Jodé Millman's Blog
December 9, 2025
My Holiday Newsletter has arrived!
My holiday newsletter has arrived with a sleigh full of goodies and giveaways. Check out my exclusive interview with Lord Jeffrey Archer about his latest thriller, The End Game, recipes, news and giveaways!
Here’s the link for a sleigh full of fun! http://eepurl.com/jtfpvQ
Happy Holidays! Jode[
author:Jodé Millman|64152]
Here’s the link for a sleigh full of fun! http://eepurl.com/jtfpvQ
Happy Holidays! Jode[
author:Jodé Millman|64152]
October 27, 2025
How Three Little Letters Changed Shonda Rhimes' Life Forever
In 2015, American Television producer, screenwriter, and founder of “Shondaland Productions,” penned “Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person” (Simon & Schuster). It was the bestselling memoir of the woman who created the strong, independent, and unapologetic female leads of “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Scandal,” and “How to Commit Murder,” yet who struggled to explore her own personal and professional growth. She was an introverted adult who lived within the realm of her own imagination.
When the book was first released, readers expected the book to dish on their favorite television characters, but they discovered raw, honest, and hilarious insights into the fears of an American icon.
Celebrating the book’s tenth anniversary, Rhimes has embarked on a limited promotional tour, discussing “Year of Yes.” She reflects on the motivations behind writing her tome and its lasting impact on her life. Despite her fame and fortune, she described herself as being socially paralyzed. Rhimes felt like she was living in a vacuum, dividing her time between her kids and her demanding television schedule. When on Thanksgiving 2013, her older sister Delores commented about Rhimes’ long list of declined invitations, “You never say yes to anything,” those words really hit home.
After decades of declining social and speaking invitations, and awards, Rhimes decided for one year to say YES to experiences and opportunities that she had previously shunned. During that year, Shonda bravely put herself out there–giving a TED Talk, meeting new people, finding love, accepting honors, and sharing a box at the Kennedy Center Awards with the Obamas. Rhimes’s Year of Yes transformed her life.
The year 2025 brings an updated and expanded 10th anniversary edition of “Year of Yes,” with new inspirational stories and seven new chapters. And a great deal has changed since 2015—she left ABC for Netflix, created “Bridgerton” and its spin-off “Queen Charlotte,” and wrote her first comedy series, “The Residence.” During the past decade, Rhimes has also changed her lifestyle, focusing on her health journey and longevity for the sake of herself and her three daughters. As she recently told Robin Roberts at the 92NY: “I really thought like I might be dead in 10 years,” Rhimes added, “At a certain point I started to feel like truly feel terrible. Like, I have a hard time going up the stairs, getting breathless all the time.”
Rhimes, a Westport resident, recently appeared at the Westport Library’s Storyfest and was interviewed by Craig Melvin, the co-anchor of the Today Show. She mentioned she was a different person from the one who finished the first book in 2015. Rhimes is more fearless, more comfortable, and willing to take new risks. She has also learned when to say “No.” She shared that the new chapters discuss her new addiction to golf, her supportive parents, and the legacy she desires to leave behind.
Rhimes also shared with the Westport crowd that she has faced and overcome failure, and has employed it as a motivator for her later success. Her biggest failure, she noted, was as a young writer being fired by Oprah. Oprah had hired her to write a movie-of-the-week about Oprah becoming a ballroom dancer, and Rhimes’ script was a disaster. Then, in 2017, a full-circle moment occurred when Oprah inducted Rhimes into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. That watershed moment made Rhimes realize she had finally achieved success.
“The Year of Yes” isn’t your typical self-help book. As Rhimes has mentioned in another recent interview: “Saying ‘yes’ doesn’t stop. You don’t say ‘yes’ for a while, then stop, and then your whole life is different and everything’s great. It’s really about a process of continuing to say ‘yes’ and figuring out what those yeses are.” She hopes readers take away the idea that saying “Yes” doesn’t last for a year; the changes last a lifetime, and that anyone can change their life.
