Introducing The Well Read Fish

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Mae Clair

Various, brightly colore fish with algae, corals, sea sponges. Watercolor illustration. Seamless border from the collection of TROPICAL FISH. For decoration and design of wallpaper, invitations, posters

Happy Wednesday, friends! I hope you like fish food because I’ve got an exciting announcement!

If you’re scratching your head wondering what that’s all about, I’m delighted to say I’ve become a regular contributor to a new book review blog, The Well Read Fish. The brainchild of Vera Day, TWRF is dedicated to reviewing Christian fiction and bringing faith-based novels to the attention of readers everywhere.

You may know Vera by a different name—Priscilla Bettis.

That’s right—former horror novelist, Priscilla, is now writing Christian cozies as Vera Day. You can find an announcement about her change of genre, and The Well Read Fish on her blog. You’ll also find announcement posts from other regular Fish contributors—Staci Troilo, Joan Hall, and Gwen Plano.

We are all so excited about this new venture, and hope you’ll join us.

A new review will post every Wednesday with sub-genres ranging from suspense, mysteries, science-fiction, and YA to Biblical fiction, fantasy, and thrillers. If it’s Christian fiction, it’s fish food for our review realm.

Seaweed and fish illustration in orange and turquoise colors. Aquarium composition. Watercolor composition

Regular followers of my blog know I often post Christian fiction review posts. Now, I’ll have a specific home to share them.

You can find today’s inaugural post HERE. Vera, Staci, Joan, Gwen, and I would love if you poked around the Fish and perhaps subscribe. Please help us spread the word with the share buttons, and tell your friends about The Well Read Fish.

Thank you, and have a blessed day!

Comments are closed.

Life has changed…

Posted on August 22, 2022 by Mae Clair

Hi, friends. I thought it was about time I checked in. I feel like I’ve been AWOL for months. If you’ve been following my blog, you know April and May were rough for me. My husband’s 90-year-old mother took a horrid turn downhill and we spent most of the months wrapped up in her care. She passed shortly after Mother’s Day and the rest of May was a blur related to the funeral and her estate. I am so thankful we were with her at the end, and do believe she was aware of our presence, even if she was unconscious throughout that stretch of days,

We had already scheduled a vacation to Cape Cod for early June and by the time it rolled around, we sorely needed it. When I returned to my day job, the owners of the company I worked for took me out for coffee, asked me to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and told me they had sold their (real estate) business to a national franchise. I spent the next month helping both sides bring the acquisition about, all the while never able to share what was going on with anyone except my husband. It involved a ton of overtime, clandestine meetings, zoom meetings, and coming to terms with the situation. I had worked for this company for almost 26 years so the thought of starting over was difficult to wrap my head around.

The good news is, my location hasn’t changed. I’m still in the same building, my same office, and working with the same people I did before. There are just more people in the mix now, and they’ve all been wonderful. It’s very exciting, but has also required me to focus entirely on my career. In the next few weeks, I will be undertaking challenges for an advanced position within the company, while maintaining some of the duties related to my current administrative manager job.

I honestly don’t know what this means for my blogging life. By the time I get home from work, I just haven’t had the wherewithal to turn on the computer. I hope to be visiting blogs again soon, but it probably won’t be with the same frequency. I WILL however, be visiting.

My own blog may become more like a newsletter. I do want to continue to share book reviews with you, and any exciting writing-related projects I have in the works, but I will often close comments on the posts. I still hope you’ll visit and read what I have to offer, and also bear with me as I attempt to find balance between my career and my writing life.

I never thought circumstances would change so drastically at this point in my life, but I believe all things happen for a reason. I am both honored and appreciative of the confidence and faith my new employer has in me. People normally don’t like change, but I’m honestly loving the shift in my career. I just need to learn to balance it with writing, and I believe that will come in time—once I adapt. 🙂

With Apologies for My Absence

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Mae Clair

Hello, friends. I hope as I type this, that greeting doesn’t bring crickets. I’ve been gone for a while—over a month to be exact. I’ve popped up online here and there, but my blog has been quiet, and I haven’t been doing my usual rounds.

For that I apologize.

