5.31.16 - 7 Minutes With... Alissa Moreno

Alissa Moreno’s voice will break your heart and put it back together again. I’m not kidding. I first saw her play at a Nashville East Side Storytellin’ event, and sat entranced through her set. Of course, I had to introduce myself (something I NEVER do to celebrities), and we struck up a lovely friendship. She’s now part of my tribe, and I’m not exaggerating when I say I think she’s one of the most talented songwriters in Nashville. A lot of other people do, too. She’s also a yoga-loving, clean-eating freak like me, so we’re having a lot of fun sampling Nashville’s finest wares. It’s so incredible for me to see a completely different side of writing creativity—songwriting and performing are similar but so very different from books. I know you’re going to love her as much as I do.

Take it away, Alissa!  

_______

Set your music to Shuffle and hit Play. What’s the first song that comes up?

Well, embarrassingly, the first song that came up was my song "Get Back U"' but that is because I didn't actually turn Shuffle on correctly the first time, and I was sending files off for mastering earlier today. So . . . once I overcame my computer challenges and correctly turned Shuffle on, "Still Sane" by Lorde started playing. She's outrageously talented.

Oh, this is so fun! Rascal Flatts just came on—it's their version of my song "Every Day" which I haven't heard in years! Okay, I don't focus well when I'm listening to music, so I'm going to come back to you when this song is done. Damn . . . Gary can sing!

Ha!! You crack me up! Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

Today (Friday) is a wild card day for me (my Fridays always are), which means I don't have a consistent co-writing session. The focus today was on Easter and all the outrageous colors and art we can come up with for our Easter egg dyeing this year. I spent my day toting my adorable three-year-old son around, and I asked him if he wanted to hear my new song I wrote yesterday.  He's a great A&R guy, and he loves a pretty small percentage of what I write and record. I trust him. His reaction to this new song was so good, I called my co-writer/producer and gave her my edit ideas straight away.

You just released a new album called GETAWAY CAR. Congrats! What’s it about?

Thanks! Getaway Car is mostly about overcoming. And a little bit of straight-up surviving. It's a more mature reflection on love and loss than my first album, In Your Wake, and it's interesting to see the changes in perspective the last eight years have brought me.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I write everywhere. I write in studios and publishing offices around Nashville with grand pianos and a plethora of cool guitars. I write in airplanes with my MacBook and terrible tiny little headphones to a track a producer sends me. I write in my bed at three in the morning with my voice and my iPhone. The really fun writes are on boats and in exotic getaways designed by our publishers, labels, and management to keep us inspired. IT WORKS! Last summer I was in South Beach working on a project, and we discovered that we had a certain magic in one specific hotel room at the W, and another magic entirely on a tiny private island a few miles away.

What was the first album that struck a chord with you? (pun completely intended)

The Cure’s "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me". Something about Robert Smith's vulnerability when he sings, paired with guitar and synth sounds that were so unique. Then add the melancholic and sometimes even tragic sentiment to the mix with catchy, intelligent melodies and hooky musical interludes . . . I can go on and on . . . . . .

What’s your secret talent?

Identifying people's ayurvedic prakrutis (genetic make-up) and vikrutis (imbalances)

Which album or artists have been pumping through your headphones lately?

I have been on a listening fast—I do this from time to time to "clear out" and let my mind follow new paths to its own melodies, and to let the muse send in fresh ideas and concepts. The neat thing about this exercise is that it lends itself to my theory that there is a creative consciousness that many artists tap into. It's as if we tune in to the same "station", so to speak, because when I come up for air, there is usually a song out in my songwriting community or even on radio that is eerily similar.

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

At about age 5. For the next 12 years, I vacillated back and forth between actor and musician, but music came very easily, and it seemed more immediate. I pictured myself reciting monologues at parties, and then I pictured myself playing guitar and singing around a campfire. Music won. I've always felt that actors face SUCH a challenge in finding the right script, getting through casting, having a great director, having chemistry with their fellow actors . . . the list goes on. But I can sing and share the gift of music ANYTIME I want. Anywhere. I'm grateful for that.