Faced with a hectic schedule, Rhimes has no intention of slowing down. Her next goals include writing a Broadway play, writing a sci-fi show, and spending a year attempting different things she has never tried under the tutelage of experts in their fields. And, of course, writing the twenty-third season of “Grey’s Anatomy” and the fifth season of “Bridgerton.”
Year of Yes: 10th Anniversary Edition
When the book was first released, readers expected the book to dish on their favorite television characters, but they discovered raw, honest, and hilarious insights into the fears of an American icon.
Celebrating the book’s tenth anniversary, Rhimes has embarked on a limited promotional tour, discussing “Year of Yes.” She reflects on the motivations behind writing her tome and its lasting impact on her life. Despite her fame and fortune, she described herself as being socially paralyzed. Rhimes felt like she was living in a vacuum, dividing her time between her kids and her demanding television schedule. When on Thanksgiving 2013, her older sister Delores commented about Rhimes’ long list of declined invitations, “You never say yes to anything,” those words really hit home.
After decades of declining social and speaking invitations, and awards, Rhimes decided for one year to say YES to experiences and opportunities that she had previously shunned. During that year, Shonda bravely put herself out there–giving a TED Talk, meeting new people, finding love, accepting honors, and sharing a box at the Kennedy Center Awards with the Obamas. Rhimes’s Year of Yes transformed her life.
The year 2025 brings an updated and expanded 10th anniversary edition of “Year of Yes,” with new inspirational stories and seven new chapters. And a great deal has changed since 2015—she left ABC for Netflix, created “Bridgerton” and its spin-off “Queen Charlotte,” and wrote her first comedy series, “The Residence.” During the past decade, Rhimes has also changed her lifestyle, focusing on her health journey and longevity for the sake of herself and her three daughters. As she recently told Robin Roberts at the 92NY: “I really thought like I might be dead in 10 years,” Rhimes added, “At a certain point I started to feel like truly feel terrible. Like, I have a hard time going up the stairs, getting breathless all the time.”
Rhimes, a Westport resident, recently appeared at the Westport Library’s Storyfest and was interviewed by Craig Melvin, the co-anchor of the Today Show. She mentioned she was a different person from the one who finished the first book in 2015. Rhimes is more fearless, more comfortable, and willing to take new risks. She has also learned when to say “No.” She shared that the new chapters discuss her new addiction to golf, her supportive parents, and the legacy she desires to leave behind.
Rhimes also shared with the Westport crowd that she has faced and overcome failure, and has employed it as a motivator for her later success. Her biggest failure, she noted, was as a young writer being fired by Oprah. Oprah had hired her to write a movie-of-the-week about Oprah becoming a ballroom dancer, and Rhimes’ script was a disaster. Then, in 2017, a full-circle moment occurred when Oprah inducted Rhimes into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. That watershed moment made Rhimes realize she had finally achieved success.
“The Year of Yes” isn’t your typical self-help book. As Rhimes has mentioned in another recent interview: “Saying ‘yes’ doesn’t stop. You don’t say ‘yes’ for a while, then stop, and then your whole life is different and everything’s great. It’s really about a process of continuing to say ‘yes’ and figuring out what those yeses are.” She hopes readers take away the idea that saying “Yes” doesn’t last for a year; the changes last a lifetime, and that anyone can change their life.
Faced with a hectic schedule, Rhimes has no intention of slowing down. Her next goals include writing a Broadway play, writing a sci-fi show, and spending a year attempting different things she has never tried under the tutelage of experts in their fields. And, of course, writing the twenty-third season of “Grey’s Anatomy” and the fifth season of “Bridgerton.”
Year of Yes: 10th Anniversary Edition
Jeffrey Archer strikes Again. Read my exclusive interview with the master
Bestselling author, Jeffrey Archer takes the reader inside the terrifying events surrounding London’s 2012 Olympic Games in his latest thriller, “End Game” (Harper Collins). Working closely with Bob Broadhurst, the real commander for the Olympics Gold campaign, in researching his book, Archer teases the reader from the first page.