Dealing with the world as it navigates COVID-19 has been rough. I won’t lie. I’m an empath at heart, and have had to shut down and distance myself. Since mid-March, I’ve been working remotely from home (on my day job), and—strange as it may seem—it’s harder than working from my office. There are no interruptions, and I find I don’t take breaks even for lunch, preferring to work straight through. It’s easier to become immersed in a project. I’ve been highly productive, and have developed a new routine. For some reason, working social media into that pattern has been hard. Almost impossible.

But it’s time to adjust to the new normal, and I’m making an effort. Starting now, I hope to return to blogging and visiting, although my regular features may change or take a while to fall into a routine schedule. Before I went offline, I had a number of Wednesday Weirdness posts written ahead. Right now, I’m thinking that feature may change or not as appear as regularly. Just bear with me. As it stands, I’m happy to be back.

So, what have I been up to?

Pretty Siamese cat

Hmm…reading, of course! Since my last Book Review Tuesday post mid March, I’ve read nineteen books and/or novellas—far too many reviews to post. I may try to scatter a few of them out in the coming weeks as I add new reviews.

I’ve also been invited to submit a short story for an anthology of murder mysteries. I’m knee deep in a story, reworking something I’ve had in the trunk for a while. Did you ever have a tale you loved, but knew it needed work? The story I’m using was written in the 1990s. That’s how long it’s haunted me. I always loved the overall arc, and it’s been fun to work with it again. Stay tuned for more news as the anthology progresses.

In Pennsylvania, we are still on hold. Twenty-four of our counties have reopened to a “yellow stage” but my county is still shut down. That means I’m still under a shelter-in-place order, working remotely from home. Restaurants are only open for delivery or curbside pick-up and non life-sustaining businesses are closed. My biggest outing is going to the grocery store—in which I haven’t seen a roll of toilet tissue since March 17th.

But, hey—I’m back. Or sort of. I’ll be making my rounds this week and in the future. Bear with me as I get my blog back on track. I’ve missed everyone.

In the meantime, tell me what you’ve been up to. I’ve heard news from a few of you—new releases in the works and new publishing contracts—but I’m behind. Drop a line in the comments and let me know what you’ve been doing. If you’ve got a new release or publishing contract, tell me about it. If your WIP is growing, I want to know. If you’ve read a good book and want to recommend it, tell me! Even if it’s just to say “hello,” I’m happy to return the greeting. Let’s chat! 🙂

More News: Blogging Schedule

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Mae Clair

Hi, friends! Last week I told you about my new website. Today, I’m sharing plans for a new I blogging schedule. Beginning soonish. Probably Octoberish.

I’m on a roll! But first. . .vacation.

DH and I are headed to Maine the end of next week, through the end of September. Please excuse my lack of comments on your blog posts while I’m gone. I’ll look forward to chatting with you when I return in October.

An open tablet, pen, and a pair of glasses At that time, Book Review Tuesdays will continue, but I’ve also decided to add another regular weekly post. Those of you who have been longtime followers of my blog may remember Mythical Mondays. It’s a theme I kept up for years, eventually abandoning for lack of time. No, Mondays are not coming back, but something sorta/kinda/quasi-similar—Wednesday Weirdness.

Like my Mythical Monday posts, you’re apt to find myth, legends, and folklore, but I’m also planning to share anything I come across that’s too “weird” for explanation. That opens the door to mysteries, strange coincidences, unexplained happenings, and even a few personal experiences. I’ll also be chatting about the “oddness” that inspired each of the books I’ve written. I’ve missed sharing that aspect of my writing and look forward to trotting it out again.

You may see other random posts from me here and there, and as always, I’m happy to host friends with new releases and other news you’d like to share. Give me a shout and we’ll get something scheduled!

So, why am I telling you this now? It’s been said that if you publicly state an intention, you’re more apt to follow through. Who wants to promise something, then fail to deliver? With that said, picture me nervously gnawing my fingernails (my nail tech is not going to be happy).

I know I’m going to be insane when I return from Maine. There will be a ton of catch-up on my day job, October is NaNoWriMo prep time, and the Story Empire Something Wicked Blog Tour will kick off toward the end of the month. But there’s always something to delay plans, right? I’m going to ignore all of the potential hurdles and go for it. I have Staci Troilo and Joan Hall, to thank for inspiring me with their own blogging schedules.

And while I’m in Maine, as Craig Boyack told me—“Find some great New England cryptids while you’re there.”

Sounds like good advice to me! 🙂

A New Look and Changes

Posted on September 3, 2019 by Mae Clair

Three parrots are chatting under the header "Did you hear Mae's news?" Hi, friends. I usually reserve Tuesday for book reviews, but today is different for several reasons. As usual, I had my nose buried in a book last week, but it was a beta read for a friend, which means I can’t share my review just yet. Bummer, because I’m super excited about this novel. You’ll have to wait several months for the release, but rest assured, I’ll be dancing around and chanting “rah-rah” as I cheer my friend on!

Secondly, a few weeks ago, I made a change in how I keep up with the blogs I follow (if you’re reading this, that means you! 🙂 ). Because I follow so many blogs, my inbox balloons each day like a mushroom on steroids. A friend suggested I try Reader, something I’d avoided in the past. I have no idea why, because using Reader has made life so much easier. This means I no longer get a notification when you make a new blog post, but by scrolling through Reader I’m able to see it. Sounds good, right?

There is one downside. I have not been able to find a way to organize which blogs appear first in my Reader, which means I have a long list to scroll through. If I’ve missed any of your posts, please excuse my lapse. I’m still on a learning curve but getting better.

Finally, you may have noticed the look of my blog has changed. Also that all of my secondary pages have disappeared, replaced by a single new entry—VISIT MY WEBSITE.

Creating a website is something that has been on my to-do liist far longer than I want to admit. It’s embarrassing. Seriously.

I finally took the time over the long Labor Day weekend to cobble one together (if you’re a regular follower of my blog, you’ve probably noticed I like the word “cobble”).

I’d be seriously jazzed (that’s another favorite word), if you hopped over to MaeClair.com, poked around, then let me know what you think. The website supports everything that was previously on my blog with a link to this site. I’ve learned from others to keep the blog where it’s currently homed. There’s too much history involved to start over.

You’re currently visiting my blog home, which is MaeClair.net. My website is MaeClair.com. Each connects to the other. I hope you’ll use them both.

Next Tuesday, look for a return to book reviews which will continue to be a regular feature. I’m also hoping to introduce a few other regular weekly posts, returning to a habit I haven’t been able to maintain for years due to looming publisher deadlines. With those behind me, I’m excited by new prospects for expanding my blogging schedule.

In the meantime, I hope you’ll visit my new WEBSITE, bookmark it, and let me know what you think. How do you like the look? Does it work for my genre? Did I do a good job?

Where Have All the Bloggers Gone?

Posted on August 14, 2017 by Mae Clair

Recently, it dawned on me that many of the bloggers I followed five years ago have faded into the woodwork. I was a newbie back then, and there was a core group of writers I developed a rapport with, many starting out themselves. Most of us bonded through Six Sentence Sunday, a weekly blog share. Over the years many have stopped posting, a few embraced Facebook as their platform of choice, and—sadly—one passed away.

Every now and then I might hear from an old friend and that contact instills a sense of whimsy for the early days. When publishing was new and scary, and terms like blog tour, media kit, and and mobi were Greek. If I’ve lost contact, some of that is my own fault.

After two books that were romantic in nature, I made a switch to mysteries and romantic suspense. As an author I’m happy where I’m at, straddling a line that crosses genres and has moved the emphasis away from the bedroom. But it makes me wonder—where have all the bloggers gone?

a stack of old letters tied together with string beside a fountain pen

Even within the last few years, new friends have come and gone, surfacing on the grid while working on their novel, only to disappear after the release. My Twitter stream is filled with authors who launched a profile only to have crickets replace their feed months later. What is it about this industry—yes, it is an industry to those who stick with it—that devours staying power?

Is it the fact that we have to juggle multiple tasks—writing, editing, book promotion, social media exposure, reading, betas, ARCs—in addition to our family life and day careers? Being an author is not for the faint of heart, and I will be the first to admit there have been times when the pressure made me want to toss in the towel. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that I would have to start over, rebuilding all that I had worked to obtain. For even as I thought about quitting there was no doubt that I would be back. Writing is not something I can walk away from. It’s been a constant in my life from the time I was a child, and I have no doubt it will remain so until I leave this Earth for good.

That said, my blog has languished recently due to the constraints of daily life. I’m going to try to rectify that and hope to return to a more regular posting routine. For those of you who don’t already know, I vanish offline each week from Friday evening to Sunday evening, the intervening hours set aside for family and my regular writing routine. I try to catch up with the blog posts I have missed by Monday, but due to the sheer volume of blogs I follow, it’s not always possible. If I miss you on the weekend, I will catch you during the week. I don’t want to be one of those bloggers who vanishes into the woodwork. I have made many good friends over the last few years. New friends I don’t want to lose.

Where have all the bloggers gone? Right where we’ve always been—supporting and helping each other. For the record, you guys rock.

Change, Idiots, and Mr. Evening by Mae Clair

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Mae Clair

It’s official. I’m an idiot.

I had a cool blog post lined up for yesterday’s Mythical Monday and then realized it was Labor Day. Since I’m rarely online over a holiday, I decided to save it for later, but then discovered …wait for it…I HADN’T SAVED THE BLOODY THING! *smacks palm to forehead*

What’s really frustrating is that I had tied the post (about a chameleon) into the changing look for my blog. Clever of me, don’t you think? Or, at least it would have been if I’d saved it. Hopefully, I can make it through this post without hitting “close” or “delete.” Pffff!

In any event, I couldn’t wait any longer to unveil my new blog look. So, what do you think? I’ve never been a huge fan of red, but I think the color works well with the suspense angle. And I love the mystery elements inherent in the photo of the house I chose for my header. Spooky and moody.

My home page has been tweaked, my bio redone, and my sidebar cleaned up. I even added a snazzy new graphic for my newsletter sign-up link (subscribers welcomed and eagerly encouraged). 🙂

So…the shop has been set up and I’m settling into my spiffy new digs. Of course there are always “creatures” milling about and whispers of who-knows-what rattling the window frames, and making bumps-in-the-night. I don’t’ get too upset with the distractions since they’re good for inspiration. I expect the Mothman and Mr. Evening to arrive soon and then I can get down to the business of writing.

What’s that you say?

I neglected to introduce you to Mr. Evening? No worries. He’s promised a proper introduction in book 2 of my Point Pleasant Series. In the meantime, he’s acting as muse in my newly remodeled home.

Several of my friends routinely have their wonderful muses dropping in for visits. Donna Cummings has the divine Endora, Craig Boyack the lovely Lorelei, and Julie Holmes has a hunky guy who calls her “love.” 😀 I thought it was time I summoned up my own muse, and Mr. Evening promptly answered the call…which could be a problem given his role in A COLD TOMORROW, but I’ll worry about that later.

In the meantime, I invite you to check out my new home on the web, make yourself comfy and stay a while. 🙂

The Wonderful Team Member Readership Award, by Mae Clair

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Mae Clair

It’s blog award time, thanks to my wonderful friend and fellow blogger, Sheri de Grom!

Sheri recently honored me with the Wonderful Team Membership Reader Award. If you’re a regular follower of my blog, you’ve no doubt heard me mention Sheri before. We ventured into the blogosphere about the same time and quickly became friends and supporters of each other.

Sheri blogs about women’s fiction and government and medical issues, in addition to working on what is certain to be a compelling novel, NOT THE MAN I MARRIED. She’s super friendly and a great supporter of other bloggers so check her out corner of the world here, and linger a while under her bridge.

The Wonderful Team Membership Reader Award was one I was not previously familiar with, but it definitely deserves a round of fanfare. The title says it all. As bloggers, we rely on those who support our efforts with each post, taking their time to comment on the musings we toss into the virtual universe. I am so grateful for the friends I have made through blogging, and really do appreciate everyone who visits and comments on From the Pen of Mae Clair.

So to all my fantastic Pen Pals—I am grateful to each of you and wish to acknowledge you with this post. I am happy to nominate the following for the Wonderful Team Membership Reader Award:

L. J. Kentowski
Donna Cummings
Emma Meade
Jessi Gage
Cd Brennan
Calisa Rhose
Stanalei Fletcher
Debbie Peterson
Joanne Wadsworth
Laura Lee Nutt
Venice Kennedy
Susan Koenig

And, of course, a huge thanks to Sheri de Grom.

