August 2023: Tarot Cards for Writing Inspiration

 

As summer vacation (or winter vacation) draws to a close, many of us suddenly feel compelled to become more industrious and organized. But what happens when you have a main character that is not only industrious, they are focused on maximizing productivity all year round? Focused to an extent that work is their “raison d’etre” to the exclusion of everything else—friends, family, and, yes, vacations. This tarot reading takes a look at a character who, like the one from July’s tarot reading, is a hermit type driven into solitude by ambition and the quest for riches.

Deck: The Zombie Tarot by Quirk Books

 

Character: Queen of Hazards. It’s not just a work ethic that drives this character, it’s the desire to be both financially secure and successful in their line of work. The Queen of Hazards not only has to have the best of everything, they have to be the best at everything—or at least within their chosen field. If they aren’t running their company straight out of the academic gate, they’ll quickly rise to the top of the company they work for. And they are so ambitious, they’ll get there by any means necessary.

 

Setting: Nine of Hazards. Only when they’re alone—yes, they are alone at the top of their luxurious penthouse—will this character let their guard down. They’ll curl up with a pint of ice cream and a romance novel or a cozy mystery while the lights of their empire twinkle below. And, although their livespace is the best that money can buy, it often ends up being an extension of their workspace. Because, you know, while one half of the world is asleep, the other is awake, and the main character needs to exploit every opportunity imaginable to keep the money, and the status, rolling in.

 

Theme/Development: XIII Death. Like I keep saying, this character has the best money can buy, and that includes health care. Plus, this “golden child” may be fortunate to be born in an era where medical care has made significant advancements. Not even illness can slow down this character. Unfortunately, the groundbreaking medicine of this future century can’t adapt quickly enough to stave off a worldwide epidemic, and the planet is thrown into chaos. But guess who has the tools and resources to come out on top?

 

Conflict/Climax: Four of Cups. However, without the outlet of being in charge of several global companies, the main character may fall prey to their worst nightmare. No, it’s not the apocalypse (zombie or otherwise)—it’s boredom. What’s out there for our poor multibillionaire workaholic when there are no companies to take over, and business loopholes to exploit for maximum profits? How can they go on when there’s no Fortune 500 magazines to grace the cover of? It’s hard to imagine, but the character may find themselves high up in their dazzling eyrie, watching the lights of their empire sputter out, one by one. And they may feel something they’ve also never felt before—loneliness. They may have to make the most difficult and challenging decision yet in their life—go out and make contact with what may be left of humanity. Will they be as successful in this endeavor as they have been in the workplace? Or have they been alone too long?