J.T. Ellison, New York Times Bestselling Author

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Sunday Smatterings

Hello, friends!

As you read this, I am taping the last two (of six) A Word on Words shows of the weekend at Southern Festival of Books. We have a very aggressive festival schedule this year because there are so many cool authors in town! What’s Southern Festival of Books, you ask? Only the loveliest festival in Nashville. It’s chilly this weekend for the first time since last March, and we all congregated to talk story, books, and all things literary.

And tomorrow, I will be in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Bibliofeast! I have heard such amazing things about this event. I can’t wait to talk about TEAR ME APART with everyone.

It’s been a busy week, and you all know how much I despise that term. Every day was filled with new challenges, but happily, I finally zeroed in on a title for the new book. I’ll share as soon as I’m allowed, but I love it — it totally encapsulates the story and the unique setting. The story is starting to come alive for me, too, which is an incredible feeling. Every time I start a book, I forget how to write a book. And every time I remember I forget how to write a book, I can breathe easier, and the story starts to reveal itself. But titles are important, and now I can really put my head down and plow on.

Since I need to go pack… time for the latest and greatest links!


Here's what happened on the Internets this week: 

Speaking of forgetting how to write books, I give you the article I read this week that reminded me of this weird quirk of mine — and helped me relax and let the story start to shape itself. Lou Berney’s NOVEMBER ROAD is on everyone’s lips, and this interview shows you why.

Bouchercon Author Interview: Lisa Unger. Crime By The Book has a fabulous interview, this time with one of my faves! Lisa is the real deal.


Imagining your future projects is holding you back. Whoa...this gave me pause. Like, serious, major, rethink my life strategy pause.

A Discovery of Witches conjures its U.S. premiere date. Jan. 17, 2019 is only 95 days from now. Just sayin'. And maybe a little birdie has seen the first four episodes and is in LOVE!

Time management Monday: Reduce morning overwhelm. Good tips. I need to try some of these myself. Then again, I could just continue to skip mornings and start my day at noon…

BookPage Interviews: Rena Rossner. Great interview, and her book looks absolutely fascinating: The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

Star Trek Isn’t a Paperless Future. (video) I adored this. You can pry my notebooks from my cold, dead hands…

On everyone's lips at Digital Book World, NPR's very sexy Book Concierge. This is fabulous! If you want to have some wonderful curation for your TBR pile, give it a shot.

Recently Digitized Journals Grant Visitors Access to Leonardo da Vinci’s Detailed Engineering Schematics and Musings. OMG people. How incredible is this? da Vinci is astounding, and to have a peek into his mind… so cool!


And closer to home:

I’m telling you, publishing a book is a LOT of work. Every time I think I’m finished with the prep for A THOUSAND DOORS, another facets rears its head. Which makes me respect you indie writers even more, and makes me doubly thankful for my traditional publishers, who make it so easy for me to keep my head down and do my work.

Early reviews of A THOUSAND DOORS streaming in, and I have to say, I am beside myself with happiness at how the novel is being received. To celebrate, here’s a wee giveaway…

Goodreads is giving away 50 digital advanced reader copies of A THOUSAND DOORS! US only, sorry…. Head here to enter.

The day Mia Jensen died, she finally got to live.

We've all played the "what if" game. For Mia Jensen, "what if" is a fact of life. Dissatisfied with her choices, she often dreams about what could have been. Now she has the chance to know. But that knowledge is going to cost her dearly. Only through death can she fully realize the value of her life. 

Bringing Mia to life are the following amazing writers: Kimberly Belle, Laura Benedict, A.F. Brady, Paige Crutcher, Rebecca Drake, Heather Gudenkauf, Patti Callahan Henry, Joy Jordan-Lake, Alisha Klapheke, Ariel Lawhon, Kerry Lonsdale, Catherine McKenzie, Kate Moretti, Lisa Patton, and Kaira Rouda.

Get the Paperback

AMAZON 
BARNES & NOBLE
INDIEBOUND

Get the Library Hardcover

AMAZON 
BARNES & NOBLE
INDIEBOUND

Download the eBook

KINDLE 
NOOK 
iBOOKS 
KOBO 
GOOGLE PLAY

Add To Goodreads


THE SIXTH DAY, the fifth book in the Brit In The FBI series with Catherine Coulter, comes out in trade paperback on November 13! I love this new cover, it’s so evocative, and the colors are gorgeous. Plus, I love the story — falcons and drones and London — what could be more fun?

Preorder your copy:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

IndieBound

Indigo


In this incredibly busy book fall, I still must say thank you to everyone who has bought and read and reviewed and talked about TEAR ME APART. If you haven’t given it a try, I think you’ll like it!


That's all for now! Send me some of your extra energy for the weekend, toast some marshmallows, leave out some kibble for the neighborhood cat, and I’ll see you next Sunday!

peace and hugs,
J.T.