her) and her series A Discover of Witches (I love it). So I was tickled pink when Deb announced the TV casting for reluctant witch Diana Bishop and sexy vampire geneticist Matthew. Wonderful choices—especially for Diana! I can't wait to see their performances.
 

A Woman Was Arrested for "Stealing" a Case of Water Bottles and THIS Was Her Husband’s Response. LOLOLOLOL! Priceless. 😂
 

How many of the top 100 crimes novels of the early 20th century have you read? Y'all are pretty prolific readers, so I'm curious. Leave your answer in the comments...
 

Being Busy Is Killing Our Ability to Think Creatively. I'm trying my best to heed these words. Focus takes practice now, which is alarming to me. I've had a lot happening this year, so this is especially salient right now.
 

8 Books to Read If You Loved Broadchurch. After the finale, you may be jonesing for more Hardy and Miller. These may do the trick.
 

20 Literary "Would You Rather"s. Hee! 
 

A WORD ON WORDS with Elizabeth Strout. Did you know Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of OLIVE KITTERIDGE and MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON, did stand-up comedy? My cohost Mary Laura Philpott uncovers all kinds of gems in this episode of A WORD ON WORDS (psst, this kicks off a whole slew of Season 3 episodes! Stay tuned over the next few weeks for some killer all-star guests 🙌). #keepreading

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And closer to home:

LIE TO ME is here NEXT WEEK.

Needless to say, I can't wait for you to get your hands on it!

Some lovely people have been featuring the book, bloggers you may want to put on your radar if you want some tip-top resources to your TBR pile. Many thanks to:

• Novel Gossip
• Jathan & Heather
• The Book Diva’s Reads
• Broken Teepee
• No More Grumpy Bookseller

Haven't pre-ordered your copy yet? No worries.
Find your preferred format and favorite retailer here, and claim yours in a couple of clicks.

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Pre-Order DEAD ENDS: Stories from the Gothic South, available 9.28.17! 

Surprise!

As you know, I have been stocking my indie press, Two Tales, with my own short stories exclusively. But no more! 

On September 28, we are releasing the first Two Tales Press Anthology — DEAD ENDS: Stories from the Gothic South — featuring 13 original stories by 13 incredible authors. It's a themed anthology, too! DEAD ENDS is now available for pre-order in ebook, paperback, and hardcover. I hope you love it—there's some amazing stuff in here for you. Here's the lineup of incredible authors:

1. Jeff Abbott
2. Helen Ellis
3. Patti Callahan Henry
4. Amanda Stevens
5. Paige Crutcher
6. Dana Chamblee Carpenter
7. Laura Benedict
8. Bryon Quertermous
9. Dave White
10. Lisa Morton
11. David Bell
12. J.T. Ellison
13. Ariel Lawhon

Enjoy, y'all.

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That's it from me! Y'all have a great week, enjoy the last vestiges of summer before we plunge into Pumpkin Spice mode, and I'll talk to you again soon.

xo,
J.T.

Pre-Order DEAD ENDS, a Southern Gothic collection from Two Tales Press!

I have a very exciting announcement today.

As you know, I have been stocking my indie press, Two Tales, with my own short stories exclusively. But no more! 

On September 28, we are releasing the first Two Tales Press Anthology — DEAD ENDS: Stories from the Gothic South — featuring 13 original stories by 13 incredible authors.

And even more fun, this is a themed anthology. I’ve said a million times how original and creative writers are. You can give 13 writers the same picture and they’ll give you 13 different stories. I decided to put my money where my mouth is when I saw this picture:

I approached some of my writer friends with the concept of writing a short story based on this photo, with the caveat that the story be gothic in nature and related to the south in some way. This all-star lineup proved my thesis perfectly. Their stories were so inventive and fun, creepy and profound, I decided to write one of my own to join in the fun!

