Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday! What a lovely (short) week it’s been. With the garden fully in after Mr. Ellison’s tender ministrations over the three-day weekend, I have some beautiful flowers to look at, and the veggie patch is flourishing. We have Romas, naturally, and carrots, butter lettuce, potatoes, mint, basil, rosemary—all the staples. I’m going to put in some thyme and scallions this weekend. My Gardenia is blooming like mad, but she reminds me of a shy, southern lady—her blooms come to life and are gone the next day. No hummingbirds yet, but I learned they’re in bug-catching mode right now, so hopefully they’ll be back to drinking nectar soon. The hydrangea is starting to flower, the delphiniums are bursting at the seams. Waiting for my lavender and the butterfly bush to get going. And there are now lots of petunias, as suggested.

We have a rule. I do the flowers, Mr. E does the veggies. He has the greenest thumb I’ve ever seen. I do not. It’s crazy.

Did a lot of editing and organizing and idea-gathering this week, too. I know I’ve mentioned the Writing Excuses podcast before, but I’ll direct you to it again. I’m on season 11, with three more ahead. Like watching the Masterclass, listening to experts in their field talk about writing always shakes loose some excellent ideas, and plot thoughts. I spent Thursday organizing and listening, and it gave me a great idea for the new book that is going to be sustainable.

And some GOOD GIRLS LIE galleys came! I am beside myself excited. I know it’s seven months away, and that’s a long time to wait, but we will be doing some giveaways, and the PR machine will gear up in the fall.

I have to laugh, though, looking at this picture. The galley sits atop my notebook for the next book. My work is a metaphorical literary garden, without a doubt. Some parts are perennial—the process, the notebooks, the stages of writing. Some are annual—the unboxing of books, the sudden rush of emotion seeing last year’s garden bloom out so vigorously. And with any garden, once it’s finished blooming, you turn the soil and lay the groundwork for next year. That’s exactly what I’m doing right now, enjoying the blooms, getting ready to prepare the soil so it can lie fallow and grow something new.

Oh, the knee surgery is scheduled for later this week, so if I’m a little less responsive than usual, it’s because I’m tucked up in bed, drooling. I will be back on my feet quickly, the doctor assures me. I am holding him to it.

So with that, let’s check out the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Looking for a good book? Here are 8. (So cool to see our A Word on Words episode with author Delia Owens included in this lineup from PBS Newshour’s Arts Beat, Canvas, especially to point people to such an incredible book!)

50 of the Best Books to Read This Summer. I don’t know about you, but I will never be able to read all the books I want to. And here are some more great ones. Time to fill up your TBR! 

Cat furniture dragon franchise, anyone? Cat Owner Makes A Cardboard Iron Throne For Her Maine Coon Cat, And The Lord Of The House Loves It. OK, this is too fun. I love the creative spirit, and would love to see this commercialized.

Mary Laura Philpott Answers Bustle’s New Feature "Ask An Author": I'm About To Get My Degree From Grad School — Now What? Lots of super advice here.

The All-Star Closer Who Is Trying to Save Bookstores. I am a Dodgers fan by marriage, so it’s always hard for me to root elsewhere, but Washington Nationals relief pitcher Sean Doolittle has gained a fan for life.

NPR's Summer Movie Guide: 27 Films Coming Soon To Theaters. Rocket Man, Late Night, and Dark Phoenix are all on my list. What’s on yours?

Are There Any Subjects Too Dark For Crime Fiction? 6 Crime Authors Debate the Possibilities & Limits of Noir...And Also Dinosaurs. This was one of the most fun interviews I've ever done. Hannah Mary McKinnon brought us together and set us free. You can imagine the thread that was happening as we were answering the questions and talking to each other. It was an absolute delight and I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

Get an In-Depth Look at a Barnes & Noble Concept Store. Have you visited one yet? I like this set up, and the refocus on books.

