It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Let’s talk about what we’re reading!
Welcome to February! Pitchers and catchers report in 2 weeks!
It has been an interesting week full of highs (I outlined the new book!) and lows (y’all, I cried at yoga for no apparent reason other than my body is finally moving and unspooling all the stress I’ve been holding in for months), which meant not as much reading as I would have liked. But that’s okay. I’m fixing this.
I mentioned in my Annual Review my recent diagnosis of hypermobile EDS. This is the power of literature: Thank God for Rebecca Yarros and Violet (IYKYK) without whom I might never have been put on this path. This week, in addition to my new yoga and PT appointments, I took my first class on chronic pain. One of the big takeaways, something the universe has been telling me a lot recently, is I need to slow down a bit and try to maintain a better balance between work and life. This is a challenge for me. Stepping away from my desk when the words are flowing is hard. Stepping away when they’re not is harder. I am stubborn. I want things to work, work well, and be right the first time. If I haven’t hit my word goal, damn it, I am going to stay parked here until I do, to the detriment of chores and dinner alike. And like everyone else, I have many moving parts that make up the thing we like to call a career. As much as I’d love only ever to be writing, that’s just not a realistic view of the modern author.
But this is bigger. This is a lifestyle change that absolutely has to happen to protect my body going forward. I’ve added in several hours a week of supervised yoga and PT, and that has sort of shot my schedule to hell. And I know I’ve been spreading myself too thin online because last Friday, frazzled and stressed, I threw up my hands and said I can’t handle this anymore.
I decided to fix things. I’ve automated my social media again. I will post here, and it will feed out to the places I like to engage, and with luck, folks who aren’t already a part of our fabulous community will come here to talk. Trying to keep up with so many different conversations on multiple platforms has gotten to be a challenge. It’s impossible to show your face at ten super fun cocktail parties in a single night, you know? One party, one conversation, is not only easier, it allows for deeper interactions. Because easy is what I need right now.
It’s hard for me to take this step back. I could just hire someone to pretend to be me in those spaces, but it’s one thing to let someone take over when I’m on sabbatical, it’s another to let them be me. I’ve built real communities over the past twenty years (that’s how long I’ve had a blog, if you can believe it.) From blogs to newsletters to Facebook and Instagram and Twitter, I’ve met friends and fans alike. It's why I love this Substack platform so much. It’s a chance to step back from the endless scroll, be real, be present, and do that among hundreds of other writers who have fled the shallows for the depth of long-form writing. It’s cool, and I really appreciate the community we’ve built here.
So here I am, hat in hand (Well, cat in hand, I’m typing this one-handed at the moment, but you know what I mean) doubling down on this world. This shift will help tremendously as I take my annual social media sabbatical, too. Lent starts on Valentine’s Day, and this year, I am limiting myself to Substack!
Anyway, enough of the smushy stuff. Let’s talk books.
I finished THE HEIRESS by Rachel Hawkins, which I very much enjoyed. It had a reverse REBECCA vibe that I thought was cool. And I liked the 4th wall breaks. Good twists and fun writing.
I stepped right into FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston. I see why it’s a Reese pick, and I’m really enjoying it, too. There’s a theme in the crime fiction world right now, isn’t there? The unreliable reliable narrator is far from having her swan song.
I have fifteen minutes left on THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW on audio. I wish I were reading this book because I can’t WAIT to find out what happens. But the audio has been a great car companion as I drive from appointment to appointment.
. Figured thematically, it was time to reassess all the things, right?
I’m still deep intoWolf Hall, though I fell behind this week. I’ll hopefully fix that this weekend.
My buddy Jayne Ann Krentz and I had a lovely chat on her Facebook page about writing, fantasy novel, my Joss Walker books, and life. You’ll enjoy!
