Maggie Clare's Blog

This Thanksgiving, our oldest son and daughter-in-law will be hosting. It’s the first time one of our kids has had a holiday at their place, which feels like a milestone for our family, and I’m really looking forward to cooking up a storm with them!

Last post, I promised I’d share a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. These three are my own versions of some traditional side dishes. If you try them out, let me know what you think!

Sweet Potato Pie

This is a family favorite that my mom always m...

It’s November already, and that means I only have about eight weeks left of school for the semester. It also means that’s how much time I have to finish both my thesis and a novella for my short forms class. I’m excited to see the finish line on the horizon, and I’m also hyperventilating a little bit at how many words I still need to write!

My thesis novel, The Dragon Dancer of Krysh, is the longest book I’ve ever written. It will top out at over 100k words, and I’ve already realized it will be ...

As I race to the finish line writing my thesis manuscript, I also have to write another significant story before the end of the semester for my short forms class…

When I was a brand new baby writer over a decade ago, a few things worried me about the writing process and about my own abilities. First, I didn’t think I had it in me to finish something. Writing a great beginning is easy when the project is new and I’m just so excited about the characters and their adventures, but navigating a story ...

For all my Tactical Solutions International fans–good news! I’ve finished the next two novels in the series, with only one more left to conclude the collection. Maybe it’s a good time to reread the series so far and re-acquaint yourself with your favorite characters? You can find them all HERE on Amazon, and they’re available for free with your Kindle Unlimited membership.

Both the new manuscripts still need some editorial work, but I anticipate releasing Blood Ties and Imminent Threat in the fi...

As promised, I’ve updated this blog to function as more of a newsletter, with professional updates and some space for personal reflection. It took me a little extra time to get this first communication out to you because a week ago Sunday, our beautiful kitty Milo crossed the rainbow bridge. She’s been with our family for almost seventeen years, and we are missing her terribly. Her sweet personality and loving soul were a constant, gentle presence in our tiny space. Anyone who has lost a beloved...

Every couple of years, I inventory my career as a whole – from the writing projects I’m working on, to the events I attend, to the marketing and promo side of the house. I ask myself if I’m focused on what’s most important to me or if it’s time to make some changes.

Over the course of my career, I’ve taken meaningful detours, like spending nearly a year working with a non-profit organization to profile kids with cancer. As a fiction writer, it was quite the departure, but I felt honored to have ...

Dear Maggie,

I am writing my first book, and I have a hard time getting myself into a creative space after working my day job. Any advice?

Sincerely,

A Teacher in Tacoma

Dear Teacher,

I understand the challenge. I wrote my first book when I was working full time, all four of my kids still lived at home, and my husband traveled a lot for work. It was tempting to come home after a full day and just crack open a bottle of wine and chill after cooking dinner and helping with homework. But, it sounds lik...

Dear Maggie,

You mentioned that you’re back to working on your dragon book. Any chance we could have a sneak peek?

Sincerely,

Fantasy Lover in Fayetteville

Dear Fantasy Lover,

I’m currently immersed in a world of dragons and magic and epic battles! For my MFA thesis project, I’m writing the second half of my romantasy novel tentatively titled The Dragon Dancer of Krysh. When I started school last summer, I left this story at the literal half-way mark, and I’m really excited to get back to it. Fanta...

Dear Maggie,

Weren’t you writing a romantic comedy? How’s it coming?

Sincerely,

Waiting in Walla Walla

Dear Waiting,

Yes, and I am writing the last chapter as we speak! It’s the best feeling when the end of the novel is in sight. All the heavy lifting is behind me, and the words tumble out. This romantic comedy titled Run, Harry, Run started as a short story for one of my writing workshops at school, and I liked the characters and storyline so much that I decided to turn it into a full length novel. ...

Dear Maggie,

Do your kids read your books?

Sincerely,

Mom in Modesto

Dear Mom,

Well, all my kids are adults now. In fact, the youngest just turned twenty-one, so we can officially drink together–#familygoals, lol. They are all creative types in their own way too, and they all appreciate that mom is a writer. They’ve read, or listened on audio, to my science fiction series, and most of them have read my short fiction. It gets a little trickier with the romance, because, as you may know, those books a...