In this issue, you'll learn about my upcoming events and go behind the scenes of my work-in-progress, Trevor and the Eight of Swords.

Communication is more important than ever. Be prepared to give well-organized answers to questions with my bestselling guide to impromptu public speaking, Mastering Table Topics. Learn how to analyze questions, organize your thoughts, and get your ideas across in less than three minutes. Practice your skills with 750 topical questions. This book is perfect for Toastmasters and public speaking classes.

Get your copy in paperback or eBook from these retailers:

• Lulu (Paperback and most ePub readers)
• iTunes (iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch)
• Amazon (Paperback and Kindle)
• Barnes and Noble (Paperback and Nook)

Also look for Mastering Table Topics at your local bookstore and library.

I'm back doing author events! Here's where you'll find me.

Commodore LA Super Show, April 26–27 VFW Hall, Burbank

I'm back at LA's premier event for the Commodore community. You can see first-hand the computer behind my novel Amiga as well as other vintage Commodore computers. I'll have copies of my novels for sale and autographing, and I'll talk about Commodore 64 software. Find all the information at the Commodore LA Super Show website.

Local Author Fair, Fullerton Library, August 23

Get caught up with your summer reading at this event featuring authors from throughout Orange County. We will be at the Fullerton Library from 12–4 pm. In the meantime, you can watch my reading at the 2023 event on YouTube.

Look for more events soon!

I'm over 28,000 words into my tarot-inspired dark romance, Trevor and the Eight of Swords. It's about a young man who gets into a torrid affair with a woman twenty years his senior, and he's forced to confront a trauma from his past and question many of his beliefs.

Writing a novel isn't just getting words on a page. You have to develop characters, scenes, plot, and themes. It's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, except you don't know how many pieces are in the box, and you don't know what it will look like until it's done. And even after you finish it, you still may need to change it around until it's just right.

And that's where the fun comes in. Specifically, there are a few challenges that add to the pleasure of writing this book.

First, I had to relearn tarot. 

I was introduced to tarot by a cousin when I was in middle school, but I really got into it during a period of uncertainty when I moved to Orange County. Much like what I had to do when I relearned how to use the Commodore Amiga computer to write Amiga, I had to relearn tarot spreads and how to interpret the cards. Fortunately, I found a number of resources on social media, including Biddy Tarot and Way of Light Tarot.

There are also lots of good learning decks, especially Tarotorial by Raven and Rogue. For my novel, I'm going back to the Hanson-Roberts deck I used in the 1980s. The imagery connected with me, and it also connects with my main character. 

The other challenge is using my favorite characters, themes, and tropes in different ways. If you have a go-to author you like to read, just like I binge-read Vonnegut in college, you'll notice that the author repeats certain themes and types of characters throughout their books. That's why you like that author, because those elements connect with you. But if the author isn't careful, they can be redundant and turn you off.

For Trevor and the Eight of Swords, I'm finding new ways to cover themes and character situations I find important. It uses a different genre (dark romance), story structure (single first-person), and tells a different kind of story of two people with deep traumas who get passionately involved in an impossible relationship.

The key difference is I'm writing Trevor in a different world than I did for my other novels. This book is a commentary about (and a rejection of) the beliefs and fears that caused this world to take place.

I'll keep you posted on my progress with Trevor and the Eight of Swords and Christina's Portrait, which is still in submission. You can find my latest news on my social media and website. 

I met with Introverted Indies to talk about The Remainders and my writing experiences. The interview is now available on their YouTube channel.

I also spoke with Joseph D'Urso for his Rough Writer channel about my experiences with indie publishing, getting my books into local bookstores, and writing character-driven stories. See my interview on YouTube.

On the Authors Answer site, I talk about how I use playlists, the supposed difference between "authors" and "writers," my love for baseball, and what brings me joy as an author. Read my interview here.

Also check out my interview with Rayanne Thorn Krueger about The Remainders, why I chose to be a writer, my thoughts about the future of writing and much more on the Real Words podcast.  

If you are an author who wants to be interviewed, send me an email to admin@matthewarnoldstern.com with the following information:

• Your name.
• A brief bio (100 words or less).
• Your books.
• What you would like to talk about in your interview.

By supporting each other, we can all grow!

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments and suggestions, feel free to email me at admin@matthewarnoldstern.com. 

If there is someone who you think would enjoy this newsletter, pass it along and encourage them to subscribe. A simple subscription form is on my website.

I'll be in touch again next month with more news and content. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!