J.T. Ellison's Blog, page 5

Friday Reads 3.28.25

Better late than never, yeah? As Randy just reminded me…it’s still Friday!

It was a busy week but a fun one. I went to Alabama! I had a very enjoyable event with the Sheffield Library — one of my dear friends, Georgina Cross, interviewed me in front of a lovely crowd, and I signed every copy of A VERY BAD THING in northern Alabama, thanks to the fine folks at Court Street Books. It was a blast, and I’m so grateful to have met so many fabulous readers! I also got to meet PA Paige in person for the first time, which was so much fun. Also, if you haven’t read Georgina yet, I highly recommend her books. Start with NANNY NEEDED.

L-R: Georgina Cross, J.T., Librarian Beth Ridgeway

We decided to have a field trip on the way home, and toured both the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and the Helen Keller house. It was a bit of a boomerang, really, from hearing how Keith Richard’s penned “Wild Horses” in the tiny studio bathroom to hearing a reenactment of the infamous dining room scene from The Miracle Worker. Very neat and very inspiring.

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio

On the way home, we stopped in Columbia so I could check in with one of my fave little bookstores, Duck River Books. It was great to catch up with James, and we walked out with a few exciting titles. Then it was dinner and a stroll for some ice cream (dairy free for me, of course. Delish!)

I’m still sliding back into the groove—doing out of state events, no matter how fun, throws me off for a few days. All that energy!

In hopes of feeling things calm and center, I decided to switch modules this quarter to nature.

I started THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES, and can already tell this is going to speak to me on so many levels.

At Duck River, I also picked up a book called TREE NOTES: A Year In The Company Of Trees by Nalini Nadkarni. I love that moment in a bookstore when a book calls to you, and this one called to me.

I got some rather amazing book mail, too. Starting with the galley of LAST SEEN! It is SO incredibly gorgeous. Would you like a copy? Leave a comment here and I’ll pick a winner Sunday.

Lisa Scottoline sent a copy of her latest, THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA, and I am so here for it!

Also face out on the shelves is Andrew Ludington’s SPLINTER EFFECT, which I loved so much I blurbed. Think Indiana Jones with time travel. Super cool premise, a great debut. Plus, I got to chat with Andrew and Barbara at Poisoned Pen last night!

I have to get to work, so I’ll leave it there. What are you up to this weekend? Any good book recommendations? I’d love to hear what you’re up to!

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Friday Reads 3.21.25

Happy Friday, friends. I hope you had a great week! Today, I am doing something I swear never to do. I am outlining my new book. It’s not going to be a super strict outline, more of a set of guardrails. I’m a ways into the story now, and the structure is acting up, so I want to see how best to align it with what I’m trying to do story wise.

When I started in January, everything was quiet, and I made real progress, and then we lost the entire month of February. When I was finally able to sit back down to write again, the story had morphed on me. (I might not have been writing but I was certainly thinking!) Another character POV needs to come in, and that’s changing my original plan. So yesterday and today, it’s been me, saving the cat and applying those beats to the story to make sure they line up with my vision.

Also, baseball is back, and we’re at the start of NCAA March Madness, which means lots of background noise, so outlining and planning are good tasks. It’s chilly as heck here, so I’m in front of the fire with the cat, clawing my way into the day. I’ve been reading in the morning after I get up, pieces of stories to inspire and get the juices flowing, and it sets a nice, calm tone for the day ahead. It’s also helping me get through this ridiculous TBR pile…

I’m still reading CHANGE YOUR DIET, CHANGE YOUR MIND: A Powerful Plan to Improve Mood, Overcome Anxiety, and Protect Memory for a Lifetime of Optimal Mental Health, by Dr. Georgia Ede. It’s going to take me a minute to sort through it all. But talk about fascinating. The basic gist is many mental illnesses are not psychiatric in nature, but metabolic. Having seen the amazing effects of a KETO diet on my mood and anxiety, I am all in on this theory.

The amazing Tess Gerritsen has her second book in the Martini Club out this week, THE SUMMER GUESTS. I absolutely adored the first one, and can’t wait to dive into book two.