Who is your music idol? Have you met him/her? If so, did you completely nerd out or keep your cool?

That's a hard one! I have quite a few. Tori Amos, Trent Reznor, Sheryl Crow, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Ani DiFranco. I had the great pleasure of attending the U2 concert in Nashville a few summers ago and I got to meet The Edge backstage. He kissed my cheek and congratulated me on my song, and my life felt as if it had circled around and come back to me in a matter of seconds. It was bizarre and settling all at once. I was at the show with Bob Ezrin, a wonderful mentor and friend whose album, The Wall, defined my 7th grade experience. It was the soundtrack to my life, and it walked me through a lot. It was very surreal to think I was in the company of such amazing, accomplished, incredible musicians and human beings. We were backstage because of the friendship Bob and Edge have formed in creating their charity, Music Rising

What’s your favorite bit of performing advice?

Spend time getting to know your venue and the crowd before you go on, if at all possible.

What do you do if your creative juices aren’t flowing?

Write a song anyway.

Are you creatively satisfied?

This week? Extremely.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Being kind. Making people feel better. Fragmented sentences.

Alright, now for the really important questions:

• Beach or mountains? Beach.
• Coffee or tea? Lately, tea. High Garden Tea to be specific!
• Skydive or bungee jump? Skydive!
• Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla.
• Winter or summer? Summer.
• Cake or pie? Cake.
• Cats or dogs? Dogs.
• Pens or pencils? Pencils.
• Truth or dare? Dare.
• Mp3’s or vinyl? Vinyl. 

_______

Alissa Moreno was born on a small Navajo reservation then grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She co-wrote the Grammy-nominated hit "Every Day" for Rascal Flatts; her song "Far From Here" was the show ID for the Lifetime series Army Wives; and she co-wrote/co- performed ABC's Hope and Faith theme song. Her music is featured in television and film with numerous songs licensed to The Vineyard, The Hills, Laguna Beach, How I Met Your Mother, Guiding Light, Will and Grace and many others, including the film Paul Blart: Mall Cop. She was the vocal coach to Ben Affleck for his award-winning role in Hollywoodland. Alissa currently lives in Nashville, and has written with and been recorded by artists such as Colbie Caillat, Alex Da Kid, Kina Grannis, Street Runner, JoJo, Chuck Wicks, Mallary Hope, Kate Voegelle, Javier Colon, Nikola Rachelle Bedingfield, Fast Ball, Big Al Anderson, Vince Gill and Vertical Horizon.
 

You can find Alissa's music on:

5.29.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Welcome to Memorial Day weekend, chickens! It's been a quiet one at Chez Ellison, as the mister and I contracted some sort of plague which includes a lovely low-grade fever. Which is okay, actually, because we've been going so hard and fast the past few months, a weekend off is agreeable to us both. The renovations are done too! We have new floors throughout the house, and finally have some peace.

Anywho, off to the Smatterings!

Here's what happened on the 'Net this week:

It's no secret I am a fan of Steven Pressfield, and his blog this week, "The Blitzkrieg Method" on writing first drafts is stellar. Just vomit them out, people. You can fix the rest later. 

I love the short form, and was excited to see the awesome list of 17 Stellar Short Stories You Should Read Online This Month.

This list of resources on furthering your education, called How to Make the Time to Learn, is priceless. I joke that I get a new Ph.D. every book, but it's true -- and now, here are some seriously awesome links to get you started on yours! 

Because what is Smatterings without talking books: What Your TBR List Says About Your Personality. Full disclosure, I am adventurous. I know, you're shocked. 

