Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, friends!

2020 keeps serving up the plot twists, doesn’t it? I’m telling you, if a writer were to pitch this story to an editor, they’d get shot down for being too melodramatic.

I can honestly say I have zero idea where we’re headed. That is, of course, the conundrum we all face—an uncertain future. I touched on the idea of personal earthquakes in the newsletter this month, and now I want to explore the idea of why the uncertainty we’re facing today is any different than the uncertainty we face any day. Since there is little to nothing we can ever do to anticipate the future, why does this particular moment in time feel so out of our control? Nothing is in our control. Basic certainties exist, obviously: the sun will rise and set, we will need sustenance and shelter, companionship and love.  But as for the uncertainty of tomorrow? We’ve never really have any idea what’s going to happen next. 

Perhaps it’s that we’re all in this together, and that’s why it feels so much bigger than our usual day to day lack of clairvoyance.

This is comforting to me. I hope it’s comforting to you. 

I took a fun virtual writing class this week with several of my writing buddies, conducted by John Truby, entitled Why is There Philosophy in My Movie. It was all about the ways writers can use philosophical concepts to deepen their work. It spoke to me on many levels—me, the Plato devotee—and has given me all sorts of ideas about the new book. 

It feels so funny to say that. I’ve just turned in my copyedits and already, I am off to the next idea. I have an opening for two characters and am deep diving into the third. I haven’t made any decisions yet about structure, or POV, or tense, but that will come. I’m feeling very blessed that I can step away from the nonsense of the real world to focus on my craft and characters. As awful as COVID has been, it’s given me a real sense of what’s vital and important to me, and that’s creation.

What have you learned about yourself since the pandemic started? 

Onward!

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ON WRITING: ASK US ANYTHING

I spend a lot of time talking with NYT bestselling author pals Patti Callahan Henry and Ariel Lawhon about the craft of writing, about theme and plots, and character development. We send each other articles, inspiration, encouragement…and questions. Lots of questions.

We realized that we each responded to the same question from different perspectives and personalities, influencing and deepening the answers with our varied outlooks.

And we thought — why not answer some of your questions? 

So now we are starting a monthly ASK US ANYTHING ABOUT WRITING. Each of us will answer two questions every month in our newsletters.

Send your questions to jtellison@jtellison.com. To read all of the answers, make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter and then subscribe to Ariel and Patti’s newsletters to get their input along with mine!

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THIS SECRET THING by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

A deeply satisfying story of secrets, scandal, and the repercussions of the decisions we make, THIS SECRET THING is brimming with menace and hope, and showcases Whalen’s talent for bringing her multi-layered characters to life. An impressive page-turner with heart and soul.

What are you reading?

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Phew. That’s it from me. Don’t forget to send in your burning questions for the On Writing newsletter, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, friends! It’s the time of year, when my brain, trained from years of schooling, turns on. It’s remarkable, actually, how ingrained the habits of September are for me. The second there’s a chill in the evening air, everything shifts, and by the autumnal equinox, all is locked in. My habits are reformed, my days gain structure, the work seems easier. I loved going to school with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, so somewhere in my lizard brain, I suppose it carried over into adulthood. My reading slump seems to have passed, and I’m writing again, though I’d promised myself not to worry about trying to work in the middle of all the craziness that is moving. 

But story has a way of surfacing, whether you want it to or not. For those of us who’ve been called to storytelling in its many forms, trying to control the when and where falls under the category of Man plans, God laughs. When the characters start talking, you’d best get out a pen and paper and record the conversations. 

I’m approaching this new book in a different manner. I went to a great writer’s retreat last November, and I came away with a craft gem from my friend, author Mary Beth Whalen: don’t start your book until you have 40 scenes fleshed out. This was an earth-shattering idea for me, the pantser. 

It struck such a chord because when I talk about characters speaking to me, they do so against the backdrop of scenes. It’s very visual, like movie set pieces. I see what’s around them, and while I’m recording the conversations, I’m also taking note of where and when they are: interior or exterior, weather, night or day, other people around, etc. 

