1.19.16 - In honor of Mr. Pooh's, er, *Poe's* birthday

1.18.16 - Sam Owens #1-2 Digital Box Set ($5.99) is on sale NOW!

Looking for some reading material for your winter hibernation? I've got just the thing: the first two books in the Sam Owens series are now available in one digital package for only $5.99! 

Interested? You can find the books here:

1.17.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hi, lovelies! How are you? I'll admit, it hasn't been the easiest week. But here's a bright spot: thrillercat Jameson has been cleared to resume normal activities, so she's out of her cone! Thank goodness. It was hard on all of us to keep the poor bunny confined. 

And without further ado . . . 

Here's what happened around the Internets this week:

First of all, I'm heartbroken that cancer has taken two of our most talented men. I'm talking, of course, of David Bowie and Alan Rickman. I wrote about Bowie here on the Tao. And there's no question: Alan Rickman was Snape. I think one of my dearest friends, Laura Benedict, summed up our collective grief quite well:

Careers have highlights and low places. When someone dies, most everyone remembers the highlights. The best of people. They forget that the person was a work in progress, a work that was different from project to project, day to day. The day after that person sang/wrote that favorite song, or acted in that favorite film, they probably went on to do something less, well, remarkable. They went on living their lives, working because it meant something to be working, whether we cared about it or not. Their possibilities were still delightfully possible.

Rest peacefully, sirs. We will certainly miss you.

Some writers have a ritual before they put pen to paper. I get it — getting words on the page takes discipline. But Hunter S. Thompson's pre-writing rituals were more more unconventional than even I had originally thought . . . 

It's no secret that I love Dani Shapiro. Her writing is so beautifully lyrical and resonates so deeply with me—like this piece about the friend that got away. I know we've all had that person. Dani articulates this situation so well, it's like she was inside my brain.

Go read AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE. Just trust me on this one.

I love a tool that helps me get the job done. I have a well-documented love of Wunderlist, so I was intrigued by this article—it explains why I love the melodious ding! that sounds when I check something off the list. 

Speaking of handy tools: Mac people, do you long for a Gmail app so that you don't have to contend with yet another tab cluttering your browser? Here you go.

I dunno about you, but I'd much rather buy something once at a premium than keep replacing a cheap product. Turns out, I'm not alone—and there's a website to help people like me.

And score 1 for the indies: my hometown store, Parnassus Books, is expanding!

And here at home base:

Um, I nearly fell out of my chair when BookBub named NO ONE KNOWS one of the "15 New Books to Read If You Love GIRL ON THE TRAIN!" And a few other people have been passing around ARCs of NO ONE KNOWS, and they've been saying some really nice stuff! 

Two more months, you guys! I can't wait to talk about this one with you . . . 

Also, you need these potatoes in your life. OK? I can't stress to you how delicious (and easy!) these are on a weeknight. Want more recipes? Sign up for the newsletter, and get a new one every month. Spoiler alert: next month's is a killer slow cooker recipe . . . 

And on The Wine Vixen, Amy learned an important life skill: how to find delicious white wines at restaurants AND stay on-budget. And I indulged in a delicious Cabernet, brought to you by the same folks who make Grand Marnier (what!?). 

Want some free book samples? Every product page on Two Tales Press is now equipped with a handy link that'll let you peek inside the books. Happy reading!

That's all from me. Y'all keep warm, make some soup (or, better yet, those rib-sticking potatoes!), and we'll talk again soon!

Xoxo,
JT

1.14.16 - What people are saying about my new standalone, NO ONE KNOWS

Available for pre-order!

Hi, loves! We are getting sooooo close to the March 22 release of my new standalone novel, NO ONE KNOWS. Here's an update on what's going on:

First, really exciting news: NO ONE KNOWS was selected as a 2016 Winter Okra Pick by the Southern Independent Booksellers Association (SIBA)! I am so honored to be among some killer books and authors. I was over the moon when I found out about this.

And BookBub named it as one of their 15 New Books to Read if you loved GIRL ON THE TRAIN -- super cool

And I was also tickled when the fine people at Publisher's Weekly said this about NO ONE KNOWS: 

"Riveting . . . a skillfully plotted story that's equal parts mystery, psychological thriller, and cautionary tale. Ellison's twists are fresh . . . and the novel's action-packed conclusion will shock."

Hooray! Thanks, PW!

And these nice people had some thoughts about it, too:

“You think GONE GIRL couldn't be topped, try Ellison's web of betrayal, lies and deceit. And wonder --”
— Catherine Coulter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of NEMESIS 

“Enthralling! Ellison's twisty, turny thriller is my kind of novel: interesting characters, complex plotting, and an ending you'll never see coming. Suspense at its finest!”
— Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of FIND HER

“Clever and compelling, J.T. Ellison’s NO ONE KNOWS is a page-turner full of unexpected twists and surprises. Pour a glass of wine, settle down in your favorite chair, and get ready for an entertaining roller coaster of a read. J.T. Ellison is a fast-rising star.”
— Jeff Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of THE FIRST ORDER

“Like a nerve-shredding trip through a carnival house of mirrors, NO ONE KNOWS left me breathless. Ellison's deft, seamless prose makes her devilish twists look effortless, and her sleight-of-hand with the facts of Aubrey Hamilton’s troubled life keeps the tension wire-high. NO ONE KNOWS is razor-sharp, shocking, and delicious.”
— Laura Benedict, author of CHARLOTTE’S STORY

“Reader, beware: In NO ONE KNOWS J.T. Ellison has created a masterful game of cat-and-mouse—with Ellison being the cat and us readers her prey. My favorite kind of story—I loved it.”
— Erica Spindler, New York Times bestselling author of THE FIRST WIFE and THE FINAL SEVEN

“NO ONE KNOWS grabs you from the start and doesn’t let go. A compelling thriller about loss, betrayal, and buried secrets, it’s a book you’ll devour, trying to guess what’s going on and what will happen next. The twists are genuinely—and satisfyingly—shocking. J.T. Ellison has written another winner.”
— Meg Gardiner, Edgar Award-winning author of PHANTOM INSTINCT

“J.T. Ellison has created one hell of a brain-bender. NO ONE KNOWS is a masterfully written shell game in which a grief-stricken woman is forced to reckon with her past until everything she believes about love, hope, and trust is tested. Ellison’s storytelling powers are on sharp display in this literary thriller, proving that no one is who they claim to be and everyone has secrets worth protecting. Compelling, perceptive, unsettling and with an ending so on point I wish I could read it again for the first time. I inhaled this novel.”
— Ariel Lawhon, author of FLIGHT OF DREAMS

Suffice it to say, I can't WAIT until y'all get your hands on this one. Five years in the making, baby. And it's almost here!

Pre-order now!

1.12.16 - Literary Cat Cannot Be Bothered