Five Things - July 3, 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. Denver Fan Expo is in the books! It was a great event and so much fun to see my writer pals from RI. Book sales were solid, and two of our panels had standing room only. As exhausting as these events can be, I love the energy and enthusiasm of the fans and the sheer fun of it all!

2. 2. Our time in Colorado is almost at an end, and I’m really going to miss it here. The incredible rugged beauty of this state is breathtaking. From the Great Sand Dunes to Rocky Mountain National Park to Garden of the Gods to Pikes Peak to downtown Denver, we’ve loved everything! I’m sad to say goodbye, but we’ll definitely be back.

3. My birthday is this week. The older I get, the more I have to remind myself that each day is a gift, especially when I wake up after a long weekend on my feet and every part of my body aches! But even if it takes me a few days to recover from big events, I try to orient myself towards gratitude. “One day you will look back and see that all along you were blooming.” — Morgan Harper Nichols

4. For my birthday, Ray and I are going to see John Williams and the Colorado Symphony perform music from Star Wars at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and I am so excited! I may have mentioned how much I love Star Wars a time or two or ten. I listened to the record on repeat at bedtime every single night when the original movie first came out. The opening notes still send chills up my spine, and I am immensely grateful that I’ll be able to experience this live.

5. Amy visited last week, and we had an absolute blast. Our intent to create new content for Author’s Buzz while she was here did not materialize. Instead we shopped, drove through the mountains, went to a concert, enjoyed a baseball game, got a little new ink, and maybe danced on the bar at Coyote Ugly, although hopefully there is no proof of the last. However, she did manage to edit and post our latest YouTube video. If you’re interested in Writing Romance, check it out!

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

Our itinerary subject to change:

July 5-9: Vernal, UT

July 9-15: Salt Lake, UT

July 15-22: West Yellowstone, MT

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Coachella, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - November 15: Pacific Northwest TBD

November 15 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

Five Things - June 19, 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. Our third son turned 21 yesterday! I’ve written about this particular kid before and how he is just the best combination of kind, sensitive, talented, and also quite driven when he puts his mind to something. Check out the POST I wrote just for him on his 18th birthday a few years ago, which I think captures him well. Also, you can follow this talented, funny kid on TikTok as he chronicles 100 days in his world, including building his drone business and cooking some amazing meals!

2. We’re still in Colorado for another few weeks and really loving it here. On the road from Granby to Denver, where we are now, we had to cross the Berthoud Pass. I’m just gonna pat myself on the back and declare total badassness (if that’s a word?). I drove the RV while towing the Jeep, because my dear husband is a much, much better passenger than me, and this was our deal so I wouldn’t end up curled under the bed crying. Wow, was it a white knuckle kind of drive, but we made it! Check out this post and video on Dangerous Roads to get a glimpse of the journey.

3. Speaking of Colorado, part of the reason we’re in Denver so long is because I’ll be signing books and moderating panels at Denver Fan Expo from June 30th - July 2nd. I’m really excited to be out and about doing bookish things. It’s a little harder to plan while we’re on the road, but we made this one happen, so if you’re in the Denver area, please come say hello!

4. Amy and I have been busy chatting it up on YouTube about our favorite writing topics. I’m currently smack in the middle of my latest manuscript, which sometimes feels like a slog. This feeling is so common among writers that we’ve affectionately called it the muddy middle, the murky middle, the messy middle - well, you get the idea! Check out our latest AUTHOR’S BUZZ VIDEO where we share our top tips for navigating the middle of the story.

5. Amy’s actually going to be here this week visiting! We are so excited to get in our girl time, do some hiking, and just be together in real life. “A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.” - Lois Wyse

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

Our itinerary subject to change:

June 18 - July 5: Central City, CO

July 5-9: Vernal, UT

July 9-15: Salt Lake, UT

July 15-22: West Yellowstone, MT

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Coachella, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - November 15: Pacific Northwest TBD

November 15 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

Five Things - May 28, 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. SAVE THE DATE! I’ll be at Denver Fan Expo June 30th - July 2nd signing books. If your in the area, stop by and say hello. Panel and presentation schedule TBD so stay tuned.

2. Our time in New Mexico is coming to an end, and we are really going to miss it! Albuquerque was amazing. Our adventures there included a ride on the Sandia Tram with a fancy dinner on the mountain top, exploring the beautiful botanical gardens, and hiking through Petroglyph National Monument. Santa Fe captured our hearts even more. We hiked Bandelier National Monument - former home of the Anasazi, explored the immersive art installation at Meow Wolf, and rode the Sky Railway train, owned by none other than Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin who is a Santa Fe resident! The land is beautiful and the people even more so. We’ll definitely be back!

3. I finally got to see a road-runner. One hangs out in the brush across from our site and makes an appearance in the late afternoons. Meep-meep!

4. I’m smack in the middle of my newest writing project - a fantasy featuring a feathered dragon, an angsty hero, and a sassy gal who can’t remember who she is. The middle of any story is, in my opinion, the most challenging part to write. The shine has worn off, the writing feels stale, and I sometimes worry that I’ve totally lost the plot. I have a few tricks to getting through the muddy middle, so if you’re interested, check out my article on Author’s Buzz.

5. As we pack up and head to Colorado, I can’t help but think how fast time is speeding by. As much as we try to enjoy every moment, the days pass quickly. June will be our sixth month on the road! I’m keeping this quote in mind as we travel. “After all, life is too short to be anything but happy.” – Kayla Marx

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

Our itinerary subject to change:

May 29 - June 2: Alamosa, CO

June 2-10: Colorado Springs, CO

June 10-18: Granby, CO

June 18 - July 5: Central City, CO

July 5-9: Vernal, UT

July 9-15: Salt Lake, UT

July 15-22: West Yellowstone, MT

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Coachella, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - November 15: Pacific Northwest TBD

November 15 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA