Gentle Readers:

Happy November! How have y'all been? The holidays are nearly upon us — are you looking forward to the promise of food, football, and family in the next few weeks? I am—because for once, I am not on deadline at Christmas!

Now, brace yourself. I have news. A lot of news. I'm having a hard time deciding which is the most special and exciting, so I'm just going to blurt it all out for you.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE TAYLOR AND SAM BOOKS!!!!

I've just agreed to a new deal with Mira Books, my longtime publisher, for three more books in the Taylor and Sam series. And, the prequel to the Taylor series, which you've heard me call CROSSED, is now titled FIELD OF GRAVES (Taylor Jackson #0), and will release in hardcover June 14, 2016. The book that will release after that, currently titled ALL FALL DOWN (Samantha Owens #5), will carry on the story of WHAT LIES BEHIND. The two books are a duology, and I can't wait to start writing. I'll get you dates as soon as I have them, but it looks like 2017 for that one.

And speaking of our favorite homicide lieutenant, the Taylor Jackson box set featuring Books #5-7 will be available on an e-reader near you on November 16. Refresh yourself on the series, and enjoy those gorgeous new covers!

WHAT LIES BEHIND, the fourth installment of the Sam Owens series, comes out in mass market paperback on November 24. It makes a wonderful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. Because what encourages family togetherness more than depictions of bioterrorism? Nothing, I say. It's also an excellent stocking stuffer. Go grab your copy today (it's only $7.99!).

Speaking of Sam Owens, the first couple of books in the series got a fresh, new look. Aren't they gorgeous? They've already hit ebook shelves, and I think they bring the series together in a nice, cohesive way.

I've got more exciting news: I've launched my own publishing house, Two Tales Press! It's chock-full of short stories and novellas: some short, some long; some previously published, some brand-new. I'll still be publishing traditionally, but I describe the whys behind the new press in detail on the site. And our launch special is a doozy: for those of you who aren't quite ready to let go of Halloween, I've got a bundle of creepy ghost stories, plus an exclusive excerpt of my new standalone, NO ONE KNOWS, on sale for only $0.99. I can't wait to share this with y'all and will continue to send along updates. In the meantime, you can get the scoop on new titles and special SALES by following us on Facebook and Twitter

And more news on the home front: Are you interesting in literary television? Good, because I am now co-hosting A WORD ON WORDS, Nashville's premier literary TV series that was hosted by the great John Seigenthaler for more than 40 years. This re-launch will have me and my co-host (chost! Which we pronounce "coast," because we are too lazy to say two syllables) Mary Laura Philpott meeting with authors at locations all around Nashville. The show will air in two- to three-minute segments on air and full 20-ish-minute episodes online. I've already gotten to interview Patti Callahan Henry, David Bell, Greg Iles, Paul Theroux, Geraldine Brooks, and (cue fainting spells) Margaret Atwood and Deborah Harkness! And it's been such a blast! Check out this blog post to find out more. The show can be seen locally on NPT Thursday nights at 7:26 pm and Sunday mornings at 10:26 am. I'll be posting links to the shows and the full-length versions on the Tao.

Have you been following my (another, JT?) new venture, The Wine Vixen? My assistant Amy and I have been having a blast trying new wines, posting wine travelogues, and finding the best wine funnies from the Internet. Come follow the fun on Facebook, Twitter, or get posts right in your inbox!

Whew—that's a lot of stuff for one month. Did you know you can get all of this information in real time? It's true! Sign up for my blog, The Tao of JT, right here to get blog posts delivered right into your inbox—because you know you want more JT!

Events

Join me and novelist Dana Chamblee Carpenter November 15, 2015 at 2:00 pm CST at Parnassus Books in Nashville for a lively discussion on Dana's fabulous debut novel, BOHEMIAN GOSPEL, along with some wine and nibbles. We'll chat and sign books after. It's a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

That's it for me in 2015, but a 2016 sneak peek—for those of you in the Tucson area, I will be at the festival this year!

Get Thee to a Bookstore

I've done a lot of great reading lately, thanks to my guests on A WORD ON WORDS. Have I told you lately how much I love my job?

THE SECRET CHORD ‐ Geraldine Brooks
NATCHEZ BURNING ‐ Greg Iles
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES ‐ Deborah Harkness
SHADOW OF NIGHT ‐ Deborah Harkness
DEEP SOUTH ‐ Paul Theroux
THE HEART GOES LAST ‐ Margaret Atwood
THE HANDMAID'S TALE ‐ Margaret Atwood
NEGOTIATING WITH THE DEAD ‐ Margaret Atwood

If you’re on Goodreads, friend me, and follow along. I’m always interested in what you’re reading, too!

November Contest

The November contest is live now: enter to win a paperback copy of Elizabeth Hoyt's THIEF OF SHADOWS, a Cynthia Rowly memo pad with pen and also a keychain.

Enter here to win.

November Recipe — Bonus Holiday Carb Version!

Cornbread Stuffing
(Click here for printable PDF)*

You know you need holiday recipes, and I'm here to deliver with delicious carbs! Growing up in Colorado, we had stuffing in the bird, but it wasn't cornbread based, it was made from stale WonderBread®! Add in eggs and celery and onion and poultry seasoning, stuff it into that nasty cavity and boom, stuffing.

But in the south, cornbread stuffing reigns supreme, most with delicious sausage in it. Here's the Jimmy Dean recipe, which is delightful. And the best part? No turkey butts needed!

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Jimmy Dean® Premium Pork Roll Sausage (Sage or Regular)
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 cups coarsely crumbled cornbread, toasted
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Cook sausage, celery and onion in large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat 8 - 10 minutes or until sausage is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain. Spoon into large bowl.
• Add cornbread, parsley and poultry seasoning; mix lightly.
• Add broth and egg; mix just until blended.
• Stir in pecans, if desired.
• Spoon into lightly greased 2-quart casserole or soufflé dish; cover.
• Bake 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated, uncovering after 35 minutes.

For the 4 cups crumbled cornbread needed to prepare this recipe, bake 1 pkg. (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix according to the package directions. Cool, then coarsely crumble. To toast the crumbled cornbread, preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the cornbread onto bottom of large shallow baking pan. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring after 5 minutes.

8 servings (1 cup each)

Bonus Recipe: Herb Roasted Potatoes
(Click here for printable PDF)*

This, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the easiest side dishes on the planet. Who doesn't love potatoes? And bonus: it's gluten-free!

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 ½ to 3 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch cubes (do not peel!)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet with foil (for easy clean-up), and set aside.
• Combine all ingredients in large bowl or zip-top bag. Stir (or shake the bag, if using) to blend well.
• Transfer the potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet, spreading out in a single layer.
• Bake until the potatoes are browned and tender, about 40 minutes, flipping the potatoes with a spatula halfway through cooking.

That's it from me. Have a blessed Thanksgiving, get your copy of WHAT LIES BEHIND, and brace yourself—the season is upon us!

xoxo,

*You can see all of my previous recipes and download them here.