Monday Musings 11-7-22

I spent this weekend signing books at RI Comic Con, likely my last one in RI for a while. I’m always exhausted on the Monday following a Con, and this Monday is no exception, but it’s always worth it!

I love interacting with readers, aspiring writers, and fans. I especially love moderating panels and facilitating discussions on some of my favorite topics like world-building and character development. This year, we had several people stop by to tell us they always look forward to the panels we host. Super gratifying!

Character development, in the context of storytelling, is a great discussion topic, and our panel titled “A Hero, an Anti-hero, and a Villain Walk into a Bar” generated quite a lively conversation. If you missed the panel but are interested in the topic, here’s a post I wrote for another blog that captures some of the main points:

The Intersection of Plot and Character Development

It’s fun to explore the various aspects of creating a character’s backstory, defining and developing the hero, the anti-hero, and the villain, and considering the places where plot and character development intersect. Really, this last part is where the good stuff happens!

Developing your character’s backstory helps bring authenticity and depth to them. It helps explain why they are the way they are, and how they got to this point. But, your character doesn’t remain stagnant throughout their adventure. All the heartbreak, strife, love affairs, battles, and mistakes have an impact. They emerge on the other side of their grand tale a changed person. 

An Abridged Hero’s Journey

Think of it this way – a character’s essential character, and their backstory, informs the plot. Then, as the story moves forward, the plot pushes the character’s development. We can use a Cliff Notes version of The Hero’s Journey as an example. We meet the hero of the story just as they are ready to leave home on some sort of quest, adventure, or journey. Their life experience and personality up to this point helps determine how they respond to this call to action. Are they reluctant, over-eager, clueless, or jaded? Why?

Once the adventure begins, the character will meet challenges and have experiences that will further shape them. Their responses are initially influenced by their past and by their personality, but during the course of their journey, growth happens and change occurs. When the character returns ‘home,’ they have been altered by revelations, relationships, loss, and any other meaningful experience we choose to throw into their path.

Agency  

In the intersection of plot and character development, we can explore agency. Agency, in this context, is defined as the capacity of the character to act independently and make their own free choices. Rather than reacting, our character is acting.

Let’s use Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games as an example. When we meet Katniss, she volunteers to take her sister’s place as Tribute for the games. While this could be considered ‘acting’ in a way, I’d argue that based on her relationship with her sister, her personality, and all her life experience to this point, Katniss really couldn’t have reacted any other way.

However, by the end of the first book, after all the drama and trauma she’s faced, Katniss stands up to the game-makers and refuses to play. When she and Peeta decide they would rather both die than kill each other, there is real agency in the moment, and it’s a very powerful moment because of this.

The Cost is Real

Science fiction and fantasy writers tend to deal with grand adventures, epic battles, and not-so-subtle heroes and villains. We write big! Sometimes, this can be at the expense of character development. In order to bring more depth to this part of our narrative, an area we can focus on is showing the fallout of trauma on our characters.

If we’ve subjected them to loss, torture, or war, there should be an appropriate emotional impact. We may want our characters to be larger than life, but if we don’t at least acknowledge their pain and suffering, we’ve missed an opportunity to give them depth. If we rush them through a recovery after a devastating injury, or don’t give them any baggage after years of war, we are presenting a one-dimensional view of them. The hero, displaying only heroic qualities, is boring. It’s the struggle that our readers are after.

Plot and character development are inextricably linked in our storytelling. We can create a well-formed character, with a compelling backstory and personality, and use plot action to push their continued growth and evolution. 

The weekend was long but wonderful. If you stopped by my table to buy a book or simply to say hello, thank you. It really means a lot to me. As Ray and I wind down our time in RI and look toward our next great adventure, I’m so grateful to have met all of you and for the great memories!

IN OTHER NEWS:

Save the date! - The RI Author Expo is coming soon! On Saturday, December 3rd, meet your favorite local authors at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. Signed books make great holiday gifts! More info coming soon…

Monday Musings - 10-31-22

October is a month with five Mondays, so that means this post will appear on tabithalordauthor.com and msmaggieclare.com. It also happens to be Halloween, and I’ll be spending the evening alone. Ray is out of town for work, and the kids now all live on the opposite side of the country. But, instead of throwing myself a pity party, I’m going to dress my tiny dog in a cute costume and give out candy to the neighborhood younglings. Then, I’m going to pour a glass of wine and binge watch something on Netflix. It really sounds like a lovely evening!

Halloween has always been a big deal for us. Ray and I had our first date on Halloween a million years ago, and we got engaged on the spooky holiday a year later. We’ve thrown massive parties over the years, provided that ‘special’ cider for the adults in the neighborhood, and could have outfitted our own horror movie with the number of costumes in our closets.

So, it might seem a little strange, and maybe a little sad, that I’ll be spending the last Halloween in our house all by myself. Well, me and the dog. But I don’t feel sad. I feel really excited. Next year, a new family will be here making new memories and we’ll be off on a grand adventure somewhere. When I look back, it’s with a sense of completion. When I look forward, it’s with enthusiasm and excitement.

