Five Things - September 2, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. "We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." - Nelson Mandela

2. When we started this adventure two years and nine months ago, we wanted to visit all of the lower forty-eight states. Well, today, we woke up in state number forty-eight! Putting the final sticker on our map felt like quite the accomplishment. As I reflect back on all the things we’ve seen and done in the last almost-three-years, I’m overwhelmed, and I actually have to look through our photos to remember it all. When people ask about our favorite place, we don’t have just one, but a whole list of them, and the highlight reel includes a bunch of National Parks.

3. Speaking of National Parks, we just spent the last few days at Glacier National Park in Montana. It’s listed as one of the ‘crown jewels’ in the NP system, and it really is stunning. The lakes, the forests, and the mountain terrain were all absolutely magical. Ray and I also had an adrenaline-fueled, close encounter with a bear while we were hiking, a first for us! He was literally sauntering down the trail like a boss. We stepped aside as far as we could, which wasn’t very far, and Ray got out our bear spray. We didn’t make eye contact with him as he strolled by, but I managed to get him on video. You can check it out on my Instagram page. I promise there’s no zooming in or editing. He really was that close!

4. I recently hit a personal single-day driving distance record. Last week, we traveled from Mareno, North Dakota to West Glacier, Montana, a distance of over six hundred miles. Although we gave ourselves two days to make the trip, I really wanted the extra time in Montana, so we headed out early and made it by dinner time. Not something I’d like to do again anytime soon, but I finished a great audiobook on the way!

5. As we spend time in the northwestern part of the country, it feels like fall here, and I really like that. Fall has always been my most productive writing time. There’s just something about the crisp air and the smell of apples and pumpkin spice that seems to motivate me. Flipping the calendar to September also flips a switch in me. I go from summer vacation mode to get-to-work mode, and since I’m drafting my thesis as we speak, it’s good to be in the zone!

Five Things - August 25, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “As much as we need a prosperous economy, we also need a prosperity of kindness and decency.” - Caroline Kennedy

2. School starts this week! I actually thought classes started after Labor Day, but nope, tomorrow. I’m excited to get started, though. In addition to writing my thesis, we’ll be intensively studying short fiction in a class aptly titled ‘Short Forms.’ There’s a pretty impressive reading list, and we’ll have to write four short fiction pieces to workshop with the group. I’ve published a good number of short stories in anthologies, magazines, and on podcasts, so this is something I really enjoy for a few reasons. First, short stories take less time to write than novels. This may seem obvious, but as writers, we’re in it for the long game. A full-length novel takes me anywhere from three months to a year to draft, but I’m able to finish a short story in a week or so. Second, short stories are a place to experiment. I can play with voice, write in an unfamiliar genre, or use a different point of view. I’ve written ghost stories, high fantasy, modern horror, near-future apocalypse tales, and even a mystery. Finally, every word counts in a short story. Short fiction must still have well-developed characters, a complete story arc, and a distinctive voice, but everything has to develop quickly, using far fewer words. With less space to tell the tale, I find I’m more vigilant than ever about tightening my language. Hopefully, the short fiction I write for class will find a home somewhere, and I’ll be sure to share it with you.

3. We just left Minnesota, and I have to say, we were really charmed by the state! The twin cities were so cool, although the Twins were out of town so we didn’t get a chance to visit the ballpark. The lakes were gorgeous, and we definitely could have spent a lot more time there, so we’ve bookmarked it for more future exploration.

4. Today we’ll get to put another sticker on our map. We’re currently camped out in North Dakota, one of the last remaining states in the lower forty-eight that we’d yet to visit. Last night, we had dinner in the cool little western-themed town of Medora, and today, after a few hours of work, we’re heading into the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

5. When school started last summer, I had a couple of projects in process. I used the break time between spring semester and residency, and the short summer recess, to finish two of those projects. I now have three romance novels in the pipeline–two romantic suspense stories from the TSI series and one romcom featuring an emotional support dog and a runaway bride. All three still need editing, but it’s good to have some new material in the works. Stay tuned!

Five Things - August 11, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. "Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you." - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

2. I’ll be at Chicago Fan Expo August 15-17 signing books with a few of my RI writer pals. If you’re in the area, come visit us in booth AP26. I’ll also be moderating some panels including: World Building- Mind Your Myths and Backstory on Saturday from 12 pm – 12:45 pm, The Writers After Party on Saturday from 4 pm – 4:45 pm, and Writing the Other-Creating Characters Outside Your Comfort Zone on Sunday from 2 pm – 2:45 pm. Check out the panels, and stop by to say hello!