5 Ways to Improve Your Focus and Productivity with Exercise. “You’re probably aware of the physical benefits of working out. Whether it’s lower cholesterol, increased longevity, or just fitting better in your clothes, exercise is great for all of it. The mental benefits, however, are often overlooked. These can translate into a huge edge at work.”

For those of you who enjoyed THE LAST SECOND, here’s a fun little article that popped up Friday on the Navy’s secret alien documentary. For reals.

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What I’m Reading:

OUT EAST by John Glynn

The divine Mary Laura Philpott recommended OUT EAST in her sweet tiny newsletter, and I jumped on it immediately because A - MLP knows whence she speaks when it comes to book recommendations, B - I'm trying to read more non-fiction, and C - Montauk. I've always been obsessed with the northeastern beach scene, being a Florida beach girl myself. I went in expecting a light read about the Hamptons and WHOA. John Glynn's style is amazingly evocative. This is a wonderful coming-of-age memoir, beautiful, lovely, heartbreaking, and inspiring. I gobbled it up in two days. While John's day job is editing for Graydon House, I really hope he writes a lot more, he's a true talent. What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. Cut some flowers for your counter, put out a bowl of water for the unseen neighborhood beasties (it’s getting HOT out there), invest in some lightweight running shoes to motivate you to get out and walk, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday! It’s Memorial Day weekend here in the US, one of those strange, juxtaposition holidays we celebrate. It’s the official kickoff for summer. Pools are opened, barbecue grills are fired up, we’re officially allowed to wear white shoes and carry white bags. But it is also an incredibly somber holiday as we honor the ultimate sacrifice our soldiers made to secure our freedom. So while you’re toasting this weekend, give a tip of the glass to those brave souls.

We’re having a very quiet weekend. Italy was a blast but not a relaxing vacation, so we are having a small staycation this weekend, catching up on some reading and chilling in the garden. It should be a lovely, quiet few days.

Not such great news on the knee front—I do have to have surgery. The upshot, though, is it’s quick and easy fix, and shouldn’t lay me low for more than a couple of weeks. If all goes well, the doctor even promised chipping and putting in 3 weeks. Since that’s the part of my game that needs the most work, I can get behind this. And enforced rehab isn’t much different from hiring a trainer, so I’m looking at this as a chance to rebuild a good gym habit, something the incessant deadlines of the past few years has robbed me of. Lemonade. We’re making loads of lemonade here. I haven’t had to repair anything in years, so I guess I’m due. I’m just grateful it’s not too serious. (Of course, Calamity JT reported for duty Friday afternoon, when it gave out as I was getting in the car and I sprained my ankle… I am a walking disaster zone. Or the universe if telling me more butt in chair time…)

I’ve been distracted by the worry over what was going on, so I feel behind work wise. A full reset this weekend comes at the perfect time. Lots of books, lots of rest, and lots of sun — just what the doctor ordered.

I also had some good downtime this week, coffee and cocktails with bookish folks, breakfast with awesome assistant Leigh, and deep breaths with BFF Paige, who provided me some much needed snuggle time with the adorable new niece and rambunctious nephew I adore. A lovely end to a test of a week.

So with that, let’s check out the links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

From Agatha Christie to Gillian Flynn: 50 great thrillers by women. What a list! I could just start at the top and work my way through over the summer and be happy as a lark.

Former Paris Policeman Creates Videos on Avoiding Travel Scams. Since it's time for summer travel...here are some excellent safety tips. Also, adorbs!

A Q&A with V.E. Schwab: On Creativity and Transparency.  Another good interview. Victoria is the queen of creative transparency.

The Aperol Spritz Is Not a Good Drink.  Agreed. It’s a bit to syrupy. But… a negroni-based spritz with Prosecco instead of tonic water is nice though.

“Like Sisyphus, I am bound to hell.” Intellectual cat humor, anyone? I cried laughing.

15 of our favorite pop culture bookshops. Did your favorites make the list? And if not, what are they?

