Five Things - April 8, 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. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. 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…

1. We’re here in Fredericksburg, Texas for the eclipse, and it’s pretty cloudy. There are still a few hours before the moon starts inching its way across the sun, so I’m hopeful for better visibility. Fingers crossed!

2. At the end of the week, we’ll be heading out of Texas to finish our trek northeast on our way to New England. I’m excited to explore parts of the country we didn’t get to the last time we crossed the continent. Next week, the Ozarks!

3. I can’t believe the first quarter of the year is behind us already. At the start of each new quarter, I review my intentions and goals for the year, evaluate, and refine the specifics for the next few months. Much of my professional focus for the year so far has been on building my alter-ego Maggie Clare’s brand and finishing the final three books of a seven book romantic suspense series I started working on during COVID. I still need to be pretty aggressive with my writing schedule, but I’m pleased with my progress so far. Tomorrow, subscriber’s to Maggie’s newsletter will get a sneak peek at the opening chapter for one of those books. If the steamy stuff is your jam, you can follow me at msmaggieclare.com. My blog ‘Dear Maggie’ runs on alternate Mondays and is a fun, playful Q&A where I answer everything from why Maggie Clare is my pen name, to my favorite book boyfriends, to how I feel about bad reviews. Have a look!

4. My first summer session of grad school is just around the corner! I have a new student virtual orientation next week, and pretty soon I’ll be booking my flight to Colorado for the residency. It’s starting to feel real!

5. Dallas Fan Expo is also just around the corner. I’ll be there from June 7-9 with a few of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy author pals signing books and otherwise making mischief. Stay tuned for more intel on our panel schedule and booth location. If you are in the Dallas area, please stop by and say hello!

Five Things - March 11, 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. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. 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…

1. We hit a pretty good snow squall driving out of New Mexico, and I have to admit, that was not on my bingo card for March! I grew up driving in the snow, though, so I was not intimidated, and the RV handles really well in most weather conditions. The only thing that ever makes me nervous while driving is wind, and the little spring squall wasn’t all that windy. Despite the unseasonable wintery weather, we really love New Mexico. This second pass through was shorter than the first, but still magical. We woke up every morning to hot air balloons drifting across the blue sky, had dinner at a great farm to table restaurant, and I got to practice at a terrific yoga studio. New Mexico still gets high marks in all categories!

2. Last week we traveled from Vegas to Winslow, Arizona, through Albuquerque, New Mexico, to land here in Austin, Texas for SXSW. It was a lot of driving, but also a lot of fun. I got to check off Meteor Crater from my bucket list, and Ray and I stood on the corner of Winslow, Arizona, and it was such a fine sight to see! Back to Meteor Crater… I’ve seen it from the sky, but to stand at the edge and imagine the moment of impact, the incredible amount of energy that must have been exchanged, was awe-inspiring, and, from a geological time perspective, the impact happened like a minute ago! Really, really cool stuff.

3. We’re here in Austin for SXSW because Noah, kid #2, is performing stand-up comedy at the festival. We’re super excited for him and really proud, despite the fact that sometimes we are the focus of his jokes.

4. This week, my alter-ego, Maggie Clare, will write the final chapter of another book. At the end of any project, I always feel a profound moment of relief that I can actually still do this thing. And by this thing, I mean tell a story start to finish, complete with a plot and characters and everything. You’d think by now, I’d be confident in that ability, but not so. With every book, I have a moment somewhere in the middle where I feel like I’ve lost the plot and I question why I ever thought I could write in the first place. When I finally hit the end, all that insecurity disappears, at least temporarily, and I’m inspired to keep going.

5. U2 at the Sphere was amazing. Bono is a legend. That is all.

Our itinerary, subject to change:

March 10 - 17: Austin, TX

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 8 - 23: Chicago, IL

May 23 -28: Wisconsin Dells, WI

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Things - February 26, 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. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. 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…

1. Ray and I took Daisy hiking at Red Rock Canyon. I’ve been there once before, but every trail provides a different experience and view. This time, we put Daisy in a carrier and did a relatively moderate hike. When they say ‘moderate’ they do mean it. It may have only been 2.2 miles, but elevation and rocky terrain make for a fun journey. Check out my Instagram to see some gorgeous photos of the day. We really never get tired of seeing the country like this!