3. We’ve had a whirlwind of travel these last couple of weeks, from finishing up our time in Colorado to South Dakota to Wisconsin. In South Dakota, we stayed in the Black Hills and visited the Washington Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Wind Cave. Then we spent the night in the Badlands and explored Badlands National Park before heading to Sioux Falls for a couple of days. We’re currently chilling by a lake in Wisconsin, where we spent a fun weekend with some friends, and Wednesday we head towards Chicago so I can get ready for the Con. I made a couple of reels on my Instagram account which barely capture the incredible landscapes and monuments. It’s hard to see the scope and magnificence through the camera lense, but at least I’ll have a record of all the amazing things we’ve seen!

4. As I enter the final stretch of grad school (classes start back up in a couple of weeks), I’ve been thinking a lot about the upcoming year and beyond. I’ve written a ton of content over the last eighteen months, with several completed manuscripts to show for it, but I haven’t spent any time getting those stories into the world. Starting in January, when my grad school thesis draft is finished, I’m going to turn my attention to publishing and promoting my work again. For those of you who follow my alter-ego, Maggie Clare, I’ll have three completed romance novels ready to go by the winter, and those of you who like my speculative work, my thesis is a fantasy novel featuring a feathered dragon. Lot’s happening over the next year on the creative front, so stay tuned!

5. We are down to three states left in the lower forty-eight. These include North Dakota, Minnesota, and Idaho, which we have plans to visit by the end of August. Before we hit the three -year mark, we’ll have filled out our map!

Five Things - July 28, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “I want to think again of dangerous and noble things.

   I want to be light and frolicsome.

   I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,

   as though I had wings.” ― Mary Oliver

2. It’s been a minute since my last blog! July has been a whirlwind, and I just finished my second year of residency for grad school in Gunnison, Colorado, so I’ve been a bit behind with my posts. My head and heart are full from being with my amazing classmates, workshopping our projects, attending useful craft talks, listening to incredible readings, and decompressing together when the jam-packed days were done. I’m taking a couple of weeks to enjoy our August travel plans, and to finish up a romantic suspense novel I started writing over a year ago, before I dive into my thesis and the other classes scheduled for this September.

3. Speaking of travel, we’re still in Colorado, currently in the Denver area for another week where we plan to catch a Rockies game and go to the Colorado Renaissance Festival. Yes, our Renaissance costumes made the cut when we pared down our wardrobes for the RV. After Colorado, it’s on to South Dakota, one of the four states in the lower forty-eight we haven’t visited yet.

4. I’ll be at Chicago Fan Expo August 15-17 signing books with a few of my RI writer pals. If you’re in the area, come visit us in booth AP26. I’ll also be moderating a bunch of panels, so check out the Chicago Fan Expo website for more info!

5. While in Western Colorado, I had the chance to both hike and drive through groves of Aspen. These trees are truly magical. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Services, Aspen trees are known for their ability to reproduce through their root systems, creating interconnected groves of trees that are essentially a single organism. Aside from that, they’re really gorgeous!

Five Things - June 24, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” - Dalai Lama

2. I think I’ve mentioned here that I wrote a horror flash fiction story for school, workshopped it with my class, and sold it to Tales to Terrify, a fun, creepy podcast. Well that story is finally live, and you can find it here: MONSTER. A couple of things… It’s short. Flash fiction work is generally under a thousand words, and even the audio version is only three minutes long. But it’s brutal. This is a Frankenstein’s monster story with an AI twist, and in the end, everyone’s really a monster. Approach with caution, or skip if it’s not your thing.

3. My second summer session of grad school is underway! The month of June is considered a ‘reading period’ in preparation for our time together on campus at residency in July. But this year’s schedule is a little different since we have a lot to prepare for residency in addition to the completed reading assignments. I’m currently working on a synopsis, which is a two page summary of the entire novel and the bane of most writers’ existence, an outline, which is just what it sounds like, and the first five thousand words of the manuscript. While it’s a lot, it’s also really exciting to be working on my dragon story.

4. We’re on the road again for the summer, currently camped out in Las Vegas where it is very, very hot! We flew back to Rhode Island for a quick weekend full of events, and now I’m back with my nose to the grindstone working on the above mentioned school work. We’ll be heading to Moab, Utah next week to check out some of the National Parks we missed our first time there, and then on to Colorado for about a month. I’ll try to remember to post more pictures!

