There is a phenomenon in astrology called
the Saturn return: an astrological transit that occurs when the planet Saturn
returns to the same place in the sky that it occupied at the moment of a
person's birth, roughly 29.5 years into their lifetime. It’s a time of
reckoning, of karma and consequence, and its effects can last for over a year.
In the first book in my Tai Randolph series,
I introduced Tai, my narrator, right smack dab in the middle of her Saturn
return. She's tipped over that edge now in the sixth book (the upcoming Necessary Ends), but is still mired in the transitional
chaos, still struggling with the upheavals in her life. By the end of this book
(out in April!) she makes a choice that rewrites her understanding of herself
in a significant way. Pure Saturn return stuff.
This isn't the first book for which I've
employed astrology as a developmental tool. Way back when I first started
thinking about my characters, I created their natal charts, which are celestial
maps that show the position of the sun, moon, and planets when a person was
born. To make these charts, I used a very basic computer program that came with
my favorite astrology book—the perfectly named The Only Astrology Book You’ll
Ever Need—but the Astrolabe site offers a free version of the same. And the
information I learned, even if very basic as astrological interpretations go,
has proven quite helpful.
My protagonist Tai Randolph was born on
March 21st. That makes her an
Aries sun sign—fiery, aggressive, energetic. It's where she gets her
recklessness too, and her competitive streak. Her moon is also in Aries, which
gives her a double dose of that head-first, all-systems-go, Ram energy. Her
rising sign, however—the sign that was overhead when she was born—is
Sagittarius the Archer. No accident that the first tattoo she got was of a
flaming arrow in a flaming bow. Here is where we see Tai's independence, her
philosophical streak, and her love of the outdoors.
Her partner in all things both romantic and
crime solving is Trey Seaver—his birthday is September 17th, which
gives him a sun sign of Virgo, with all the caution and reservation and love of
order conveyed by that sign. It's where he gets his brain power and his overly
analytical mode of operation. His rising sign is Taurus, which bestows strength
and calmness and deliberation to his nature. And his moon sign? Capricorn—serious
and practical, with a strong sense of duty. All three of these are earth signs,
a combination that can make him spectacularly and aggressively stubborn, but
also faithful and trustworthy, with a good head and grounded personality.
What keeps these two characters from butting
heads to the point of mutual destruction? They both have the planet Venus in
the sign of Leo, a fiercely loyal and ferociously passionate sign. Tai and Trey
each have a fire heart, and as the saying goes, fire calls to fire.
I'm no professional astrologer—tarot is my
divinatory tool of choice—but I do have an amateur's love of the stars and
their celestial mysteries. If you'd like to learn more, visit your local
bookstore; there's plenty of material to get you started. Or better yet,
consult a professional astrologer and get your own birth chart done. It's an
illuminating process no matter who you are, even if you happen to be a
fictional character.
* * *
Tina Whittle
writes the Tai Randolph mysteries for Poisoned Pen Press. The sixth book in
this Atlanta-based series—Necessary Ends—is scheduled for an April release. Tina is a proud member of Sisters in Crime and
serves as both a chapter officer and national board member. Visit her website
to follow her on social media, sign up for her newsletter, or read additional
scenes and short stories: www.tinawhittle.com.