2. Okay, so we’re in Vegas, and when Ray booked us here, I grumbled a little. I’ve had fun in Vegas the two times I’ve been here. Great food, great shows, great hiking (see above), but I can only tolerate so much of the noise and spectacle. Ray could live here. We’re very different people, as anyone who knows us can attest, but I have to admit, I am having a really good time. Our home base is an RV resort that’s just beautiful. The site itself has a fantastic outdoor living space, complete with a bar, fireplace, sink, grill, and cool night lighting. The pool is toasty warm, the hot tub bubbly, and the people super friendly. We’re also a few miles outside the strip, so we don’t have to deal with any of it unless we want to. We’ve had one fantastic dinner and show night at Caesar’s Palace, and our big splurge happens next weekend when we’ll see U2 at the Sphere. Sometimes, it’s the places I’m not sure about that turn out to be pleasant surprises!

3. The mobile cat groomer is coming today, and just in time. I never realized how much difference it makes to have them regularly bathed and clipped. Living in such close quarters with our furry friends means our furniture gets, well, furry. I’ve been told it’s their undercoat that sheds apparently, and a good grooming takes care of that for about six months. Who knew?

4. Related, when the animals get a deep cleaning, so does the RV. Today, I am taking the comforters and chair covers to the laundry on-site. We have a washer and dryer on board, but they aren’t big enough for our king sized blankets and quilt. Most RV parks have laundry, and I love the wireless app that connects to the machines, turns them on, adds funds, and alerts you when your load is finished. It’s the little things!

5. As the end of February approaches, I’m pleased to say that for once in my writing career, I am on target with my goals. I’ve been working on my alter ego Maggie Clare’s romantic suspense series, with the intent to finish the final three books before school starts in June. My ‘writing sprint’ technique seems to be getting the job done, and I’m hopeful all three will be ready for the editor by the end of May. Fingers crossed!

Our itinerary, subject to change:

February 16 - March 4: Las Vegas, NV

March 4 - March 6: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 6 - 9: Albuquerque, NM

March 10 - 17: Austin, TX

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 8 - 23: Chicago, IL

May 23 -28: Wisconsin Dells, WI

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Things - December 4, 2023

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. 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…

1. On Saturday night we had dinner at our son and daughter-in-law’s home. Ray and I realized this is the first time one of our kids has had us over for dinner. They are technically all adults now, but two are still in college, and the other has a great apartment, but we’ve never lived close enough to have a meal there. As simple as it was, this felt like a milestone in our parenting journey!

2. We decorated our tiny home for the holidays. It looks adorable and feels festive, although, I am used to the weather being a bit colder during the holiday season. I’m not complaining, though, as Ray and I spent a couple of hours poolside yesterday.

3. My alter-ego, Maggie Clare, is running a holiday giveaway. If you enjoy romantic suspense, click HERE to download your free copy of Sing for Me, book 1 in the series.

4. When the kids were younger, I really wanted to focus on creating a magical, memorable holiday season that wasn’t focused on gifts. For the month of December, we ate dinner by candlelight, baked cookies, listened to holiday music, hosted gatherings, decorated the house (thanks mom and dad for acting as decorating elves!), trimmed the tree, watched ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ so many times we can all quote the movie, kept a supply of the most delicious eggnog from our local farm in the fridge, helped deliver holiday food baskets, and wandered the neighborhood appreciating the light displays on the darkest of nights. Now that everyone is grown, I hope their memories of the season are good ones, and I look forward to watching them create their own traditions with their families.

