March 2025 News
Cover Reveals, Messed Up Clocks, and a New Deal!
March 2025
Vol. 270
"Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never is, but always to be blest."
Hello, dear ones! How is your spring springing? We have daffodils and warm breezes this week, but I’ve lived in Tennessee long enough not to be fooled. There will be a cold snap soon enough. That didn’t stop me from planting some violas and snapdragons in my front-step containers. They are so cheery, and the violas smell divine. Hope springs eternal–as a Southerner, I would swear that was written about dogwood winters. But no, it’s from an essay by the poet Alexander Pope on mankind’s unerring ability to remain optimistic in the face of frustrations. Rather fitting, actually, especially this week. The time change frustrates me to no end. I know we’re gaining sunlight, but it feels like we’re losing time. I’ve never been a fan of the time shift. It messes me up. Pope and I need to have words...
Okay, no more kidding around. I have big news! I have a cover to show you for my new book, LAST SEEN, and it’s available for pre-order, too!
From New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison comes a twisted psychological thriller about the bonds of family and the disconnect between memory and the truth.
Come here. Come closer.
Halley James knows her marriage is over. But she’s not prepared for the rest of her life to fall apart too.
No one can hear you. No one can help you.
She just lost her job at the forensics lab. Her dad needs emergency surgery. But the biggest blow comes back home in Marchburg, Virginia, where she discovers her mother didn’t actually die in a car crash. Her mom was murdered—and her father lied about it all these years.
I have nothing to hide from you. Are you hiding something from me?
Since she was six years old, it’s been Halley and her dad. Now, she doesn’t know what to believe. Desperate for the truth, Halley chases down a lead in Brockville, Tennessee. But all there is not as it seems. Brockville’s utopian charm hides a chilling darkness. And Halley’s search for answers threatens to expose an unspeakable reality.
Isn’t that stunning? It’s so perfect for the story, too. It’s rare that an initial cover concept is the one I latch onto, but I loved this from the start. I’ll be publishing an in-depth conversation about the process of choosing this particular cover on 22 Steps soon, but for the moment, suffice it to say I get chills every time I see the road into the forest, and the deep, dark, creepy forever of the trees. Having grown up in a very isolated area, I had a question I wanted to answer with this story: Does isolation breed madness, or does madness seek isolation, and the darkness of the story is perfectly represented in this cover. Also, Halley James is a really cool main character who I think you’re going to love.
LAST SEEN will be out on August 1, 2025. And here’s some more great news! I’ve just signed a new deal for two more books with my fantastic team at Thomas & Mercer!
I’m writing YOU KNOW WHY right now, which will be out in 2026, and believe me when I say it is going to blow your socks off. ( I know this because when I pitched it to my editor, I got an immediate gasp of delight, so now I’m working ten times as hard on it to make sure it lives up to its promise.) I’m having fun building the story, and I’m trying to get it finished before LAST SEEN comes out, so if I’m quiet on the socials, that’s part of it. The other is I’ve been on a modified social media sabbatical since January 1. It’s working out incredibly well. I’m all in on The Creative Edge, where I can focus on writing, and writing only, and for the rest, I stop by once a week or so just to check in on folks. It’s helped my focus, which I’ve been feeling slip for months. I know I’ll have to ramp up again closer to release, but for now, I’m enjoying the quiet.
📚 Poll
📚 What I'm Reading
The quiet has helped me get a lot of reading done so far this year. Some of the highlights:
Lisa Unger - CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10
Is there ever a story Lisa doesn't tell wonderfully? The answer is no - this is another amazing outing.
Paige Crutcher - A CIRCLE OF UNCOMMON WITCHES
My dear friend has her third novel out - and it's her best yet!
Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham - THE ACADEMY
I am a sucker for the private school setting, and I so loved spending time at Tippin. I hope there are more!
Boyd Morrison and Beth Morrison - THE WHITE FORTRESS
Another rollicking medieval journey from the Morrisons.
Casey Means - GOOD ENERGY: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health
After my EDS diagnosis, I started studying metabolic health - and wow, this book will blow your socks off!
V.E. Schwab - BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL
I was so lucky to read this one early. Another incredible heartbreaking and hopeful story from V!
Jayne Ann Krentz - SHATTERING DAWN
The final book in the Lost Files Trilogy, I absolutely LOVE Jayne's books!
🧑🍳 March Recipe
In my adventures with AI, I sometimes do meal planning and other idea generation for safe-to-eat meals that are out of our usual rotation. With our discreet food allergies, baked chicken can get old really quick. I went back and forth the other day trying to find something new and tasty, and this is what we came up with. This recipe is outstanding. So much flavor, so quick and easy to make. Plus, it’s keto, gluten-free, and soy-free! Delish!
You can find all of my recipes here, and if you want some wine to go with the meals, The Wine Vixen has you covered.
Did you know you can buy some of the backlist titles in the Taylor series directly from me? Well, you can, and at bargain basement prices. Check out the store here for big savings!
🎉 Contest
Every month, I draw a name from those of you who open the newsletter and send that lovely person a $30 gift card to the bookstore of their choice. It’s my way of saying thanks for being here. Enter below!
Last month's winner: Congratulations to haleyrscully! Check your email...
Simply click the button below to be automatically entered in this month's drawing.
That’s it from me this month. I hope you love the cover, and the good news, and life is treating you kindly. See you in April!
xo,
JT
Are you still here?
Here’s a sleepy kitten for your troubles!
Love that cover 😍
What a stunning book cover! 👏👏👏