Transfer my “conversations” or snippets of dialogue into a more fleshed out “scene” and do it forty times before I start? OK. I can do that. It’s not outlining, so my school brain doesn’t fight against it, it’s just setting the stage properly. 

Yesterday, I sat down and offloaded the snippets that have been floating around, and lo and behold—19 scenes already before I’ve even really started fleshing out the actual story. 

I’m also studying Truby at last, at the behest of another brilliant author friend, Ariel Lawhon. Before I start writing in earnest, I’m looking at the bigger picture, the themes, symbols, and structure. I already know the theme of this book, and that’s really helped me set up for the word-making to come.

If you have any craft questions you’d like me to address, please leave them in the comments below (instead of on Facebook or Twitter, if only so I don’t have to go looking for them.)

Oh, one last thing. If you haven’t watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix, you really should. It’s incumbent upon all of us to band together to make social media work for us, instead of the other way around. 

And with that… Onward!

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Don’t forget: Goodreads is giving away 25 Advanced Reader Copies of HER DARK LIES! (US only.)

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 THE LAKEHOUSE by Joe Clifford

THE LAKEHOUSE has everything I love in a crime novel--complex characters, small town dynamics, secrets simmering under the surface, and a fresh, unexpected conclusion. Clifford’s raw, edgy voice makes him the heir apparent to Chandler. An excellent must read.

What are you reading?

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That’s it from me. Don’t forget to change the batteries on your fire alarms and sensors, pile up some leaves for jumping in, break out the sweaters, and I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

I hope you’re well today, that the tragedies of the week haven’t beaten you down. Fires and hurricanes and losing the notorious RBG... it was a tough, tough week. I’m sending you peace today.

So here we are, my first missive from the new office. The first words written in what will prove to be the second half of my already very interesting life. There’s something special about this, yes? This realization that today marks the moment I move forward into a new space, a new realm?  I have a friend who would have the right words for this, something perfect and spiritual and meaningful and symbolic about starting anew. Me, I’ll just call this the reset.

We still haven’t moved, but since my office at home is denuded of all things including desk, computer, chairs, and bookshelves, we set things up here in a temporary office. I have a view out the window, and glass doors that give me a peek into the house. Even with the banging—tile going into the laundry room—it is serene. I can see sky. The room is light, airy. Soon, it will be filled with very tall bookshelves, and it will feel very much like me. I’m tempted to only put in a few bookcases, but I don’t know what I would do with the rest of the books. Give them away, I suppose. Which feels ... strange. I’m doing a real-live Marie Kondo of everything that comes into the new space. Do my books count? Can they be pared down?

Living in a staged house has given me both the tools to edit my life and the desire for less. Maybe the lightness I feel is not being smothered by my possessions.

Another interesting thing: I’ve noticed creativity starting to knock at my mind’s door. When I am here, it feels like there is promise. I wonder if I simply sapped all the creative spirit from our old house. It gave us so much over the years, perhaps it, too, needs to have the well refilled.

I am writing a new book, mostly just in my head and with a few notes here and there. It is going to be the most difficult book I’ve ever written. I know this going in, and wonder if I should even attempt this. Maybe now isn’t the right time. Maybe now, with this transition, this life-changing event of moving house, maybe it’s too much to tackle.

But the story won’t let me go. The characters keep revealing their little secrets to me. I can see them. They are not unmolded clay, they are vibrant and real, and ready.

So I will honor this strange moment in time, and give them a chance to come out to play. It is a book about transformations, after all.

Onward!

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 FAERY TALE by Signe Pike

Signe Pike is a tour de force writer exploring 6th century Scotland with her two brilliant books, THE LOST QUEEN and this week's release of the sequel, THE FORGOTTEN KINGDOM. But I couldn't wait for the release, so I dug up a copy of her wonderful memoir, FAERY TALE. Heartfelt and wise, it's a journey of transformation, with the best backdrop in the world. I was swept away. I believe in fairies. Do you? Highly recommended.

What are you reading?

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That’s it from me. I’ll see you next week! And I’ll leave you with this beautiful thought to meditate on today, from Mary Oliver’s poem The Ponds:

Still, what I want in my life
is to be willing
to be dazzled --
to cast aside the weight of facts

and maybe even
to float a little
above this difficult world.