5. If any of you follow my alter ego Maggie Clare, and read the steamy stuff I publish under that pen name, you may have heard I just finished writing a contemporary rom-com. Usually my romance novels have a suspense sub-plot featuring serial killers, cartels, stalkers, or some other nasty bad guy mucking things up for our couple. But my latest story features an emotional support dog, a runaway bride, a hot firefighter, some angsty heartbreak, and a happily-ever-after ending of course! The story evolved from a piece of short fiction I wrote for school. I liked the bones of it so much, I decided to try writing a long form version. If you’d like a sneak peek, head over to my Dear Maggie blog and check it out!

Five Things - May 26, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. "If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." - Alan K. Simpson

2. It’s graduation season around here! In the last two weeks we’ve celebrated RJ who graduated from Loyola Marymount, Nick who graduated from the MFA program at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film, and Noah’s girlfriend Anjali, who received a Masters from USC. It was a whirlwind of activity and very exciting. Congratulations to all!

3. We’re back in Orange for a couple of weeks before we launch into our summer travels. Since it’s baseball season, and we love to visit as many parks as we can, last night we went to an Angel’s game. While they lost to the Yankees, of all teams, there’s nothing like watching game on a spring night under the lights with a cold beer.

4. We also went to dinner with Nick and Leslie at this cool place called The Hobbit. There’s only one seating per evening for this five course extravaganza, and we opted in for the wine-pairing. The food and experience was outstanding! We’d tried to get reservations here the last time we were in town, but it was booked solid, so we were thrilled to finally check this off our list of things to do in the OC.

5. I can’t believe classes start up again next week! This break has gone by quickly, but I’m ready to dig into my thesis, which will be the second half of my romantasy novel titled The Dragon Dancer of Krysh! I left this manuscript at the halfway point and put the project on hold when I started school. It was my hope to use this novel as my thesis project, but it needed to be approved by a mentor willing to work with a slightly longer than usual manuscript. I’m thrilled to say I have an incredibly talented and flexible mentor, and she’s truly excited about this book. If all goes as planned, the draft will be finished by winter break!

Five Things - May 12, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it happening again.” - Anne Frank

2. I got to spend this Mother’s Day with our kids for the first time in years. Only our daughter was missing, and she’ll be here next week to help celebrate her brother’s graduation. Every time we’re together, I feel such gratitude that I helped these lovely humans into the world!

3. I am officially on break from school for a couple of weeks until the summer session starts in June. I didn’t think I needed this downtime so much, but I really, really do! I’m using the time to finish a contemporary rom-com that began its life as a short story for workshop last semester. I liked it so much, I’ve developed it into a full-length novel titled Run, Harry, Run. The synopsis and outline are finished, along with half the manuscript, so I’m challenging myself to complete the story before school starts up again. It’s a luxury to have hours to spend on my own project, and I plan to take advantage!

4. I get a lot of advertising on my Instagram account for cool events. Because we move around every few weeks, the ads are usually for the last place we visited instead of where we are, which is a bit frustrating. It seems as though Insta has finally caught up with us, though, and I have a running list of stuff I want to do here in SoCal. For date night last week, Ray and I went to The Obscure, a distillery where the staff makes their own booze and then concocts really delicious cocktails from their supply. While you’re tasting in their artistic, moody space designed to feel like the French Quarter of New Orleans at night, they’re telling stories about the origins of the stuff you’re drinking. It was a unique, yummy experience which I highly recommend if you’re in the area.

5. This week we’ll be moving the RV from northern LA to a state park right on the ocean. Just as the hot weather is hitting in this part of the country, we’ll be chilling on the Pacific. After a winter in the desert, this beach lover can’t wait!

Five Things - April 28, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” - Billy Graham

2. We’re on the road again! This week, we’ve set up camp in Newport Beach, CA. It feels so good to be near the ocean again. For a girl who grew up on the coast, the desert never felt quite right. Like if I drove far enough, I should run into the beach. Anyway, we’re near the coast for a while now, and we look forward to spending time with our kids, watching a few of them graduate, and enjoying our continued adventures.

3. This is my last week of class, and next week marks the last week of the semester. Once I turn in my final assignments, I will have officially finished my first year of graduate school! My final paper in the survey class is a reflective piece. It asks where we were as writers when we started, how we hoped to grow, and what practical things we actually learned. I’ll be thinking about this over the next two weeks, and as soon as I have my thoughts together, I’ll share some of the highlights here.

