A RITA nomination for FIELD OF GRAVES!

YOU GUYS!!!!!!!! I just got a phone call. A very happy-making phone call. FIELD OF GRAVES has been nominated for a RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense from the Romance Writers of America!!!

To say I am over the moon is an understatement. My little book, the very first I ever wrote, the one that got me an agent (THANK YOU, SCOTT) but didn’t sell in New York, the one that put me on the path to series writing, to expanding Taylor Jackson’s world with the book that did sell (aka ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS), to catapulting the career I have — this book, that languished in a virtual filing cabinet for a decade before my awesome publishers at MIRA said, Hey lady, let’s do this — this Little Book That Could has now gotten the highest recognition in its field. 

Ahem. FIELD! Hee!

Yes, I am utterly delighted. This book is a classic romantic suspense, the beginning of Taylor and Baldwin’s epic love story set against the backdrop of a murderous villain accosting Nashville co-eds, and I can not tell you how excited I am to see it get this wonderful recognition from RWA.

The honor is always in the nomination, and I’m thrilled to be nominated alongside the best names in RS writing today. Good luck to all of us!

Orlando, here we come! 

***

PS: One of the really fun things that goes along with the RITA Awards is the RITA Reader Challenge put on annually by Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. You might want to go check it out!

PPS: If you haven't read FIELD OF GRAVES yet, check it out here!

11.29.16 - FIELD OF GRAVES is out in paperback today!

One of our favorite English language idioms is the phrase "Last, but not least." It applies to today’s post because... 

I am here to announce my last release of 2016 – FIELD OF GRAVES in paperback!

Last, but not least, because FIELD OF GRAVES (or FOG, as it is lovingly referred to at Chez Ellison) is the 6th release of the year. Yes, 2016 was a very, very busy publishing year for me. And this is it until March 14, 2017, so enjoy it slowly…

FOG was a very fun book for me, not only because it was the very first book I ever wrote, but because it was a SIBA Okra Pick!, received a starred Publishers Weekly review, and saw me out on the road across the country on tour. I had so much fun releasing this baby out into the world, and I’m so thrilled it’s now available in paperback for your enjoyment.

Click here for the official round-up of all the reviews and articles.  

And in case you missed the hardcover release, here’s the scoop:

Taylor Jackson is back, y'all.

Get all of your questions answered (How did Taylor get her scar? How did she and Baldwin meet?), and say hello to your old favorites (Sam! Fitz! Marcus! Lincoln!) as they track down a madman trying to create his own apocalypse.

Enjoy revisiting Taylor and her team. And if you’ve already read FOG, might I suggest that it makes a fabulous, portable holiday gift… 
 

Buy Yours Now!
 

11.27.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, gentle readers! Have you had a nice holiday? Eat lots of yummy things? I hope you have, and that you got to make some memories with the people you love, to celebrate traditions and make new ones. We had a low-key celebration here, followed by a shift at my lovely indie, Parnassus Books, on Small Business Saturday.

Do me a favor and show some love to your local indie, would you? There's nothing like walking into a bookstore, browsing a shelf and finding something new to devour. Lots of work goes into putting that book into your hands, and indie booksellers inject a big dose of love into the mix that you don't get from the click of a mouse.

That's my two cents, anyway.
 

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

My friend Ariel Lawhon is one of the wisest people (and one of the most brilliant writers) I know. Her blog post this week is a must-read for anyone, regardless of age or profession. Simply wonderful advice.

Do you know where wine's from? We at The Wine Vixen didn't guess correctly... and we hadn't heard of the varietals that call the region home. See, chickens—learning lasts a lifetime!

Utterly captivating: "How Jack Reacher Was Built."

Quirk Books imagined a few Twitter rants from literary characters, and they are kind of spot on.

Y'all. Now's the time to sign up for Fresh Fiction's Limited-Edition Christmas box! They're chockfull of goodies every month, fellow bookworm. But there might be a special surprise from yours truly in the Christmas box... just sayin'.

The Oxford English Dictionary named its 2016 Word of the Year. Have you heard of it?

 

And closer to home:

Have you been pinching your pennies waiting for the FIELD OF GRAVES paperback? Your patience is about to be rewarded: it's finally coming out this Tuesday! Go here to snag your FIELD OF GRAVES paperback.

I had the best time with the ladies of XOXO After Dark, chatting about why we can't put down thrillers, road trip snacks, NO ONE KNOWS, and more. It doesn't get much more fun than this. Tune into our conversation while you run, while you laundry, while you're online shopping... whenever!

One of my favorite things to do is to peek behind the curtain, to see how other writers make the magic. In the spirit of the giving season, I've put all my tools on display, the things that make my business chug along. Whether you're a writer, a stay-at-home-mom, or a student looking for some productivity hacks, I've got you covered. My writing software, my research workflow, my favorite notebooks, pens, and pencils—I went full-nerd here. 🤓

That's it from me! Enjoy the post-Turkey lull, welcome December with open arms, buy a copy of FIELD OF GRAVES paperback for you and a friend, and we'll talk again soon!

xo,
J.T.

8.21.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, my darlings!

As you may have noticed, I’ve been slightly more active on the socials this week. Part of that was a three-day family road trip to the Black Hills. Mount Rushmore was incredible, y’all, so inspiring, and I loved Deadwood, and simply driving through what looked like the Colorado of my youth. I had to post some pictures and share it with you.

Also, I’m within a few weeks of finishing a draft of the new book, and I will admit, it’s been nice to poke my nose out of my cave and say hello to folks. I had no phone service during the trip, which sounds like a blessing, but being forced away without choosing to do so annoyed me greatly. Contrarian that I am, I don’t like dictums.

So. As of yesterday afternoon, I’m at 88,000 words, or about 380 pages, and things are popping. There is a book in here somewhere. I’m not seeing light at the end of the tunnel, but there is a sense of momentum, of the train hurtling forward, that gives me great hope. I’d love to finish by the end of the month, at the latest by Bouchercon. Wish me luck.

Now, on to the links! 

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Every weekend while I was growing up, without fail, my parents and I watched The McLaughlin Group. I've always been a current events/political junkie, and this show truly was the core of my interests. I'm so sorry it's over, but John did it will style and class to the very end. RIP, John McLaughlin. Bye-bye.

For something a bit more lighthearted, you need these 10 Amelia Bedelia-isms. 😂 How many people do you know like this in real life?

The Guardian has collected their top 10 books that all writers need to read. How many have you found your way through? Because I'll tell you the truth, there's a lot on this list I haven't read.

And closer to home:

I'm always looking for ways to be more productive. Automating my life with workflows has been revolutionary for my business and personal lives. I wrote this post for RT Book Reviews' Author Portal explaining how I did it. 

This week, The Wine Vixen discovered The Wine Show. And my, oh my. Come for the wine, stay for the accents—you'll notice the show stars the incomparable Matthew Rhys of The Americans and Matthew Goode, which will excite Downton Abbey fans. If you have a Hulu account, we highly suggest you go watch it—fun and informative!

That's it for us. Take some time to appreciate what an amazing country we live in by setting off into the wilderness sometimes soon. See some of our treasures. Admire the ingenuity and dedication and forbearance it took to tame this gorgeous land. And congratulations to all our incredible Olympians! I am so humbled by their dedication and passion. Go USA!

xoxo,
J.T.

8.15.16 - A little bird told me the FIELD OF GRAVES audiobook is on Audible...

Here's some happy news for a Monday:

The FIELD OF GRAVES audiobook is available on Audible! 🎉

P.S. It'll be available everywhere else on August 23. Hooray!