The novel begins as London usurps Moscow’s bid for the Olympics in July 2005, leaving England with seven years to prepare for one of the most prestigious events in the world. No one believes that is enough time. And the world is watching.
Archer immediately launches William Warwick, the Metropolitan police officer who leads the eight-book Warwick series, and his dedicated team, through twenty-two incidents related the games. Archer tells us “Thirteen happened and were never revealed. Nine did not.” He challenges the reader to determine where the terrifying facts depart from the thrilling fiction.
Warwick is assigned to be head the Olympics Gold campaign, requiring him to oversee the security of the games, from the moment the Olympic torch arrives in the UK to the closing ceremony. Over the span of two weeks, hundreds of thousands of spectators, athletes, dignitaries and their entourages, spread out across thirty-two venues will be under his watch. Not only is he under pressure to protect the public, but his promotion to replace the retiring commissioner is on the line.
On the eve of the games, Warwick is tipped off that someone intends to sabotage the games. Is it the local crook who wants to scam ticket buyers with counterfeit tickets? Is it his old nemesis, Miles Faulkner, a wealthy thief and art connoisseur? Or is it a foreign nation seeking revenge against the Brits?
While Warwick must anticipate every possible scenario, what about those beyond his imagination?
He knows something is about to go down, either domestic or foreign terrorism, and he relies upon his loyal staff to sniff out the rats and keep the public, and the Queen, out of harm’s way. Faulkner has slipped through Warwick’s grip many times before, but this time, Warwick senses that Faulkner is somehow involved. But the man’s motivation is murky. It is not until Faulkner and Warwick attend the opening of an art exhibit featuring a rare Van Gogh self-portrait on loan from Russia’s Hermitage Museum, that the plot is revealed. Would Faulkner willingly commit treason to acquire one of the world’s most valuable artworks? And if so, who is he working for, and what is his assignment?
Filled with political intrigue, “The End Game” takes the reader on a fast-paced chase. Archer counts down the Olympics from the moment of London’s selection to the post games wrap up. His characters are as complex as the plot, as follows Warwick’s museum director wife, his cub reporter daughter, his fledging solicitor son, and his staff as they all contribute to the intrigue surrounding the Olympics. It doesn’t help that his superior, also a candidate for the commissioner’s position, seeks to undermine his every move.
End Game: The ultimate race against time is about to begin in the explosive new thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling authorIn “The End Game,” Archer, a master storyteller who has just turned 85, gives the reader an in depth look at the inner workings of the 2012 Olympics, and the machinations involved to secure the facilities, athletes, visitors, staff, the royals and foreign ambassadors and the city of London. The author of more than 58 books, Lord Archer deserves kudos for creating a rollercoaster ride that keeps readers guessing as to which actions of terrorism are real or imagined, even after the last page.
A quintet of questions for the amazing Jeffrey Archer.
What drew you to write about the 2012 London Olympics?
Well, my “Warwick” series protagonist, William Warwick, was a commander in the Metropolitan Police Force at the time of 2012. Therefore, it was very tempting to use 2012 as a center point. I, myself, ran for my country, so I had an affection and love of athletics for all my life. I suppose the combination of having that knowledge and attending five Olympics as a spectator, including to the opening ceremony here in Britain, I thought, I must use this knowledge. I'd seen Bolt running, and I'd seen Farah running, and I was in the stadium for both.
What research did you perform for writing the last installment of the “Warwick” series, “The End Game?”
I went to see Commander Bob Broadhurst, head of security for the London Olympics, and I said, “did anything go wrong?” And he said 14 things went wrong. One would have closed the opening ceremony. One, they'd have had to clear the stadium. The other 12 were minor but would have made headlines. Of that, there's no question. And he then told me the 14, and I weave those 14 into “The End Game.” But I added 7 from my own imagination. So, when you get to the end of the book, you have to decide which are the 14 that actually happened, and which seven were figments of my imagination.
Can you reveal any of the actual events that you’ve incorporated into “The End Game”?