4. I’ve been matched with my thesis mentor, Cindy Skaggs, and I’m really excited to work with her! She and I will have a kick-off meeting next week to discuss which project makes the most sense to focus on. I’m particularly pleased to have Cindy as my mentor because, in addition to working on this thesis, she’s eager to discuss industry stuff with me as well. It will be great to have someone else to bounce ideas off of, and to ask advice about publishing pathways for different projects. I’ll keep you updated as we get going.

5. I haven’t mentioned Milo, or any of the pets really, in a while, but all is well with our furry friends. Milo is sixteen and requires a little extra daily TLC, and I’m truly happy to do it. She’s such an affectionate little love, and I think her monthly arthritis shot, her daily thyroid meds, her extra calorie treats, and her calming pheromone collar truly make a difference in keeping her happy, comfortable, and as healthy as possible during her twilight years. It honestly makes me feel really good to take care of her after all the joy she’s brought, and continues to bring, to our family. Also, Daisy turns four next month, so happy birthday to our tiny travel dog!

Five Things - April 14, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “I’m not going to allow my inability to do everything undermine my ability to do something.” - Senator Cory Booker

2. Coachella, wow! I planned to go to this festival while we were here in the desert because it’s literally happening right down the street, and because it’s so iconic, and it did not disappoint! Yes, it was hot. Yes, it was expensive. Yes, it was super crowded, but the opportunity to experience it with my bestie, and two of my kids and their girlfriends, was truly worth it. Lady Gaga put on an amazing show, and Green Day was fab as usual. I also got to listen to so much great music that I otherwise wouldn’t have discovered on my own. All in all, it was a fantastic, memorable weekend. I am totally exhausted, and I’ll need a few days to recover, but it was worth it.

3. I’m taking another glass art class today. It’s only a one-off workshop, but I’m really excited. Old Town Artisan Studios is truly a little gem of an organization. The space is incredibly peaceful and their mission to bring art to an underserved population admirable. Doing an art that’s different from the type that’s become my career feels meditative and satisfying. It was something I promised myself I would do when I set my intentions for the New Year, and I’m proud that I’ve followed through.

4. I can’t believe this semester is almost over! We’re starting our final round of workshops for the school year tonight, and I’m really excited. We’ve been focused on the horror and western these last few weeks, so our stories will be written in one of these genres, or at least contain an element of one of the genres. Oddly enough, I’ve written another horror story even though I really wanted to try my hand at a space western. So many stories, so little time! Eventually maybe I’ll get to it…

5. Just a few more weeks here in the desert before we hit the road again. I will miss the beautiful sunshine in the middle of winter, the stark mountains against the bright blue sky, the adorable hummingbird population, the extra space in our outdoor living area, my lovely art studio, and the kind people we’ve met here. At the same time, I’m ready to continue our travel adventure. Onward!

Five Things - April 1, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. "I've been fascinated by the idea that evil is the absence of empathy." - John Connolly

2. It’s our last month in the desert! The winter flew by, and we are ready to hit the road again. I’m really excited about our itinerary, which includes checking off the last four states in the lower forty-eight (the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Idaho) in order to fill out our map, another trip to Utah for more National Park fun, a stay in Gunnison, Colorado during my residency, a trip to Chicago for Chicago Fan Expo, and more. I’ll start taking photos again, so be sure to check out my Instagram page!

3. This week, I have to submit my thesis proposal for the MFA program. Next year, most of my work will be focused on completing this project to earn my degree. Conveniently, our thesis is a full-length novel, and I’ll have a personal mentor assigned to me. If you read my alter ego’s blog last week, I discuss the fact that I have four novels about halfway complete. I’m generally a work-on-one-thing-at-a-time kind of writer, but being in school has been disruptive, in a good way! You can read more about why I think this year is an anomaly, and what I’m currently working on HERE. Regardless, in a couple of weeks, my mentor and I will have chosen a project. It may be one of the books already underway, or something entirely new. I’ll let you know!

4. Our oldest son had his birthday last weekend. Nick truly embodies the ‘oldest child’ persona in all the best ways. He’s responsible, accountable, sensitive, and genuine. We’ve watched him navigate his young adulthood with an open heart, a willingness to grow, and deep compassion and empathy for others. He is earnest, hard-working, loyal, and kind, and he is the person you’d want in your corner if you needed a friend. Happy birthday, Nick. We are so proud of you!

5. I had a great time visiting my sister and brother-in-law last week. My trip coincided with Persian New Year, Nowruz, and I was so excited to celebrate with them. Held on the vernal equinox, the holiday is meaningful and well-timed, and wow, the food is amazing! Happy New Year and Welcome Spring!

Five Things - March 17, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. "When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free." - Charles Evans Hughes

2. Did you know that Kevlar was invented by a woman named Stephanie Kwolek in 1965? In honor of Women’s History Month, and because I am a total science geek at heart, I encourage you to read more about her on The Science History Institutes blog page. As a chemist for DuPont laboratories, she was tasked with investigating the next generation of fibers capable of performing in extreme conditions, and she came up with Kevlar! In 1995 she was induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1995, only the 4th woman of 113 members at the time. One of Kwolek’s most cited papers describes how to demonstrate condensation polymerization in a beaker at atmospheric pressure and room temperature (a lot of words for a fairly straightforward reaction). It’s commonly called the ‘Nylon Rope Trick,’ and it is one of the experiments I remember distinctly replicating in Organic Chemistry class many years ago!

3. This Saturday, our youngest child will turn 21. This age, for the obvious reason that she can now legally join us at bars, feels more significant than 18. And, don’t worry, we’ve already taught her to mix a good martini! When I think about Kyra, aside from her incredible musical talent, her voice like an angel, her own unique style and vibe, and her intellectual prowess, I think about her kindness. In a world where cruelty still holds sway, this child of ours is thoughtful, caring, intentional, and above all, kind. Happy birthday, sweet Kyra. You are a beautiful, bright light, and this world is a better place because you’re in it.

4. I’ll be heading to Folsom, CA this week for a ‘sister’ visit. Since Ray and I have been on the road, we’ve definitely spent time with family and friends all over the country, but I used to go to my sister’s a couple of times a year for girl time, and I’ve really missed that. My visit just so happens to coincide with Persian New Year, so I expect I will barely be able to zip my jeans after partaking in the fabulous feast! I’ll try to post some photos of the delish dishes over on Insta.

5. We’re at the midpoint in the semester for school, just finishing our Science Fiction and Fantasy sections and heading into Horror. Mostly, I really dislike the genre, but I have on occasion loved a horror story. Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” sticks with me still. The Stand is an all-time favorite read, and I tore through What Moves the Dead, a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher for class last week. I think I dislike horror because I want to love a flawed character, who in the end comes through on the side of good. With horror, the characters can serve another purpose. Horror writing often features characters who are unlikeable, or who have a fatal flaw, who are the victim, or who are themselves the horror. Funny enough, I notice in my own horror writing, I too use character differently. Charlie, from my short story “Goodbye Charlie,” which you can listen to HERE (my story starts at 18:40) is not my favorite guy, but he’s right for his role. And in “Monster” (coming soon on the Tales to Terrify podcast), both the characters of Cora and Mama are pretty monstrous. Studying Horror is certainly helping me understand the genre better, if not enjoy it more.

Five Things - March 3, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” - Elie Wiesel

2. In honor of Women’s History Month, and in keeping with my own love of all things nerdy, I encourage you to read about Vera Rubin, an astronomer whose research proved the existence of dark matter. Dark matter is a mysterious substance that’s believed to make up more than a quarter of the universe. It outweighs regular matter, and it plays an important role in galaxy formation and the evolution of the universe. Born in 1928, and coming of age in the ‘40s, Rubin faced extraordinary challenges as a woman working in a male dominated field. Her life and accomplishments are well-chronicled in this article on the National Women’s History Museum webpage. Check it out here: Vera Rubin. In honor of her achievements, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope in Chile has been named the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

3. Looking ahead to March, I’ve got a lot of school work to complete before spring break, so I’ll have my nose to the grindstone, so to speak. After break, it will be time to narrow down my thesis project ideas. For this MFA program, the thesis is a full-length novel, and I’ll need to present a minimum of three proposals to the program director. It’s exciting to know I’ll have the backing of my classmates and a thesis mentor as I work on this project, but per usual, until I have the idea locked down and the outline solid in my head, I’ll be a little stressed!

4. I’m also currently writing a synopsis for a novel work-in-progress. When I went back to school, I left this particular project at the half-way mark. Now, I have to think it through and outline the second half of the book. I’m excited to do it, but it’s also daunting, especially when my creative energy is taxed to the limit at the moment. I am really excited about this particular story though, so wish me luck!

5. We had our first real taste of a wind storm here in the desert. It didn’t happen with a big burst of energy, but rather it was more of a sustained, day-long gusty event. We had to make an emergency leaf-blower purchase to clean the dust and dirt from our outdoor living space, which had about a half inch of accumulated grit on every surface. Mother Nature does her thing pretty much everywhere!

