Daily Tao ☯ 5.9.17

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And so it begins… Brit #5 is underway! Catherine and I met this morning, tossed around some ideas, and settled on a course of action. I had a yummy lunch with my awesome publicist at Má Pêche, then did a quick phone interview about LIE TO ME, in which we were wildly diverted by the appearance of garden gnomes (I swear, the codeine has not gone to my head!)

And now I'm ensconced in the hotel with a big cup of tea, a cozy sweater, and my fat notebook, pulling together the ideas we cooked up into a more cohesive format for tomorrow morning’s session. Today was ironing out motivation, tomorrow will be plot, plot, plot. Then publisher meetings all afternoon. Super fun!

When I’m starting a book, I go in with a series of questions which are, in essence, a glorified version of who, what, where, when, and why. The why is always the most important, and can be the biggest stumbling block. Villains can quickly become one-dimensional mustache twirlers if you’re not careful with their true motivations. For me, finding the why behind the villain/killer is the key to a successful story. 

And I’m pretty sure we nailed it this morning. I’m excited to see where this takes us!

Hope your day was awesome!

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J.T. Ellison

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of thJoss Walkere literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.

With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards. Her titles have been optioned for television and published in twenty-eight countries.

J.T. lives with her husband and twin kittens in Nashville, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Daily Tao ☯ 5.8.17

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New York, New York! I love this place. The vibe, the people, the food… the moment I step out of the car in Manhattan I always feel so very alive.

Tomorrow starts the big brainstorm with Catherine for Book #5 of the Brit in the FBI series — THE BLOOD CABAL. I spent the weekend reading through a metric ton of research—I’ve been clipping stories and writing down ideas for a couple of months now. I made a lovely binder separated by topic to supplement my files in Evernote. (Hello, nerd!)

Nerds Unite! 

Nerds Unite! 

I’m a big fan of online research, but there’s something settling about having a print back up, just in case. There is a lot to learn in order to make this book work, and I’m sure some of what I’ve cooked up will be replaced by bigger, grander ideas. When CC and I get together and start working, we’re rather combustible. 

Trip up was just fine, though I’m still lacking in the voice arena. I have Chloraseptic, Halls, tea, cough medicine with codeine, and a massive bottle of water that’s being refilled constantly. I had to cancel my dinner plans tonight, which breaks my heart, but I’m afraid I might infect the world if I’m not careful. Caring is NOT sharing, am I right?

Hope you had a lovely day!

(Also, I've been hearing some of you are having problems commenting. If you are, please let Amy know so we can share the issue with Squarespace!)

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J.T. Ellison

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of thJoss Walkere literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.

With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards. Her titles have been optioned for television and published in twenty-eight countries.

J.T. lives with her husband and twin kittens in Nashville, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Sunday Smatterings

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Morning, gentle readers, welcome to Sunday! Did you have a good week? I'm a bit under the weather (more on that here) and have lost my voice. Which is going to be fun., considering all the talking upcoming this week. Regardless, I'm looking forward to a fun-filled week in NYC with Catherine as we start Brit #5, hang out with publishers, eat delicious food, and cause all kinds of tomfoolery.

Lots of links this week, so without further ado...

Here's what happened on the internets this week:
 

9 Real Life Places That Inspired Classic Novels. Summer's almost here! Time for a literary road trip, yes?
 

[VIDEO] Shades of Writing. Great advice (and a superb new video series) from one seriously smart author, V.E. Schwab. V's the one who saved my latest manuscript by suggesting a tense change was in order. If I listen to her, shouldn't you?
 

Why Lady Gaga Is Our Mental Health Hero. An incredible artist who uses her platform to share her struggle, help others feel accepted, and spread kindness. What's not to love about Lady Gaga? This is too important a subject to be silent on.
 

How Jane Austen Continues to Inspire Romance Authors. Lady Jane is Queen of Everything forever and ever, amen. She inspires thriller writers, too. Just saying...
 

What I've Learned After 5 Years and 20 Books: 25 Lessons. Chuck Wendig may have a salty tongue (very salty, so be warned), but the lessons in this essay are good ones. I've preached many of these things on the Tao, especially #3 and #4. 
 