Suzanne Collins has a new entry in the Hunger Games world, SUNRISE ON THE REAPING. It’s Haymitch’s story and I am very interested in reading it.

I read a short story from Greer Hendricks called THE SUBLET that gave me some Rosemary’s Baby vibes. But not scary, so yay!

And if you want more short and sweets, you can read a sneak peek of Emily Carpenter’s GOTHICTOWN… more on it next week.

Libby served me THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES which I’ve been wanting to read for ages!

I’m deep into LET’S MAKE A SCENE by Laura Wood, which is a very fun rom-com that apparently has a companion novel I’m going to have to read next.

Patti Callahan Henry is out on tour for THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND, so definitely hook up with her if you have a chance.

Lastly, we finished Paradise, and my gosh do I have thoughts. I highly recommend watching, and then when there is an all clear, we can talk, because I don’t want to spoil anything. I can’t decide if I feel tricked or if I’m in utter awe. It was worth every minute though, regardless.

That’s it from me. What are you up to this weekend? Any good book recommendations? I’d love to hear what you’re up to!

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Friday Reads 3.14.25

Happy Friday, all! And a warm welcome to you new subscribers who’ve joined up in the past couple of weeks. Thrilled to have you join the crew.

It’s been a busy work week at Casa Ellison, and it looks like a scary weekend of bad weather ahead. Like most, I am not a fan of tornadoes, so my anxiety is heightened. Since there’s not much I can do to control the weather, getting comfortable with this heightened state is paramount. It might sound silly, but preparation, nutritious food, and calming activities are the best course of action. That means the laundry room is already prepped with essentials: boots, bike helmets, pillows, cat crates, food, and meds. If we get a warned storm, my backpack with purse, laptop, and meds goes into the dryer. And then we take cover, breathe deep, and pray. I think Nashville is in slightly better shape than areas west and south—I’m worrying for you, too. Be prepared, be safe, and stay weather alert!

Speaking of the cat, she’s currently rolling on the floor in a small pile of catnip. She doesn’t seem worried. Granted, she’s super high right now.

So the busy week: We did the cover reveal yesterday for LAST SEEN, my new book that’s coming out August 1, and the one I’m in the process of live-writing for the 22 Steps series. (For the newbies, this is a paid series of posts that’s been following the writing of this book from concept to publication day. If you’re interested, you can find the introductory post here. I’ll have Step Fifteen: The Cover for you Tuesday.)

Also on the docket: the kickoff PR meeting for LAST SEEN, the monthly newsletters, several contracts, some health tests (I’m seeing a functional medicine doctor, and we’re getting baselines), an orthopedic massage (this is not a soft music and warm oils type experience, as it involves putting joints back in alignment and hitting hard-to-reach internal spots. I tore something in my shoulder last week, and she somehow has put it back together. Being out of pain is a very good thing.) Plus, publishing stuff with Jayne, and of course, drafting the new book. Oh, and A VERY BAD THING is on a big special this month… Juggling the writing of one book and PR for another and the publication of a third makes for a busy week.

All that means I didn’t have a lot of downtime for pleasure reading, but I am deep into a new research book that anyone who has any kind of anxiety, depression, or mood disorders should read immediately: Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind: A Powerful Plan to Improve Mood, Overcome Anxiety, and Protect Memory for a Lifetime of Optimal Mental Health, by Dr. Georgia Ede.

It’s a superb analysis of the science behind metabolic health, and as a devotee of the keto diet (I’ve been on keto for a year now), I can’t recommend it enough. I love learning how the brain works — or doesn’t work — because of our diet.

But it’s a complicated book and needs close reading. That’s not a bad thing, actually. I was hoping to break my year into quarters of study — I’d planned to do a deep dive into Ceasar (for reasons 🙃) but it seems health and wellness superseded that.

I did get a ton of book mail this week, though! Several books I blurbed last year are coming out, including THE SPLINTER EFFECT by Andrew Luddington (OMG, y’all, this book is incredible. Think Indiana Jones meets time travel) and a superb entry in the Louise Rick series by Sara Blaedel, A MOTHER’S LOVE. It’s hard to keep a series fresh and exciting, but Sara manages without breaking a sweat.

