J.T. Ellison's Blog, page 7
December 6, 2024
Friday Reads 12.6.24
Well, hello, and happy Friday. I sit here surrounded by tea cups and notebooks, multiple pens, two pairs of reading glasses, my phone, a few holiday presents, and the knowledge that I’ve just sorted and properly shelved all of my green-spined books. I was on a call earlier this week—an actual phone call, not a Zoom— and realized that somewhere along the way, the teal, light blue, and green books had become intermingled. This is not an issue, obviously, but it felt discordant, so today I rearranged a bit. I’ve broken down and started shelving stacks vertically and horizontally (horizontal creates more space in the shelf) and have realized that with the stacked books, the color alignment is more pleasing to the eye in actual color blocks.
I wish all this meant I had a lot of free time this week, but it’s more discordant time. I’m back in PT for my knee after a fall (boo hiss); my ortho retired so I’m interviewing doctors; it’s the time of year for all the annual tests; I taped an AWOW episode and did an in-conversation with my friend Signe Pike, and I’m having coffee with a fellow writer as we speak. Because of all of this, I’ve been out of the house every day this week, sometimes multiple times a day, which, if you’re an introvert who would rather be cozied up with a book, can be quite disruptive.
Happily, I have a couple of books that have been keeping me company. In addition to Signe’s amazing THE SHADOWED LAND, which I highly recommend, Rachel Howzell Hall’s THE LAST ONE came out this week! A new romantasy is just what the doctor ordered.
I’ve also been reading Anna Lembke’s DOPAMINE NATION: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, which is an absolutely fascinating look into how dopamine works, and how we might be able to break some very bad habits that are dopamine-heavy, and resistant. A really great book if you, like me, are looking for ways to unplug from the Matrix.
I have an advance copy of Adam Ross’s PLAYWORLD on the docket for the weekend. This book came so highly recommended by a friend that I’ve been saving it, and I am super excited to read. It’s the story of a child actor in New York in the 1980, and looks to be a tour de force novel from Ross. I get to talk to him Monday for the show, too. Very fun!
I also picked up a copy of Jason Rekulak’s THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING. I’ve seen this book all over the internet, but I was in the bookstore looking through the shelves and the cover stood out. I mean, it is stunningly gorgeous. I couldn’t help myself, I grabbed it and brought it home to live among the dark green spines. With luck, I will even get a chance to read it soon!
One last thing — the special I ran last week was a bit of a mess, and I apologize to anyone who tried to take advantage but found that they weren’t able to. I will run another special in the future and do it more intentionally instead of as a fun, last-second thing. But the mistakes I made led me to a very cool substack by of The Editing Spectrum. I subscribed, we chatted, and Amanda gave me some great advice, which I’ve already started implementing. The whole communications system should be running smoother; plus, I’ve updated my bio and all the descriptions, welcomes, and footers so everyone knows what they’re getting, free and paid. It’s like The Creative Edge grew up!
That’s it from me. How about you? Reading anything fabulous this holiday weekend? Are your holiday parties starting? I’d love to hear how things are going!
November 29, 2024
Friday Reads 11.29.24
Happy Day after Thanksgiving! I hope you had an absolutely lovely holiday and are stuffed full of yummy foods and vigorous conversation!
First things first. I’ve never done this before, but I thought it might be fun to do a special offer to the paid side of The Creative Edge. I love this community we’ve built, and I want to keep writing about writing and sharing my journey and experiences with you. I have some ideas for the coming year, including a mini-series on independent publishing, as well as another deep dive into the writing of my next book. I would love it if you came along for the ride! This special is for annual subscriptions because if you make an investment in the future of this work, it helps me plan exactly what to give you in return!
As always, Friday Reads will continue to be in the Free Tier. Because book talk should always be free. 🤓
Now, speaking of book talk...
I am the proud owner of a new book. I know, I know, this isn’t exactly something new. But a friend recommended ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD by Patrick Bringley, who was a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the story looked so fabulous that I snagged it immediately. I am a sucker for books about art museums. Remember me gushing about my interview with Christine Coulson? There’s something about the insider look that just does it for me.