IN OTHER NEWS:

I’ll be at RI Comic Con this weekend signing books at the ARIA table #621. Stop by and say hello! Here’s my panel schedule:

World Building 101 - Friday, Nov 4, 5:30-6:15 pm - Convention Center Room 552

Science fiction and fantasy stories transport readers to new worlds, from the wondrous to the weird. Solid world building is essential to invite readers into your story and keep them immersed. How can writers construct believable worlds in unbelievable settings? How can we bring authenticity to these imaginary places? How do we develop an internal logic for our stories that is both fantastical and believable? When imagination and writing craft successfully intersect, the results can be out of this world! If you are an aspiring speculative fiction writer, this presentation is for you. 

A Hero, an Anti-Hero, and a Villain Walk into a Bar - Sat, Nov 5, 11:30-12:15 - Convention Center Room 552

Your main cast of characters should be well-developed and multi-faceted. Each one has a journey and a backstory. Let’s break down character archetypes, and explore ways to bring depth and complexity to these fictional personalities. Join this lively conversation as we examine existing pop-culture heroes, anti-heroes, and villains, and discuss ways to breathe life into our own characters.

Monday Musings 10-17-22

It’s official. We sold our home of nineteen years! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be prepping our new RV for full-time living, finishing up a few projects around the house, and sorting and packing. We’re slowly checking items off our list in anticipation of the big move. It’s exciting for sure.

On my last post, I talked about managing expectations during this time. That way of thinking has allowed me to approach our giant to-do list with equanimity most of the time, still make some forward progress with my writing, and be present for all the activities, events, and relationships that are important to me. So far, so good!

Speaking of activities, I’ll be at Rhode Island Comic Con November 4-6 signing books and moderating panels with a fantastic group of local authors. Here’s more info on the panels:

Friday, November 4, 5:30-6:15 pm - World Building 101

Science fiction and fantasy stories transport readers to new worlds, from the wondrous to the weird. Solid world building is essential to invite readers into your story and keep them immersed. How can writers construct believable worlds in unbelievable settings? How can we bring authenticity to these imaginary places? How do we develop an internal logic for our stories that is both fantastical and believable? When imagination and writing craft successfully intersect, the results can be out of this world! If you are an aspiring speculative fiction writer, this presentation is for you. 

Saturday, November 5, 11:30-12:15 - A Hero, Anti-Hero, and a Villain Walk into a Bar

Your main cast of characters should be well-developed and multi-faceted. Each one has a journey and a backstory. Let’s break down character archetypes and explore ways to bring depth and complexity to these fictional personalities. Join this lively conversation as we examine existing pop-culture heroes, anti-heroes, and villains, and discuss ways to breathe life into our own characters.

These will both take place in The Convention Center - Room 552. Hope to see you there!

Monday Musings 10-3-22

I can’t believe it’s October already! If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that the fall is my most productive time for creating new content. This year is a little different, however. Last week, Ray and I drove our new RV home from Tampa, FL, just in time to avoid Hurricane Ian, and we should close on the sale of our house in a little over a week. There’s still a lot to do around here before we go, so I’ve had to adjust my expectations a bit.

I really want to be present for the last season in our home of nineteen years. I want to enthusiastically celebrate the coming holidays, appreciate the process of sorting and simplifying, and enjoy the remaining book events for this calendar year. That means I likely won’t have as much time as I usually do to write.

My tendency is to pack my schedule and force myself to overdo it, or spend time that I should be engaged in other activities stressing over my lack of writing progress. This year, I’m choosing to set realistic goals instead. This is a unique season for my family. Our youngest left for college, we’re selling our home, and we’ve decided to embark on a grand adventure - full time RV living. While I’ve preached that writing is my job and needs to be treated as such, even if I had a different career, I might take a guilt-free sabbatical.

So, what exactly is happening with my writing this season? Well, my agent has a book on submission as we speak, which I hope will sell and help determine the direction of ‘Tabitha’s’ next project. Meanwhile, ‘Maggie’ just released Moving Target, the latest in the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series, and I’m planning to outline the stories and create a timeline for the final three books in that series. At the same time, I’m finishing an episodic story on Kindle Vella. I’ll also continue with my dual blog posts on Monday Musings and Dear Maggie, and I’ll be reviewing some great books over on Book Club Babble. If I accomplish more, that will be a bonus, but I’m trying hard not to pressure myself too much!

“There are two ways to be happy—improve your reality or lower your expectations.” – Jodi Picoult

IN OTHER NEWS…

If we met at The Big E this past weekend, it was a pleasure! I hope you enjoy my books and would love if you’d consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Save the date! My next event is Rhode Island Comic Con November 4-6. I’ll be there with a great crew of local science fiction and fantasy writers all weekend signing books and moderating panels.

Monday Musings 9-19-22

At the end of the week, Ray and I are flying to Florida for a wedding, and then we are driving our new RV home. If all goes as planned, we will close the sale on our house in October, and leave for a grand adventure after the holidays.

When our last child left for college, our house no longer really felt like a home. We essentially use two rooms - our master suite with the home office and the kitchen. The rest of the space even sounds empty, if that’s a thing. This is a house that needs a family, and so, I am ready to let it go.

When we leave, we will have lived here for nineteen years, almost to the day. Our youngest came home to this house after she was born, and all the other kids mostly remember it as the house they grew up in. There were birthdays and barbecues, holidays and celebrations, music lesson nights and Halloween parties. We laughed and cried and played here. We opened our home to family and friends when they needed a safe place to land.

It will be strange to wake up somewhere that isn’t here, but living the RV life will enable us to see the country, check off some bucket list items, drop anchor near our kids for a while, and figure out where we want to make our next permanent home.