5. “Winter is a quiet house in lamplight, a spin the garden to see bright stars on a clear night, the roar of the wood-burning stove, and the accompanying smell of charred wood. It is warming the teapot and making cups of bitter cocoa; it is stews magicked from bones with dumplings floating like clouds. It is reading quietly and passing away the afternoon twilight watching movies. It is thick socks and the bundle of a cardigan.” ― Katherine May, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

Our itinerary, subject to change:

November 19 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - 14: Oceanside, CA

January 19 - February 2: San Diego, CA

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 5: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 5 - 15: Albuquerque, NM

March 15 - 17: Amarillo, TX

March 17 - 24: Oklahoma City, OK

March 24 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

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 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 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!

Monday Musings 7-19-21

At the end of the month, I’ll be heading to Tampa Bay Comic Con to sign books and moderate panels. I’m so excited to essentially re-launch Equinox, book 3 in the Horizon series. I had just completed the trilogy and started my promotional activities when COVID hit, stalling everything in its tracks. Now that the world is opening up again, I have a pretty aggressive book signing schedule set, and I can’t wait to get going!

I made an interesting pivot during COVID and established the Maggie Clare persona in order to write romantic suspense. I was able to write, market, and sell this type of work without ever leaving home, and it gave me something to dig into and eventually celebrate during a particularly challenging time for me professionally. Turns out, I really love writing as Maggie, but I’m also excited to tend to my speculative fiction platform. To that end, the draft of Dreamwalker is finished, and I am working through edits with my agent before sending it out on submission. Edits are daunting, but at least the framework is in place. I’m really excited to see where this book will land, so stay tuned!

Back to Tampa…. If you’re in the area, I’d love to see you at the Con. I’ll be with a couple of other fabulous RI authors signing books all weekend. Please stop by and say hello. And, if you’re an aspiring or established writer, check out our panels. They’re really fun and informative. Here’s our full program schedule with descriptions:

FEMINISM FOR NERDS

3:00PM - 4:00PM // Floor 1, Rm. 3

If the future is Feminist, is your writing? Maybe you have questions you’re afraid to ask. Or, maybe you have first-person advice you’d like to give. If you’ve ever wondered if your female character should pull her hair back before she battles a vampire (emphatically yes, and she should always have an elastic on her wrist), then this is the panel for you. Always wanted to tell the male writers how a woman really showers? Then join us! SciFi, Fantasy, Gamer, and Graphic Novel writers (or anyone, really, we like you all) let’s have a courageous conversation about what it means to have gender equity in our art.

A HERO, AN ANTI-HERO, AND A VILLAIN WALK INTO A BAR…

10:00AM - 11:00AM // Floor 1, Rm. 5

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.

YOU DON’T SUCK, YOU’RE JUST STUCK – THE GIFT OF WRITER’S BLOCK

12:00PM - 1:00PM // Floor 1, Rm. 3

Every writer has faced it - the dreaded blinking cursor and blank page. When the deadline looms but the ideas won’t flow and you’ve lost the plot, what’s a writer to do? Join a panel of experienced authors as they share their tips and tricks for writing their way out of creative paralysis.

WORLD BUILDING 101

1:30PM - 2:30PM // Floor 1, Rm. 5

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.

IN OTHER NEWS…

Daisy is here! She’s a little love - so cuddly and sweet! Now, in addition to kitty pics, I’ll be posting lots of puppy pics too. You can check them out on my Instagram @tabithalord.

Monday Musings 4-19-21

If I’m feeling out of sorts, my balance is the first thing that suffers in my yoga practice. This makes sense on many levels. The mind/body connection is real, and when things are off in my world, that imbalance is often reflected in my body.

We all lose our balance at various points in life. Serious illnesses, death, a global pandemic. We can add more categories to the list based on our unique experiences, but bottom line, every one of us will get thrown a curveball when we expected the change up. Hey, it’s baseball season!

When our month of March got derailed this year, we had to let go of anything non-essential in order to meet the challenge. Now that we are on the other side, there is still a lingering sense of imbalance, in my world at least. So, how do we find our way back to equilibrium, back to our productive, full lives, when the rug was temporarily pulled out from under us?

