Where Writing and Mindfulness Converge
Welcome to the new location for Musings by Author Tori Eldridge!
Aloha to my reading ‘ohana and new visitors.
Since my previous emailing platform has decided I have too many fabulous subscribers to continue my muse-letters with them, I’ve decided to give Substack a shot. Although it’s frustrating when companies change their rules, I’m hoping this new platform will provide a fun new way to share!
If you peek at my About section, you’ll see (among other things) that I’m a Honolulu-born author living in Los Angeles where I write genre-bending novels like my Lily Wong series about a Chinese-Norwegian modern-day ninja from Los Angeles and my Brazilian dark fantasy thriller, DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES) about a desperate mother who rises from poverty, colorism, and abuse to become a fearsome wielder of Quimbanda black magic. I also have short stories in a variety of anthologies like MWA’s CRIME HITS HOME, UNQUIET SPIRITS, and Weird Tales Magazine.
Since I’m a multicultural person (Hawaiian, Chinese, Norwegian descent) and have a fifth degree black belt in To-Shin Do ninja martial arts, my works tend to have authentic action, diverse characters, and complex family dynamics.
What can you expect?
I share musings on mindful living, my writing journey, author updates, books and/or media I enjoy, and the occasional fitness or meditation tips, recipes, and tea recommendations based on my eclectic career as an author, ninja, and former actress/singer/dancer on Broadway, television, and film. I end each muse-letter with a contest where I give away a copy of my own work or a book from one my awesome author friends.
What’s on my mind today?
Here’s a little secret: Writing can be gut-wrenchingly hard.
I know. If you’ve followed my empowering blogs and uplifting social media posts, you wouldn’t expect me to begin with a downer statement like that. Sometimes we need to acknowledge and experience the challenges with the joy.
Challenges with the joy, not the bad with the good.
Specific descriptors help me avoid the emotional judgment of binary labels. This is important since many of my most heart-breaking and painful experiences—helping my parents through difficult deaths, career-crushing setbacks, facial paralysis, emotional upheavals—have also blessed me with poignant beauty, wisdom, and growth.
If I had labeled these experiences as bad in my mind, I would have suffered through the pain and missed the nuanced and life-affirming rewards.
Been there. Done that. Requires daily mindfulness to avoid doing it again.
I’ve been reminded of this fact as I sprint ahead with euphoric creativity, certain my pace and productivity will accelerate until I reach “The End,” only to trudge through yet another bog. My hopes and expectations had become so strong that I fell into the emotional rollercoaster trap.
Allowing my day to dictate my mood rather than my mood to dictate my day is a dangerous trap, indeed.
Writing, like life, is a moment-to-moment process. Although I will eventually reach the end of a story, poem, or a novel, the journey continues, project to project, chapter to chapter, word to sometimes grueling shell-game-infuriating word. For as many days as my characters reveal their secrets and action flies onto the page, I have three times as many days where I flounder in thought. I had allowed my perception of this process to cause me distress.
When I reminded myself to live mindfully, my emotions calmed and my judgment waned.
Rather than wait until I was drowning in anxiety, I observed negative emotions as they arose the way I might notice my impatience rising with a child. In this way, I was able to acknowledge the happening, step back, and breathe. Once calmed, I leaned into my creative detour without labeling it as bad or switched gears entirely to feel accomplished in a different way—reading a long-shelved book, hiking in the fresh air, or even cleaning my house.
By mindfully watching my emotions arise, I stepped off the emotional rollercoaster, adjusted my perception, and let my mood dictate a more pleasurable and rewarding day.
Author News:
My fourth Lily Wong thriller, THE NINJA’S OATH (out September 12, 2023) is available for pre-order wherever you purchase your books!
This will be my first hardback release for the series and my publisher, Agora Books, is promising snazzy extras for the cover. I’ll share when I can.
Pre-order THE NINJA’S OATH and read the back jacket summary HERE.
Then…
On November 10, 2023, my Lily Wong short story Ninja Echo Charlie Mike will be published in the UNBREAKABLE: JOE LEDGER anthology.
I loved writing in the Joe Ledger universe and tangling my ninja heroine with Joe’s early Echo Team crew. The anthology is edited by Jonathan Maberry (creator) and Bryan Thomas Schmidt with stories by them, Scott Sigler, Peter Clines, Heather Graham, and more. We’ll even have a story co-written by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus! I’ll post more about this exciting anthology when the cover is revealed.