A beautiful copy of CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO TEN by arrived—I can’t wait to read! Also, the stunningly elegant KAUA’I STORM by , the first in a new series from her featuring a Hawaiian park ranger. It's a really pretty cover and looks great on the shelves.

And I want to get ahead of the game and let you know newest, THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND, comes out Tuesday! Another spectacularly gorgeous cover housing a brilliant story from one of our finest historical writers. Her tour makes me want to crawl into bed and sleep for a year, but I know she’s going to have a total blast meeting up with all of you. Congrats in advance, Patti!

Lastly, Paradise, on Hulu. Go in blind and prepare to have your socks knocked off. My jaw hit the floor. We’re five episodes in and think we know what’s going on right now (I do hope so—it’s one of my all-time favorite philosophical themes) but I’ve been surprised again and again. Great stuff.

I need to go write what I’m calling the “weird” chapter in the new book, so that’s it from me. What are you up to this weekend? Any good book recommendations?

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Friday Reads 3.7.25

Home again, home again, jiggity jig! We are tanned, rested, and already longing for warmer weather. The break was exactly what we needed. Lots of sun, a cool breeze to make it less steamy, beautiful ocean waves and an infinity pool that was as pretty as the beach. This was the view from our breakfast table for the week. It was none so bad. Considering it’s the first actual vacation we’ve had in two years, we were happy to just lounge around, reading, drinking strawberry lime spritzes, and eating lots of fish. I even found a heart shaped rock and a chunk of sea glass on the beach. I feel better than I have in months, so yay!

Sint Maarten. Photo by J.T. Ellison © 2025

Okay, here’s a little known fact: I have a thing for rocks. I bring one home from every trip. Like a dope, I never labeled them, so I don’t necessarily know which rock comes from which place, but they are a lovely collection of memorabilia that the universe presents me with. This has been happening since I was a little girl; I have quite a collection.

Anyway, all that to say, got some reading done. I finished JULIE CHAN IS DEAD by Luann Zhang. It was really fun, a searing satire on today’s influencer culture and the lengths we’ll go to in order to fit in. Quite good for a debut, too.

Then I pivoted directly into Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter Shelby Cunningham’s first collaboration, THE ACADEMY. Y’all know how much I love a good boarding school story. This one was chock full of all the right tropes and a cozy vibe: love, friendship, growing pains and adult drama. Very Hilderbrand. I hope there’s another book set at Tiffin!

Also up this week is Boyd Morrison and Beth Morrison’s latest THE WHITE FORTRESS. This series is so cool. Medieval adventure with fabulous characters and painstakingly accurate research. Highly recommended.

Another that’s been on the bedside table for a while is Casey Means GOOD ENERGY: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health. Hubby read and narrated while he did, and so much of what I’ve been doing with my diet is reinforced in this fascinating tome. We’ve made some more changes (eg: filtered water instead of tap makes our tea taste so much better) and look forward to seeing the results. Since I’ve been working so hard on the gut-mind connection since my EDS diagnosis, there was nothing in this that didn’t resonate. LSS: Ketogenic diets are incredible for your body.

Speaking of good food, my friend has a brand new cookout out this week! THE SIMPLIFIED COOKBOOK is another step in her journey toward health and happiness by providing quick and easy recipes for the family. Cookbooks are hard to do, people. Really hard. I am so proud of her!!!

And one last… ’s fabulous book I WAS ANASTASIA is on a Bookbub right now for a mere $1.99. If you loved THE FROZEN RIVER, you don’t want to miss it!

That’s it from me! What are you up to this weekend? Any good book recommendations? I’d love to hear what you’re up to. Does the universe present you with gifts?

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Friday Reads 2.28.25

Four score and seven non-alcoholic strawberry-lime spritz ago…

Happy last Friday of February, friends! I come to you from an undisclosed location where I am taking a long weekend getting some water and sun therapy. Writing this post under a waving palm tree is rather lovely, but the iguana eyeing my breakfast is unnerving, to say the least.

