Writing has always helped me to clarify my own thinking. Even back in school, I used to write essays with that in mind: Rather than writing what I believed about a topic, I wrote in order to discover how I believed.

Last week, I talked about vital it is for me to set the mood for a book before I begin writing it. I knew that was true last week ... but writing it down for you rammed the concept home.

And so this week, when I began writing a brand-new book, I put higher priority on mood-setting than usual. I chose a music playlist, found some mood-matching imagery to look at while I write, and wrote down a few words that felt like the right tone for the new project.

Those words were: Desolate, liminal, unanchored, and unreal.

Yeah ... this is going to be an interesting book.

But as interesting as it is, the book in question is brand-spankin'-new and won't be out for months. On the other hand, the book that got me talking about the importance of mood -- Winter Break -- is coming out in under two weeks: on the day after Christmas ... or "Boxing Day" if you're cool enough to know that phrase.

I should probably tell you what Winter Break is about, right? All I've done so far is to give you its mood -- which should tell you a thing or two about just how important MOOD is in the first place.

Here's Winter Break's frozen-to-the-bone teaser:

This book is full of twists and turns. It uses a "right up to the cliff" approach to storytelling, which means that just after a huge WTF is revealed, I back off and show you a new side to the same story from another character's perspective instead of answering your burning questions. (In fact, I anticipate many people being pissed off at me as they read Winter Break because the mystery persists right up until the end. Until the final act, you're going too be dying to know the answers.)

​Winter Break is available for preorder right now at its lowest price. It won't get cheaper than it is right now, and the price will go up shortly after launch.

So, you know ... if you want to get it, you should get it now.

** Grab your copy of Winter Break here so that you'll have something chilling and desolate to read on YOUR OWN Winter Break. **

Trust me: It's perfect for reading next to a fire, glad you're not trapped in bloodshed and madness like Miranda and her unhinged parents.

Happy reading!
JT

P.S: A few people asked if this book would be available in paperback and/or sold direct from my JohnnyBTruantBooks.com website. The answers are yes and yes, but not until the actual launch date on December 26th ... and yes, I'll tell you when they're available. I'll also be able to offer print and direct-from-store preorders in the future, but I couldn't get it together in time for this release.

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