And since we all need a little zen in our lives, I highly recommend a cuppa and ten minutes ruminating on this lovely, peace-filled essay: Calling on the Muse: A Meditation for Writers

And on the home front:

There is 1 day left to Win 11 Signed Thriller Novels PLUS a Brand New Kindle Fire! ENTER NOW!

I was blown away to hear NO ONE KNOWS on Modern Mrs. Darcy podcast, and then even more excited to learn it had been chosen for her exceptional 2016 Summer Reading Guide. You'll find it in the Gripping Novels section! 

On the Tao, I hosted my friend and fellow thriller writer Tosca Lee.

From The Wine Vixen: 9 Wines for Barbecues & Beaches This Summer Because it's that time of year, peeps. 

And we've got a sleek, exciting new newsletter coming your way next week. If you're not a part of the list, join us!

That's it from me, darlings. God Bless our fallen heroes, and be safe out there!

XO,

JT

7 Minutes With... Tosca Lee

I'm so pleased to welcome my friend Tosca Lee to the Tao today. Her new book, THE PROGENY, kept me up way too late one night. A fabulous premise, I know you're going to love it, and love her. And... she's a newlywed! So give her some love! Take it away, Tosca!

_______

Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?
Linkin Park’s “One Step Closer” :D
 

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?
Edits for the sequel of The Progeny, Firstborn. And eating my way through half a rack of ribs. :>
 

What’s your latest book about?
A 21 year-old named Emily Porter, who is starting over in the North Woods of Maine after erasing her memory of the last two years . . . and soon learns she’s a descendant of the infamous “blood countess” Elizabeth Bathory—and that she’s being hunted. Now everything she erased to protect she needs to rediscover to stay alive.
 

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?
I spend most of my time writing at the farm where I live with my husband, three boys, a cat that drools when you pet her and a dog that drinks out of the toilet. I use Word to write in, but Scrivener to organize my notes and research. I think it also does a lot of other stuff like wash your dishes and organize your taxes, but I can’t figure it all out.
 

What was your favorite book as a child?
Green Eggs and Ham. Though I was very disturbed that the pictures weren’t in full color and so colored them in myself.
 

What’s your secret talent?
I can levitate peas. Okay, just one pea at a time. I can levitate pea. Ask me to amaze you next time I see you in person.
 

What are you reading now?
The Fifth Wave. I stole it from my 15 year-old.
 

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Not until college. I had been talking with my dad about how my favorite books take you on this amazing ride, and how cool it would be to make a ride like that for others. And then I blurted out: “I think I want to write a book.” My dad made me a deal: if I spent the summer writing a novel, full-time, he’d pay me what I would have made working at the bank as a teller. So I took the deal and wrote my first novel—a historical novel about the Neolithic Stonehenge people. It’s still in my basement with the rest of my skeletons.
 

Who is your writing idol? Have you met him/her? If so, did you completely nerd out or keep your cool?
I stalked, met and took a picture with Lee Child last summer at Thrillerfest. I look like a complete grinning idiot.
 

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?
One I tell myself all the time: write like no one will ever read this. It keeps my first drafts honest and me sane.
 

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?
Eat and watch TV.
 

Are you creatively satisfied?
Not yet!

What would you like to be remembered for?
Being a great mom.

Alright, now for the really important questions:

Beach or mountains? Beach

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Skydive or bungee jump? I broke out in a sweat just reading this question. Please, I want to live.

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

Winter or summer? Summer

Cake or pie? Bacon

Cats or dogs? Dogs. (Sorry, Misty.)

Pens or pencils? Pens

Truth or dare? Dare me. Except to skydive or bungee jump.

Print or ebook? Print, every time.

_______

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker (Forbidden, Mortal, Sovereign).

A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband. You can find Tosca hanging around the snack table or wherever bacon is served.

And here's a little bit more about Tosca's new book, THE PROGENY.

I’m twenty-one years old and my name doesn’t matter because it’s about to be erased forever.