On the writing front:
Step Five: 40 Scenes, came out Sunday, and I can’t wait to share the next step, because [spoiler] I outlined my novel. Actually outlined it. I feel like I need ten gold stars. ⭐️
I also ditched my monstrous XXL Lechtturm 1917 for a B5 (tablet-sized) Moleskine Pro. I just couldn’t get a rhythm going for the super large notebook. The second I moved it to the B5, boom, everything started working again. I haven’t let it out of my sight. I find the size of the notebook is almost more important than the paper (though that’s a close second. Moleskine ivory isn’t perfect, but the Pro has 100gsm which is very nice!) I found an inexpensive leather case online, popped that baby into it, and sighed in relief. Now, my iPad, Notebook, and Kindle Scribe are all the same size.
What kind of notebook do you use?
That’s it from me this week. How about you? What’s on your reading plate this weekend?
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It's so important to take care of yourself, both mentally and physically!!
The Unmaking of June Farrow was an incredible book and I didn't see the ending coming...so good!!
I read The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan. I love all of her books and this was excellent!
I also read The Night Island by the wonderful Jayne Ann Krentz. I watched a little bit of your Facebook live with her, but I need to go back and finish it.
It's almost spring like here this week in Nebraska, but it's just Feb...I'm sure winter isn't done with us yet!
I think your decision to streamline and make room for further healing is so, so wise. It’s amazing how much time it can take but it’s worth it, and you cannot be everywhere and everything to everyone!
I love the B5 size! I use a moleskin hardcover dotted notebook for my work logbook and I just love the way that size feels, it’s about the same as all my other assorted notebooks: planner, morning pages, project planner, which I love, too.
I’m reading The Key to Living a Contented Life by Mary Flaherty, very insightful! I’m looking forward to reading The Women by Kristin Hannah when it comes out next week.
I was planning on starting First Lie Wins last night, but Amina Ahktar’s Almost Surely Dead came out yesterday so I had to start that! I’m also 3 books behind on Allison Brennan’s books. So I have to fix that!
I just finished The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins, because another writer said this was the best book ever. And its weird, violent and fun. Very interesting and needs to be reread.
Now started Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Impressive.
I like a drugstore spiral notebook or an XL (?) Moleskine. I used to be a InkJoy gel pen devotee but I need a new favorite; the InkJoys are too fine/dry -- I need something with a little more presence on the page for my aging eyes. :-)
I'm glad to read that you're taking control of your health. I find it inspiring when a person is real about the messiness of their life. (along with the good.) So sorry you cried. I, myself, had a meltdown last weekend when my husband returned from a weeklong work trip. I realized I was lonely, but I hadn't realized he was the substitute for all my friends back in Colorado until he was gone. I'm trying to connect with my community in an online way and figure out here in Texas how to make new connections. My friend from Tennessee has a new job, and sadly, she's so busy we don't meet up anymore. So, I'm needing to branch out more. I signed up for a conference here in Dallas in June and one of my friends is meeting up with me to go to it too. Something to look forward to.
I'm glad you enjoyed THE HEIRESS and are reading THE FIRST LIE WINS. I agree the unreliable narrator is enjoying a great run. I read Ahmina Akhtar's ALMOST SURELY DEAD. It was a fun read, and I'm intrigued by other cultures' folklore, especially jinns. I started V.E. Schwab's THE FRAGILE THREADS OF POWER. For some reason, I couldn't get into it, and I'm 90 pages in. I'm not sure why it's not working for me, but I decided today to put it aside and start a different book. I'm not sure yet what it'll be.
I'm sorry to read about the EDS diagnosis. Pain is never fun. I think breaking down at yoga was your body telling you, it's not fooling around. I hope rest helps. You seem to always be doing 25 things at once. We will be here even if you slow down some.
Sending lots of love and hugs, JT. Aging is no joke, and making physical and mental health a priority is a tough job. If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber Logan. It's a lovely Gothic adult retelling of the children's book The Secret Garden set in Japan. It also handles grief and pain beautifully. I am slowly savoring it.
I read FIRST LIE WINS recently too and enjoyed it. I’m a fan of unreliable narrators—just finished NO ONE CAN KNOW by Kate Alice Marshall which is in a very similar vein.
I’m curious, how do you “automate” your Substack posts to go out to your other SM platforms? Or do you just mean manually sharing the link upon publishing, through Substack’s “share to” buttons?
Also: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (you definitely deserve the gold stars for that outline!)