Five Things - February 17, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “Everybody matters or nobody matters. “ - Harry Bosch

2. In celebration of Black History Month, I want to call out an author whose work I admire and enjoy. Angie Thomas’s #1 New York Times bestseller The Hate U Give left its mark on the young adult literary world for sure, and she’s now ventured into writing middle grade fantasy. Our class just finished reading her latest novel Nic Blake and the Remarkables, a fun, fast-paced adventure featuring an adorable hell-hound puppy, an array of magical beings, a group of kids seeking justice, and a dragon, of course. Pass this one along to the young readers in your life!

3. I returned from the amazing Superstars Writer’s Conference in Colorado Springs with a to-do list about a mile long! Conferences like this fill my well, so to speak, from both a creative and a business perspective. I’ve tried to immediately implement some of the best marketing and promo tips into my overall plan, I’ve pitched one of my books to a cool publishing house, and I’ve been inspired to finish my fantasy novel ASAP and perhaps consider a Kickstarter campaign for it. The conversations and connections, new and old, were invaluable, and as a bonus, about half my classmates were there!

4. Unfortunately, I returned home with a particularly nasty strain of ‘con crud,’ which knocked me out of commision for a few days. Needless to say, between the weekend away and the recovery time, I’m feeling a little behind. We’re about to start workshops in class again, though, and I’m really excited. Instead of creating a new short fiction piece, we had the option to use the first few chapters of a fantasy or science fiction work-in-progress. I have just such a project underway, so I’m looking forward to getting some solid, early feedback on my new fantasy manuscript.

5. Our trip back was delayed slightly while I battled the con crud, but we’re back in the desert now, and I have to say, the sunshine is doing wonders for my overall recovery. The east coast is inundated with snow, and the west coast was pretty wet and rainy while were there, so 70 degrees and sunny is looking pretty good right now!

Five Things - February 3, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” - Mary Oliver

2. As things around us feel like they’re on fire, I am reminded that art is resistance. The world needs its storytellers, singers, actors, dancers, sculptors, musicians, painters, (and anyone else I forgot to mention) to remind us of our humanity. Artists hold a mirror up to society. We question and dig. We bring injustice into sharp relief. We invite laughter. We provide entertainment, respite, relief. We provoke change. We ask our audience to look at the world from a different perspective. Art is resistance.

3. In honor of Black History Month, I’m highlighting an author I heard speak several years ago at a writers conference in NYC. Jacqueline Woodson’s resume includes the National Book Award, the Newbery Honor, and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. She’s been on the NYT best-selling list, served as the Young People’s Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2017, was named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress for 2018–19, and named a MacArthur Fellow. Her writing is hauntingly beautiful and heartbreakingly real. If you have an opportunity to read her stories, watch one of her TED talks, or introduce her books to the young people in your life, I highly recommend it.

4. I’m heading to Colorado Springs this week for a writer’s conference. I am so excited because more than half my cohort from grad school will be there. We’ve been online with each other several times a week since September, but we haven’t been together in person since July. Events like this one help to fill my creative well. There’s nothing like spending a few days with fellow creative types to stay motivated, and with my aggressive writing schedule this year, I really need the motivational support! Next post, I’ll share my favorite highlights from the conference.

5. Birthday season is underway, and last night we celebrated Noah’s 27th. This kid of ours is smart, creative, driven, and kind. Last summer, for one of my first school assignments, I had write about my ‘creative hero.’ This is an edited version of that post, which I think is a fitting tribute to the birthday boy!

   All the kids are creative types, but our second son is a writer. He wrote his first ‘novel’ as an eighth-grade project, before I had the whiff of a first draft for my first novel in mind. His mentor, a traditionally published author, sang his praises for both completing the daunting project and for his fresh take on the story. He had the ‘chops’ she’d said. When he finished the draft, he said something like, “I’m not attached to that manuscript anymore. I used the project to learn about process, and my next book will be better.” I was like, “Dude, you’re thirteen. How do you have such perspective?”

   He kept on writing. He went to film school, became a screenwriter and stand-up comedian. He writes more in a month than I do in a year, and he has an amazing attitude. Rarely is he discouraged. He loves to collaborate. He’s willing to pitch something, and then the next thing, and then the next. He has a wild imagination, he works hard, and he is now an extremely skilled writer. In fact, he’s top of my list of people to call when I’m stuck on a plot point, or I’ve written myself into a corner, or I can’t quite make a character land.

   This kid had the courage to do at thirteen something that took me four decades to try! Bravo, Noah, for recognizing that sharing art with the world makes us vulnerable and doing it anyway.

Five Things - January 19, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." - Martin Luther King Jr.