Why the World’s Best Mathematicians Are Hoarding Chalk. OK, this is an utterly fascinating story! It reminds me of the great Moleskine famine, and the Blackwing pencil shortage.

Scenes From Award-Winning Literature Crafted With Hand-Cut Paper by Zim & Zou. How cool is this???

Every once in a while, you get to interview your heroes, and it is incredible. Harlan Coben doled out brilliant writing advice in addition to talking about his wonderful thriller RUN AWAY. Don't miss this week’s episode of A WORD ON WORDS! #keepreading

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What I’m Reading:

THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Kaira Rouda

This is an intense, creepy, gripping suspense. A chilling story, told so well by Kaira Rouda. Plus, Jordan feels strongly that you shouldn’t miss it. She was very shouty. What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. Have a safe Memorial Day, dip your toes in the newly-opened pool, drink some ice-cold lemonade, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Buongiorno, and happy Sunday! I’ve finally both gotten over my jet lag and shaken the infernal beast of a cold I caught whilst in Italy, so I’m a bit more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed today than I have been in a couple of weeks. There’s really nothing worse than getting sick on a big trip. The whole family was laid low, though, so we definitely had a tank team mentality.

It has been a week of highs and lows. I have some good news that I can’t share just yet, but will very soon. I found out my meniscus is torn and I have an MRI scheduled to see if surgery is necessary. GOOD GIRLS LIE got some serious love from Publishers Marketplace (see links below.) And on the other end of the spectrum, my parents returned home to find their house had been broken into, the car and several other major items stolen. And there was everything in between, just a strange, bouncing-around week emotionally. I literally went from fist-pumping to tears in the same conversation. Maybe it’s the change of season. Maybe it’s the insanity permeating parts of our nation. Maybe it’s just menopause. I don’t know. But I feel your suffering, world. I really do. In my knee, and in my heart.

In brighter news, I crossed the 100,000 work mark for the year. I’d set a goal of 200,000 for 2019, and this has me comfortably on pace.

And… I’ve been seeing the ads for the MasterClass for months now, and I’ve always been interested, though I’ve resisted, for some unfathomable reason. I’ve wanted to see the James Patterson, Neil Gaiman, and Margaret Atwood ones for a while now, but when Annie Leibovitz popped up, it felt fortuitous, as I’ve been using her as the basis for a character in my new novel.  So we signed up for a year’s access, and immediately set about watching... Malcolm Gladwell. As you do.

(Remember, DH is a non-fiction writer, so this was a fitting start for us both.)

I’ve come away from this first Masterclass with a number of takeaways. 

1. I’m adding Malcolm Gladwell to any future dinner party invitation list. The man is brilliant, erudite, and hysterical.

2. Listening to brilliant people talk about their work, their passion, is incredibly inspiring. 

3. “Is there an analogous story to the one you think you’re writing about?” 

This last is a quote from Gladwell that stuck with me, because it’s the perfect way to approach building new fiction. I interviewed Harlan Coben for AWOW a few weeks ago, and he said he had several ideas for RUN AWAY that he wanted to get into the book. (I won’t list them, for fear of spoilers.) They were disparate on the surface, but in the context of the story, made for a rollicking adventure. I was reminded of this immediately when I heard Gladwell’s question.

A great story—a great thriller, especially—relies on the reversal of fortune that catapults the story in new and unusual ways. When you’re thinking about your story, your characters, think about the analogous situation. What’s happening in the story next door, so to speak, and how can you bridge the gap between them.

It’s a great way to conceptualize your story reversals, your characters’ challenges.

And so. With that, let’s check out the links, (which are deep and varied this week, so grab a cuppa before you dive in!)

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

GOOD GIRLS LIE is featured in the Fall/Winter Buzz Books from Publishers Marketplace ahead of its galley release at BEA. So. Freaking. Cool! And (hint, hint) you can read the first few chapters if you download the sampler, plus see samples of 45 other books. Incredible, right?