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday! Football is back! Baseball is happening! Golf! Racing! For this little sports addict, this is the happiest time of year. My reading always goes up in the fall, because I like nothing better that to have a book in my lap and a game on the TV. My big problem this week is Titans and Broncos on Monday night. I mean... how am I supposed to choose?

And how to enjoy when the west is on fire, and COVID surging, and who knows what else lurking around the corner? This, I think, is a thought best explored long form, so I will expound in the newsletter, which I am also writing today. And I will posit my thoughts aloud to the minions, who are excellent sounding boards. 

Jameson and Jordan turned seven this week, which is mind-boggling to me. They’re the sweetest cats on the planet, a friend to all who dare enter their sanctum, lovey and silly, chasing their balls and mice, having their tails held while they eat. Randy always says they hit the kitty lottery, but I think we were the lucky ones. Tell me about your babies in the comments!

A new book is starting to form in my head. That’s not exactly true—three new books are forming in my head. Such is the way of things. I’m not complaining; with all the distractions, having any ideas right now feels like a blessing. My agent has weighed in on her choice, so now it’s time for me to settle in and start the thinking process. Wish me luck!

Lots of good stuff today—onward!

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Speaking of… DRAGONFLY IN AMBER by Diana Gabaldon

Comfort food. With COVID and quarantine and Mars retrograde and the end of an epoch and my own personal life shifts, I need some comfort food. And I need some comfort reads. Diana is one of my go to authors when I need to self-soothe. I’ve read the OUTLANDER series a number of times, but I’ve never listened to them. Oh my gosh, y’all. To experience my favorite characters in a totally new way has been a total balm on my soul. And of course, minion Jordan enjoys mama slowing down for a bit, too. 

Tell me, what is your comfort read?

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That’s it from me. Sending prayers to my western readers—hang in there. I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

A cold front pushed through Nashville this weekend, and Friday, at dusk, the geese started south en masse. It’s not a sad sound, exactly, but it is poignant. A harbinger of change, and very fitting for our lives. Maybe this moment in time portends positive change ahead.

I’m having a quiet morning, the first in what feels like weeks. Finally sorting a couple of months of email (bad J.T.), managing my To Do list, and reading a few magazines I’ve been saving. I’m a full three weeks behind on my non-fiction pleasure reading, (aka the WSJ Grapevine, Lithub, CrimeReads, Apple+), and let’s not even talk about the books that are piling up. I’ve had exactly enough time to read about a paragraph or watch 15 minutes of a show or movie before I fall asleep in my chair. I’m still in a fiction slump, but right now it’s due to time constraints, not apathy. I’ve got October 1 as my goal date to have all this external work behind me so I can settle back into my routine. 

And wow, do I miss my routine. It’s so vital for a creative to have some sort of pattern to their days. It helps the mind settle when you habitually sit down at the same time every day to do your work. Without mine, I get fratchetty.

On another topic...Since my trip to Colorado, in a point of great personal pride, I haven’t been as nervous about getting back into the real world. I spent January to March pretty well obsessed with the virus, freaking out because no one else was freaking out. Then we shut down and everyone finally freaked out, which was such a huge relief. It made me calm and focused. I stayed home, finished my book, wiped down my groceries and my mail, and lived the hermit life. I stayed home through the first round of reopenings, and the second, and the surge that followed. 

But flying to Colorado shifted things for me. Being in a state that wasn’t in the midst of a terrible outbreak, seeing people wearing their masks but living their lives, really, really helped. As a result, I’ve started to reengage with my Nashville world. The fear that has been thrumming through my veins and drummed into me since January has shifted to wary acceptance. I’m still taking precautions, but it’s time to start living again. I know most of you have been already, sending kids back to school and working hard, and for that, I salute you! I am firmly convinced masks work—and with that, life can be lived/enjoyed again.

And maybe, in a couple of weeks, things will be even more back to normal in my world. I sure hope so. Onward!

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That’s it from me. I’ll see you next week!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.