There was an incident involving a women's football match between Portugal and the North Koreans. They played the wrong national anthem, the South Korean anthem, and Olympic Committee had to apologize about that. The other one was a much bigger deal. The cyclists were meeting, 100 of them, every Friday to protest about the lack of bicycle lanes. And it was a fair thing. The government had said, that's fair enough, you can do that. And one of the Fridays turned out to be the day of the Olympics’ opening ceremony. So, they decided if they could get 100 people to the tunnel and lay down in the middle of the road with their bicycles, the Queen would never get to the stadium. And the opening ceremony couldn't occur. That was a pretty big deal… And I won't tell you what happened, because what actually happened is in the book.
As someone who has been in the publishing business since the 1970s, what sage advice would you offer to younger writers?
I always say to young authors, write what you know about. The public will realize you're talking on a subject you have knowledge of. Because I had knowledge of the Olympics, a love of the Olympics, and it fell neatly in with Warwick being a commander, that combination was irresistible… And you've got to remember in this modern world you're asking someone to spend 8 hours in your company. That's a lot in this modern age, with short time concentration. That's the biggest challenge in modern writing.
At the age of 85, after 58 books, including the “Kane and Abel,” “Clifton Chronicles,” and “Detective William Warwick” series, numerous standalone novels, short stories and novellas, what is next in your storytelling career?
I’m writing my final book, and that's on its 17th draft. It's a standalone. I got the idea 6 years ago when I read a speech by Adolf Hitler, and realized he wasn't just ranting and raging. Policy was in there. I saw the counter speech by Winston Churchill, and I spotted something that happened on September the 15th for 1941. Hitler changed his mind 3 times on that one day, which might have changed, quite literally, the history of the world. I think that'll be released next September. My publishers have already read it, and I've promised it'll be finally in by Christmas, so they can prepare for it because they know it's the final book. They know I'm not going to write another novel. This one, in my view, having discovered this amazing event that happened on September 15th is the biggest story I've ever had. I think it's bigger than “Kane and Abel,” and so I've had to put an awful lot of work in. The title will be announced on January the 1st, and it is the best title I've ever had.
End Game: The ultimate race against time is about to begin in the explosive new thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author
The novel begins as London usurps Moscow’s bid for the Olympics in July 2005, leaving England with seven years to prepare for one of the most prestigious events in the world. No one believes that is enough time. And the world is watching.
Archer immediately launches William Warwick, the Metropolitan police officer who leads the eight-book Warwick series, and his dedicated team, through twenty-two incidents related the games. Archer tells us “Thirteen happened and were never revealed. Nine did not.” He challenges the reader to determine where the terrifying facts depart from the thrilling fiction.
Warwick is assigned to be head the Olympics Gold campaign, requiring him to oversee the security of the games, from the moment the Olympic torch arrives in the UK to the closing ceremony. Over the span of two weeks, hundreds of thousands of spectators, athletes, dignitaries and their entourages, spread out across thirty-two venues will be under his watch. Not only is he under pressure to protect the public, but his promotion to replace the retiring commissioner is on the line.
On the eve of the games, Warwick is tipped off that someone intends to sabotage the games. Is it the local crook who wants to scam ticket buyers with counterfeit tickets? Is it his old nemesis, Miles Faulkner, a wealthy thief and art connoisseur? Or is it a foreign nation seeking revenge against the Brits?
While Warwick must anticipate every possible scenario, what about those beyond his imagination?
He knows something is about to go down, either domestic or foreign terrorism, and he relies upon his loyal staff to sniff out the rats and keep the public, and the Queen, out of harm’s way. Faulkner has slipped through Warwick’s grip many times before, but this time, Warwick senses that Faulkner is somehow involved. But the man’s motivation is murky. It is not until Faulkner and Warwick attend the opening of an art exhibit featuring a rare Van Gogh self-portrait on loan from Russia’s Hermitage Museum, that the plot is revealed. Would Faulkner willingly commit treason to acquire one of the world’s most valuable artworks? And if so, who is he working for, and what is his assignment?
