Maggie Clare's Blog, page 3

Short Fiction Fun

Dear Maggie,

How is school going? What are you working on?

Sincerely,

Reader in Redding

Dear Reader,

School is amazing! It’s a ton of work, but it’s really helping me stretch as a writer, and the writing community is smart, driven, supportive, and talented. There’s no rest for the weary in this program, though. Once one project is finished, we’re straight on to the next one. I’m reading a novel per week, participating in several obligatory discussion board assignments, and writing one short story per...

It’s Pumpkin Spice Season!

Dear Maggie,

What is your most productive time of year to write?

Sincerely,

Sluggish in Salt Lake

Dear Sluggish,

As much as I love the sunshine and longer days of summer, I have to be honest, my productivity goes way down. As soon as I feel that crisp fall air take hold, though, I’m ready to dig back into my writing. Now that September is here, and the official start of fall is right around the corner, I say, bring on the apple pies and pumpkin spice!

During the month of September, I always feel a ...

An Extrovert in an Introvert’s World

Dear Maggie,

I hear writers are mainly introverts. Would you describe yourself as an introvert or an extrovert?

Sincerely,

Chatty in Chattanooga

Dear Chatty,

I’m a total extrovert. Here’s how I know… I love airport bars, and I’ll talk to anyone who sits next to me. I love teaching in a full classroom and leading a meeting. I love to meet fans and readers at book signings. I’m definitely a people person. I think it’s why I prefer a yoga class rather than working out at the gym with my earbuds in, and...

I’m in class…

Hello Friends!

My residency started this week, and I am currently in Gunnison, Colorado with an amazing group of students and instructors from the MFA program. We are working hard, learning so much, building our community, and having a ton of fun. I’ll return to our regularly scheduled programming next month! Until then, please feel free to send your questions to maggie@msmaggieclare.com, and I’ll answer them here on the blog. Also, please enjoy these photos of my cute cats and of Western Colora...

A Romantic at Heart

Dear Maggie,

Aren’t you a science fiction writer? Why did you decide to write romance novels?

Sincerely,

A Romantic in Red Oak

Dear Romantic,

If we’re being honest, I bet we all remember sneaking off with our mom’s bodice ripper romance novels and dog earring ‘those scenes’ to read over and over again, or maybe that’s just me? Sexy scenes are fun to read, and they’re really fun to write. My husband sure appreciates it when I ask him to proof a particularly steamy scene I’ve written!

Sexy stuff aside,...

School Days

Dear Maggie,

Have you started school yet? How is it going? Are you still able to work on your books?

Sincerely,

A Student in Sturbridge

Dear Fellow Student,

Yes, I’ve started grad school, and I’ll head off to residency in just a couple of weeks. The summer session is fewer than half the number of credits as the fall semester, so I’ve had time to gently adjust to academic life again. So far, it’s been great. Let me say that I’ve almost always loved school, with the exception of high school, but I thin...

And Then There Were Ten…

Dear Maggie,

How many books have you written, and how long does it take you to write one?

Sincerely,

Slowpoke in Slocum

Dear Slowpoke,

Sometimes, when I’m hit with a wave of insecurity about my writing career, I remind myself how much I’ve accomplished in the last eight years. As you may know, I write speculative fiction under my given name Tabitha Lord, so I count those books in my totals! You can check out my HORIZON science fiction trilogy and my short fiction on this website tabithalordauthor.com...

Insta Love

Dear Maggie,

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Sincerely,

A Romantic in Rochester

Dear Romantic,

What a fun question, and honestly, my answer is… sort of. I believe attraction can be instant. I think we’ve all had a butterflies-in-the-stomach, tongue-tied moment when we meet someone and just feel a magnetic pull toward them. If that instant attraction grows as we get to know the person, like it did for Fiona and Jake in Sing for Me, how wonderful, and what a fun trope to write about. However, i...

Sneak Peek!

Hello TSI Fans!

Usually, this is the space for me to answer a ‘Dear Maggie’ question, but today I’m going to share a sneak peek of Blood Ties, the fifth book in the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but I think it’s more fun to read them in order! If you haven’t had a chance to check out the hot hunky guys and smart sexy gals of the TSI world, you can find them here: TSI Books 1-4.

If you’ve read the previous stories already, you kn...

Summer School

Dear Maggie,

Are you really going back to school? Will this degree help your writing career? Are you excited?

Sincerely,

A Student in Sioux City

Dear Student.

Yes, I’m really going back to school, and I’m so excited! This particular MFA program is unique in that it focuses on genre fiction writing, publishing, and screen writing, so I won’t have to pause my writing career while I complete it. The thesis is actually a full-length novel, which is pretty convenient since I’m always working on my next no...