Why narrating an audiobook is a LOT harder than you think. "The very best audiobook narrators don’t just read a novel – they perform it." I firmly believe an audiobook is made by the narrator. Tell me some of your favorites in the comments!

Peach and Prosciutto Crostini with Whipped Honey Ricotta. A - Yum. B - If you're not reading Edit Nashville, a new magazine for our town with a great backstory, you should be.

I very much enjoyed chatting with the fine folks at Freedom, the makers of my #1 Productivity App, to discuss creativity in the age of distraction. It’s a cool company and a truly life-changing app.

You Can Book a Fancy Version of Hagrid’s Hut for the Ultimate Harry Potter Vacation. How cool is this?! Quite the upgrade for Hagrid.

How a Canadian Chain Is Reinventing Book Selling.  “It may seem strange for a bookstore chain to be developing and selling artisanal soup bowls and organic cotton baby onesies. But Indigo’s approach seems not only novel but crucial to its success and longevity.” I LOVE Indigo. One of my favorite stops in Toronto.

Emilia Clarke has lost her Spanx. And…I die…

'Here is a story! Story it is': how fairytales are told in other tongues. Language is fascinating! 

Hannah Mary McKinnon (THE NEIGHBORS) invites some of the best and brightest female crime fiction authors to discuss why, exactly, they kill.

Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Annual Summer Reading Guide is here!!! What a great guide, year after year. A true labor of love for the written word.


My lovely cohost Mary Laura interviewed Tim Johnston in this week’s episode of A WORD ON WORDS, and it has the creepiest ending to any show we’ve ever taped.

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What I’m Reading:

Leigh Bardugo is one of my favorites, and the Grisha trilogy is hands down one of the best fantasy trilogies out there. RUIN AND RISING has such an incredible conclusion. It's masterful how she has pulled the story together, pulled all the characters together, and kept true to the characters and setting. It's just a magnificent body of work. If you haven't read it yet, you should. If you have read Leigh, tell me what to read next because I'm going to be in a reading slump forever. Or at least until I sit down with KING OF SCARS.

What are you reading?

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Enough from me. Leave out a snack for your neighborhood kitty, crack open a bottle of champagne (hey, we all need champagne sometimes), give someone who needs it a hug, viral or otherwise, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday! And happy Mother’s Day to mothers of all kinds out there, especially my gorgeous mama. I hope your weekend has been lovely. I’m still keeping kindergartener’s hours, trying to recover from this jet lag. The lingering on of this nasty cold on top of it is making things rougher than normal, I suspect. So I took it relatively easy this week, and ended up getting quite a bit done.

I’m working on my secret project, which is going quite well, thanks for asking. I am trying to get it finished by the end of the month. It is fun, and different, and I really can’t wait to share with you.

And I started my 24th novel. I called it novel the 23rd on Facebook, but I need to count the secret project as #23 instead. (Oooh, snap. There’s a small hint…🐉) The fact that I’ve written 22 novels in 12 years kind of blows my mind. It has been a long, winding road with major ups and major downs. But consistent. Consistency is the key to a career. There was (another) controversial article about Danielle Steel this week, who’s written 172 novels over the course of her career. (Her first was published in 1973). It’s said she works 20 hours a day, and she puts out 6-7 books a year. Nora Roberts has written over 225 since 1979, and has been very open about her process. Catherine Coulter has written at least 87 since 1978 (six of those were cowritten by yours truly, but trust me, she wrote them) and I know she sits down at the computer every day at 7 a.m. and writes until 11. In almost the same timeframe as my 22 books, Allison Brennan has written 40, not including shorts and novellas. She writes every day, 6-8 hours a day, and gets a book done in 12 weeks. (Guess who’s feeling a little slackerish now?)

And for the record, don’t bother giving me the quality vs quantity, speed versus depth argument, cause I ain’t buying. You want to have a blockbuster career, you create as much and as fast as you can.

I could go on and on, citing hundreds of authors whose output is incredible. But let me get to the point. What do all of these authors have in common?

