Five Things - April 20, 2026

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 photos of my books, kids, 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. "The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible." — Dwight D. Eisenhower

2. Last weekend, our daughter presented her senior ‘showcase’ to a theater full of friends and family. A jazz musician and vocalist, her presentation was essentially a concept album containing seven songs which she wrote, recorded, and then performed live. Several local professional musicians including a drummer, a brass section, a pianist, and a harp player, accompanied her and filled out the sound. It was such an amazing experience to witness the culmination of her undergraduate learning. Her talent just dazzled us all, and it was definitely a ‘proud mama’ moment.

3. Speaking of showcases, Ray and I attended an entirely different kind of showcase last week–The Pasadena Showcase House for the arts event. Every year, an older estate-type home is chosen to be fully renovated by local designers, artists, and landscapers. There’s an opening party, where guests can tour the house while it’s in-the-works, and a private after-party, with a tour of the finished home, a fancy dinner, and a live auction. Finally, the house is opened to the public for a month. Along with a tour, guests can shop at the on-site galleries and booths and eat at the temporary bistro. All proceeds from ticket sales, auction items, and donations go to local music education, youth orchestras, music therapy programs, and nonprofit arts organizations in the area. The talented designer who helped us turn our new condo into a home participated, and he invited us to the pre-showcase party and the fancy dinner after-party at the Santa Anita racetrack, where the famous Seabiscuit won in 1940! In addition to being a fun time, I really enjoyed this glimpse into Pasadena’s storied history.

4. Sometimes, I just need to go into the woods. Yesterday, a friend and I did a big, fun, beautiful hike, the kind I really like, where you scrape your knees, hop over rocks to make it across streams, scramble climb, and otherwise get a good sweat going. The Switzer Falls hike was exactly that, and it helped get my mind ready for the week ahead.

5. In book news, my alter-ego, Maggie Clare, has a new release coming out on June 2nd. Blood Ties, a second-chance romance with some intrigue and danger thrown into the mix, is available for pre-order now. If romance is your jam, check out the first few installments in the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series. All the books can be read as stand alones, but the characters are connected, so I think it’s a more enjoyable experience to read them in order. Between finishing my school projects and getting this book ready to go, my head is spinning, but I’m really excited to have something new for my readers. Stay tuned!

Five Things - March 23, 2026

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 photos of my books, kids, 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. “War itself is, of course, a form of madness. It’s hardly a civilized pursuit. It’s amazing how we spend so much time inventing devices to kill each other and so little time working on how to achieve peace.” – Walter Cronkite

2. I turned my thesis, The Dragon Dancer of Krysh, in to my advisor today. It is officially done, finished, polished, complete! There are probably more words available, but my brain is now officially powering down for the rest of the day.

3. Okay, I’ve not quite powered down as I still have other school work to tend to, but the other stuff is of the more practical variety. For example, I’ve written a CV and resume for the first time in, well, decades, which I’ll use to apply for adjunct professor positions. I’ve also prepared my first Composition Writing course proposal, which I’ll be able to use if I get a job teaching, and I’m currently working on Creative Writing course materials. It’s been a busy but very productive semester so far!

4. My alter ego, Maggie Clare, is also busy getting ready to publish the next two books in the TSI romantic suspense series. If the steamy stuff is your jam, you can check out the first four books in the series HERE. The books have recently had a cover refresh, and one Maggie’s favorite main characters has taken over her blog. We for sure have a lot of fun on that side of the house!

5. Project Hail Mary was worth the wait and worth the hype. I’m a huge fan of the book, and, IMHO, the movie did it justice. It had just the right amount of humor and heart to go along with the super fun science fiction. Seeing it in Hollywood at the TCL Chinese Theatre, with our boys and their significant others, was also a total treat. Check out the movie. You’ll be glad you did!

Monday Musings 11-29-21

It’s the end of November already, and it’s another month with five Mondays. That means a double post to Monday Musings and Dear Maggie!

We’re just returning home from an unexpected trip to LA, as one of our boys had a medical issue which needed handling. He’s on the other side of it now and doing great, thankfully. I’ll admit, I’m pretty exhausted but relieved, and very grateful for the extra time we got to spend with our kids (minus our oldest who’s currently deployed) and their significant others this Thanksgiving.

Now that I’m home, and my head is back in the writing game, I’ve got some exciting things coming up….

First, the RI Author Expo on Saturday, December 11th from 9 am - 3 pm at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. Signed books make excellent gifts, and this event showcases over 100 Rhode Island authors, myself included. For the first time, I’ll be signing books from the HORIZON science fiction series and the TACTICAL SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL romantic suspense series, so if you’ve found me as Tabitha or Maggie, come say hello!

In addition to celebrity guests, book signings, a cool raffle, entertainment, and snacks, there’s an excellent line-up of panels and programs. I’ll be presenting this one at 11:15 am…

Editing: Soup to Nuts

For many authors, the editing process is a daunting one. But a well edited manuscript can mean the difference between a book that’s ready for the world and a document that sits in a drawer collecting dust. Let’s talk about the different parts of the editing process, and how to successfully find and work with an editor. We’ll then spend some time discussing the goals of a developmental edit, and share techniques that will help make the editing process efficient, effective, and satisfying.

For a full listing of the day’s activities, click HERE.

Once the Expo is in my rearview, I’ll be finishing up the draft of Moving Target, the next book in the TSI series. I’m already working with the amazing Steven Meyer-Rassow on cover design!

The draft of Dreamwalker, an urban fantasy/thriller, is currently with my agent. I’ll probably need to do a little more work before it goes out on submission, so stay tuned.

There’s more, but I’ll save it for next time! Just for fun, here are some pictures of Daisy having a bath and getting ready to travel out west with us!