We will be thrilled to hand this beautiful space over to a new family. They’ll make their own memories and create a home for themselves here, I have no doubt. Change is in the air! It’s exciting, and bittersweet, and exactly right.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable. - Helen Keller

IN OTHER NEWS:

I’ll be at The Big E on Friday, September 30th all day signing books in the Rhode Island building. Come say hello!

Monday Musings 9-5-22

As I write this, I am sitting in my hotel room on the last day of World Con. As always, these events are exhausting but satisfying. This Con in particular is filled with creators and fans of the written word, which sets it apart from the pop-culture focused events and makes it a bit more intellectually engaging.

We fans of sci-fi and fantasy, and all the sub-categories in between, are drawn to the genre not only because it sparks our imagination, but because we can explore real issues from the safety and distance of another planet, or from a parallel universe, or with superpowers. We can cheer the heroes who fight the darkness, slay the dragons of our nightmares, and build a world with a place for us all. Our fandom affords us the chance to do that in community.

I write science fiction for the same reason I watch and read it. First, because it appeals to my imagination on a deep level, and second, because I can explore heroes and worlds of my own creation. I can put my characters through hell, wage wars, build and destroy entire governments, design worlds. I can exercise my demons on the page. For me, the satisfaction of creating these stories is very similar to the enthusiasm I have for other people’s stories. And having fans is as much fun as being a fan!

Cons are places where fans can interact with artists, and where people who find joy in a good story come to celebrate that story, whether it’s found on a screen, in a comic, or in a novel. If we met at World Con this weekend, it was a pleasure. If you came to one of my panels or workshops, I hope you found something interesting to take away. If you bought my books, thank you for the support, and I hope you’ll stay in touch!

Monday Musings 8-29-22

Not only is this the last Monday in August, but it’s a month with five Mondays, so you’ll find this post on both Monday Musings and Dear Maggie. It’s also the first Monday we’ve woken up without any children currently living at home. Strange and bittersweet, for sure!

Last week was a whirlwind of activity. Our first stop was SoCal, where kid #2 finally screened his senior project more than two years after graduating from film school. We got to have dinner with all four of our children and their significant others, including our oldest who’s been deployed or underway for the better part of a year. After that, we headed to Portland, Oregon to get kid #4 settled into college. You can check out some photos below.

As I write this, half my brain is thinking about the programs I’m presenting at World Con in Chicago later this week. I’m excited for this five day event because it truly focuses on science fiction/fantasy readers, writers, and fans, and the presenters are a mix of artists, scientists, teachers, and professionals in their fields. While I love Comic Cons, they’re more pop-culture centric. At World Con, as much as I have to offer, I always feel like I learn even more.

I’ll have a table in the dealer’s room signing books for a few hours each day, so if you are attending, please come say hello. Here’s a look at the rest of my schedule:

• Panel: The Art of Running a Book Group - Thursday 1 pm

• Virtual Panel: Ways to Build Up to Actually Writing Your Story - Thursday 4 pm

• Virtual Reading - Thursday 6pm

• Panel: Work/Life Balance for Artists - Friday 10 am

• Panel: Developing Program Content - Saturday 2:30 pm

• Bullet Points Launch Party - Saturday 7:30 pm

• Virtual Panel: Short and Sweet: Crafting an Elevator Pitch - Sunday 1 pm

• Presentation: A Hero, an Anti-Hero, and a Villain Walk into a Bar - Sunday 4 pm

• Presentation: World Building for Beginners - Sunday 7 pm

• Presentation: Pathways to Publishing - Monday 11:30 am

Well, I’m ready to wrap this month and maybe fall into bed for a week when I get back next Tuesday! Talk to you all in September!

Monday Musings 8-15-22

At the end of this week our last child will leave for college, and just like that, we’ll get to call ourselves ‘empty nesters!’ As this is kid number four, we’ve gotten pretty good at guiding them into the next phase of their lives. This move-out feels a little different, of course, since she is the last one.

On the one hand, watching all the kids take this next step has been so exciting, mostly because they’re so excited. On the other hand, our family dynamic is changing once again. We’ve loved our parenting journey and can’t believe we now have four adult children, and we’re also looking forward to the next phase in our life as a couple. We’ve made some big plans!

As our daughter sorts, organizes, and packs, Ray and I are doing the same on a grander scale. The water damage and reconstruction projects in our house have accelerated our own move-out timeline. Since we have to do the work anyway, we’re just not going to move any of it back in. You can probably imagine how much work this is, with some of it completely unexpected. Add a robust travel and book signing schedule and you have a slightly stressed mama.

My remedy for the overwhelm is to become super organized, with lists and sub-lists, and spreadsheets detailing what needs to happen and when. We’re trying to accomplish one project per day in an order that makes sense. When I break it down, I know it will all get done, but still, it’s a lot! I’ve been trying to keep Timber’s words in mind…

“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” – Timber Hawkeye

IN OTHER NEWS…

• I’ve already been to Tampa Bay Comic Con and Boston Fan Expo this summer, and I sold out my inventory of books at both! It feels good to interact with readers and fans again. If we met at one of these events, thank you so much for your support and I hope you enjoy my stories!

• I’m heading to Chicago World Con from Sept-1-5. My days will be jam packed with programs, panels, and readings. I’ll post my full schedule on my social media channels and on Monday Musings before the big event.