Discipline. Rock hard, core strength, no excuses, blood, sweat, and tears discipline.

They don’t indulge writer’s block, they kick its ass. They do the work. Every day. They don't wait for the muse to present herself, seductive and dripping with a cornucopia of brilliant ideas. They take their bow and arrows and hunt her down, screaming, from the forest of their minds.

These writers inspire me. I won’t hit their marks, not by a long shot, because 2 books a year is about my limit. But they help me set my goals. 22 novels done between 2006-2019. By 2030, I hope to have another 20 under my belt. By 2040, another 10. That would give me a 34-year career and a total of 52 books. I can live with that.

It may be a strange way to goal-set, but hey, why not, right?

And with that, it’s time for the latest links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

A Space Fit For A Comma Queen. “But really, why even mention the sofa or the slightly raddled wing chair or the loving-hands-at-home sanded dining table. It’s books, to paraphrase the novelist Anthony Powell, that furnish this apartment.” And what a lovely apartment it is.

Chinese Bookstore’s Chandeliers Look Like Sheets of Paper Flying Through the Air. This is so cool!

'Game of Thrones' forgot how to write a real twist. “By ignoring the villains’ perspectives, Season 8 is flatter and less interesting than the world of Thrones’ earlier seasons had suggested.”

So I feel like a mean girl criticizing the show, because I can’t imagine how hard it is for the writers, producers, and staff to be lambasted the way they have been these past few weeks. That said, I decided to draw attention to this issue because A - it’s a real problem and B - it’s a good teachable moment.

Your villain MUST have something to do. And you need to let the story tell the story. One of the fun things about these big adaptations is the “Behind the Episode” interstitial that the producers and writers do at the end. The big problem with GOT now, though, is David Benioff and DB Weiss are forced into explaining to the viewer what just happened, and are telling us what we missed in the context of the show. It is a disservice to the story, the actors, the script, and the viewer. It’s like reading a book that doesn’t have an ending, and in the author’s note, the author explains what happened to the main characters. Big, big no-no. Lazy writing will always come back to bite you. The reader/viewer cannot read your mind. You have to lay it out, and you have to let your antagonist and protagonist do their thing.

If you’re a fan of the show, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments…

How Does a Person Lose Track of Their Diary? A cool way to tell an interesting story.

How To Get The Perfect Instagram Photo, According To 8 Bookstagrammers. I am NOT a photographer, and happily Assistant Leigh has a great eye and has really helped make my Instagram pleasing to the eye. But I have room for improvement, and these are great tips.

I'm Ana Humphrey, [teenage] Exoplanet Researcher, and This Is How I Work. If this is our future, we’re all going to be just fine. An incredible story, and incredible young lady!

Modern Library Launches Series of Classics Penned by Women. Super cool!

It was such an honor to sit down with my lovely friend Deanna Raybourn to discuss her amazing books and creative life in this week’s episode of A WORD ON WORDS. If you haven’t read Deanna, you should. If you have, tell me your favorite book or series of hers.

Free audiobooks for your summer reading. Modern Mrs. Darcy is a great resource and her Summer Reading Guide is coming soon!

Donations Help Rebuild Libraries in Paradise, Calif. This is wonderful!

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What I’m Reading:

THE OTHER WOMAN by Daniel Silva

Daniel Silva is one of the finest writers of my generation. That's a big statement, I know. But he's a big writer. He tackles topical, frightening subjects, never shies away from the pain and horror and joys of life, and does it all at a hurtling pace. THE OTHER WOMAN is different from his earlier books, structurally and thematically, and I'm always fascinated to see an author with a remarkable track record try something new. Plus, Gabriel Allon is one of my favorite heroes, ever. A wonderful book, a wonderful series. Highly recommended.

