Fortune Telling or Developing Imagination?

By Karla Brandenburg

One of my fellow authors here at Booklover’s Bench, Tina Whittle, is a mystery writer, sometimes editor, and semi-professional tarot reader living and working in the Low Country of southeast Georgia. In addition to her regular blog posts, she hosts a site called Tarot by Tina. The insights she offers from her deck of cards often relate to her writing, and for myself, as an author of fringe paranormal stories, I find Tarot cards interesting in that fate can hinge on the turn of a card for some people (that’s my imagination brewing more than anything else). Tina flips over cards on her Tarot site and applies them to writing.

While I was finishing my upcoming release, Rising Mist, I had a chat with my editor about some missing pieces to my story. Her response? “Let me get out my Tarot for Authors book.” The actual title is “The Writer’s Brainstorming Kit” and the description cites that it “is all about giving you the tools to jump the ruts and take flight in new, unexpected directions.” The book comes with a deck of fifty cards that give you options. Like Tarot, you “pick a card, any card.” Magic? We won’t go into the truth or fiction of the concept, but rather the reality that whether it’s real or not, it opens your mind to think in a different direction.

During my brainstorming session with the editor, I was trying to round out some of my characterizations. She asked me to “pick a card.” Like one of those paper fortune-tellers I made in grade school where you pick colors and numbers and lift the flaps, she read me what was under each “flap,” resulting in questions to make me think more about what my characters were missing. (It was very helpful!)

It doesn’t require “magic” to write a story, but sometimes the concepts applied to fortune telling work in much the same way. It isn’t necessarily what the fortune teller is “reading,” but more the way you apply it. Something for you to think about.

Rising Mist is due to be released November 6 and is now currently available for pre-order. Enter the Rafflecopter below to win the e-book of your choice from the “Mist” series so that you’re all caught up on release day!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The fine print:
No purchase is necessary. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. By submitting your entry, you agree to be entered into each Booklover’s Bench author’s email newsletter list, as well as the list of the host of this contest, if different. We will not share your information with anyone else, and you may unsubscribe at any time.
Winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter from all entrants for the prize. Winners will be notified by email. Booklover’s Bench authors are not responsible for transmission failures, computer glitches or lost, late, damaged or returned email. Prizes must be claimed within 5 days or they will be forfeited.