(PSA: A WORD ON WORDS is now available on the PBS app!)
And, of course, with the anniversary of the Kennedy assassination this week, I’ve finally bumped Stephen King’s 11/26/63 onto my TBR shortlist. The same friend who suggested the Bringley book has been raving about this one for years, and I am finally in a place where I can get lost in some of the books I’ve been holding on to for, well, a time when I didn’t have other obligations hanging over my head. I started and realized, wow, she was right. This is going to be gooooood.
And yes, that means I’m finally going to get to David Grann’s THE WAGER, too, which I’ve also had waiting impatiently. Dare we say judgmentally? That book gives vibes, man.
Who’s read JAMES, by Percival Everett? Also in my need some uninterrupted time pile.
Do y’all ever do this? Put aside books for holidays and vacations, when you won’t have a million other things pulling at your attention?
There were a couple of great books on specials this week, and you know I can’t pass up a special. Rebecca Yarros put out VARIATION—and really, she had me at ballet dancer. Also, Jeneva Rose’s YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE COME HERE, and John Scalzi’s STARTER VILLAIN. It has been so much fun to watch Jeneva’s rise to fame and glory!
Last, but not least, Jayne #5 came out yesterday! It’s called The Book of Spirits and sees our Thorne sisters in all sorts of trouble. There is a sun goddess and ancient Japanese manuscripts and Wraiths and all kinds of magical warmongering. I’m almost ready to send the last book off to copyedit.
That’s it from me. How about you? Reading anything fabulous this holiday weekend? I’d love to hear your recommendations! And thanks for considering becoming a paid subscriber!
November 26, 2024
Interim Step Seven: Deep Work, Slow Living, And The Power of Doing Nothing
There is a woodpecker living in my backyard.
It’s my fault. I put out suet during a big snowstorm last year so he’d have something to eat, and he has decided that the Ellison Smorgasbord is too good to pass up. We had a full-blown ASMR room out there, with the snow falling and the cardinals and squirrels and chippy-monks munching and the woodpecker swinging around on the feeder. It was lovely. But now, he has taken up residence, and decided the chickadees birdhouse is the place for him. One small issue — it’s much too small for him to get into. So he’s decided to do a renovation. All morning long, he pecks away—ratt-a-tatt-tatt— at the circular metal piece that fits around the hole. Persistent bugger.
On the surface, it’s…disruptive.
But is it really? Yes, it drew me out of my office and away from my manuscript. I poured a fresh cup of tea and went out onto the porch to ponder how to deal with him. I sat down and watched. It was quiet and cool. I lit the fire. Put my feet up. The cat came and snuggled in. I drank my tea, and allowed myself that moment. I didn’t have my phone or my laptop. Just a cup of tea, the cat, and that damn woodpecker.
It was awesome.
Photo by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash
November 22, 2024
Friday Reads 11.22.24
What a week it’s been! I hope this missive finds you happy and well, gearing up for the holidays! Hard to believe Thanksgiving is next week (for those of us in the US). I work in an industry that slows down tremendously over the holidays, so today feels like the last real work day of the year. Starting Monday, it’s officially the “holidays”. I immediately went to look up the etymology of holidays — holy days, of course, but instead typed in “entomology holidays” and got some cool insect entries, including this calendar. So if you are looking for an esoteric holiday giftie… Did I mention it’s been a week? 😂
I’m a bit worn out, actually, so having some slower days ahead sounds very appealing. Five more PR events for A VERY BAD THING tour, three of them between now and Tuesday, and that’s a wrap for this book’s promotional schedule. My team has done an amazing job of helping get the word out. If you haven’t gotten your copy yet, there’s signed stock at Parnassus and Poisoned Pen, and they, along with your new insect calendar, make great gifts.