• I’ll be at the Big E on Friday, September 30th signing all day. Look for me at the ‘book nook’ in the Rhode Island building.

Monday Musings 8-1-22

It’s August already! I just finished my first book event of the summer season at Tampa Bay Comic Con and sold out my inventory by noon on Sunday! People seemed really excited to be there, and a good time was had by all.

At these events, I’m often presenting on panels or programs. In Tampa, both the panelists and the audience had a productive conversation about World-Building, a topic near and dear to science fiction and fantasy writers.

Since I am now trying to take a day or two off to recover from the Con, here’s a blog post I wrote on World-Building, which covers many of the topics we discussed on the panel. For the readers here who are also writers, I hope it’s useful!

As a science fiction writer, I spend a lot of time thinking about the worlds my characters inhabit. It’s part of the fun of writing in this genre! Solid world building is essential to the story. When it’s done well, readers become immersed in the tale, but when it’s done poorly, they notice. Here are some tips to help you create believable worlds in unbelievable settings:

Rules and Consistency:

If you are writing fantasy, you’ll likely have magic in your story, and in sci-fi, some super-cool technology. Here are some things to consider when building these elements into your world:

• Know how the magic and technology works, who can wield it, and what it can do. Equally as important, understand its limits, or the cost of using it. Do only some people have access to it? What are the repercussions if that’s the case?

• Consider its impact on people and society. Once you’ve introduced magic or futuristic technology into your world, it is now quite different from our world. You’ll need to think through the effects it will have on the people and the culture.

• Death must be real, or only reversed with dire cost. No amount of magic or fancy technology should easily combat death, because if death has no meaning, the stakes for your characters aren’t high enough.

• Be consistent with applying the rules. Readers will catch it if you aren’t!

Physical Geography and Climate:

You should have a good sense of the physical world you’ve created for your characters to navigate. Here are a few suggestions:

• Create a map, even if this map is just for your own reference.

• Think through how geography informs society. Does a mountain range serve as protection from a neighboring army? Do coastal cultures use the waterways for trading?

• Understand the climate. How do people have to adapt to their climate? How does the climate in different regions impact how society functions in those areas? Does it affect food production, clothing needs, travel conditions?

Social and Economic Constructs: 

Unless your character has crash landed on an uninhabited world, you’ll need to think about culture and society. Here are some things to consider:

• How does the government function? Who holds power? Who are the disenfranchised? Are there different forms of government in different regions?

• Does religion play a role in the society? If so, how? What are the tenants of that faith? Are there consequences for non-believers? Are there different interpretations of the same religion?

• How important is an origin story to your culture? Is that origin story based on real history or mythology?

• What does the infrastructure look like? People communicate, travel, use water, eat. How are these things managed?

 By thinking through the physical terrain you’ve created and the important pieces of culture, science, or magic that exist there, you will have created a consistent, believably unbelievable world in which readers can experience the story alongside your characters.

IN OTHER NEWS…

Here’s a list of my upcoming events in case you’re in the area. Come by and say hello!

• Boston Fan Expo - August 12-14

• World Con Chicago - September 1-5

• The Big E - September 30

Monday Musings 7-18-22

So, there’s a lot going on at my house right now, and some of it is, well, messy. My life always has the potential to get very messy. With four kids, five pets, and a busy career to balance, I never really know what’s around the corner, but sometimes the universe outdoes itself.

With family in town, my daughter getting ready to move across the country, and the busiest book travel schedule I’ve had in years, the pipes in our fully finished guest suite downstairs decided to fail spectacularly. Water also seeped under the floor on the main level, so we’ll need to have some of that flooring ripped up and refinished too. Mess. Everywhere.

The mitigation, demolition, and construction teams have been fabulous, and I’m sure the space will be beautiful, but seriously? I’ve had to dig deep into my toolbox of mindfulness techniques to maintain any sense of equilibrium, but after dusting off the rust from the last disaster, here’s what seems to work.

Let go. Hahahaha. But really, when we accept that so many things are simply out of our control, we don’t have to hold onto them anymore. We can let go and…

Breathe. My two decades plus of yoga practice has helped with this. When I simplify down to what’s essential, the list is pretty short. Taking one breath after another, putting one foot in front of the other, will eventually move me to the other side of the mess.

Okay, you say, but real stuff has to happen in the midst of the chaos, so how do you manage that?

Break projects down into manageable pieces. When I look at the project in its entirety, I’m for sure overwhelmed, but when I tackle things in small bits, I’m satisfied that I’ve accomplished something every day, I can see the forward progress, and I can continue to function day to day.

This works for writing books too. If I focused on the fact that I have approximately 90k words ahead of me every time I started a new project, I’d probably never write a single word again. Instead, I write scene to scene and chapter to chapter, until eventually I’ve created a whole book.

Laughter is excellent medicine. At the end of the day, laughing feels good. According to research from the Mayo Clinic, laughter can increase oxygen to the heart, lungs and muscles, increase the endorphins that are released by your brain, improve your mood and reduce physical pain. Not too shabby.

While I certainly wasn’t laughing when a cascade of water took out my entire sub-level, I definitely relied on funny cat memes to cheer me up in the days following!

Anyway, as I sit on my front porch listening to the soft summer rain, I am reminded that inner peace is always accessible, regardless of the circumstances. It’s a simple idea, but one that’s not always easy to embrace!