Filled with political intrigue, “The End Game” takes the reader on a fast-paced chase. Archer counts down the Olympics from the moment of London’s selection to the post games wrap up. His characters are as complex as the plot, as follows Warwick’s museum director wife, his cub reporter daughter, his fledging solicitor son, and his staff as they all contribute to the intrigue surrounding the Olympics. It doesn’t help that his superior, also a candidate for the commissioner’s position, seeks to undermine his every move.
End Game: The ultimate race against time is about to begin in the explosive new thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling authorIn “The End Game,” Archer, a master storyteller who has just turned 85, gives the reader an in depth look at the inner workings of the 2012 Olympics, and the machinations involved to secure the facilities, athletes, visitors, staff, the royals and foreign ambassadors and the city of London. The author of more than 58 books, Lord Archer deserves kudos for creating a rollercoaster ride that keeps readers guessing as to which actions of terrorism are real or imagined, even after the last page.
A quintet of questions for the amazing Jeffrey Archer.
What drew you to write about the 2012 London Olympics?
Well, my “Warwick” series protagonist, William Warwick, was a commander in the Metropolitan Police Force at the time of 2012. Therefore, it was very tempting to use 2012 as a center point. I, myself, ran for my country, so I had an affection and love of athletics for all my life. I suppose the combination of having that knowledge and attending five Olympics as a spectator, including to the opening ceremony here in Britain, I thought, I must use this knowledge. I'd seen Bolt running, and I'd seen Farah running, and I was in the stadium for both.
What research did you perform for writing the last installment of the “Warwick” series, “The End Game?”
I went to see Commander Bob Broadhurst, head of security for the London Olympics, and I said, “did anything go wrong?” And he said 14 things went wrong. One would have closed the opening ceremony. One, they'd have had to clear the stadium. The other 12 were minor but would have made headlines. Of that, there's no question. And he then told me the 14, and I weave those 14 into “The End Game.” But I added 7 from my own imagination. So, when you get to the end of the book, you have to decide which are the 14 that actually happened, and which seven were figments of my imagination.
Can you reveal any of the actual events that you’ve incorporated into “The End Game”?
There was an incident involving a women's football match between Portugal and the North Koreans. They played the wrong national anthem, the South Korean anthem, and Olympic Committee had to apologize about that. The other one was a much bigger deal. The cyclists were meeting, 100 of them, every Friday to protest about the lack of bicycle lanes. And it was a fair thing. The government had said, that's fair enough, you can do that. And one of the Fridays turned out to be the day of the Olympics’ opening ceremony. So, they decided if they could get 100 people to the tunnel and lay down in the middle of the road with their bicycles, the Queen would never get to the stadium. And the opening ceremony couldn't occur. That was a pretty big deal… And I won't tell you what happened, because what actually happened is in the book.
As someone who has been in the publishing business since the 1970s, what sage advice would you offer to younger writers?
I always say to young authors, write what you know about. The public will realize you're talking on a subject you have knowledge of. Because I had knowledge of the Olympics, a love of the Olympics, and it fell neatly in with Warwick being a commander, that combination was irresistible… And you've got to remember in this modern world you're asking someone to spend 8 hours in your company. That's a lot in this modern age, with short time concentration. That's the biggest challenge in modern writing.
At the age of 85, after 58 books, including the “Kane and Abel,” “Clifton Chronicles,” and “Detective William Warwick” series, numerous standalone novels, short stories and novellas, what is next in your storytelling career?
I’m writing my final book, and that's on its 17th draft. It's a standalone. I got the idea 6 years ago when I read a speech by Adolf Hitler, and realized he wasn't just ranting and raging. Policy was in there. I saw the counter speech by Winston Churchill, and I spotted something that happened on September the 15th for 1941. Hitler changed his mind 3 times on that one day, which might have changed, quite literally, the history of the world. I think that'll be released next September. My publishers have already read it, and I've promised it'll be finally in by Christmas, so they can prepare for it because they know it's the final book. They know I'm not going to write another novel. This one, in my view, having discovered this amazing event that happened on September 15th is the biggest story I've ever had. I think it's bigger than “Kane and Abel,” and so I've had to put an awful lot of work in. The title will be announced on January the 1st, and it is the best title I've ever had.
