11.8.16 - 40 Things To Take Your Mind Off the Election

Unsettled, are we? It’s only natural when the entire universe is watching, waiting to see what direction we as a country, and as a world, will take moving forward.

Instead of fretting today, Amy and I offer to you a list of activities to occupy your thoughts:

1. Adopt a cat or dog from your local shelter
2. Eat ice cream
3. Handwrite those thank-you notes that have been stacking up
4. Start on your holiday cards
5. Read a book
6. Buy a book!
7. Gift a book!
8. Make friendship bracelets
9. Add "refollow all my friends" to your To Do list
10. Pour a glass of wine before you refollow all your friends
11. Reorganize your bookshelf
12. Clean your closet
13. Go on a Christmas present-buying rampage
14. Fill that Goodwill giveaway box that you’ve been neglecting
15. Get a manicure and pedicure
16. Rake your neighbor’s leaves
17. Jump in said pile of leaves
18. Check the batteries in your smoke detectors
19. Double check you’ve set all your clocks correctly
20. Laundry. Always laundry
21. Learn Morse code
22. Get a Ham radio (not saying there’s an impending apocalypse…)
23. Binge-watch that show you’ve been waiting for
24. Go for a walk
25. Go to a museum
26. Drink some Limoncello
27. Drink some water
28. Take a quick online Italian lesson and practice on someone
29. French kiss
30. Stare at the sunset. If it’s raining, pretend.
31. Use the word whom properly
32. Learn who Edward Hopper is
33. Look up the names in the Acknowledgements of your favorite author’s latest book
34. Buy all that author's books
35. Go to the library
36. Read "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe aloud in a fake Italian accent. Because why not?
37. Donate $5 to your favorite charity, more if you can
38. Make some coffee, tea, or cocoa in your favorite mug. Shut off the computer, turn off your phone, and enjoy
39. Remember that the world will continue to spin no matter what happens
40. Vote! (ok, so this might have something to do with the election, but we didn't tell you what to vote for—maybe you're judging a Cutest Kitten Contest, because that would be awesome)

It's all going to be okay. Pinkie swear.

Love,
JT and Amy

(P.S. this list was compiled by both of us, one of whom may have had a taste of Limoncello—you wondered about all the Italian references, didn't you?)

11.6.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, darlings. How are you? We're staving off the change-of-seasons sniffles here in the Ellison house, so I've got warm blankets, mugs of tea, and bowlfuls soup on my mind – the chicken stew I mentioned in this month's newsletter seems even more timely than ever. 

Sniffles notwithstanding, I'm in full work mode – I'm putting the final edits to my new standalone, currently titled TEAR ME APART. My editor and I are honing the edges, trying to make this a razor-sharp read for y'all, and I'm really excited with where this is headed. Come next fall, I hope you are too!

Without further ado...
 

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:
 

Nerdy Christmas gift alert: these Blackwing pencils. (longer, nerdier post about pencils to come later this week – I know, I know, something for you to look forward to!)

Y'all know I love a good work hack, and this is a good one for all of us: How to use social media and stay productive. 

Did you ever snoop in your sister's diary, or accidentally stumble upon your spouse's journal? The inner voyeur in you might enjoy reading this piece, though all of us can appreciate the beauty of writer May Sarton's insight on solitude and getting through life's darkest times.

Rejoice, English majors: the Oxford University Press has just named Christopher Marlowe as a co-author in their new edition of Shakespeare's collected works.

 

And closer to home:
 

Fellow writers, are you participating in NaNoWriMo? I almost always do. While you're blazing new trails through your story, you might find yourself stumbling on one of the more difficult subjects to write about: a steamy sex scene. I've written about this before, but this week I (along with 4 other brilliant writers) have a snippet of advice in Bustle on how to write about doing the deed, and doing it well.

As we've said time and time again on The Wine Vixen, good wine doesn't have to be expensive. And these five wines from Aldi prove that beautifully.

Also, if you've been under a rock, you might not have heard that the paperback version of NO ONE KNOWS is out!!!!! A little bird told me this would be a great stocking stuffer for a bookworm or a swap gift for a book club.

That's it from me! Y'all enjoy your week (Lord knows it'll be an eventful one), eat some soup, snuggle with a kitty, and I'll talk to you again soon.

xo,
J.T.

11.3.16 - Welcome to November

November.

Not sure how this happened, though for once, I’m not wishing I could turn back the clock on the year. On the contrary, I’m ready for 2016 to be behind me because the Year of No turned into the Year of Go, and I feel like I’ve swum the English Channel in chains.

Don’t get me wrong: having work as an author is a wonderful, glorious thing. I’ve just been a wee bit overwhelmed.

As such, the blog has been neglected, but as we’re nearing the end of the insanity, and things feel like they’re calming down, I’m going to come back with snippets and word counts and affirmations. Sunday Smatterings will stay in it’s slot, and I’m going to blog as the spirit moves me.