“Nothing can disturb your peace of mind unless you allow it to.”
― Roy T. Bennett

Monday Musings 7-4-22

Summer is in full swing and I’ve got a packed book signing schedule! Local folks, come join me and my author pal, Mike Squatrito, for books and beer.

Friday, July 8th at 6:30 pm - West Passage Brewing Company

Friday, July 15th at 6:30 pm - Ragged Island Brewing Company

If you’re a Comic Con enthusiast, I’ll be at the following signing books and presenting on panels…

July 29-31 - Tampa Bay Comic Con

August 12-14 - Boston Fan Expo

I’ll also be returning to one of my favorite sci-fi conventions, this year held in the fabulous city of Chicago. Worldcon is the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS). It was first held in 1939 and, after a hiatus during WWII, has been held continuously since 1946.

September 1-5 - World Con Chicago

Have a safe and happy 4th of July everyone. Hope to see you soon!

Monday Musings 6-20-22

There are many wonderful things about working in the modern era – quick communication, the ability to connect with people all over the world anytime, a more flexible work life for some of us. The down-side, at least for me, is never shutting down completely. I can get emails on the weekends and in the evenings. I can work off my laptop from an airplane, a hotel room, or my bed. This is both freeing and exhausting.

Every job comes with some vacation time as part of the deal. Everyone recognizes the need to step away and make time for activities outside our professional life. We can set our email with an “I’m out of the office” auto-response. We can turn our smartphones to airplane mode. We can lounge on a beach chair with a cocktail, laptop safely stashed in a hotel room. But when I’m creating something, I’m often in the zone, so to speak, and I don’t want to shut down completely. I’ve learned that taking a break as a creative type often looks and feels a little different than taking a vacation from other jobs.

I’ve had to consider what I need to do in order to feel refreshed and energized in my writing life. Occasionally, it is a few days away unplugged with no thought to deadlines, edits, or my work in progress. More often than not though, the thought of stepping away completely is stressful.

I’ve learned that taking a break doesn’t have to mean doing nothing. Sometimes I’m exhausted from one particular project, and turning my attention to something fresh is just the change of pace I need to feel the creativity flow again. For example, if I’ve just finished a full-length novel, I might write a short story in a different genre. If I’m heavy into edits, I might play around with an outline for a new novel. Some parts of the writing process are themselves rejuvenating and nourishing.

When I’m actually on a vacation, like away from my house with a little umbrella drink in hand, it’s a pleasure to find writing time by the pool in the morning or out on the deck in the afternoon. The change of scenery feeds my imagination. The long days, with only the sunshine and a story swirling in my head, feel luxurious. I want to write. It’s joyful under these conditions.

Sometimes, reading, enjoying a good television series, watching a movie, or attending another author’s book signing all provide opportunities for me to take a break from my own work and renew myself with someone else’s. Taking a break these days really means finding a way to refresh, recharge, and rejuvenate myself. There’s no right way to do that, only the way that works in the moment.

IN OTHER NEWS:

My alter ego, Maggie Clare, has a new book coming out tomorrow. If romantic suspense is your thing, check out Moving Target!

If you’d like signed copies of my books, you can order them through my websites: tabithalordauthor.com or ms.maggieclare.com.

I’m available for book club events and other speaking engagements. Feel free to reach out!

Monday Musings 6-6-22

As a writer, working with my summer schedule has proven to be a something of a challenge. Travel picks up, kids are home to visit, graduations, parties, and barbecues fill the weeks. Trying to consistently carve out extended writing time is next to impossible, so I’ve learned to adapt.

I like to think about my creative life in terms of seasons. Over the years, I’ve learned to work with my personal rhythms, on a daily, weekly, and seasonal schedule. When I honor that rhythm, my productivity over time is really good. I think it’s important to manage my schedule from both a short term and long game perspective.

I’m most productive in the fall. The crisp days and my quiet house recharges me. I pack my writing schedule during this time of year and take advantage of my energy level. Summer feels different. I want to enjoy the backyard barbeques and yes, maybe, a few more cocktails, so planning to generate a lot of content just isn’t realistic. However, I am very creative in the summer. I love to bring my laptop onside and write on the porch or take it with me on vacation and sit on the pool deck. Summer reminds me that although writing is my actual job now, I still find great joy it.

I’ve also learned to create realistic goals in the summer. I have to be honest with myself. I can’t complete the entire first draft of a manuscript while the kids are home to visit, or while my in-laws have come for a vacation. I’ve accepted that it’s okay to simply want some time off, and I set my goals accordingly.

I look forward to the summer. I love the sunshine, the warm weather, the beach, and the slower feel to my days. I also look forward to the creative burst I feel at this time of year. By honoring the way I work best, and planning accordingly, I feel less stress and more joy during my favorite time of year.

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time." —John Lubbock

Monday Musings - 5-30-22

It’s another month with five Mondays, and that means a crossover blog post on both Monday Musings and Dear Maggie! In both my literary worlds I’m at an in-between phase with my projects. Dreamwalker is out on submission, and I’m not ready to dive in to writing the sequel or another speculative novel yet. Meanwhile, Maggie’s Moving Target is due to release on June 21st. Since I’m producing this romantic suspense series as an indie author, there’s a lot of busy work happening right now, and I don’t really have the brain power to start writing the next book just yet.

What does a writer do during these ‘in-between’ times you might wonder? Well, after I finish drafting a manuscript, I find I’m elated but also slightly disoriented. I’ve been working on this labor of love for months, sometimes a year or more by the time the speculative novels are ready, and I definitely feel a bit melancholy when I have to say goodbye to that world and my cast of characters. The feeling is similar to a book hangover when I’ve finished reading an absorbing novel. I have to clear my head and make room for something new. As this isn’t my first rodeo, I have a few tricks to help me make this mental shift after I’ve invested so much time and creative energy into a project.

First, I celebrate. I remind myself that I’ve done something many people only wish they could do. Every time I write the last word on a manuscript, it feels like a monumental accomplishment. I try to give myself a few minutes to appreciate the finished product.

I catch up on reading. Reading for pleasure is something I’ve always loved, but once I began writing, seemed to be more and more difficult to squeeze in. I find that when I finish a project, it’s the perfect time to take a break from creating my own words and appreciate someone else’s. I read in every genre, and now, because I’m a writer, I find myself looking for the ways other writers have done their job well. How did this scene build suspense so well? Why did I fall in love with that character so quickly? Why was the ending so satisfying, poignant, thrilling? I believe reading widely helps me become a better writer, and reading for pleasure is still just that – a pleasure.

I clear the mental space for something new. I’ve spent a long time in the world I’ve created with characters I’ve grown attached to, and now I have to let them go. Inevitably, when I’m in the middle of one story, ideas for ten more begin to surface. So, I have a file of new story ideas that I’ve titled ‘It’s Not Your Turn Yet’. Some of these ideas will be discarded, but some have potential. During the down time between projects, I let the ideas swirl, start taking detailed notes, begin an outline. It’s fun and creative, and pretty quickly, I know which story idea wants to be developed next.

I write a short story or experiment with a different platform. In between most novels, I’ve written one or more short stories. So far, I’ve stuck to speculative fiction. I’ve let my imagination go and written high fantasy, hard science fiction, an apocalypse story, and even some horror. Writing short stories allows me to play with voice and genre, experiment a little without committing to something that will take me months to finish. Currently, I’m writing an episodic story on the Kindle Vella platform. Releasing each scene before I’ve finished the whole story and had a chance to edit is a new experience. I’ve plotted ahead of time with more detail than usual and tried to schedule my writing time more rigidly. Each time I work in a different writing space, I learn something, and for that reason alone, the time spent has been valuable.

The amount of down-time I can take between projects varies. If I’m in the middle of a series, I need to jump back in quickly to keep to my release schedule. If I’m truly considering what to write next, I might give my brain a little more time and space. Whatever the case, there’s a magic moment when I’m ready to write the first word of the new story, and that feels almost as exciting as writing the last word of the old one!

IN OTHER NEWS:

If you’d like signed copies of my books, you can order them through my websites: tabithalordauthor.com or ms.maggieclare.com.

Monday Musings 5-16-22

I had a great call with my agent last week. She said Dreamwalker is ready to go out on submission, which in the publishing world means… more waiting. The process is what it is, but I’m really excited that she thinks I’ve got a manuscript worthy of pitching to acquisition editors at publishing houses. I did my part to get the manuscript into good shape, and she will do her part to package it up and present it. The rest is out of my hands.

Dreamwalker is a departure from my other work. My last trilogy was science fiction, and all the writing I’ve done so far under my pen-name, Maggie Clare, has been romantic suspense. Dreamwalker is an urban fantasy with a strong thriller component featuring an anti-hero.

In all my previous books, the heroes were truly heroic. They were flawed, made occasional questionable decisions and real mistakes, but at the end of the day, the fundamental qualities that made up their personalities were loyalty, bravery, compassion, and commitment. In other words, heroic qualities. But this new character – she’s a different animal entirely. As her personality unfolded over time, I thought a lot about what made an anti-hero an interesting and effective character.

Anti-heroes evolve. Characters shouldn’t remain stagnant throughout any story. They are necessarily changed by the trials and tribulations they face, and an anti-hero is no different. She should face challenges that rub against her nature and force her to evolve. Dexter, one of my all-time favorite anti-heroes, falls in love (in his own sociopathic kind of way), something his damaged character shouldn’t have been able to do.

We can relate to them somehow. An anti-hero is by definition a flawed character. She’ll have shortcomings, vices, and bad habits for sure, but those qualities shouldn’t turn readers off from her entirely. Rather, those qualities should make her seem human - complicated, but human. Wolverine’s brooding nature fits with his life history and experience, and we understand why he is the way is. We may see ourselves reflected in Ron Weasley’s bumbling nature. 

They have redeeming qualities too. An anti-hero is still a multi-dimensional human being and should have positive personality traits mixed in. Maybe she’s snarky and drinks too much, but she’s also fiercely loyal. Han Solo may be a sarcastic, intergalactic smuggler, but he’s also street-smart, funny, and eventually a loyal friend. 

They have a moral code, even if it’s outside the legal one. The fundamental difference between an anti-hero and a villain is intent. An anti-hero doesn’t intend to purposefully do harm to innocents. Carried too far in an irredeemable direction, we will, in fact, have a villain. Dexter only kills bad people. Severus Snape was protecting Harry all along. Han stuck around to help Luke blow up the Death Star.

I’m really excited for you to meet my new anti-hero, Brigid O’Leary, an assassin who kills you in your dreams, but only if you really, really deserve it! You’ll have to let me know what you think of her.