Jayne #5 comes out next week, so there’s been a bit of backend work getting that ready to rock, including a Goodreads Giveaway that goes through the 26th, if you’re interested. And Jayne #6 is finished! I was weirdly emotional about the ending of this series. I’ve never “finished” a series before. There have always been thoughts and plans to continue on all the previous ones I’ve done, but this one had a six-book arc from the beginning, and now, that arc has been completed. I cried when I originaly planned the ending and cried when I wrote the ending and when I revised the ending, and I’ll cry a few more times as it goes through the editorial process. With change comes loss, right?
I’m also at that strange stage in a new standalone that I’m not quite writing yet but I can’t help myself from doing work on it. Remember, I am loathe to write synopses because things change. Naturally, things have changed. Nature of the beast, I know. But an opening scene came to me, and I couldn’t help but sketch it out. It’s creepy. Very JT.
OK, I’ll stop teasing. On to books you can read right now!
I’ve actually been so looking forward to writing this week’s Friday Reads because I have a very different recommendation, but one primed for the impending doom holidays. It’s called WHEN SOUTHERN WOMEN COOK: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes, with conversations from 70 women writers. It’s by Morgan Bolling and Toni Tipton-Martin, both with Cook’s Country and America’s Test Kitchen. I got to interview these amazing ladies, and I trust me; I have bookmarked at least 100 of the 300 recipes, including one for sweet potatoes that I’m totally making next week. The essays within are also fascinating. Really cool reading.
I also almost finished with Sara Blaedel’s new one that I mentioned last week, and I’m deep into book 2 of Signe Pike’s Lost Queen series, THE FORGOTTEN KINGDOM. The next book comes out on December 3, so I’m playing catch-up so I can jump into THE SHADOWED LAND next week.
My pal John Charles sent me a fantastic selection of joy-making holiday titles, too, which I can’t wait to dig into. I’ll start sharing as I finish them.
Yes, my TBR is teetering. I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to fix the bookshelves. Obviously, the easiest thing is to cull some more books to make room for the new ones, but that’s… sacrilege. There are plenty I haven’t read yet, and I don’t want to be parted from. I’m looking at a stack of books on the floor that is topped by Madeline L’Engle’s A WRINKLE IN TIME and John Le Carre’s TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY, among other classics, so you can understand how I’d like to integrate them into my current shelves.
On the watching front: LIONESS continues to rock, and we started LANDMAN last night, and wow, the characters are really well-cast.
That’s it from me. How about you? Reading anything fabulous this weekend? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
November 15, 2024
Friday Reads 11.14.24
How are you today, friends? Happy Friday! I hope all is well and you’re as relieved as I am to see the end of this week. It’s been a long one for me. I’m doing a lot of PR in the evenings, interviews, and events, and I’m getting a little sick of myself. LOL. It happens. Last night, I came out of an interview to find Randy had made a lovely dinner, and I almost cried with relief. I get uber-focused when I have this much on the schedule, terrified I might mistake a time zone or have technical difficulties, and last night, I realized halfway through that I’d completely forgotten to make dinner before I started. My hero rescued me with a delightful chicken parm. Love that man.
I’m in love with love this week anyway. I finished the wonderful Christmas romance by Martha Waters, CHRISTMAS IS ALL AROUND, and then immediately finished Emily Henry’s FUNNY STORY. Then I wrote my pal John Charles and said MOHR, PLZ. More joy, more happy, more silly, more sweet. I’m expecting a box next week; I will report forthwith.
I also bought the fun new holiday collection from Amazon Originals, UNDER THE MISTLETOE, and started Ali Hazelwood’s story CRUEL WINTER WITH YOU last night. So good.
I don’t know why this genre has landed so hard with me right now. I’ve been in a slump for what feels like months, and I will take anything that breaks me out. But also, there’s something really sweet and fun about reading romantic comedies. I usually save these stories for vacation, especially beachy time, but something is clicking and I am here for it right now, with the chilly air and cozy fire and fuzzy cat in my lap.