Here are few things I think about when life cracks me upside the head with the curve…

Relax expectations. Nothing can make us feel worse than not living up to our own expectations. Whether it’s how fast our body heals from a trauma, or how much content we can produce in a month, if we have unrealistic expectations, we’ll find ourselves in a constant state of frustration. When recovering from anything, physically or emotionally, it’s a gift to ourselves if we can relax our expectations.

Add things back slowly and deliberately. We’ve gradually added things back into our daily and weekly routines that bring us joy. Other than those work or home related items that must be tended to, the stuff we’re doing to bring back balance includes walks together, dinners out, time with friends and family. At some point, our work will pick up to full pace again, but work just wasn’t the top of the list first thing. We consciously chose to spend our limited energy on each other and on the things that brought us joy.

Healing is a process. Whether physical or emotional, healing takes however much time it takes. Sometimes it feels like two steps forward, one step back, but I believe our bodies and minds orient toward equilibrium. We want to feel good, be at peace, experience joy. If we allow the healing process to guide us, rather than attempt to dictate how it should go, we may be more at ease even amidst the challenges.

“No person, no place, and no thing has any power over us, for 'we' are the only thinkers in our mind. When we create peace and harmony and balance in our minds, we will find it in our lives.” - Louise L. Hay

IN OTHER NEWS…

I booked my first post- COVID book event! I’ll be at Tampa Bay Comic Con from July 30th to August 1st signing books and presenting. More details to come! If you haven’t had a chance to read the complete HORIZON series, you can find them here on all platforms.

My alter-ego, Maggie Clare, is running a Goodreads Giveaway. Enter to win a FREE ebook copy of Lost and Found, book 3 in the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series. If you like your reads a bit steamier, check it out!

Monday Musings 11-30-20

The month of November has five Mondays. That’s right, five! What dark sorcery is this? I had a moment of panic when I realized this extra Monday would throw my carefully crafted schedule of blog posts into confusion. Generally, I alternate between my two platforms, but alas, there is so much happening in both my author worlds that I’m going to post the same information in both places today. Problem solved!

VIRTUAL RI AUTHOR EXPO - THIS SATURDAY!

On December 5 from 10 am - 4 pm, we will have a fantastic line-up of FREE panels, programs, and virtual author meet and greets. We’re using the Grenadine platform and it would be best to register ahead of time so you can plan your day. On the day of the event, live links will be available for every program. Check it out here: RI VIRTUAL EXPO. Click the button on the top navigation bar to register for the event.

Click here for more details on my events: TABITHA’S SCHEDULE

• Tabitha’s Kaffeeklatsch (meet and greet) 10:00 - 10:45 am

• Not Your Mama’s Romance (panel) - 11:00 - 11:45 am

• Kick Your Scene into Action (presentation) 12:00 - 12:45 pm

• So, You Want to Write a Series? (panel) 2:00 - 2:45 pm

• A Hero, an Anti-hero, and a Villain Walk into a Bar… (panel) 3:00 - 3:45 pm

Hope to see you there!

ORDER SIGNED COPIES OF MY BOOKS!

Signed books make great holiday gifts. You can now order personalized copies of all books in the HORIZON series directly from my website. Click here to place your order: SIGNED BOOKS BY TABITHA LORD

If you are a romance fan, or know someone who is, check out my alter ego’s books. You can order personalized copies of the Tactical Solutions International series directly from Maggie’s website. Click here to place your order: SIGNED BOOKS BY MAGGIE CLARE!

FREE BOOK FOR CYBER MONDAY!

Start binging the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series today!

Fiona and Jake’s fairytale romance comes crashing down around them when Jake is seriously injured overseas. But when Fiona’s life hangs in the balance, Jake must resurrect his inner warrior in time to save her.

Click here to download your FREE copy of SING FOR ME.

Monday Musings 9-7-20

It’s a gorgeous September day here in New England. Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary. We had dinner out and stayed overnight in a hotel. It was perfect, and life felt almost normal.

We are currently sitting on the front porch watching our neighbors with young children pushing strollers, chasing after bikes with training wheels, and walking toddlers and puppies. We’ve both commented on how much we enjoyed that time in our lives - and it was quite a long time, raising four kids eleven years apart in total. We also very much appreciate where we are now - able to take off for the night without any prior arranging, except to make sure kid #3 feeds the dog.