Normally, I wouldn’t write you from vacation, but something HUGE happened this week and I couldn’t wait to share. I’ve signed a new book deal! I’m reupping for two more books with my team at Thomas and Mercer, under the gimlet eye of the divine Liz Pearsons. This is for my 2026 and 2027 books. My 2025 book, LAST SEEN, is coming to you in mere months, and I’m writing the 2026 book now, which is titled YOU KNOW WHY. I’m rather in love with this story, and can’t wait to get back to it next week. Here’s the official announcement!

Since I’m unplugged, I’ve been able to do some reading! I mentioned last week I’d started Alice Feeny’s BEAUTIFUL UGLY. I am almost finished with this book and I am really enjoying it. If you like any of my more gothic books you’ll love this. We have a similar tone and narrative style. I *think* I’ve figured out one part of the mystery, but I know there’s a whopper of a twist coming, and I can’t wait to see what it is!!!

I also brought a galley along, JULIE CHAN IS DEAD by Luann Zhang, which, with its YELLOWFACE vibes, I predict is going to be the book of the year. I’m starting it today.

Last up for the vacay TBR is a book I started reading on my phone in the hospital last week by the amazing Layne Fargo, THE FAVORITES, about an Olympic-level ice dancing team and their life behind the scenes. It is utterly gripping. I always say write the book they can’t ignore — Layne has done that here!

And… two amazing authors and dear friends have books out this week.

Lisa Unger is back with CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO TEN, a story that was inspired by a vacation she took. I just grabbed it and can’t wait to read this one, Lisa has always been one of my favorites.

And my darling Paige Crutcher has hit the huge achievement of having her third novel release! A CIRCLE OF UNCOMMON WITCHES is her best yet. I have a precious copy at home, no way was I taking the chance of getting it wet!

And one last link, in the 22 Steps series, I published Step 15: The Proofread. It was a challenging one, to say the least.

That’s it from me! What are you up to this weekend? Any good book recommendations? I’d love to hear what you’re up to.

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Step Fifteen: The Proofread

Welcome to the next stage of our journey! I hope you’re finding these posts helpful and illuminating.

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Friday Reads 2.21.25

Hello, friends. Happy Friday to you!

It’s another travel day for me. The latest family emergency is mostly under control, so I’m heading home this evening, hopefully into a calm, zen like weekend of reading. I’m on the last stages of LAST SEEN, which gets one more look-see from me before it goes to it’s final step, and I’m very excited to call this one a wrap and get it into your hands! Several rather astounding blurbs have come in, and the cover is finished. It’s starting to feel real.

The moment I wrap #LS, I’ve got a stack of books waiting. I will not confirm or deny that I may have a few days off in my immediate future, which calls for some exciting titles. There’s really nothing better than turning in a book and then clearing your head with a few great reads before jumping back into work.

Here’s what’s on the list for the next week:

Mark Greaney’s Gray Man #14 - MIDNIGHT BLACK

I am such a huge fan of Mark’s work, and this series is so special and exciting. My dad’s a huge fan, too! If you like spy thrillers and adventure stories, this series is for you.

Alice Feeny - BEAUTIFUL UGLY

I read a sample chapter of this one and immediately downloaded the rest. Cool concept and a fun Scottish setting.

Frieda McFadden - THE CRASH

Same as above. I think this one has some great tension and I’m excited to dive in.

Julia Bartz - THE LAST SESSION

I scored this off Netgalley and I am super excited to read. I love a good psychology story, they are among my favorites. I’m hoping this has a THE SILENT PATIENT bent to it.

Hey, speaking of Netgalley… I made a last minute decision to make the final Jayne Thorne book available for early looks. If you are at all interested in reading with an eye toward leaving a review, you can check it out here. Remember, this is the last book in the series, so if you haven’t read the others, this has some serious spoilers.

In the fantasy vein, I grabbed THE BRIDGE KINGDOM, by a new to me author, Danielle L. Jensen. Excited to read.

