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Tag: holidays

What’s in my Makeup Bag and Why

December 20, 2018.Reading time 19 minutes.

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I escaped into the mountains this week for a three-day solo writing retreat. No service, no cell phone, no internet—just me, my laptop, and my soon-to-be no longer private private fictional universe. As I approach the end of this final (I’ve given a blood oath!) revision, meanwhile chopping words like an axe murderer on Friday the 13th, it’s occurred to me that I’ll always want to write this book better. There will never come a day when I read through the scenes I’ve painstakingly compiled and think, “Congratulations, Tay, you’ve reached a pinnacle.“

This week, I flipped page 68 of my Writing With The Soul workbook. The final prompt: did you find what you were looking for? That’s a resounding hell yes, in case you were wondering.

It’s Christmas tree day in the Laidley household, which means Zach’s hands are sappy, Cooper is pouting, and I’m belting Bobby Helms. Even if we did have room in our tiny apartment to store a plastic Christmas tree, I’d still go with a Douglas Fir. I hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving!

The standing advice for periods of rest between drafts is to work on something else. But honestly, there’s only ever been one story I’ve felt called to write. If I don’t have a project, I read. I critique for my CPs. I spend time in nature. Forcing inspiration where there is none always comes back to haunt me on the page. I trust that it will come to me when it’s ready. I’ve had ideas here and there, sure: a quirky magic system, a character trait, a sense of place, an aesthetic. But I haven’t had what I call story fire. Not for anything except my first book. Until about three days ago.

Do you see it? 🐋

One year ago, almost to the day, I ran into Claire Luana on the #findmywritingcommunity hashtag while looking for a critique partner. We traded manuscripts, and about six pages in, I thought to myself, oh God, this writer is on a whole other level. This week, we stocked her books Barnes & Noble, and now she has a table all to herself in the heart of fantasy, and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much about it. If you’re in the area, you can pick up a signed copy of her Mythical Alliance and Confectioner’s Guild series in Northgate. You can also grab them digitally from the link in her bio. I promise you won’t regret it!✨

Welcome to my little writing corner! In renting apartments (some as tiny as 460 square feet) over the last 10 years, I’ve learned to make use of small spaces. Also inhabiting this corner is Cooper, my spaniel-pug mix, who is currently curled up beneath my desk out of frame.

Something witchy this way comes 🔮 #halloweeneveryday #autumnal #witchesofinstagram

Has anyone else spookafied their #TBR list for October? Not that I need an excuse to read about witches, vampires, serial killers, and bearded men. But I digress. I’ve always been a bit of a scare baby. I stay strictly in my comfort zones during spooky season: Creepy historical fiction, psychological mysteries and thrillers, good old fashion who-dun-its, witch-based fantasy, seasonal rom-coms, and very, very light horror.

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