DAY IN BRIEF: Christie Tate, Author

Writer Christie Tate can’t help but tell the truth. It’s part of her DNA, and why she’s so adept at putting pen (preferably a Pilot G-S 05, black or blue ink) to paper. Her latest book, B.F.F.: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found, out February 7, is a memoir about her struggle to sustain female friendship, something too many of us can relate to.

In addition to “reading all the books,” Christie has a lot on her plate, including taking care of her kids, collaborating with other writers, and learning the piano (a newfound hobby).

But for Christie, reaching Monday isn’t a drag, it’s a relief. As she puts it, Monday is a clean slate, beginning with morning therapy, and followed by hours of writing, exercise, and more. Read on to find out about how Christie fills her favorite day of the week in our latest Day in Brief.

Uwila Warrior: What is your favorite day of the week?

Christie Tate: Monday.

UW: How is that day different from the others?

Christie: It's the only day I have therapy at 7:30 AM, and it's the beginning of the week when I haven't screwed anything else up yet. And because I have social anxiety, weekdays are easier than weekends, so I like Mondays because there are five glorious days of work ahead when there are less chances for social occasions that have me up at all hours wondering why I said XYZ, or why I have no fashion sense, or whether anyone was offended by my stupid jokes, etc. I LOVE The clean-slateness of Mondays. Also: Therapy. 

UW: How does the day start for you?

Christie: I wake up at 5:50, write three long-hand pages in my journal, take a quick shower, train it to therapy, and then after therapy, I find some place quiet to write, usually downtown Chicago at the Palmer House Hilton or the Chicago Cultural Center.  

UW: What about the afternoon?

Christie: After lunch, I answer emails and make calls. My kids get home at 3:45 so I can't do much hard-core writing when they are around. I help with homework where I can, and then I practice the piano, an instrument I took up at age 48, and I exercise.  

UW: What does a perfect evening for you look like?

Christie: After dinner, I like to read in the living room with my husband while my kids putter around finishing their homework. Sometimes I sneak away and watch HBO on my phone, but that's as racy as it gets. If there is an author in town having an event at a bookstore, I will go, and those nights are always special and cozy because Mondays are the best.  

UW: What habits or moments during the day give you strength?

Christie: My three long-hand morning pages every single morning are life-giving. Exercise keeps me from murdering anyone, including myself. Therapy performs the same function for me as exercise. 

UW: How do you power down at night?

Christie: I usually collapse at night. It's a full "TIMBER" into bed, where I read a few pages of a book and then lose consciousness, which is a beautiful thing.