For the writers out there… I managed to get another interim step in the series up, this time, about asking for blurbs. I am also in love with the picture I chose for this one. It’s just so Spring-y! And I’m updating this post with the blurbs I’ve gotten for LAST SEEN! 🤩

That’s it from me! What are you up to this weekend? Any good book recommendations?

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Interim Step Nine: Asking For Blurbs

It’s hard. We all have mixed emotions about doing it. But at some point or another, especially when you’re starting out, you will be asked who you think would be a good person to approach for an endorsement of your work.

Why? An endorsement is a signal to readers that the author is a fan of your book. That carries weight in the industry—book buyers, booksellers, librarians, reviewers—who sometimes have to choose between books to stock, buy, carry, review, or recommend. If a title has a glowing blurb from a well-loved mega-bestseller, it can tip the scales in that book’s favor. Plus, different authors have different audiences, and introducing your readers to theirs can change the course of an author’s career. If a blurber really likes the book, they might also promote it in their social world, which gives it even more gravitas!

Sometimes, the publisher will use trade reviews on the cover and front matter, but if you think about the average reader, are they going to be more impressed by a starred Publishers Weekly quote or a ringing endorsement from their favorite author that this book kept them up all night and is perfect for fans of (insert your favorite author here.)

And yet…it’s a practice that is not without its detractors.

Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash

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Friday Reads 2.14.25

It’s Valentine’s Galantine’s Palentine’s day… I vote we move to include books and make it Bibliantine’s Day. Or do we celebrate Bibliantine’s every day? If not, we should! Imagine how much nicer the world would be if we were constantly sending one another little friendly love notes disguised as bookish poems and letters and stories?

Here’s a lovely Bibliantine from me to you… we are celebrating a day of love and friendship, after all…

“Books Fall Open"
by David McCord

Books fall open, you fall in,
Delighted where you've never been;
Hear voices not once heard before,
Reach world on world through door on door;
Find unexpected keys to things
Locked up beyond imaginings...
What might you be, perhaps become,
Because one book is somewhere?
Some New part of you, you cannot guess
May rise from someone's words to bless
The life you live, the thoughts you think...
Strong drink, this book, or meat, or drink?
Take it. Be still. Be sure. It waits,
A feast, beyond the first few gates.

It’s been a really rough few weeks around here, with loved ones ill and in hospitals on both sides of the family. I'm actually on a plane to Florida right now to lend a hand to my side. Somewhere between all the hospitals and Emergency Rooms and doctors and nurses and terrifying moments and coming down with the flu ourselves, some work got done. Not enough, but some. I apologize for missing last week’s blog, and I know I’m behind on our 22 Steps series, but I am starting to catch up.

My new novel, LAST SEEN, is almost finished its proofread, and the proofread of the new Jayne book, THE SCROLLS OF TIME, is done and off to audio. Two at once has been quite the challenge, but I’m hopeful things will continue calming down, and life will return to a new normal for us all. I’m anxious to return to drafting the 2026 thriller, which is really fun and totally dark. I keep reminding myself that all is not lost when I can’t write for hours every day. I am trying to at least mentally touch the manuscript daily. And I did have a brilliant new high-concept idea pop into my head in the middle of the night, so sleep deprivation isn’t the worst. Short story? Novel? I don’t know, but it came with its own logline, so I call it a win.

One thing that’s been saving me is a product called Sweet Sleep Magnesium Butter by Sweet Bee Organics. If you are stressed, have any sort of insomnia, or just need a good night’s rest, this stuff really works. I know because I can’t get more than two or three pages of my current read done before I drift off.

That read is still SOCIETY OF LIES by Lauren Ling Brown. The delay in finishing is not because of the book, simply the lack of time to sit down and pleasure read, and the new falling asleep within minutes because of the magnesium butter. I’m enjoying it though, and it’s actually helping with some structure issues I was having with the new, new book I’m writing. I do love me an academic setting.

To wit, I’ve been watching a lot of movies, and one that was a great distraction was FALLEN, based on the book by Lauren Kate. I grabbed the book, too, because it has all the elements I love—gothic school, deep and complicated romance, a woman finding her power… And I’m telling you, that school’s library had me drooling. They shot at Tura Castle in Hungary, and I now want to go there STAT.