Maybe it’s the uncertainty in the world; maybe it’s that I’ve mostly exited social media, stage left, for the time being. Perhaps I just needed a breath of fresh air after a year of murder and mayhem. Whatever it is, you don’t mess with a streak, right? I might even break down and watch some holiday movies this year. I mean, why not?
Some great crime books dropped this week that I’m looking forward to. Kaira Rouda’s WHAT THE NANNY SAW came out. And Liv Constantine’s EVERYONE IS A LIAR released on audio. And in exciting news, Ruth Ware is releasing a sequel to her blockbuster novel The Woman in Cabin 10 — THE WOMAN IN SUITE 11. I am ridiculously excited about this. I am a huge fan of Ruth’s work, as you all know.
We also gobbled down the second season of The Diplomat with Kerri Russell and Rufus Sewell, which was outstanding. I mean, talk about a brilliant ending. BRILLIANT. And the new season of Lioness is on, which is also killer. Zoe Saldana screaming her rage every episode is weirdly theuraputic. We started Yellowstone, too, and I have *THOUGHTS*. I won’t spoil it for those of you who haven’t watched yet, but…did I mention I have thoughts? They are not in the positive category…
Finally, I leave you with a post from earlier in the week that has a taste of how I plan my life.
That’s it from me. How about you? Reading anything fabulous this weekend? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
November 12, 2024
Interim Step Six: How To Schedule Your Writing Life
I’ve been fielding a lot of questions lately about how I structure my time. Considering all the hats I wear, this is a legitimate query. I sometimes wonder myself, especially in the busy season when I am swamped with work from all corners of my obligations. It’s very easy to say the only “job” that matters is my writing, and believe me, I have spent quite a bit of time over the last couple of years putting into place boundaries and structure that allow me to focus on that almost exclusively. My other priority obligation is to the show, which is obviously something I love to do. But many other things nip at my heels, so I thought it would be a good idea to talk about how to get a Ph.D. in juggling.
My work can currently be put into four distinct buckets:
J.T. Ellison novels and short stories
Joss Walker novels and short stories
Two Tales Press publishing
A Word on Words TV show
Inside of those buckets are a variety of different “jobs” from marketing and PR to blurbing books, travel, social media, blogging, website design, reading, interviews and shooting schedules, etc.
I suppose I need a fifth bucket for having a life…which I promise, I do.
In 2025, though, two of those buckets are going away for a bit. The final book of the Jayne Thorne series will launch, and that will wrap both my Joss Walker career and Two Tales Press for the time being. I’ll be able to focus 100 percent of my attention on my JT world, and that’s going to be really nice. Not that I don’t love the indie publishing side of things; trust me, I do. (I probably like it a little too much, which is why it takes up so much of my time. I make pretty books.) But until I am ready to dive into another stellar fantasy idea or expand the Jayne universe some more (or buckle down and write my ghost book, a sci-fi thriller), I can put that to rest for now.
The only thing I’m planning for the indie side going forward is consulting with writers looking to make their own books. As much as I’d love to publish people who aren’t finding a path in the traditional world, that would take ALL my time (and a great deal of external financing) to do properly. I’ve decided that I’m better off teaching the proverbial man to fish than taking the trawler out into the wide Sargasso Sea.
So. All that established, how do I go about managing my time to handle everything?
Planning. Segmenting. Scheduling. Discipline.
November 8, 2024
Friday Reads 11.8.24
Well. It’s been a week. And don’t worry — I’m not going there. This is a safe, bookish space, and I want to keep it that way. A little normalcy is good for everyone.
A lot of good book things happened over the past week. Namely, A VERY BAD THING is now out in the world! I had a fabulous weekend of launch events, including a party replete with cake and besties at Parnassus Books, where the divine interviewed me, then traveled across the country to Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, ate two brilliant meals with my friend Barabra Peters, and got to hang all evening with Danielle Trussoni. Sunday I scooted back home for an online event where I got to talk to well over 100 of you in virtual person. Then I collapsed with a book because that’s how I roll. I have more tour dates ahead, and the PR machine has started cranking out the interviews and essays I wrote, gearing up for launch.
