on the road — Five Things — tabitha lord author

on the road

Five Things - April 1, 2025

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. 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, starting with the quote of the week…

  1. "I've been fascinated by the idea that evil is the absence of empathy." - John Connolly

  2. It’s our last month in the desert! The winter flew by, and we are ready to hit the road again. I’m really excited about our itinerary, which includes checking off the last four states in the lower forty-eight (the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Idaho) in order to fill out our map, another trip to Utah for more National Park fun, a stay in Gunnison, Colorado during my residency, a trip to Chicago for Chicago Fan Expo, and more. I’ll start taking photos again, so be sure to check out my Instagram page!

  3. This week, I have to submit my thesis proposal for the MFA program. Next year, most of my work will be focused on completing this project to earn my degree. Conveniently, our thesis is a full-length novel, and I’ll have a personal mentor assigned to me. If you read my alter ego’s blog last week, I discuss the fact that I have four novels about halfway complete. I’m generally a work-on-one-thing-at-a-time kind of writer, but being in school has been disruptive, in a good way! You can read more about why I think this year is an anomaly, and what I’m currently working on HERE. Regardless, in a couple of weeks, my mentor and I will have chosen a project. It may be one of the books already underway, or something entirely new. I’ll let you know!

  4. Our oldest son had his birthday last weekend. Nick truly embodies the ‘oldest child’ persona in all the best ways. He’s responsible, accountable, sensitive, and genuine. We’ve watched him navigate his young adulthood with an open heart, a willingness to grow, and deep compassion and empathy for others. He is earnest, hard-working, loyal, and kind, and he is the person you’d want in your corner if you needed a friend. Happy birthday, Nick. We are so proud of you!

  5. I had a great time visiting my sister and brother-in-law last week. My trip coincided with Persian New Year, Nowruz, and I was so excited to celebrate with them. Held on the vernal equinox, the holiday is meaningful and well-timed, and wow, the food is amazing! Happy New Year and Welcome Spring!

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