I admit it’s a sweet fantasy to write all day long, traveling leisurely through the writing process with my characters from “Once upon a time” to “The End”.
But let’s get real. With a husband, two teenagers, three adopted greyhounds, two cats, four finches, and several fiction and non-fiction titles to promote, writing paranormal romance novels all day long is a pipe dream, even for an author with an alpha female attitude.
When I only have minutes for my writing, I sit down at my grandmother’s desk, the one I inherited when she passed away. There’s something restful that washes over me when I settle there. It must be something about working where she worked that frees me, enabling the words to pour from my hands to the computer.
Oddly, and a fabulous bonus, is that after spending even an hour at grandma’s desk, the feeling carries over, allowing me to be more productive into the evenings if necessary, despite being surrounded by end of day family chatter and the gunfire and explosions of my son’s gaming habit.
She was a writer, and a mom, and the primary financial officer of her household and several business endeavors. A real alpha female of her time. Looking back over her life, it amazes me all she accomplished with such a steady pace and loving heart. She was a get it done sort of person, the person others came to for guidance. No task too big or too small, she assessed, planned, and took action.
The first time I dared to write at grandma’s desk it was simply to change up my perspective (and detach from the Internet). I thought the increased productivity was a fluke: Just a granddaughter seeking any tangible connection to her influential and supportive grandma. But getting it done and meeting the word count happens with tender and alarming consistency.
It doesn’t matter if I’m writing blog posts, interviews, or kick butt alpha female action scenes for the next paranormal romance novel. At her desk, I get it done.
It’s peaceful. Energizing. Crafting my stories in the place where grandma focused so much of her own time is inspiring me on a level deeper than intellect, more poignant than simple memory. It’s heart, and love, and family.
Generation to generation, writer to writer.
Live the adventure!