This Covid summer, we were limited in what we could do and where we could go, so we spent it mostly home together, enjoying this life we’ve built. It’s a full, messy, sometimes chaotic life full of laughter, tears, and love, and neither of us would trade it.

With the approaching fall, we’ll shift into busy season with work, school activities, deadlines, and early mornings. Still, our life now is the result of conscious choices and proactive decisions. We are where we want to be, and for that I am incredibly grateful.

“Happiness is a deep sense of flourishing, not a mere pleasurable feeling or fleeting emotion but an optimal state of being.” – Matthieu Ricard

And now for some housekeeping items…

• From now on, I’ll be sending Monday Musings on the first and third Monday of the month. Turns out, managing multiple author platforms while trying to produce content is actually quite time-consuming! If you’d like to follow my Maggie Clare blog on the second and fourth Monday each month, you can sign up at www.msmaggieclare.com.

• I’m working diligently on Dreamwalker, my newest manuscript featuring a badass lady assassin, and I’ll be sharing a few sneak peeks here in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

• I’ve rebooked several Comic Cons and signings for 2021. You can find those dates here: Tabitha’s Event Schedule. Fingers crossed that the world will be safe enough for us to get together in person!

• Of particular note, the Annual RI Author Expo on December 5th is going to be virtual this year. I’m the gal in charge of planning the programs and panels. So far they’re shaping up to be interesting and varied. More info to come as we get closer to the event.

As always, I welcome your questions, comments, and virtual interactions. Please do stay in touch!

Monday Musings 8-10-20

Tomorrow my alter ego, Maggie Clare, is releasing a new book. Release day is always exciting, but also a little bittersweet and somewhat underwhelming. It would seem that all the hard work of writing, editing, and promoting will come to fruition on this one day, but that’s not how it works.

A good bit happens during the pre-release phase, and there will still plenty of work to do in the days following. That’s just the nature of the publishing beast. I’ve learned to celebrate this one moment for sure. After all, it’s a milestone. But, I’ve also learned to lower my expectations for the day itself.

Expectations are tricky. They imply that there is a satisfactory outcome or an unsatisfactory one, when we really don’t have much control over outcome.

When the kids were little, the amount of chaos around the house was pretty significant. For both Ray and I, two obsessive compulsive neat freaks, this was a challenge. But we weren’t the only people living in the house, and to expect four little ones to maintain an order that met our expectations was completely unreasonable. A friend suggested we simply lower those expectations. When we did, our lives became a lot less stressful.

I had all kinds of plans for 2020 with regard to book sales, travel, panels and signings. Despite the ground work and preparation, none of it came to fruition. No one predicted that a global pandemic would derail everything! While this year has been challenging on so many levels, I actually adapted my work plans pretty quickly. In this creative space, I’ve become adept at focusing on those things I can control, and letting go of everything else.

So, I don’t really have expectations for tomorrow, other than to appreciate I accomplished something, and I took another step forward on my chosen career path. Without expectations, I am free to enjoy whatever the results.

“My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus.” -Stephen Hawking

In case you are interested, click here for Maggie Clare’s Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series. And don’t worry, if this is not your jam, I’m working on a gritty urban fantasy novel featuring a vigilante lady assassin who kills bad guys in their sleep!

Monday Musings 6-8-20

It’s been an exhausting year so far, and we’re only coming up on the half-way mark. There are days when we get out there and fight for the good, and days when we need to turn inward and care for ourselves. There are days when we feel we’re making progress, and days that feel stagnant. There are days when we can and should celebrate our own small accomplishments.

When I started this writer’s life almost six years ago, I had no idea where it would take me. In the world of publishing, there are many factors over which an author has little control. I learned very early on to focus on the things I could impact like improving my writing skills, the amount of content I produce, and the projects I choose. I also understand that I have to keep focused on my short-term tasks while maintaining a long-game view, and I should take the time to celebrate my accomplishments.