Here’s one I think you might like about the core theme of all of my work—women finding their power—from CrimeReads (with book recommendations) and a look at my fun chat with the wonderful women of .
There are signed copies at both Parnassus and Poisoned Pen. The hardcover is so beautiful, and the paperback is a nice chonky book. And the audio is really, really great!
I came home from the bookstores with half a suitcase full of books, and promptly sought to distract myself. I needed a major vibe shift, and I had just the ticket with a wonderful Christmas romance by Martha Waters called CHRISTMAS IS ALL AROUND. My friend John Charles recommended it, and I am so enjoying it. I am a sucker for a meet-cute, and when I read these books, I wonder why I don’t consume more of them because I really enjoy the escape. I think the honest answer is I’d love to write something in this vein, and the more I read in the genre, the stronger that urge becomes.
I also started Emily Henry’s FUNNY STORY. Another wonderful story from this author, whom I really enjoy.
When I’m done with these, I’m moving back to crime fiction with an early copy of Sara Blaedel’s A MOTHER’S LOVE.
And then Danielle Trussoni’s sequel to her stellar book THE PUZZLE MASTER, called THE PUZZLE BOX.
And rounding out the list, Amy Tintera’s LISTEN FOR THE LIE, also a Poisoned Pen suggestion from the vibrant Chantal.
And of course, I must send you to Costco (or any other bookstore) to get your copy of Ariel’s amazing THE FROZEN RIVER, which is the pick of the month and came out this week in trade paperback. She’s out on tour, too, so if you get a chance to see her on the road, do. Wonderful speaker, and a wonderful book.
That’s it from me. How about you? Reading anything fabulous this weekend? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
November 1, 2024
A Very Bad Friday Reads 11.1.24
Happy Friday! And happy release day to A VERY BAD THING!!!
Wow, y’all. It has been a wild month getting ready for today—tons of backend work, interviews and essays and podcast tapings and appearances. Today, I’m doing two TV shows, then have the launch tonight at Parnassus, and tomorrow I’ll be at Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, then online Sunday night at The Back Room. It’s going to be a fun weekend talking all things pink! I have more events after this weekend, but they’re spread out at an acceptable pace. For me, though, this means I’ve been knocking things off my to-do list, which makes me so very happy.
From the moment I came up with the name Columbia Jones, I knew I needed a story just as unique and special as the woman who could bear that name. When the book’s core question came to me moments later—who killed Columbia Jones? (GASP!)—I knew I’d landed on a compelling story. The trick was to do justice to a main character who dies at the beginning of the book. Quite the challenge. I hope I have shared Columbia’s tale in a way she would be proud of, and I hope you love discovering the truth behind her unfortunate death.
Here’s some more insight into the new book with the seeds that created the story.
What was your inspiration for A VERY BAD THING?
Ironically, it began with a conversation with one of my dear friends, bookseller Barbara Peters, owner of the Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, where I’ll be tomorrow; yay! We were talking about Agatha Christie, and she told me she’d visited her house once. Her description of the interior was fascinating, and a story idea hit me like a lightning bolt—a young woman inheriting the home of an author who’d died under mysterious circumstances. As happens with nascent ideas, they grow and change and morph, and the end result doesn’t resemble this original idea in anything but spirit. Happily, though, I’m using those first concepts to write another story that is more in line with the original plot idea. It’s a rich tapestry to work from.
How did you choose the novel’s title?
I love titling books—they’re either literal or metaphorical, and this one is so literal. The book’s prologue is a letter from a mother to her daughter, a posthumous admission of guilt, and the second line is: “Many, many years ago, I did a very bad thing.” It gave me chills when I wrote it. It had all the elements of a great title. Happily, everyone agreed. Sometimes, hitting on the perfect title is a lot more challenging, but this time, we got this one right away.
And how did you come up with that pink cover?
Well, that was my fantastic team at APub. I felt like this story was so sensationalized that it needed a shocking cover to really draw people in. The moment they sent the draft with that sinister pink, I was madly in love. I knew immediately it was the one.