IN OTHER NEWS:

My alter-ego, Maggie Clare, will be releasing the next book in the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series on June 21st. I manage all my work as Maggie independently, which means I have to take charge of every part of the publishing process from editorial to cover art to promotional. Of course, that doesn’t mean I do all the work. I have a great editor, a great cover artist, and a great support team for marketing and advertising, but it does mean that I have to manage and coordinate all the pieces. It’s a lot, but it’s rewarding. Stay tuned!

If you’d like signed copies of my books, you can order them through my websites: tabithalordauthor.com or ms.maggieclare.com.

Monday Musings 5-2-22

I’ve just finished two major manuscripts. One is a speculative fiction novel and the other a romantic suspense tale under my pen name, Maggie Clare. Completing a manuscript draft is a major accomplishment, no doubt, but it’s also not the end of the writing journey for any project if the author wants to publish. The next stop is editing, and I’m in the thick editing right now with both books.

I’ll admit, I had no idea about the scope or intensity of the editing process when I finished my first manuscript. I knew I’d need to pay attention to spell-check and let a few people read it to catch any mistakes, but I didn’t understand that the book I’d saved as Final Draft, would eventually be sent off to the publisher titled Final Draft #12 – no, really, this is the one. For those of you wondering what all the fuss is about editing, here’s an insider’s view on the process.

Essentially, there are three types of editing and most manuscripts need some version of all three.

• Developmental editing: Think of developmental edits as big picture edits. A developmental edit identifies plot holes, character issues, places where the writing drags, or where something doesn’t make sense. I often work through several rounds of developmental edits before I feel like the story is just right.

• Copy editing: A copy edit will assure consistency throughout the manuscript. For example, if a character has brown eyes in the first chapter but blue in the fifth, or if I set a scene up in the middle of the night but mention the broiling heat of the sun, a copyeditor will catch this. A copyeditor will also identify overused words or phrases, correct grammar mistakes, and essentially polish the manuscript.

• Proofreading: A proofreader will give the manuscript a final look before publishing to find typos and small mistakes.

That's a brief outline of the types of editing a manuscript needs, but it doesn't capture the emotional challenge inherent in the process. Writers are artists. Our work is personal. The editing process opens up our beloved creation to criticism, and that criticism often feels personal even when it isn't. So, how do we navigate the emotional storm of editing? For me, three things have helped.

• Trust: I only have a few beta readers who read early versions of my manuscript, but these few are invaluable to me. I trust their judgement. I know they appreciate my writing style, but they're also willing to call me out when my bad habits show up or something isn't working. I also trust my editor. She connects with my work, really appreciates it, while also giving it a thorough, spot-on critique.

• Distance: When I finish a manuscript, I am so invested it the story, and so exhausted from getting it out on the page, that I have no perspective. I have to put it away and work on something else while my editor has it. This gives me the space I need to objectively work through the editing process later.

• Practice: The first time I realized that a developmental edit might mean I had to change entire plot-lines, re-work a character arc, or cut 15K words, I was overwhelmed. But having been through the process a few times now, I know I will find a way. And I know my book will be much, much better for it.

I’ll admit, sometimes editing feels like trudging through the mud, but I want to give my readers the best version of my story, and that means working through the process. I’ll let you know when I crawl out on the other side!

“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.” - Dr. Seuss

“Writing without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.” - Patricia Fuller

“The first draft is black and white. Editing gives the story color.” - Emma Hill

Monday Musings 4-25-22

As I write this, I am sitting alone in the Airbnb we rented for our son’s wedding. Because we were all coming and going from different places at different times, I’m the last one to fly out later today. The house is quiet, and I am spending my last few hours prepping for my work week, tossing in one last load of laundry, and packing. Just a few hours ago, all our kids were gathered here. We ate, drank, laughed, cried, and celebrated. Now it’s a beautiful memory.

Because our son is in the Navy, it made sense for them to marry sooner than later, so the wedding was at the courthouse, with only parents and siblings attending. They’ll be planning a larger celebration for next year, but nonetheless, this was a moving and meaningful day as they declared their love for one another and took their vows.

When the kids started dating years ago, I wondered who would become a permanent part of our family. Who would they begin their own family with? Our oldest has made his choice, and he has chosen perfectly in his beautiful bride. They understand each other on a soul level, they bring balance to each other, they laugh with each other, and they value the same things. They are blessed to have each other as they walk this journey of life. Congratulations Nicholas and Leslie!

“To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow–this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.” - Elizabeth Gilbert

Monday Musings 4-18-22

I am on the west coast spending time with my sister and brother-in-law at the beach in Carpinteria. I look forward to my ‘sister’ trips so much, and we fall into comfortable habits of living and working together as if we don’t live across the country from one another. I had the bonus fun of having my boys and their lovely ladies with us for Easter Sunday. We laughed on the beach, ate a fantastic meal, and enjoyed each other’s company. It was a day full of small, wonderful moments that I think we’ll all remember with a smile.

I was thinking about these small moments, and how sometimes we are so caught up moving from one thing to the next that we miss them. I’ve been practicing yoga while I’m out here nearly every day. Yesterday morning, I took a very, very hot power class. Who thought that was a good idea after wine tasting all day the day before? Apparently, I did when I scheduled it while blissed out on the fruits of the vine. Anyway, I went to the class, and there was a moment at the end when the instructor opened the door, allowing the cool air to rush in, and it felt absolutely wonderful. Something as simple as cool air on an overheated body was so satisfying and pleasurable I can call up the feeling of relief and euphoria right now!

