A THOUSAND DOORS is on sale worldwide for 99 cents!

The ebook for A THOUSAND DOORS is on sale worldwide for only $0.99! Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and said it “not only provides great pleasure but also offers readers the opportunity to sample the work of first-class writers who may be new to them.”

About the book:

The Day Mia Jensen Died, She Finally Got To Live

We’ve all played the “what if” game. For forty-year-old Mia Jensen, “what if” is a fact of life. Dissatisfied with her choices, she often dreams about what could have been. Now she has the chance to know. But that knowledge will cost her dearly. Only through death can she fully realize the value of her life.

After a terrible day, trying to figure out how she’s come to this point—alone, on the cusp of divorce––Mia hears a strange noise in her kitchen. When she investigates, she is attacked and left for dead. As Mia dies, she experiences some of the lives that could have been hers had she only made a different choice.

Can one woman find peace with the path she’s chosen before it slips through her fingers forever?

Through the unique voices of New York Times bestsellers and rising stars in women’s fiction, A THOUSAND DOORS examines how our smallest decisions create lasting effects, and asks the ultimate question—can we actually change our lives?

 
Bringing Mia to life are the following fabulous authors:

Kimberly Belle

Laura Benedict

A.F. Brady

Patti Callahan Henry

Paige Crutcher

Rebecca Drake

Heather Gudenkauf

Joy Jordan-Lake

Alisha Klapheke

Ariel Lawhon

Kerry Lonsdale

Catherine McKenzie

Kate Moretti

Lisa Patton

Kaira Rouda

Download the eBook

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Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, all! Second week of sabbatical, and I trust that all is well. I don’t know. I’m not here!

It’s these moments when I am so happy to have over a decade of blog posts to look back on to share. it’s like the greatest hits of my writing life. I’ve been blogging regularly since 2005. That’s a lot of words — I think my non-fiction word count probably outstrips my fiction 10 to 1. I found that writing about writing engendered my fiction, a happy by-product of my weekly schedule.

One of my all-time favorite blog posts was in response to having a little too much nitrous at a dentist appointment. I was listening to the Star Trek soundtrack and I had a truly transcendental experience… (ha!)

Enjoy this flashback into the grand abyss of my mind, and then it’s on to the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

B&N’s fate rests in hands of a British indie bookstore owner. "His turnaround strategy is centered on a simple premise: In a world where Amazon offers unbeatable convenience and prices, big book chains will only survive if they act more like independents."

Consider the Airport Thriller - It's time to reimagine the novels we read on airplanes. So great to see TEAR ME APART included in this list!

How to Live Intentionally in the 21st Century: An Experiment. I’ve read hundreds of articles in this vein. This is by far the best conceptually that I’ve seen. From a psychology student...

7 amazing, mouth-watering new food memoirs for summer reading (and cookout inspiration.)

SHAPE OF NIGHT gets a starred review from Publishers Weekly! Because Tess Gerritsen is the master of suspense. Can’t wait for this one!

500 Queries In 6 Years. “Write so much that it becomes less sacred.” This is some of the best writing advice ever, people. Well said, Wendy.

Books and Ink: The Literary Tattoos of NYPL Staff. I love a good literary tattoo.

Why the Pronunciation of GIF Really Can Go Either Way. Which way do you say it?

21 Must-Have Summer Reading Accessories from Amazon.

Wine of the Week at The Wine Vixen!

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What I’m Reading:

LABYRINTH by Catherine Coulter

When a Savich and Sherlock book comes out, people drop everything to read it. So clear your schedule for the weekend, friends! Labryinth is out and it's amazing. What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday! Yes, this post was written in advance of my sabbatical, so don’t worry, I promise I am NOT online.

It’s strange how we can communicate regardless, isn’t it? Stephen King talks about this in ON WRITING, how the reader and the writer have a psychic connection. No matter when you read a book, it’s always going to be months after it was written. And yet, when you open those covers, you’re transported directly into the writer’s brain at the moment they were crafting the story. If that’s not time travel, I don’t know what is.

We re-released A THOUSAND DOORS this week with a gorgeous new cover. I hope you’ve time-travelled into Mia’s world with all of us. If not, you should. It’s a thought-provoking read, perfect for book club. What if… it’s a dangerous, slippery slope, and our answer to that question is something I am incredibly proud to have been a part of.