Here are the wonderful authors whose stories appear in DEAD ENDS:

1. Jeff Abbott
2. Helen Ellis
3. Patti Callahan Henry
4. Amanda Stevens
5. Paige Crutcher
6. Dana Chamblee Carpenter
7. Laura Benedict
8. Bryon Quertermous
9. Dave White
10. Lisa Morton
11. David Bell
12. J.T. Ellison
13. Ariel Lawhon
     

And here’s more about DEAD ENDS itself, which is now available for Pre-Order in ebook! (print pre-order available soon)
 

Look at this picture. Tell me what you see…

The American South is rife with stories of a haunted past—especially its houses. In this eclectic and impressive collection, thirteen novelists were asked to build their tales around the photo of a dilapidated mansion. They were given two requirements—the house must appear in the story, and it should be a Southern Gothic tale. And they delivered.

From childish demons to a mad novelist, from the Mississippi delta to the Appalachians, this collection from emerging voices and New York Times bestselling authors explores what happens when secrets that lie beneath the dust are disturbed—and our worst nightmares begin. 

Darkness lurks behind every corner, especially dead ends.
 

I can’t wait to get this incredible book into your hands. It will be available in both print and ebook September 28. You can request the physical book from your local indies, too! Just in time for Halloween reading….
 

Pre-Order Now!

ebook: $3.99

Paperback: $13.99

Hardcover: $24.99

Sunday Smatterings

Hey, friends, how's tricks? You doing okay?

I'm plugging away, deep in writing mode as I prep for the LIE TO ME tour that's coming up soon. It's been a good writing week, actually—I've written my way past some tricky areas in Brit #5, which is always a great feeling when I can power through. I don't believe in writer's block, just bad plots. When I'm stuck for a couple of days, I take a breather, grab a couple of margaritas with my husband, and together we can usually hash out whatever the problem is. It's a beautiful thing.

Y'all ready for some links?

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Anyone want to buy a bookstore? Seattle Mystery Bookshop is up for sale. I have long admired this great store from afar, and I'm beyond thrilled to be signing there for my first time in a couple of weeks—but heartbroken the store is up for sale. I'd love to see it live on.
 

The email app that delights. I am a big fan of the Newton Mail client. Clean, minimalist, and easy to read and respond. What more do you need? Well, Windows fans, they are available for you now, too!
 

Harry Potter Nerds Rejoice: 2 New ‘History of Magic’ Books Coming This Fall. I'll take more Harry Potter any way I can get it, thank you very much.

Harry Potter-themed store opens in Toronto. And speaking of HP, I know where I'm making a pit stop when I'm in Toronto this fall... (y'all, Toronto even has an HP-themed bar!
 

A new-to-me travel tool: JustyFly.com. If you're looking for a cheap getaway, this site may help. 
 

Here's How Many Books You Could Read Every Month If You Cut Back Time Spent on Your Smartphone. Just a tech PSA. If you read your books on your phone, you are excused.
 

18 Tiny "Game Of Thrones" Details You Might Have Missed First Time Round. This season of GoT, we're getting all kinds of payoffs. This list may help you remember some nuggets you've forgotten so you can enjoy what's happening on the screen even more. #dragons
 

7 Reasons Slow Reading Is Actually A Good Thing, Because Being A Speed Reader Is Overrated. In case you needed a morale boost for that book it's taking you forever to finish. Read to your comfort speed, no more.

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And closer to home:

Have you added LIE TO ME to Goodreads? One of the easiest ways you can (1) make sure you're ready for LIE TO ME's release and (2) help spread the word about my new book is to put it on your Goodreads shelf. Why's that? The more people who shelve the book on Goodreads, the more Goodreads will suggest it to new readers: it's a win-win situation! Speaking of Goodreads, my friend Debbie is running a LIE TO ME bookclub there in September and October, and you can join in. Trust me, you may want someone to talk about this book with when you finish. The more, the merrier!

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That's it from me. Y'all enjoy the eclipse (and make sure you wear your eclipse glasses, pretty please), eat some fresh honeydew, read a good book, and we'll talk again soon.

xo,
J.T.