A Magical Landscape

Tarot can help create that in your story, too.

Hello, Readers and Writers!

I’m sitting here looking out the window of the tower in my castle (okay, the window in the dormer of my third-floor office, which, to me, is my castle Sanctuary) and feeling meh. I hate complaining about the weather in the summer because the warm seasons here feel so short; however, isn’t September supposed to be fall?? I’m ready for sweata weatha! Is it too much to ask for a long-ass fall? Hey. I guess I wouldn’t be a Minnesotan if I didn’t complain about the weather.

It also just feels weird when the temps are super hot, yet the leaves on the trees are changing and falling. That’s a big ol’ landscape WTF.

And Speaking of Landscapes…

I will admit I dread describing landscapes in my story. I can write dialog until the cows come home, but coming up with unique and interesting ways to describe various surroundings is daunting to me. I’m sure there are many ways to make the inside of a barn sound fascinating, but hay is hay.

But hey! If writing were easy, we’d all be doing it. And these challenges always become opportunities.

Recently, I stumbled upon a cool new deck in my local bookstore called Tarot Landscapes. It promises precisely what it offers: an outdoor scene that depicts the mood of each card.

Now, I will be honest. If I had been able to look at each card beforehand, I may not have purchased the deck. Each scene includes a very cute animal, and I don’t typically do cute in tarot. (you do you, that’s just me.) Some of the pictures have me scratching my head about how they jive with the prescribed card. But…what did I just say about a challenge? It presents an opportunity. And maybe my mind needs to be stretched a little. It has been fun to explore with them, I will say.

For instance, at a point in a journey, one of my characters stops to ‘read’ the roots of a tree. I was trying to decide what the message would be and curious what the tarot would come up with. I decided this was a perfect way to use this new deck, and if I was looking for a nod that it would be helpful in my work, with this draw, all signs point to Yes.

The first thing I noticed was that the prominent focus in the scene is, indeed, a tree. (!!!) My tree is not leafless, but it does have this grey-colored bark. (!!!) Koalas connect strongly with the natural world and stand for strength and wisdom. (I looked that shit up.) The sky is dark and possibly stormy, and of course, there is the green stalk that offers promise.

The Five of Pentacles is a card of worry, anxiety, and possibly poor health. In the ‘typical’ scenario, two sickly, lame people hobble by some place of worship in a snowstorm. If they only looked up, they would realize that a warm, welcoming light was calling from the window of that sanctuary, inviting them to come in and seek shelter.

This told me that my tree absorbs the general ‘vibe’ of what’s happening around it, and as things in the region of Ridgestone are not well, that’s exactly what this card would tell. It gave me the idea that the tree’s job is to absorb the sorrow of its surroundings, making it a sacred sentry of sorts. The message of dread and an oncoming storm that my character feels as he seeks the tree’s wisdom validates what he worries about.

Once again, the tarot took my basic idea and kicked it up a notch, inviting me to explore deeper meanings and telling details that will add so much more to my story. Thanks, tarot!!!

Tarot Landscapes deck by Francesca Matteoni and Yoshi Mari

Parlor Room Magic!

I missed those of you who could not join us in the Parlor room this week. A fellow writer was exploring a new idea for a story and trying to decide the dynamic between two of her characters. The Sun and the Knight of Swords gave each person strong and specific personality vibes, and it even prompted her to explore switching things up and possibly swapping out the narrative point of view!

Remember to mark your calendar every third Monday of each month at 6:30 pm central time unless otherwise mentioned. Paid subscribers will receive their Zoom invite a day or so before.

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I look forward to offering cards from this new Tarot Landscape deck in future gatherings!

Whatcha workin’ on? How do you feel about landscape writing? Are you excited for sweata wheatha??

XOSusie