2. So many of you reached out to check in on us as the devastating fires swept across Los Angeles. Thank you! We are far enough away not to be threatened, but we can feel the Santa Ana winds from here, and they are fierce. The boys are okay too, but they’re still on alert as the conditions that sparked the fires are still in play. Amidst the destruction and loss, kindness, generosity, and the spirit of community are flourishing here.

3. In class, we’re reading, writing, and studying science fiction this semester. As many of you know, science fiction is my first literary love. I love it for many reasons, but one is that exploring meaningful ‘what if’ questions through storytelling feels so satisfying. I think when we pose these questions set in the future, or on a far off planet, or on a generation ship, etc., we may find more freedom in that exploration. We can talk about really challenging things without being quite so on-the-nose with them. Maybe we’re creating a more accessible space to have some of these conversations when we are not as personally invested in the issues? 

4. Tomorrow, the new book club I joined will be discussing one of my books. This is both exciting and little nerve-wracking. Wish me luck!

5. I woke up this morning exhausted. On Mondays, I take a yoga/sculpt class, and it tends to be quite challenging, but I made myself go anyway. As sluggish as I felt walking in, I ended up having a really good class. I used heavier weights, did more reps, and finished strong. Here’s what I realized. Over the last several months, I’ve been focused on my physical, mental, and spiritual health, and this work is paying off. I am stronger, more resilient, more centered because of it, and I now trust this work will help carry me through the tough days. So, a little advice if it resonates… Do what you gotta do to take care of yourself. Find joy wherever and whenever you can. Build resilience. On the bad days, and there will be bad days ahead, these practices will serve you well and create a reserve to access as needed.

Five Things - January 6, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, to all the people you can, in all the places you can, as long as ever you can.” - John Wesley

2. In keeping with my intentions for the New Year, I started an art class last week, and it was fabulous! I’ve mentioned before that when my art became my career, it lost a little of its shine. That's not to say I don’t love writing, and I am extremely grateful it’s now my profession, but I wanted to make some kind of art just for the sake of creating something, with no expectations attached to it. This class provides me that experience. It’s held in a beautiful artist co-op in Old Town with lovely art and lovely people all around. I’m so excited to see how my first project turned out!

3. Ray and I had what I now call an ‘adventure day’ last week at the Salton Sea. While not a National Park, it’s a really interesting place. There’s been a ‘sea’ in the Imperial Valley on and off for millions of years. This latest incarnation happened when flood waters broke through a canal gate, spilling water from the Colorado River into the basin for almost two years before a repair could be engineered. For scale, the Salton Sea is larger than Lake Tahoe.

4. This is my last week of school vacation, and I’m really excited to start classes again. The format will be the same, but instead of focusing on romance, mystery, and thriller, we’ll be studying science fiction, fantasy, horror, and westerns. The reading list is amazing! I’ve already ordered my pile of books, and I can’t wait to dig in.

5. It’s January here in the desert, and I must say, with the sun shining every day and the temperatures hovering at a perfect 75 degrees, I’ve made a pretty productive start to the New Year. While I don’t make resolutions, per se, I do create a list intentions, both personal and professional, on which I try to focus. Personally, I’ve committed to what I’m calling radical self-care, which includes more yoga, more art, more laughter, and more adventure! Professionally, I’m committed to completing all my lingering half-finished novels, submitting every piece of short fiction I write for school to publishers, participating fully in my classes, and figuring out my thesis project for next year. We’ll see how that all goes!

Happy New Year!

"Well, we have a whole new year ahead of us. And wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all be a little more gentle with each other, a little more loving, and have a little more empathy, and maybe, next year at this time we'd like each other a little more." — Judy Garland

Five Things - December 16, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.” - J. R. R. Tolkien

2. I just finished my last assignment for the semester, and I am now officially on winter break! So far, this program has been everything I’d hoped for. The workshops have been truly a highlight. I am amazed by the talent and storytelling abilities of my colleagues, and I also think they’re incredibly generous, kind, and thoughtful people. This semester, I challenged myself to write outside my comfort zone, and I’d also hoped some of my work from class could do ‘double duty’ and be used professionally, and this is happening.

3. My mystery story, “The Accused, Charity Vale” was acquired by Inkd Publishing! It will appear in their anthology Detectives, Sleuths, and Nosy Neighbors: Dying for an Answer, and publication is scheduled for April 2025.

4. This Wednesday is cookie swap day. I miss my old neighborhood cookie swap, so I’m really happy to participate in this one. Tomorrow, I’ll be up to my ears in butter, flour, and powdered sugar as I make seven dozen cookies for the event. Wish me luck!