What I’m writing:
I’m hammering away at my new mystery novel set on the island of Kaua‘i. This book has already enriched my life as I create a story only a kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiian) could write. My protagonist’s ‘ohana (family) is so integral to this book that I made a seven-generation lineage tree! Wouldn’t it be fun if my hereto-unknown future publisher included it in the book?
What I’m reading:
It’s been a while since I’ve lost myself in Chinese mythological fantasy, so I took advantage of an e-book deal and picked up DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan. Although the deal is gone, I highly recommend this impressive debut inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e. If you enjoy listening to stories, the audiobook is narrated by Natalie Naudus who brilliantly narrates my Lily Wong thriller series..
I’m currently reading TO THE SKY KINGDOM by Tang Qi which has immortal characters ranging ten to one hundred thousand years old. It’s so fun to read about the epic intrigues and entanglements of the fox spirit goddess and the immortal imperial heir.
Audiobooks I recommend:
As many of you know, I listen to audiobooks every day while cooking, cleaning, and exercising. Even though it takes longer to listen than to read, I enjoy more content in this way. Here are the last two fiction and memoir I’ve enjoyed, each one fabulous in a different way. And because I truly love Alex Picard’s narration of my wild Brazilian dark fantasy thriller, I’m sharing that as well. As you can see, my taste in reading is as varied as my writing. I especially enjoy books that blend more than one genre.
TIME’S UNDOING by Cheryl Head, narrated by Jade Wheeler and Ronald Peet
IT’S ONE OF US by J.T. Ellison, narrated by Julia Whelan
FINDING ME written and narrated by Viola Davis
DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES by Tori Eldridge, narrated by Alex Picard
New whole-leaf tea to try:
While visiting my adorable granddaughter in Oregon, I popped into the Uwajimaya Japanese market and bought these lovely canisters of Second Flush Darjeeling and Dragonwell teas. The Tao of Tea offers a high-quality tea lovers will enjoy.
Looking for recipes?
Last month, I shared my recipe for Pork/Beef/Goose “Neutral” Congee. It was so popular, I thought I’d share it again.
Find more Asian home-cooking recipes on my Lily Wong series book club page!
Meditation tips:
I began practicing meditation at age twelve when my sister introduced my father and me to TM. Since then, I’ve explored practicing with crystals, malas, channeling, Indigenous traditions, and—over the recent decades—Tendai Mikkyō Buddhism as relayed through my ninja teacher Stephen K. Hayes. Regardless of the method, consistency is key. If you’re struggling, here are three tips to try:
Practice first thing in the morning to approach each day with a calm mind.
Designate a quiet place and meditation routine.
Try a simple affirmation, mantra, or counting to focus meandering thoughts.
Shows I’m enjoying:
My husband and I recently discovered the old comedy-drama series, ELI STONE, which led us to follow the actor, Jonny Lee Miller, to ELEMENTARY, another older TV gem with the marvelous Lucy Liu. Lest you think we’re stuck in the past…
Viola Davis electrified us as THE WOMAN KING!
We cheered for all the deserving wins for EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE.
Fun fact: When I write about Lily Wong’s elegant and accomplished mother, I always picture the fabulous Michelle Yeoh!
Enter to win!
Want to win a trade paperback copy of Kaira Rouda’s new political thriller, THE WIDOW?
Reply or Email me with an audiobook recommendation you think I would like—no later than Sunday, April 9th, 10 p.m. PST. (Must have a USA mailing address to enter.)
THE WIDOW is “a wild mix of intrigue, secrets, and corruption” (Publishers Weekly) filled with delicious insider tidbits and a twisty plot that had me binge-reading until the end. You’re gonna love it!
Thanks so much for reading my muse-letter!
I have a blast on social media if you’d like to connect. You can find me on BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.
Here’s me dancing for the book trailer of DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES, with clips from a longer Serafina’s Possession dance, choreographed by my pal Russell Warfield with whom I performed in the Original 1st National Company of CATS!
Until we connect again… wishing you a joyful, productive, and gratifying month!
Mahalo nui loa,
Tori 🌺