I mention this because I’m working on a couple of short stories in addition to the new novel. I love shorts. (You can see all of them here.) They are so much fun. I love stretching my wings, discovering new characters and points of view. So I thought I’d take advantage of our physic connection today to share a couple of my favorites with you.

THE ENDARKENING is part romance, part horror, and utterly surreal, all with a Scottish backdrop. I hope you love it, because it was a blast to write. If you love it too, please don’t hesitate to leave a review. If you hate it, send me a note, instead. (LOL) Just because we need a little Halloween in July...

WHITEOUT is a Taylor Jackson novella, that not only revisits my favorite long-standing homicide lieutenant, it also introduced an assassin that you will never forget. I know I haven’t.

CATWOOD was inspired by a writers retreat I went on with a crowd of brilliant writers. Here we were, out in the woods, with the most adorable cabin and dock, a beautiful lake, a sunny day… and all I was thinking was wow… what if something happened to one of us. We’re in the middle of nowhere…

Finally, THE OMEN DAYS was a response to a great song that I love by Airborne Toxic Event called “Sometime Around Midnight.” It’s such a visual song, and I couldn’t help myself, I had to write it as a short story. of course, it took on a life of its own, and turned a wee bit supernatural…

And with that, on to the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Kindle and Nook readers: You know you don’t own those books, right? Scary to entertain but something to keep an mind…

How to Keep Up With New Book Releases. Great tips!

Whole 60. Laura Lippman has always been a knockout. And this is a superb essay.

Proving Hitchcock Right, Bird Attacks Are Turning Violent This Summer. Yikes!

How Japanese RPGs Inspired A New Generation Of Fantasy Authors. This is a fascinating connection.

Sweden's bokbåten is a floating library that brings books to residents of remote islands. So cool!

The Horrible Place Between the Apps. “In short: We are not well.”

World War II Veteran Reunites With French Woman He Loved 75 Years Ago. What a sweet story!

How To Be A Good Library Patron. Let’s treat our library staff and fellow patrons well.

How to Create Better Digital Habits with Freedom’s Locked Mode. “Science shows again and again that people who experience less temptation better manage their self-control. Why? Because they aren’t hoping for super-human amounts of will power – they just don’t expose themselves to things that don’t match their goals.”

Wine of the Week at The Wine Vixen!

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What I’m Reading:

THE DARK ABOVE by Jeremy Finley

I'm always up for some aliens and government conspiracies, and Jeremy Finley's THE DARK ABOVE is as intense as it is compulsively readable. Lyrically written and expertly plotted, moody and elegantly thrilling, it will hook you from page one all the way to the shocking end. This haunting follow-up to his stellar debut THE DARKEST TIME OF NIGHT firmly cements Finley in the who's who of today's thriller writers. It's perfect for fans of Strange Things and The X-Files, but also has a much broader appeal, sensitively handling the tenuous relationships between Will and his grandmother Lynn, fifteen years after the incident that started it all. Perfect summer reading. What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

A THOUSAND DOORS gets a new cover!

Take a gander at the brand new cover for A THOUSAND DOORS! I am madly in love. It’s on brand, on trend, and so striking! Mad props to Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations for knocking it out of the park. (And there’s a brand new hardcover edition feeding its way into the system as well!)

Haven’t read A THOUSAND DOORS yet? Publishers Weekly called it fascinating and gave it a starred review, and Bookreporter said it was worth the wait. Here’s some more about the book:

The day Mia Jensen died, she finally got to live.

We’ve all played the “what if” game. For forty-year-old Mia Jensen, “what if” is a fact of life. Dissatisfied with her choices, she often dreams about what could have been. Now she has the chance to know. But that knowledge will cost her dearly. Only through death can she fully realize the value of her life.

After a terrible day, trying to figure out how she’s come to this point—alone, on the cusp of divorce––Mia hears a strange noise in her kitchen. When she investigates, she is attacked and left for dead. As Mia dies, she experiences some of the lives that could have been hers had she only made a different choice.

Can one woman find peace with the path she’s chosen before it slips through her fingers forever?

Through the unique voices of New York Times bestsellers and rising stars in women’s fiction, A THOUSAND DOORS examines how our smallest decisions create lasting effects, and asks the ultimate question—can we actually change our lives?