5. Wishing you all a Happy Holiday. May the season be filled with love, light, and joy!

Five Things - December 2, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “People speak of hope as if it is this delicate, ephemeral thing made of whispers and spider's webs. It's not. Hope has dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, the grit of the cobblestones in her hair, and just spat out a tooth as she rises for another go.”

2. I’ll be in RI this weekend for the Annual Rhode Island Author Expo on Saturday, December 7th from 10 am - 4 pm at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick! Signed books make excellent holiday gifts, so if you are in the area, come check us out. With over a hundred local authors, you’ll likely find something for the readers on your list. The event is also packed with panels, author Q&As, raffle items, and more. I’ll be hosting a kaffeeklatsch focused on the pros and cons of using a pen name at 11:30 am and moderating a panel titled “Pathways to Publishing” at 2:45 pm. Hope to see you there!

3. We are slowly settling into our winter home here in the southern California desert. As with any project large or small, things always seem to take longer than expected. Finishing our outdoor space has been no different, but we were able to host the family here for dinner this week, and my mom and dad helped decorate for the holidays, so it’s feeling rather cozy now.

4. I’ve recently started a meditation practice. I’ll admit, I was skeptical as to whether or not I’d notice a difference day to day. The last time I seriously worked with meditation I was in medical school, and everytime I’d relax and try to Zen out, I’d fall sound asleep! These last couple of weeks, though, I’ve been using an app. I’ll choose a five to ten minute guided meditation in the morning and another before bed, and I actually notice a difference. It’s subtle, but my sense of well-being feels solid. During the day, if something rattles me, I can recenter more quickly. I guess the practice is worth the hype!

5. Last week, while family was in town for Thanksgiving, we made a trip to Joshua Tree. Although I’ve been once before, every time we visit a National Park, I’m reminded of Planet Earth’s beauty and diversity. If you have a chance, it’s worth the trip!

Five Things - November 18, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’m also starting a daily meditation practice. I’ll be using a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week, and I’ll share as the first item on the list. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can also follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…

1. “All forms of heartbreak, loss, or defeat will require you to embrace a temporary state of uncertainty if you want to someday move forward effectively. Because it is within the unknown where you will find the clarity to rebuild. Pay attention to who or what helps you feel grounded whenever you are overcome with feelings of fear and doubt, then, make those elements your primary focus and watch as your life naturally begins to sort itself out.” - Kyle Creek

2. Ray and I both need a travel break for a little while, and I’m ready to settle into our winter space. I’ve already found a great yoga studio, the best local grocery store, and a good hair stylist. I’m joining a book club while we’re here, and I’m planning lunch dates with some new friends. Ray found us a great acupuncturist, and my body is so grateful! While we aren’t ready for a permanent home yet, we think taking a little down time for the next few winters will strike the right balance between adventure and rest.

3. There’s still a lot to do before wrapping up the semester for winter break, but I feel so satisfied with what I’ve accomplished and learned already. I’m currently workshopping a mystery story, which is way out of my comfort zone. The inspiration for this particular story came from a couple of places. First, I’ve been obsessed with the Lizzie Borden case since I visited the museum a few years ago. There was a particular legal element in the case that stuck with me. I won’t say, because it directly inspired my story, and no spoilers, but if you ever have a chance to visit the museum, I highly recommend it. Another piece of inspiration was a graphic on social media that said, “They didn’t burn witches, they burned women.” Growing up in New England, and having taken many a field trip to Salem, MA, this resonated. The Lizzie Borden case and the Salem witch trials took place almost exactly two centuries apart, so I had to pick a time period and focus on getting the details right. I chose Salem twenty-five years after the trials, and it’s been really interesting to take a deep dive into the research. As soon as I work through edits, I’ll find a way to share my story with anyone who’s interested.

4. I am so grateful that the art I am so passionate about has become my life’s work, but a funny thing happens when your art becomes your work. Well, it’s work. I’m not complaining, and I wouldn’t change a thing, but I do miss having something creative in my life that I do just for the joy of it. To that end, I’m planning to sign up for a glass art class. It doesn’t start until the new year, but I’m really excited. I’ll let you know how it goes.

5. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. The unique thing about Thanksgiving, as far as holidays go, is that it’s only about food, friends, and family, and our gratitude for those things. There is no other agenda – no gifts to buy, no atonements to make, no goals to set. Just a gathering around a table. I hope you all find joy and peace around your table next week. Happy Thanksgiving!