More to come on the PR front; I’m making a single document with all the links to share in a few weeks. The audiobook is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and trust me, it is perfection, and of course, if you’re a Prime member you get the ebook for free, otherwise it’s only $4.99. Also, there is a Goodreads giveaway underway if you’d like to try for a copy like that, too!
I haven’t had time for a lot of reading this week because in addition to all the release week fun, we took a last-minute trip to New York for game 3 of the World Series. It was an absolute dream come true, a bucket list moment, to see the Dodgers win in Yankee Stadium and then win the whole shooting match. Congrats to our team!
I mentioned this one last week, but I did get to start reading HEIR by Sabaa Tahir, and gosh, it is so good! I have some nice long flights this weekend so I will be writing and reading then. I feel a short story brewing!
And yes, you’ve heard from me a LOT this week. I promise it will all calm down now.
Step Thirteen came out on Tuesday:
And I participated in a very cool roundtable with some luminaries in the field over on Friends & Fiction:
That’s it from me. How about you? Reading anything fabulous this weekend? Bonus points if it has a sinister pink cover…
October 30, 2024
Why Do We Like to Be Scared?
Ah, October. A chill is in the air. Leaves rustle under foot. It’s getting dark earlier and earlier. There are ghoulish decorations and haunted everythings all around. It’s spooky season, when we find ourselves deliberately drawn to exploring stories that chill, that thrill, that scare the pants off of us.
Why do you like to be scared?
Stephen King, the “King of Horror” himself, once told an interviewer, “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”
Part of the success of any scary story — whether it’s a thriller or suspense or horror — is the idea that even the most ordinary-seeming character, or mundane situation, could turn dark at any moment.
What scares the bejeezus out of you?
Things Stephen King has said frighten him: “spiders, elevators, closed-in places, the dark, sewers, funerals, the idea of being buried alive, cancer, heart attacks, the number 13, black cats, and walking under ladders.”
Wow, that’s a lot of stuff! What would you add to that list?
On the eve of Halloween, we thought it would be a great time to check in with five masters of the sleep-with-the-lights-on kind of books that hordes of readers everywhere are drawn to—not just now, but all year round.
So, turn off your horror movie marathon and sidle up to our virtual bonfire here at Friends & Fiction as we talk ghost stories and frights of all kinds with J.T. Ellison, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Unger, Paula Hawkins and Lucy Foley.
Photo by Alex Simpson on UnsplashWhy do you think people like to be scared?
Paula Hawkins: It’s a weird one. I think there’s a thrill to it, isn’t there? There's that anticipation of the jump scare that you get from watching horror movies. There’s something really fun about that.
J.T. Ellison: So, strange answer, but here you go. I think it’s because we haven’t evolved too terribly much past the caveman era. Our amygdalas are built for, and primed for, the most basic limbic reaction: fight or flight. We were created that way to keep ourselves safe from attack by saber tooth tigers. But we don’t live in a world like that anymore, where danger is imminent all the time. We don’t have to hunt down our food and run the risk of becoming prey ourselves. But we still have that biological predetermination. So we seek out ways to exercise that limbic system in a safe and relatively harm-free environment--books, movies, and the like. That way, we get to experience the emotion and the sensation, but it can’t hurt us.
Lisa Unger: For most people, the biggest stakes are the most personal. We lie awake at night afraid not for the fate of the free world, (most nights — though there’s a lot to worry about these days) but for our loved ones, our ability to survive and thrive in the face of adversity, wondering what the world has in store for us next. So I think that’s what scares people most is a loss of control, an inability to help the people we care about, to survive what the world throws at us.
Lucy Foley: I think it speaks to something primeval in us. Especially in this day and age, in which modern life can feel quite frictionless, in which we can spend hours or days existing in our minds but not our bodies, we have perhaps lost something of our connection to that animal part of ourselves. There’s a kind of catharsis in it, in feeling your heart rate spike.