Bringing Mia to life are the following fabulous authors:

Kimberly Belle
Laura Benedict
A.F. Brady
Patti Callahan Henry
Paige Crutcher
Rebecca Drake
Heather Gudenkauf
Joy Jordan-Lake
Alisha Klapheke
Ariel Lawhon
Kerry Lonsdale
Catherine McKenzie
Kate Moretti
Lisa Patton
Kaira Rouda

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And here’s even more on its genesis.

If you missed A THOUSAND DOORS the first time around, now’s your chance!

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, friends! 

It’s hot and steamy here in Nashville, akin to stepping outside into a steaming hot wet washcloth. It reminds me of the summers we flew to Florida from Colorado, the same overwhelming wetness in the air. Southerners refer to this air as “sultry” because sultry sounds a lot better than suffocating and miserable and disgustingly gross and dripping wet. Ah, words. What would we do without them?

Thrillerfest was great. Crutches in New York at a conference? Not so much. I am forever grateful to everyone, from Lynn and Valerie Constantine to Kevin in the Grand Hyatt bar and everyone in between who offered help, succor, and good humor (and complimented my shoes. Thank you, Effortless Style!) I felt quite cherished, which, I admit, was awfully nice. A good time was had by all, even Maurice the Hawaiian Giraffe, may he forever rest in peace. 🦒

One of my favorite parts of Thrillerfest is the bar. Not for the drinks, because they’re ridiculously expensive, but for the camaraderie. There is an “us against the world” mentality, and it’s so much fun to grab a table and linger for a while, because inevitably, everyone makes their way to this gathering place. You can learn a lot just by sitting back and listening.

Soon, you’ll be able to purchase a download of the panels, and let me tell you, it will be worth it. I had to miss several and I will be grabbing them, because there was just so much incredible content.

Maurice’s unfortunate demise aside (don’t ask…just follow the links and buy the book), I loved getting a chance to meet and linger with so many folks. Can’t wait for next time.

It’s always a rough week post-conference for me, which is why I don’t do too many anymore. It takes me forever to get back into the swing of things. I’ve gotten a lot of business work done this week, but not as much writing as I’d like. I’m distracted, out of my habit, spending too much time online. And you know what that means. It’s time for a social media sabbatical. 🥳

It’s been a while since my last one. I think a couple of weeks offline (because when I say social media sabbatical, it’s really a whole-Internet sabbatical) will do me good, help me settle back into the story. I’m behind on my reading, too, so it’s well-timed. 

It’s funny, when you’re a writer, and you carry your office in your head,  getting offline is really the only way to take a vacation. 

Well, I did manage to get a few things accomplished this week. The newsletter went out Thursday -- are y’all getting it? There’s a super recipe in it this month. If you’re not already signed up, you can join us here.

A blog post is coming this week with a fabulous cover reveal, so keep an eye out.

And with that, I’ll bid you adieu and let you look at the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

The Sandman, Catch-22, Cloud Atlas ... is there such thing as an 'unfilmable' book? What do you think?

A Harry Potter Book, Bought for $1 at a Yard Sale, Could Sell for More Than $37,000 at Auction. This is wild! Makes you want to start doing the yard sales, eh?

The Future of Ebook Pricing. In case you’ve ever wondered about how your library decides what digital books to buy. This is something to keep an eye on. We’re still in a disruption, no matter what people say.

Fall In Love With the Written Word at These Literary Themed New England Hotels. I want to go! Right now. Come on!

Licensed to fill out: from Stranger Things to Star Wars, the tie-in novels continuing the story. Fascinating. There are a lot of fun, interesting things about publishing that I’m still learning.

14 Pieces Of Advice From Self-Help Books People Actually Found Useful. What’s your favorite self-help book? Mine’s Twyla Tharp’s THE CREATIVE HABIT.

Writing About Synaesthesia and Face Blindness: Bee Larkham’s Murder. I'm looking forward to reading this book! I wrote a fun character who has synesthesia, and I know three people who have face blindness. Should be fascinating.

Top 10 books about cults. Something I will forever be interested in.

Wine of the Week at The Wine Vixen!

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What I’m Reading:

Look at this amazing stack of galleys I brought home from Thrillerfest! I don’t know which one I should start first. See any you’re excited to read? I’m trying to decide which one to read first on sabbatical…

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That’s all for now. Read a good book, watch some of the British Open, put some fresh food out for your hummingbirds, and I’ll see you next week—hopefully chill!

peace and hugs,
J.T.