On Easter, we took a walk through the marshes, sat in the sun with sand between our toes, watched a basketball game, and ate really good food. Small things. Simple things. And it was a perfect day.

“When simple is more than enough, you will feel happy more than enough!” ― Mehmet Murat ildan

Monday Musings 4-4-22

It’s April already. I feel like I just wrote a post about my goals and projects for the new year, and that new year has just entered its second quarter! Spring is in the air here on the east coast. With it, for me at least, comes a feeling of renewal and a rush of energy. As we march toward the vernal equinox, the days are getting longer, the weather sunnier, and my disposition happier for sure.

I’ve written about my personal rhythms before many times, because I’ve learned that working with those rhythms helps with my professional productivity and my personal well-being. In the springtime, I try to capitalize on my increased energy and lighter mood. To that end, here’s what I’m hoping to accomplish in the second quarter of 2022…

• Dreamwalker. Good grief, it seems like I’ve been working on this manuscript forever. In actuality, editing often takes several rounds, and Dreamwalker is no different. This time, though, I’m working with an agent who sees the market potential for the book and wants to help me get it just right before we send it out on submission. We’re talking next week and hopefully we’ll be close.

• Moving Target. I’m finally far enough along in the next book in the TSI romantic suspense series, written by my alter-ego Maggie Clare, to create a publications schedule. Once the manuscript is finished, it takes a lot of time and work to produce, but the editor is lined up, I’m chatting with my amazing cover artist this week, and I’m nearly ready to set it up for pre-order. Expect this book to release on June 14th, just in time for a hot summer read!

• Book Club Babble. A few friends and I own this little gem of a website. We met years ago at a writing conference, and together launched this ‘read, write, review’ platform for book lovers. We’ve interviewed some amazing authors, read some great books, and created a ton of good content. The site is big enough now that we can really monetize our work. This quarter, I want to do my part to set that up.

• Kindle Vella. Amazon launched a serialized reading app last year called Vella. In between writing projects, I started posting a story there. It’s darker and edgier than my other Maggie romance stuff, but it’s been really fun to write. I got about half-way through though and had to turn my attention to the above mentioned stories. I plan to finish it up this quarter and see if this is a platform that works for some of my writing.

That’s a wrap-up of my spring to-do list. Personally, there are some big things happening too. First off, my oldest son is getting married this month! Yes, married! It will be a small courtroom ceremony, and they’ll celebrate with the extended family and friends once my son’s tour with the Navy is over, but still, we’re gaining a daughter-in-law, and the two of them will be officially starting their married life! Ahhhhh! So exciting. I’ll be heading to the west coast this month to witness the nuptials, and to spend time with my sister. We are overdue for some girl time and I can’t wait.

Our youngest child will also be graduating from high school this June, marking a huge milestone for us as parents. Our last kid is officially an adult! We certainly aren’t old enough for this, are we?

Anyway, spring promises to be full for me, both professionally and personally, and I’m looking forward to it. I expect that these next few months will rush by in a flurry of activity, so I’m really trying to slow my roll and appreciate each moment. Easier said than done, I know, but I’ll do my best. Wishing you all a happy spring!

“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.” - Laura Ingalls Wilder

“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want—oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” - Mark Twain

“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own.” - Charles Dickens

Monday Musings 3-21-22

Tomorrow is my youngest child’s 18th birthday. While I’ve said to all the kids many times that a number is just a number, and becoming an adult is a process, this particular date feels momentous nonetheless. Having had my first child at 21, a healthy chunk of my own adult life has been spent actively parenting. It’s been mostly a joy, sometimes a challenge, but always rewarding. Watching our kids discover their talents, become passionate about issues, develop meaningful relationships, and engage with the world is a pleasure.

As they move out of childhood and into the next phase of their lives, I have only a few things I wish for them.

First, I hope they enjoy loving, healthy relationships. I’ve given out dating advice over the years, which I think they’ve found valuable, and my two older boys are well on their way in this area. You can read my words of wisdom on this particular topic on my alter ego’s blog Dear Maggie.

Second, that they surround themselves with a supportive community. Friends hold us up during the rough patches and celebrate with us during the good times. Healthy friendships nourish the soul, and I am certainly grateful for mine.

Finally, I hope they find meaningful work. Work is work, even when it’s something we love, so we’ve encouraged them to choose a career that will hold their interest over time, and one in a field that plays to their talents and skills. I had a college professor who once suggested that we students should do what we love, for sure, but we should also do something we’re good at. I remember being slightly put off by this advice at first because it felt limiting, but it’s actually really wise. I love astronomy and I’ve seriously considered getting an advanced degree in physics, but I will never be that good in the hard sciences. It would always be a struggle, and in the end, I don’t think I’d be able to achieve as much as I’d like in the field. That kind of self-awareness can serve us well.

As parents, we can’t save our kids from all the hardships and challenges they’ll face on their life’s journey. We can only hope we’ve given them useful tools and good advice to navigate their own way. As our last child steps into adulthood, I feel a deep sense of satisfaction that she, like her brothers, is a kind, compassionate, accountable human being whose light shines brightly in the world.

Happy birthday, Kyra. It is an honor and joy to be your mom.