Karin Slaughter: I have no idea why people liked to be scared because I fucking hate it. I’m always surprised when people are scared by my books, but I guess that’s because I know what’s going to happen and they don’t.
What draws you to writing suspense? Or thrillers. Do you differentiate?
J.T.: I do think there are differences in these genres that are important to define. For me, in most suspense novels, the reader is discovering the truths of the story at the same time as the main character. In contrast, in the thriller, the reader is several steps ahead of the main character, usually even knowing who the bad guys are from the very beginning. The thriller has heightened stakes because you must keep the readers’ interest, and they have to root for the hero to save the day before the wheels come off the bus entirely. In suspense, the reader is stuck in the same unsettling situation as the main character and trying to conjure a way out. And just for giggles… a mystery is like a suspense in that the reader and the main character are trying to solve the same puzzle, but the main character is ten steps ahead of the reader, and often has to share the solution at the end.
Karin: There’s a certain satisfaction in writing thrillers. I’m a big believer that every good story starts with a question that’s answered by the end, which gives the structure of thriller writing a natural advantage. To me, the most important thing isn’t the whodunnit aspect, but the whats and whys—Why did this one person think it was okay to hurt another person? What justifications did they use to get themselves to the point to commit this crime? Why did they think they could get away with it? What are they going to do if they feel like they might get caught? What gut instinct led the good guy to finding the bad guy? Those emotional components add to what Flannery O’Connor called the "mystery of character," and I’ve always felt the emotional responses of the characters are incredibly important to a satisfying denouement.
Lisa: It has been said that the first story ever told was probably a thriller. It might have been etched on a cave wall, but it was most likely the story of how the hunter hit his mark and fed the village, how the enemy was vanquished, or how spring came after a long and brutal winter. These stories are told because they remind us that good can triumph, that justice may be served, that the sun will rise. That’s what draws me to the genre.
Lucy: I don’t really differentiate. I’m not ENTIRELY sure what the difference is. Perhaps the degree of fear factor? I think I’m drawn by the reasons above, in that I enjoy scaring myself. I’m also fascinated by secrets and secret pasts and the idea of fate catching up with people and just desserts. And I LOVE a good twist as a reader so to try and give that experience to people via my own writing is a thrill.
Paula: These are the stories I’ve always been interested in. They’re the stories that I want to read. I always liked the darkest fairy tales when I was a kid. I always wanted to hear more about the worst, goriest stories. I cannot say why except that that’s what I’m drawn to.
Why do you think books that scare us are so popular?
J.T.: For me, I adore a book where the stakes are incredibly high, and the characters are deeply flawed. It’s that desire to exercise my amygdala! I think there’s also an element of there but for the grace of God go I... it’s a way to experience the emotions from a safe remove. And it’s always a blast when the writer is so skilled they can mislead you, then twist the story back in a way that is both surprising, yet inevitable.
Lucy: At the risk of sounding like I’m contradicting my answer to the first question the modern world can be a very frightening place, but often in quite an abstract way, and I think experiencing fear through the written word or onscreen in a controlled manner in which we know there’ll be a conclusion and no actual consequence has an odd sort of comfort to it. Again it’s about catharsis. And I think we’re all nosey.
Karin: To me, a good thriller is cathartic. I know that the bad guys will be caught and the good guys will win. Particularly when you’re talking about violence against women, that’s not something that’s guaranteed in real life.
Lisa: These stories make us braver when the night is long and dark. That’s why readers turn to crime fiction and thrillers, to metabolize the darkness we perceive in the world.
What personally scares/frightens you?
J.T.: Spiders. Intolerance. Cruelty to animals. Thermonuclear war. Being alone in the dark. All things that are irrational to worry about because they are (mostly) out of my control, but keep me up at night.
Lucy: Other people. Slugs. The blank page.
Lisa: The totality of my personal fears can be found in the pages of my books. I write about what scares me daily, so it’s all there on the page. In fact, it’s the reason I write about it, to exorcize those demons.