So there. To hell with schedules, right?

Now. November is a special month in the writing world—It’s NANOWRIMO, National Novel Writing Month.
 

I’ve written about it many times. The general gist: writers try to write 50,000 words in 30 days. That’s 1666 words a day for those of you keeping score. Yes, that’s the usual output for a professional writer, which is why you see some disdain for this exercise from some, but the idea behind NaNo is much more basic. It’s a chance to throw caution to the wind and try something new. Which I love. My 2nd Taylor novel, 14, was a NaNoWriMo winner. I fully believe in the power of the creative spirit, and with so many creatives engaged, the universe becomes full. 

So NaNo on, peeps. I’ll let you know how I’m doing as well. I have a new standalone I’m a few chapters into and I want a nice big jump on it. It’s called THE LOST ONE, the story is whack, and I’m looking forward to having some fun. Onward! 

Write hard!

10.30.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, friends, and welcome to All Hallows' Eve Eve! Do you have your candy ready for the trick-or-treaters? Have a big party planned? What's your costume going to be?? I think it'll be a quiet night for the Ellison house, though I should probably get last-minute costumes for the Thrillerkittens... after all, All Souls is our 3 year cataversary. How cute would that be?

I went to Canada this week, and met with my publisher. It was awesome. More on that later in the week, when I can do it justice. I am beavering away on the last pass on THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE, so no more fun for me until that's complete. 

Anywho...

 

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:
 

I adore my A Word on Words co-host, Mary Laura Philpott. A brilliant mind with a wit to match, she wrote this piece in The Washington Post this week. Y'all. Read it to your kids today—it's so important to teach our girls they can save themselves, no matter who and where they are.

Need a last-minute Halloween costume idea? I've got 10 creepy costumes from books, ready and waiting for you to recreate them! 👻

Speaking of books, here are 11 of the greatest parties in literature! Which one would you like to go to the most? Hmm...

Y'all know I'm a sucker for office supplies. Which is why I love these desk accessories for book lovers! Be still, my heart.

Heads up: 50+ paranormal romance novels, PLUS a Kindle Fire (!) are up for grabs! Click here to enter.

"I can’t stress enough the importance of getting away. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, but changing your location, taking some time off, and unplugging does wonders in the long run." YES!!! I couldn't agree more. A change of scenery is a good thing when you're stuck in a rut, and this is why it's good to get away every once in a while.

And closer to home:

The Wine Vixen found 12 spooky wines for Halloween!

If you've been waiting for the NO ONE KNOWS paperback, now's your chance—it comes out on Tuesday! Paperbacks make a great stocking stuffer, I'm just sayin'.

Deal Alert: What Lies Behind is .99 on Kindle today only! What a bargain!

That's it from me! Have SO MUCH FUN tomorrow, be nice to your trick-or-treaters, and we'll talk again soon!

xoxo,
J.T.

10.23.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, my lovelies. How are you today? I hope you're having a lovely Sunday, sitting out on the porch with something nice to sip and something nice to read. I've been enjoying some cooler porch weather here in Tennessee. I relish the days when I step into a crisp morning instead of a muggy cloud (blech!). The ThrillerKittens are loving it, too—I couldn't keep them inside even I wanted to; it'd be like... well, herding cats!

I know, I know—you come for the links, but you stay for the jokes!

Anyway...

 

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Is there a better feeling than browsing a beautiful bookstore? Hardly. At lease one of these bookstores in Buzzfeed's 19 most beautiful bookstores in America is sure to appear on your next road trip itinerary. 

"Unlike books, tablets do not offer an opportunity to display taste or refinement. Books will never go out of fashion." This article from Aeon is a lovely defense of print, and gives a history of books as a status symbol.

Is social media toxic to writing? In a word, YES.

Looking for a Halloween costume? Take a page out of Scout Finch's book.

Y'all know I'm a sucker for notebooks and journals. Here are 11 journals that readers will love using to record their TBR lists.

Last call for this Romantic Suspense 50-book/Kindle Fire sweepstakes! There are some good ones in here, y'all—don't miss out!

OK, stop what you're doing right now and read "I used to be a human being" an article from writer Andrew Sullivan. I'm serious—go do it. And I challenge you to read the entire thing without picking up your phone. A nugget of goodness here:

 This new epidemic of distraction is our civilization’s specific weakness. And its threat is not so much to our minds, even as they shape-shift under the pressure. The threat is to our souls. At this rate, if the noise does not relent, we might even forget we have any.

It's so good stuff, I promise you. You'll thank yourself later.

 

And closer to home:

If you haven't grabbed a copy of my newest book, THE FIRST DECADE, now's the time! (psst: it's only $4.99 on ebook!)

And if you're been saving your pennies and waiting for the NO ONE KNOWS paperback, it's up for pre-order! 

That's it for today, y'all. Don't get into trouble, snack on candy corn, and we'll talk again soon!

xoxo,
J.T.