End Game: The ultimate race against time is about to begin in the explosive new thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author
October 9, 2025
ATTENTION HUDSON VALLEY MYSTERY LOVERS!
Please join Alison Gaylin, Carol Goodman and myself in a panel spirited discussion at the Gardiner Library fundraiser on November 8th at Tuthilltown Distillery from 5-9 p.m.
Conversation and spirits will flow, along with a silent auction to raise money for the library.
Tickets available at
https://gardinerlibrary.libcal.com/ev...
Don't miss the chance to meet these bestselling authors for a fun evening for a good cause!
The Collective
The Disinvited Guest
The Empty Kayak
Conversation and spirits will flow, along with a silent auction to raise money for the library.
Tickets available at
https://gardinerlibrary.libcal.com/ev...
Don't miss the chance to meet these bestselling authors for a fun evening for a good cause!
The Collective
The Disinvited Guest
The Empty Kayak
July 27, 2025
True Crime Fanatics- True Crimes of the Hudson Valley Lecture
Our idyllic Hudson Valley is beautiful on the outside, but beneath the surface lurks the darkness of notorious true crimes. In this class, local author Jodé Millman will explore the headline-making crimes that inspired her award-winning “Queen City Crimes” mystery series, and how fiction can be deadlier than true crime. You may be surprised to learn that a murderer lived next door!
JOIN ME AT THE NEWBURGH MAIN LIBRARY ON THURSDAY JULY 31ST AT 6:30 for a chilling good time. Space is limited!
Register at:
https://newburghlibrary.libcal.com/ev...
Jodé Millman
JOIN ME AT THE NEWBURGH MAIN LIBRARY ON THURSDAY JULY 31ST AT 6:30 for a chilling good time. Space is limited!
Register at:
https://newburghlibrary.libcal.com/ev...
Jodé Millman
July 21, 2025
Win $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
📚 Your bookshelf’s full. Your Kindle’s full. Your cart? About to be full. Enter the Book Hoarder’s Paradise giveaway and snag a $50 Amazon gift card!
🎯 https://litring.com/giveaway/book-hoa...
#BookAddictProblems #OneMoreBook #AmazonDeals #GiveawayTime
Jodé Millman
🎯 https://litring.com/giveaway/book-hoa...
#BookAddictProblems #OneMoreBook #AmazonDeals #GiveawayTime
Jodé Millman
July 9, 2025
the Woman in Suite 11-My latest Booktrib.com review
Looking for your next summer read? Check out my Booktrib.com review of Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Suite 11.
https://booktrib.com/2025/07/08/the-w...The Woman in Suite 11
https://booktrib.com/2025/07/08/the-w...The Woman in Suite 11
July 8, 2025
Join the Litring Sneak Peeks & Surprises Giveaway!
🔥 Your inbox is about to become your new obsession! Join the Sneak Peeks & Surprises giveaway and get exclusive content delivered straight to you. Win a $50 Amazon gift card while discovering your next book addiction! More newsletters = more chances to win! 📖 Enter now: https://litring.com/giveaway/sneak-pe... #SneakPeeksAndSurprises #NewsletterAddict #BookObsession #WinBig #ExclusiveContent
The Empty Kayak
The Empty Kayak
June 26, 2025
Author Alert - FREE AI Seminar tonight
I'm an author and attorney, so join me for a FREE AuthorByte Academy seminar as we battle the AI robots that are changing the way we write. You'll learn easy steps to protect your work and keep it safe from the robots. Hope to see you there!
REGISTER AT : https://authorbytes.com/academy/
The Empty Kayak
REGISTER AT : https://authorbytes.com/academy/
The Empty Kayak
June 18, 2025
Are you a Laura Lippman Fan?
Check out my YouTube channel for an exclusive one-on-one with Laura as we discuss mysteries, life, and her latest mystery “Murder Takes a Vacation”.
https://youtu.be/-NK5wwJApt8?feature=...
Murder Takes a Vacation
https://youtu.be/-NK5wwJApt8?feature=...
Murder Takes a Vacation