Paula: Actually, so many things. I’m quite pessimistic. I can always think about the worst possible thing that can happen in any given situation. For example, I dream about escaping to a remote house somewhere—on an island, for example (like in The Blue Hour). But I know it’s a ludicrous fantasy because I would never sleep. I would just listen for the creak on the stairs all the time.
Karin: that noise in the middle of the night and you don’t know if it’s your cat or Death dragging his sickle.
Mary Kay Andrews: Thanks to our panelists for enlightening—and frightening—us.
What did you think of these replies? What scares you? And, if you like to be scared, tell us why. Do you have a favorite thriller/suspense/horror author? Inquiring minds want to know…
About the Contributors
Lisa Unger is a NYT and internationally bestselling author. Her books are published in 32 languages, with millions of copies sold worldwide. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few writers including Agatha Christie. Her work has been named on "Best Book" lists from Today, People, GMA, EW, Amazon, IndieBound and many others. She has written for the NYT, WSJ, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. She lives in Florida with her family. Park Row will publish her next book, Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten, on February 25, 2025.
Karin Slaughter is one of the world's most popular storytellers. She is the author of more than 20 instant NYT-bestselling novels, including the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and standalone novels The Good Daughter and Pretty Girls. An international bestseller, Slaughter is published in 120 countries with more than 40-million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her is a #1 Netflix original series, Will Trent is a hit television series starring Ramón Rodríguez on ABC, and it was just announced that Jessica Biel will star in the adaptation of The Good Daughter, which Karin adapted herself. Karin Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a non-profit organization established to support libraries and library programming. Her most recent book is This is Why We Lied, which William Morrow published on August 20, 2024.
Paula Hawkins worked as a journalist for 15 years before writing her first novel. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, she now splits her time between London island Edinburgh. Her first thriller The Girl on the Train became a global phenomenon, selling more than 23-million copies. Published in 50+ languages, it was a #1 bestseller around the world and a box-office-hit film starring Emily Blunt. Paula’s most recent thrillers, Into the Water and A Slow Fire Burning, were also instant #1 bestsellers. In 2021 A Slow Fire Burning was nominated for Thriller of the Year at the British Book Awards. Her most recent thriller, The Blue Hour, was just published on October 29, 2024 by Mariner Books.
Lucy Foley studied English literature at Durham University and University College London and worked for several years as a fiction editor in the publishing industry. She is the author of five novels including The Guest List, The Paris Apartment, and The Hunting Party. She lives in London. Her latest book is The Midnight Feast, just published June 2024 by William Morrow & Co.
J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels and the Emmy Award-winning co-host of the 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 28 countries. J.T. lives with her husband and twin kittens, one of whom is a ghost, in Nashville, where she is hard at work on her next novel. Her latest novel, A Very Bad Thing, will be published November 1, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer. Be sure to subscribe to J.T.’s popular Substack, The Creative Edge, where this conversation has been cross-published.
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October 29, 2024
Step Thirteen: The Final Revision
So, how was your editorial letter? Scary? Easy as pie? Now that you’ve crossed the Rubicon, it’s time for the next big step — taking the advice and suggestions of your editor and creating a new draft of the book. We call this stage the developmental edit, and it encompasses the editorial letter and the subsequent revisions before the book is pronounced finished. This is usually a financial trigger point, too, meaning when the book is declared done and “accepted,” you get paid. Huzzah!
So no pressure or anything.
True confession time. I had a very difficult time wrapping my head around my editorial notes. Not because they were wrong or I disagreed with them. Quite the opposite; in fact, I agreed completely. But there was a structural element to the revision, and I couldn’t figure out how to do it. On paper, it wasn’t hard, and it made the story tighter and more uniform. But every time I opened the document, a block appeared. I’d walk away and try again later—same thing.
I did this for a week. Now, I did turn this book in early, so we had some extra time to work on it, but losing a week of revision time told me something was really wrong. If I agreed with the changes, why couldn’t I make them? Was I being precious about the work? Being stubborn? Had I forgotten how to edit? (Don’t laugh; it happens.)