What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. I’m taking my newly-styled self to the gym to get healthy, and you should, too. Take a walk, drink a big glass of water, take a minute to do some square breathing, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, friend. Have you had a good weekend? I’m currently sitting in the Delta Lounge at JFK, on my way home from my birthday trip to Italy. Many good times were had. Vineyards were visited, museums and churches and abbeys paid deference to, and many, many miles navigated with Waze at the helm, in a minibus we nicknamed Van Gogh. (We travel one of two ways - plop down in one city and explore in depth, or base camp in a few different areas and travel to many. This trip was many.) We hit Pinerolo (where my family lives) for five days and visited Torino, Barolo, Barbaresco, Saluzzo, and Asti, then moved on to France (Chambery and Annecy) then to Switzerland (Geneva and Lausanne) then back to France for lunch in one of my favorite spots, Chamonix, then to Sala Comacina on Lake Como, where we took the boat all over the lake with stops in Varenna (stunning) and Bellagio (too touristy for me), then down to Milan. I spent my birthday on a lovely terrace and a boat on Como, with a fabulous dinner capped off with fireworks. Not a bad way to enter a new half-century.

Unfortunately, everyone got sick. My mom was first, then my brother, then me, then Randy and my dad. My nephew fought valiantly, but was sniffling by the end. I still don’t have a voice — laryngitis befalling the one Italian speaker on the trip was only moderately disastrous. By the time we made Como I was totally silent, and sitting on the boat floating around was all I could manage. I rarely get ill when I travel, so this was a rough way to spend the time overseas. But we still managed to have a good time. It was a memorable birthday in many ways.

I was very, very pleased with my Italian this trip (as were most of the Italians we encountered.) I am self-taught, have used language tapes and Rosetta Stone and Duolingo, but I added in the audiobooks from Paul Noble before this trip and I can’t say enough good things about his methodology. If you’re looking to learn a new language fast, you will love this method. It’s similar to how my favorite French teacher, Mr. Mann, taught French in junior high. (I still pronounce oui “weigh” thanks to his southern French accent.) We were in France and Switzerland for a couple of days and just when I’d transitioned to French we were back in Italy, so that messed me up. But so many Italians speak excellent idiomatic English now, as do the French. It’s amazing how global we’ve all become. It’s very possible to manage without much more than a buongiorno and grazie and arreverderci. And trust me, when you’re in a foreign country, if you try, even a little, to speak the language, to use the basic niceties, many doors open that are otherwise slammed shut. Like any other part of life, you get out what you put in.

I’ll pull together some of my favorite photos and wines sometime this week, once I’ve slept for a few days. It’s going to be good to be home. I miss my cats!

With that, let’s take a look at the latest links!

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Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

These books spark joy: The bursting, beautiful shelves of famous bibliophiles. Which one is your favorite?

You NEED This List Of The Best Beach Reads For Summer 2019 Like Now. I love a good summer reading list and they included Mary Laura Philpott’s incredible book I MISS YOU WHEN I BLINK!

Is the bookstore crawl the new pub crawl? I would like for this to become a thing beyond Independent Bookstore Day. More books, please.

How To Find A Book By Description. Great tips for when you’re trying to track down a book and you can’t remember the title or author! 

These Are The 21 Dreamy New Romance Novels To Read This Spring. Assistant Leigh is looking forward to a whole bunch of these! Which ones look good to you?

Award-winning libraries rewrite the book on good design. These libraries are incredible! 

Do Crime Like a Victorian: 11 Nonfiction Recommendations. Such a popular era…

Netherlands makes trains free on national book day for those who show a book instead of ticket. Can all trains please do this?

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What I’m Reading:

YOU by Caroline Kepnes

I started reading this so I could freely watch the TV show of the same name. Once I was well in, out of curiosity, I watched the first episode. Holy cow! I had to all-stop and wait for DH; I knew this was a show/story he'd dig. Crazy, twisty, ends-justify-the-means type of story. Highly recommended.

What are you reading?

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That’s all for now. Learn a few words in a new-to-you language, have a nice glass of Barbaresco, and I’ll see you next week!

peace and hugs,
J.T.