Sunday Smatterings

Smatterings - December 30.png

It’s hard to believe this is the last Smatterings of 2018! But there you have it. Time marches on, whether we want it to or not. I, for one, am ready for the new year to be upon us. After a very quiet holiday week, the first Christmas I haven’t worked in over a decade, I’m feeling rested, and ready to tackle the new year.

But I’m trying to be very careful about stepping right back onto the merry-go-round I’ve found myself on the past few years. I’m a goal-oriented kind of girl, sometimes to my detriment. If there is anything I want to change this year, it’s allowing myself some grace when it’s clear I’m not going to meet a goal. And to only have goals going forward that are attainable. The ones I can’t control are going on a totally new list: desires. Needs and desires. Two very different concepts that I will explore further in my annual review.

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


Here's what happened on the Internets this week: 

The Night Hunter S. Thompson Might Have Given Me Writing Advice. “‘If you want to be a writer, you’ve got to meet Hunter,’ Marco said. Then he added, ‘But whatever you do, do not agree to get in his car and go back to his house. We are not going back to the house.’”

What Should I Read Next Ep 164: The couple that reads together ... needs to find books they'll both LOVE. So cool to hear Anne Bogel recommend A DEEPER DARKNESS! This is a fantastic podcast, and Anne’s blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, is a delight.

From the lovely Ann Hood: Five Books Filled with Food.

Charles Dickens Couldn't Stop Tinkering With 'A Christmas Carol.' What writer can’t relate to this???

Did Lao-Tzu and Confucius Know Each Other? There’s a reason my blog is called the Tao of J.T... I discovered the Tao Te Ching in college and felt an affinity right away. Loved this article.

18 Bullet Journal Tips And Tricks To Make 2019 More Productive Than Ever. I have a new notebook coming that I want to use as a variation of the bullet journal - more on that once it’s underway!

'I just stood there and cried': The Card Man's gifts keep coming months after his death. Such a wonderful story! What a legacy.


Favorite Books Of 2018:

This week, I shared my Favorite Books of 2018! This was a great reading year for me—thanks to adding audiobooks to my repertoire, I was able to read 100 books. My list of favorites is longer than normal but there were so many great books to choose from! What’s one of your favorite books of 2018?


That’s it for now. Raise a glass to a friend, declutter one drawer, make a resolution that will be good for you, and I’ll see you next week! And next year! Happy New Year!

peace and hugs,
J.T.

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.