Oh, I hope yoga will help you feel better. I've been practicing yoga for many years and what i love the most about it, there's no competition. It's all about you and your body. I don't bend like a pretzel 😂, and nobody cares. My favorite notebook comes in different sizes. I use the large one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BH7J8YB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Oh dip! (The Good Place - IYKYK) I didn’t see the hypermobile EDS bit before…I just started physical therapy this week for the same thing. Very very over being in pain and would like to continue to be mobile for the next 40 years. I’m proud of you for getting diagnosed and taking the steps to make your body stronger.
This week I read Ragdoll by Daniel Cole. I loved the mystery of how the detectives had to discover who the 6 bodies parts belonged and why they were targeted. The first half had a chokehold on me. The last half…a little disappointing. I don’t think I’ll continue the series but I would recommend to readers of Nadine Matheson and Chris Carter.
I’m also working my way through Story Genius. I struggle to read craft books because I get too excited and want to go back to my book and never finish! So my goal is to make it a priority book for Feb.
Tonight I’m starting How I’ll Kill You by Ren DeStefano.
I am reading The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab. (Need to see/watch your conversation!) Also reading Clouded Waters by MN author Dianna Hunter.
For notebooks, I'm having the weirdest luck with a steno notebook I bought at Office Max. I've been keeping my current WIP notes there along with some journaling. It just feels good.
All of this was such a great reminder that slow is also forward. I set myself up for some pretty fast deadlines, while finishing my degree, being a mom, training for a marathon, and trying to move into a new genre all within 2023. And I don't know how I'm still standing. Definitely craving that slow you're talking about! So my goal this year was to say "no" more.
I recently moved into a Archer and Olive traveler's size notebook for book notes. Works really well for my Intrigues. Not so much for my thrillers. Will need to find something bigger for those!
I have used fountain pens for many, many years and love writing with them. However, I have had trouble finding journals, planners, Moleskines, etc., where the ink does not bleed through. I typically use a fine nib but still no luck. Any thoughts or experiences? Have a lovely Sunday, J.T.
It's so important to take care of yourself, both mentally and physically!!
The Unmaking of June Farrow was an incredible book and I didn't see the ending coming...so good!!
I read The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan. I love all of her books and this was excellent!
I also read The Night Island by the wonderful Jayne Ann Krentz. I watched a little bit of your Facebook live with her, but I need to go back and finish it.
It's almost spring like here this week in Nebraska, but it's just Feb...I'm sure winter isn't done with us yet!
I love my Moleskine & Composition notebooks!
I think your decision to streamline and make room for further healing is so, so wise. It’s amazing how much time it can take but it’s worth it, and you cannot be everywhere and everything to everyone!
I love the B5 size! I use a moleskin hardcover dotted notebook for my work logbook and I just love the way that size feels, it’s about the same as all my other assorted notebooks: planner, morning pages, project planner, which I love, too.
I’m reading The Key to Living a Contented Life by Mary Flaherty, very insightful! I’m looking forward to reading The Women by Kristin Hannah when it comes out next week.
I was planning on starting First Lie Wins last night, but Amina Ahktar’s Almost Surely Dead came out yesterday so I had to start that! I’m also 3 books behind on Allison Brennan’s books. So I have to fix that!
I just finished The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins, because another writer said this was the best book ever. And its weird, violent and fun. Very interesting and needs to be reread.
Now started Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Impressive.
I like a drugstore spiral notebook or an XL (?) Moleskine. I used to be a InkJoy gel pen devotee but I need a new favorite; the InkJoys are too fine/dry -- I need something with a little more presence on the page for my aging eyes. :-)
I'm glad to read that you're taking control of your health. I find it inspiring when a person is real about the messiness of their life. (along with the good.) So sorry you cried. I, myself, had a meltdown last weekend when my husband returned from a weeklong work trip. I realized I was lonely, but I hadn't realized he was the substitute for all my friends back in Colorado until he was gone. I'm trying to connect with my community in an online way and figure out here in Texas how to make new connections. My friend from Tennessee has a new job, and sadly, she's so busy we don't meet up anymore. So, I'm needing to branch out more. I signed up for a conference here in Dallas in June and one of my friends is meeting up with me to go to it too. Something to look forward to.