When you wake up, you remember nothing. Not your name, or where you were born, or the faces of the people you knew. Just a single warning written to yourself before you forgot it all:

Emily, it’s me. You.

Don’t ask about the last two years… Don’t try to remember and don’t go digging. Your life depends on it. Other lives depend on it.

By the way, Emily isn’t your real name. You died in an accident. You paid extra for that.

You start over in a remote place with a new name, a fresh life. Until the day a stranger tells you you’re being hunted for the sins of a royal ancestor who died centuries before you were born.

You don’t believe him, until they come for you. Now you’re on the run. 

Every answer you need lies in a past you chose to erase. The only thing you know for sure is that others are about to die and you need those memories back.

But first, you have to stay alive.  

THE PROGENY is now available wherever books are sold!

Go get you a copy!

5.22.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, dear chickens!

How are you this fine Sunday? I'm riding high this weekend because I finished my editing on the next Nicholas Drummond book!!!!!!!!! 

This is how I feel now that the book is in Catherine's capable hands. It's a fun, epic adventure I think you guys are going to dig. 

On I go to write Sam #5!

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Fulfill your kitty's wildest dreams, and let them become a tiny astronaut.

This is how to order wine like you know how to order wine. Impress all your dining mates!

Oh, my fellow book nerds, LOOK at this Etsy shop! Literary candles and original fiction? I am so there.
 

Y'all know that I basically worship the ground Diana Gabaldon walks on. So imagine my sqee when I read this article she wrote about her process—because this is very near to how I write.
 

This is the stuff introvert dreams are made of: How to Host a Silent Reading Party.

For those of you who have or are thinking of selling your creative efforts, this piece on non-compete clauses by Kris Rusch is a must-read.

There's so much to love about Brainpickings every week. Maria Popova knows how to scour the zeitgeist and find some interesting food for thought. This week, she shared her commencement address to her alma mater, the school of communication at the University of Pennsylvania. There are so many stand-up-and-shout, "YES!" truths in here, it's so worth your time. Here's one especially good bit:

You are the creators of tomorrow’s ideas and ideals, the sculptors of public opinion and of culture. As long as we feed people buzz, we cannot expect their minds to produce symphonies. Never let the temptation of marketable mediocrity and easy cynicism rob you of the chance to ennoble public life and enlarge the human spirit — because we need that badly today, and because you need it badly for the survival of your soul.
 

Seriously, go read the rest.

 

And closer to home:

This week, Amy the Wine Vixen brought us a zingy white wine you're gonna take on all your beach trips this year (mark my words).

I continued my perfection series on the Tao this week, giving a positive spin on striving for perfection. Because striving for excellence isn't all bad, y'all!
 

That's all I have for you, my darlings. Be well, and we'll talk again soon!

Xoxo,
J.T.

5.19.16 - The Positive Side of Perfection

For the past two weeks, I’ve focused on how a life-long pursuit of perfection has created issues in both my creative and personal lives.

Today, I’d like to turn all of that on its ear.  

Because, honestly? Striving for perfection has created great success for me.

The term success in and of itself is subjective. The traditional definition—the accomplishment of an aim or purpose—seems less than the word’s current connotation. Success means so many things to so many people. What is your measure? Is it wealth? Fame? Book sales, reviews, touring? Or something more intrinsic to your happiness—the accomplishment of your aims?

We all measure ourselves by different yardsticks—yardsticks we hold next to someone we’d like to be or emulate, instead of our own shadows.

Think about that for a moment.

When is the last time you looked inward and said, “Hey, I’m pretty awesome!” What did you hear instead? “So and so got a better review/better coop/sold more books/landed that spot in PW…” Or is that just me?

Because I admit it. As much as I try to stay focused, my yardstick does creep away sometimes, to mock me from afar.

I preach—PREACH—to all my writing friends that you absolutely cannot compare your path to another writer's. Everyone’s publishing journey is different. Unique unto them. So your yardstick can only be used to measure yourself. It’s mano e mano—in this case, you against you.