A more serious note for the Nashville contingent…I was very saddened to hear that Steve Turner passed away this week. For years, Steve and his wife Judy Turner sponsored A WORD ON WORDS. I’m sure you’ve seen their names on the screen before. They were magnificent supporters of the arts in Nashville. What a glorious legacy. My deepest condolences to the family, and many thanks for all the love and life you’ve given this city and our little show.

That’s it from me today. How about you? Any bibliotines you want to leave behind today? 💝

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Friday Reads 1.31.25

People, it was a week. There were lows. There were highs! There was loss. There was joy. There was pain, and there was relief. There were words, and words, and words. And there was everything in between. Our lives are dichotomous by design; it’s impossible not to have these swings. But it’s been a wild one.

I’m absolutely heartsick about the CJR/Blackhawk crash in DC. It’s starting to look like this was a breakdown in ATC communication creating a collision vector. This shouldn’t have happened. It’s always a perfect storm of problems, and I’m sure we’ll know more soon enough. But so many hopeful lives—what a terrible loss for the US Figure Skating team, the Army, the airline, and everyone in between.💔

You probably don’t know this, but in a past life, when I first left the political world, I went to work for Lockheed Martin on their FAA contract. Part of my job was to do the budget and finance for the multitudes of TRACONs (Terminal Radar Facilities Approach Controls) across CONUS. Yes, they paid me to do math. I’d make a joke about the government here, but…inappropriate. I can still maneuver the hell out of an Excel spreadsheet. I spent a lot of time in planes, visiting dozens of air traffic control towers and TRACON facilities all over the country. I usually flew in and out of Reagan. That’s a scary flight path on a good day, and even tenser at night. No room for error,.

Not to date myself, but tracking flights wasn’t wholly electronic then. They actually wrote the flight details on a slip of paper that went into a metal plate, and they slid the plates along a board in reference to where the planes were on their approaches. It used to be a lot of fun to listen to the pilots talking to the tower as I flew away. (For a few controllers, a girl in the TRACON was akin to a woman aboard an 1800s vessel angering the sea gods, which they were happy to let me know.) It's astounding, really, how much the technology (and society) has changed.

(True story: After a particularly grueling twelve weeks on the road, Mr. E put a ring on it, and I moved jobs.)

Anyway. Out of the wayback machine. Flying is still the safest mode of transportation. But any time there’s an incident, it terrifies us all. “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?” is going down in aviation history.

On to brighter subjects: The books.

I finished ONXY STORM and it was everything I could have hoped for. Twists I expected, twists I didn’t, and a few whoppers that left my jaw on the floor. So much fun, and I can’t imagine how long we’re going to have to wait for the fourth installment. Congrats to Rebecca for breaking the all-time record for week one book sales!

It’s always hard to pick up another book after one so immersive, but I picked well: I’m now deep into SOCIETY OF LIES by Lauren Ling Brown. It is utterly engaging from page one, and I do so love a dark academic theme.

I also started HEARTWOOD by Amity Gage, which is lyrical and beautiful. The literary thriller is gaining popularity again, which makes me very happy.

I grabbed two books on Kindle that I haven’t started yet: GIRL, FORGOTTEN by Karin Slaughter and BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeny. Two stunningly great authors, and I’m sure will really get me in the mood for work next week.

And a couple of books are releasing that are well worth your time… A KILLING COLD by Kate Alice Marshall, which I blurbed because I loved it so much. If I recall, the words feral and gothic were used. Also, Carter Wilson’s TELL ME WHAT YOU DID is on sale this week. I think the world of Carter; he has a great podcast that is a lot of fun, too.

On the research side of the fence, I’m reading THE MEANING OF MYTH by Neel Burton, who is a psychiatrist interpreting 12 Greek myths. It’s fascinating to see the myths I am so familiar with through a new lens.

Not a ton of progress on the new book this week, as I had to do the copyedit of THE SCROLLS OF TIME, but I sent that off last night. Another step forward toward wrapping the whole Jayne series in a tight little bow.

That’s it from me today. How about you? What are you reading this weekend? Do you have any great recommendations?

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