The Emotional Scenes Get Me Every Time!

Dear Maggie,

Do you have a favorite scene in each of your books?

Sincerely,

Wondering in Waterbury

Dear Wondering,

My favorite scenes in the books I’m reading or the books I’m writing tend to be ones with really intense, emotion-filled moments. As a writer, my process when drafting a new novel is to loosely outline the plot, figure out where I’m heading, flesh out the major characters, and anchor the story with a few major, pivotal scenes. It’s those pivotal scenes that are my favorite to write, and they’re also the ones that linger in my mind, and hopefully my readers’ minds, long after closing the book.

In Horizon, the first book in my science fiction series, my protagonist is hiding from a brutal regime when we meet her. She’d previously been an integral part of a resistance movement, and based on her character, she would never have abandoned her friends or her cause without a compelling reason. When I finally hit on the solution, the result was a brutal, emotional, and pivotal scene, and also one of my favorites from the book.

In Sing for Me, the first book in the TSI series, one of the most intense moments in the story comes when Jake’s former commanding officers stage an intervention of sorts. Jake is a physical and emotional wreck after combat, he’s tanked his relationship with Fiona, and he’s feeling as lost as he’s ever been in his life. When the guys show up, they force him to admit how bad things have gotten, and then they offer real, actionable support. It’s a devastating moment for Jake, but it’s also the moment that saves his life. I cried writing it, and I still get a little teary when I re-read it.

I’d love to hear about your favorite scene from any of the TSI books and what made it memorable for you! You can send comments or questions for a future blog post to maggie@msmaggieclare.com.