There are many other friends out there who support me through Twitter, Facebook, blogging and reviews, and I thank you all. This list is but a few. I am truly grateful for your friendship and support. You guys rock! 😀

Mae Clair: The Reality Award

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Mae Clair

A week or so ago, I was nominated for the Reality Award by my friend and fellow blogger, Sheri de Grom. Sheri and I ventured into the blogging world about the same time and undertook much of the social media learning curve together. If you’re looking for insightful reviews of women’s fiction, informative posts about our military and medical issues, you need to visit Sheris’ blog!

Thanks for nominating me, Sheri. This award is a bit different than those I’ve seen in the past, and requires some thought. The rules are as follows:

Visit the blog of the person who nominated you, thank them, and acknowledge them on your blog *waving to Sheri*

Answer the questions listed below and nominate up to 20 bloggers whom you feel deserve recognition. Visit their blog and let them know.

Cut and paste the award to your wall.

Now for the questions:

If you could change one thing, what would you change?
There are a lot of mind-boggling social, economic and health-related issues I would change, but I’m going to go with something basic here that irritates the heck out of me. If I could eliminate one thing, I’d do away with the annoying voice mail menus businesses force us to jump through and replace them with live telephone operators. Remember those days? When there was CUSTOMER service in customer service? When you didn’t have to sit through five voice mail loops only to realize none of the options work; pushing the pound sign gets you nowhere, and hitting ’0’ for operator results in the message “sorry you are having problems.”

Really? If you’re that sorry, how about having a living, breathing person answer the phone who can actually help me instead of a recorded message that tells me my wait time is ten minutes (after I’ve spent two minutes getting there!)?

‘Nuff said on that topic. I could rant for hours!

If you could repeat an age, what would it be?
Probably sometime in my 30s. Old enough to be wise, young enough not to be bogged down with anything too serious.

What is the one thing that really scares you?
Heights. I’m petrified of them. I remember needing to cross a creek one time and the only means across (a very short distance) was a hollowed out metal beam (about the width of a balance beam). It was raised approximately three feet in the air over the creek, forming a makeshift bridge to the other side. With nothing to close it in, I felt like I was walking in space. That short little drop into the water had my equilibrium out of whack, as if I was crossing a rope bridge suspended over a gaping canyon. Heights and I do not agree.

The weird part is I would love to be able to fly and soar above everything like Superman. I know it makes no sense, but that’s typical for me!

If you could be someone else for the day, who would it be?
A stormchaser. I’m fascinated by weather and always thought it would be cool to chase a storm. I’d probably freak if I had the opportunity, but it’s a nice thought to entertain.

And now for my nominations:

L.J. Kentowski
Loni Flowers
Donna Cummings
Calisa Rhose
Debbie Peterson
Emma Meade
Joanne Wadsworth
Stanalei Fletcher
Lorraine Paton
Christy Olesen
Alicia Coleman
Lynne Kensington

So what do you think, ladies? Do you feel like giving the Reality Award a try?

Mae Clair, Author: Happy Anniversary to Me

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Mae Clair

It’s Monday.

That means I should be focused on a mythical creature, superstition, or long ago legend, but today is also the one year anniversary of my entry into the blogging world. I couldn’t let that pass without some hoopla and fanfare. So I’m throwing confetti and popping the cork on a bottle of virtual champagne.

Woot! *punching the air*

There was a time, not that long ago, when “blog” was a foreign word to me. When I finally understood the concept and rolled out my first post, Fangs and Howls, it was like stepping onto a tight-rope without a safety net. Saying I’m terrified—seriously terrified—of heights might give you an idea of how that felt. I was relieved when I landed on blog terra firma and realized I’d survived unscathed.

Major accomplishment.

My blog abode looked considerably different in those days. From the background to the header and sidebar, it’s undergone several decorating changes. I still have a few minor tweaks planned, but for the most part, I’ve settled in and made myself comfortable.

It’s been a fun year with numerous visitors dropping by, and even the occasional ‘house guest,’ who hangs out for the day with a post of their own. So, although this is a celebration of my blogging anniversary, it’s also a celebration for my many wonderful friends and readers who’ve welcomed me to the neighborhood.

Thanks, guys. Consider yourself showered with buckets of confetti. Have a virtual cupcake and a glass of champagne on me. 🙂