Three Powerful Questions that Lift the Weight of “Too Much” and Anchor Us in Peace. Because learning to say no is so vital. Its a word I despise using, but the more I do, the easier my life is. 

And Closer to Home:

A WORD ON WORDS with Adam Haslett. A fascinating discussion of writing the interior life, writing about hard things, and Adam's unconventional journey to the craft. Adam Haslett is a down-to-earth genius. Seriously.
 

Author Assistant 101: The Best Tool I Use To Collaborate With My Author. Amy's latest in her series for Author Assistants—or anyone looking to organize and communicate with others more effectively. This week she talks about the godsend of a program we use more than any other.
 

Daily Writing Tao 5.4.17. I missed writing my little daily vignettes, and according to a very nonscientific Facebook poll, you guys did too. So to keep me accountable as I get started on Novel #20, off we go again! Think of these as a logbook, a way to get my day and lingering thought beasties onto the page. I started up again on Thursday and haven't looked back. Weekends off, natch, to accommodate this blog (and really, who wants to hear that I took a nap on the porch?)

Bonus Section: Contests!

Book Giveaway For Lie to Me. You have 200 chances to win an ARC of my new book, LIE TO ME. With odds like that, how could you not enter?
 

Enter to Win 50+ Crime Fiction & Thrillers PLUS a New Kindle Fire! Including ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS!
 

Enter to Win 50 Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Romances, 1 of 4 $25 Bookstore Gift Cards, PLUS a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet! Including WHERE ALL THE DEAD LIE!

That's it from me! Y'all be good this week, go pick some flowers for your neighbor, take a long walk with a friend or the dog, and we'll talk again soon.

xo,
J.T.

 

Daily Tao ☯ 5.6.17

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All hail silence! Yes, I've lost my voice. It's a super low grumble, and I can whisper without too much issue, but things aren't looking good in larynx land. I'm guzzling tea, keeping it warm and loose, but if you have any suggestions, I'm all ears. This seems to happen once a decade for me, and ALWAYS at the worst possible time. As a matter of fact, the last time was when I was heading to NYC for Thrillerfest, when THE COLD ROOM was nominated. I won and had to give a speech with no voice. Fun times!

Tons of deep research today, especially on the Voynich Manuscript. The ideas are coming fast and furious as the historical timeline reveals itself, and I'm excited to hash them out with Catherine on Tuesday. I'm really digging writing these books with a historical tie-in. Gives the adventure so much more texture! 

Hope your weekend is fun and peaceful!

 

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J.T. Ellison

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of thJoss Walkere literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.

With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards. Her titles have been optioned for television and published in twenty-eight countries.

J.T. lives with her husband and twin kittens in Nashville, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Daily Tao ☯ 5.5.17

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So I’m feeling way under the weather today, which is terrible timing, considering I have to get on a plane in two days. It’s not going to be serious—I almost always get sick the moment I finish a book. It’s my body’s way of saying “HEY! You’ve been really mean to me lately, making me sit in one place and think so hard, so na-ne-na-ne-boo-boo, see how you like this.” 

I mention this not to gain sympathy (though should you want to send tea, I’m not averse) but because Amy and I did a brief staff meeting today, and the ideas were flying fast and furious. She said, for someone who feels like crap, you’re FULL of good ideas today.

So I explained. You see, I’m used to this feeling of ick toward the end of a major project. I’ve actually finished more books than I care to admit while sick. Instead of it stopping me, I find it expands my mind, in a way. The crazy endings to my books? Very often the product of me not feeling well but sitting down to work anyway. Cool things happen, it seems. My preconceived parameters are pushed aside, and I just let it flow. 

It’s a weird part of my process, but a part nonetheless. The takeaway? My creativity is sometimes enhanced when my physical body is trying to shut down. Your mileage may vary. 

Research started today on vampires…. This is going to be a LOT of fun!

Sweet dreams! Oh, and since we might clinch the second round tonight… Go Preds!

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J.T. Ellison

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of thJoss Walkere literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.

With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards. Her titles have been optioned for television and published in twenty-eight countries.

J.T. lives with her husband and twin kittens in Nashville, where she is hard at work on her next novel.