I believe in the individual’s path. But I also understand that without a little healthy competition, sometimes you don’t push yourself hard enough. And there’s a difference between competing and coveting. A huge one.

Competing makes you stronger. Coveting makes you weaker. 

And here’s where the relentless pursuit of perfection comes in. Every book I write, I try to improve on the last. Stronger writing, better structure, deeper characters, scarier villains. I don’t want to do the same thing twice, so I experiment. I push myself. I write things and allow them to stay on the page because I know if I trust my subconscious, it will all make sense in the end. I force words onto the page, even when I’m not feeling it.

I create. No matter what—good, bad, mediocre—I create.

And then, in competition with myself and with writers I admire, I push myself to up my game.

I edit the wee word beasties into submission. I push them around like a coach facing an unruly and recalcitrant football team. I scream at them, beg them, cajole and woo. Whatever it takes to get them perfect.

Am I a perfect writer? Hell, no. No way. Not even close. But my personal drive for perfection, to top my previous best, makes me come to the page, day after day after day, and find ways to make it all work. I might drive myself crazy in the process, but I’m all over it. I am living this path. It’s mine, and I love it.

That drive to create, to better each book, to perfect the process, find easier paths to better work, is why I feel like I’m having some success. Do I feel like I AM a success? Not yet. But I am having a decent measure of success in my career now. It’s taken a decade of showing up to the page, Sisyphus with his rock, pounding out the words, for me to feel like a real writer.

There are other people who do this so much better than me. Writers I so greatly admire, because their pursuit of perfection leads them to something I like to call intentionality.

I know several intentional writers. They are not waiting for the writing to come to them. They aren’t letting their careers unfold as they will. They enter into this business mindfully, purposefully, intentionally. They are in complete control of all aspects, from what they write to how they write it, and for whom.

The first who comes to mind is one we all know and love—J.K. Rowling. Look at how she planned out the Potter books. Look at how she took complete control of her career when those books took off. How she held back rights because she knew somewhere down the line, she was going to need them as a negotiating tool. Audio, digital, film—she was careful and deliberate every step of the way. She make the choices that were right for her and her work, and no one else.

Now, JT, you say, Rowling isn’t a good example, because she has so much money she had the power of choice.

OK. I’ll give you that. But I still assert she’s an intentional writer. Come on, she put out a book under a pseudonym to get the story out there unfettered by her success.

Still don’t buy it? All right. Let me give you a case that might strike closer to home. A young writer named Elizabeth Heiter.

I met Elizabeth at a conference last year. We shared a panel, and as always happens, the questions evolved into the typical, How did you get published? At the time, I remember being rather awestruck at how knowledgeable, how intentional, and how focused she was. She knew things as a debut that I’d only learned after several years in the business. You can always tell when a new writer is going to make a career at this. There’s something in the way they talk, the way they approach their career, their work. They’re intentional. Elizabeth is intentional. Read this piece she did about her journey. It will explain what I mean.

I posit that the pursuit of perfection drives us to succeed. While there may be pitfalls, and it’s certainly easy to fall into them, without this desire, without this impetus, there would be no success.

If we didn’t try to top ourselves, to be intentional toward our work and our lives, we’d never create another piece of art.

Last week, I mentioned the scene from the movie Burnt, where the protagonist Adam and his therapist discuss how Adam feels the apocalypse bearing down if he doesn't achieve perfection. Sometimes, the fear of the impending apocalypse does help us. The good that comes from the drive to perfect—the work product, the personal goals met, the ceilings we set for ourselves shattered—are Janus twins, aren’t they? They can crush us, or they can make us. 

If you’re lucky, you can use this desire and drive to make your career.

Next time, I’m going to dive into the tangibles of how I set goals and how I reward myself when I achieve them. Until then, I’m curious to hear whether you think the pursuit of perfection is a positive or a negative in your creative life.