I'm glad you enjoyed THE HEIRESS and are reading THE FIRST LIE WINS. I agree the unreliable narrator is enjoying a great run. I read Ahmina Akhtar's ALMOST SURELY DEAD. It was a fun read, and I'm intrigued by other cultures' folklore, especially jinns. I started V.E. Schwab's THE FRAGILE THREADS OF POWER. For some reason, I couldn't get into it, and I'm 90 pages in. I'm not sure why it's not working for me, but I decided today to put it aside and start a different book. I'm not sure yet what it'll be.
I'm sorry to read about the EDS diagnosis. Pain is never fun. I think breaking down at yoga was your body telling you, it's not fooling around. I hope rest helps. You seem to always be doing 25 things at once. We will be here even if you slow down some.
#FridayReads
House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias
Out of the Blue by Jason June
Past Crimes by Jason Pinter
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber Logan
Sending lots of love and hugs, JT. Aging is no joke, and making physical and mental health a priority is a tough job. If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber Logan. It's a lovely Gothic adult retelling of the children's book The Secret Garden set in Japan. It also handles grief and pain beautifully. I am slowly savoring it.
I read FIRST LIE WINS recently too and enjoyed it. I’m a fan of unreliable narrators—just finished NO ONE CAN KNOW by Kate Alice Marshall which is in a very similar vein.
I’m curious, how do you “automate” your Substack posts to go out to your other SM platforms? Or do you just mean manually sharing the link upon publishing, through Substack’s “share to” buttons?
Also: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (you definitely deserve the gold stars for that outline!)
Oh, I hope yoga will help you feel better. I've been practicing yoga for many years and what i love the most about it, there's no competition. It's all about you and your body. I don't bend like a pretzel 😂, and nobody cares. My favorite notebook comes in different sizes. I use the large one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BH7J8YB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Oh dip! (The Good Place - IYKYK) I didn’t see the hypermobile EDS bit before…I just started physical therapy this week for the same thing. Very very over being in pain and would like to continue to be mobile for the next 40 years. I’m proud of you for getting diagnosed and taking the steps to make your body stronger.
This week I read Ragdoll by Daniel Cole. I loved the mystery of how the detectives had to discover who the 6 bodies parts belonged and why they were targeted. The first half had a chokehold on me. The last half…a little disappointing. I don’t think I’ll continue the series but I would recommend to readers of Nadine Matheson and Chris Carter.
I’m also working my way through Story Genius. I struggle to read craft books because I get too excited and want to go back to my book and never finish! So my goal is to make it a priority book for Feb.
Tonight I’m starting How I’ll Kill You by Ren DeStefano.
Cheers to a new month! 💜
🤦🏻♀️ This needs an edit button
I am reading The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab. (Need to see/watch your conversation!) Also reading Clouded Waters by MN author Dianna Hunter.
For notebooks, I'm having the weirdest luck with a steno notebook I bought at Office Max. I've been keeping my current WIP notes there along with some journaling. It just feels good.
Keep taking care, JT.
All of this was such a great reminder that slow is also forward. I set myself up for some pretty fast deadlines, while finishing my degree, being a mom, training for a marathon, and trying to move into a new genre all within 2023. And I don't know how I'm still standing. Definitely craving that slow you're talking about! So my goal this year was to say "no" more.
I recently moved into a Archer and Olive traveler's size notebook for book notes. Works really well for my Intrigues. Not so much for my thrillers. Will need to find something bigger for those!
Reading: THE THIRD TO DIE by Allison Brennan (and yay it’s fantastic and the first in a series).
I’m a Bullet Journal gal, also A5. Always best when I can write things down.
We can compare for sure!
I have used fountain pens for many, many years and love writing with them. However, I have had trouble finding journals, planners, Moleskines, etc., where the ink does not bleed through. I typically use a fine nib but still no luck. Any thoughts or experiences? Have a lovely Sunday, J.T.
I love the idea of giving up Social Media for Lent. 👏👏