Tomorrow my fifth book will be published. This one is penned under my alter-ego, Maggie Clare, and is part of a romantic suspense series I’ve been having fun with. I know many of you follow me for my speculative fiction writing. Don’t worry! I’m making solid progress on my next manuscript - an edgy urban fantasy. But, if you feel so inclined to read a “sexy thriller” as my husband calls them, here’s the link: Run and Hide.

It’s hard to want to celebrate with the world as scary and volatile as it is right now, but I think it’s okay to honor those moments of personal accomplishment and joy. Thank you all for the love and support. It means more than I can say.

Monday Musings 4-6-20

I think a lot about what might be different when we emerge from our forced isolation. I fear many things will be lost, and precious lives top that list. But I also hope some things will be changed for the better. I hope we’ll emerge more patient, more appreciative of the small things, more focused on what really matters. I hope we’ll make choices thoughtfully, and consider how our choices impact those around us. I hope we’ll help support the most vulnerable members of our community. I hope we’ll take better care of our environment. I hope we’ll continue to live simply. I hope we’ll learn to better recognize the difference between our needs and our wants. And, I hope we’ll stand outside in the sun and realize that every day is a gift.

“The more often we see the things around us - even the beautiful and wonderful things - the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds - even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.” - Joseph B. Wirthlin

On another note, my alter-ego, Maggie Clare, has a book coming out tomorrow! Sing for Me is the first book in a romantic suspense series I’m publishing under a pen name. If you need a temporary escape, follow the link and have a read! Sing for Me by Maggie Clare

If the romance genre isn’t your jam, no worries. I’m hard at work on a dark urban fantasy featuring a female assassin. I’ll keep you updated on my progress. Stay safe and healthy.

Monday Musings 1-6-20

It’s the first Monday of 2020. Last week, I wrote about the importance of reflection in my habit life, and how I like to use the time leading up to the new year to take stock both personally and professionally. An honest and thorough review of the past year helps guide me into goal setting for the new year.

So, here’s how I approach the next step…

First off, I identify a series of intentions rather than specific goals. I do this in order to leave room for unforeseen opportunities, or because I’m not sure yet how a particular intention might manifest. For example, last year, I recognized that I missed teaching, and I created an intention to bring teaching back into my life. When I set this intention, I wasn’t sure how it would play out, but opportunities came in the form of leading writing workshops, panels, and conference programs. I was also offered a chance to teach a semester of Latin. While this classroom opportunity didn’t directly relate to my writing work, it nourished the teacher in me and I was pleased to accept the offer.

This year, my intention is to get into better physical shape. With each passing year, my body changes, and with it the things I need to do to support it. I have a specific routine I follow, but it hasn’t been quite the right thing for a while now. I’m going to pay more attention this year and really focus on finding what does work.

Sometimes specific goals are needed…

This year I have a new project with aggressive deadlines. Under the pen name Maggie Clare, I’ll be releasing a romantic suspense series. With this comes building the required author platform including website, social media accounts, and promotional work.

Additionally, under my own name, I’m planning to finish the draft of Dreamwalker, a gritty urban fantasy about a female assassin who almost kills an innocent man. Think Jessica Jones meets Dexter.

And finally, I’ll continue to promote the HORIZON series with a full travel and book signing schedule.

Those are my concrete goals, complete with dates and deadlines. I’ll spend the next few days planning and structuring my calendar to accommodate them. I’ll admit to being a bit OCD when it comes to working with my calendar and to-do lists. But, my method keeps me working proactively rather than reactively, and I feel more productive and in charge of my time.

One last thought as you consider setting your intentions and goals for 2020…

Focus on things you can control. I talk about this a lot with regard to writing. There are many things in the writing world I can’t control. I can’t predict how people will react to my work, what kind of reviews they’ll leave, if sales will be robust, if I’ll make it onto a coveted list, or win an award. But I can commit to improving my craft, learning the latest marketing and promotional trends, behaving professionally, and working hard. So, when I make resolutions around my writing life, I stick to things over which I can have an impact.

I hope 2020 brings you peace and joy. Happy New Year!