This Writer’s Space: Rhiann Wynn-Nolet
Posted: April 2, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: inspiration, this writer's space, writing 9 Comments
First of all, thank you Cassandra for having me on your blog! I remember our Thursday’s Children blog hops very fondly and am so happy we’ve stayed in touch.
Where I Write
Last summer we moved from the northeast corner of the US (Maine) to North Carolina, about a thousand miles south. The sights, sounds, and smells of northern New England permeate my writing and probably always will. Not only was I born and raised there, but my ancestors first settled in the Salem area around 1630. No matter where I go, that will always be my spiritual home.
Knowing I’d miss coastal Maine, I planned to recreate it in my new writing space. My husband painted the walls a grayish blue*, we hung up seascapes, etc., but in the words of Thomas Wolfe, “You can’t go home again.” If anything, being surrounded by pictures of beaches made me dwell on what I’d lost.
On to Plan B, in which I gave free rein to my love of things weird and sparkly, flowers, quirky art, shabby velvet, and rich (non-beachy) colors. Here’s my Pinterest Reinventing the Office board for a closer look at some of my actual choices. Shells, seaglass, and sand dollars share space in my “cabinet of curiosities” with an animal skull I found by the side of the road, my crystal ball, lichen-covered twigs and so on. The room isn’t quite finished, but I’m very pleased with the Boho/Bloomsbury vibe. A writer reinvents herself with each book she writes, so why shouldn’t she reinvent her writing space once in a while?
*p.s. My patient, thoughtful, and creative husband was actively involved in bringing my decorative vision to life, as well as painting the room (twice) and installing my new light fixture. It’s not that I can’t paint walls. He’s a Virgo, so…yeah. I should probably give him a backrub.
Where I’m Inspired
I get my best ideas from Nature and all things gothic. Since our move, the Neuse River and abandoned farmhouses have replaced the beach and old cemeteries as my favorite haunts.
To Be Read
At the moment I’m reading SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard. For Christmas I got my first e-reader and currently in the queue are RAVEN BOYS (Maggie Stiefvater), UNTEACHABLE (Leah Raeder), and THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE (Neil Gaiman). I also spend quite a lot of time reading things my CPs send me.
About Rhiann
Rhiann Wynn-Nolet is a YA/NA Fiction writer. Her book TENDRIL is represented by Stefanie Lieberman of Janklow & Nesbit.
As a reader, she longs for unforgettable characters whose stories are filled with family dysfunction, true love, and complex emotion. She adores symbolism and beautiful prose. By “beautiful” she doesn’t mean “purple”, even though she’s in love with her purple office walls. She tries to write the kind of books she wants to read.
Rhiann co-hosts the annual Like A Virgin Writing Contest (#LV14) and #CriTiki Lounge (a pitch feedback forum). When she’s not writing, reading, walking her Jack Russell Terriers, or struggling with her sixth grader’s math homework, she can be found here: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest
This Writer’s Space: Lauren K. McKellar
Posted: March 26, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: aussie-owned, inspiration, this writer's space, writing 3 Comments
All the regular readers of my blog know how much I adore Lauren K. McKellar. Her books make me cry, in an “oh god, my heart is breaking, Lauren!” kind of way.
Where I Write
When I drafted my latest novel, The Problem With Crazy, I wrote EVERYWHERE. I was working full-time, juggling freelance editing jobs and madly scrambling to learn all the extra things I could about this fabulous world of writing craft and technique, so I took every opportunity that became available to me. I wrote on the train to work, in my lunchbreak, on the couch in front of the TV (also known as ‘couple bonding time’), at bars—I even tried to dictate notes while I walked from the train station to work and cleaned the house.*
However, now all this has changed. I have gone freelance with my editing work and so when I write I do so at my desk, in my office—and it feels GREAT. Having a designated writing area, with my planning blackboard and comfy high-backed chair is fabulous. Plus, there’s no strange guy falling asleep and drooling on my shoulder, like there was on the odd public transport trip. Drool = uninspiring.
*NB: This was a dismal failure. I can write the things, but I cannot speak them. I apologise if you ever meet me and expect a coherent sentence.
Where I’m Inspired
Many things and places inspire me, but one of the main locations is the beach. I can catch a glimpse of it from my balcony, but every morning I get up, and go for a long run across the sand with my two dogs. The sound of the waves crashing never fails to soothe my oft-busy head, and helps my mind run wild with new story ideas.
The other main place I am inspired is *cringe* when I’m with my fiancé. I know he’s not technically a place, but sitting down with him over a table—beer and chips on the side—really helps me nut out my story ideas and takes my little half-conceived baby concepts and turns them into fully-fledged potential story adults.
What I’m Reading
I just came back from Indie Authors Down Under, Australia’s first self-published writer signing exhibition. I was there exhibiting as an author, but somehow managed to come home with almost as many books as I sold! I’m not sure where I’ll be starting, but I have Take A Chance by Abbi Glines, Broken by Kelly Elliot and First Glance by L.L. Hunter all vying for my attention right now. I can’t wait to devour them all!
About Lauren K. McKellar
Lauren K. McKellar is a writer and editor of fact and fiction. She has worked in publishing for more than eight years, and recently returned to her first love: writing books that make you feel.
Lauren loves to write for the Young and New Adult markets, and her debut novel, Finding Home, is a YA Contemporary, published through Escape, a Harlequin Australia imprint. Her second novel, The Problem With Crazy, is a NA Contemporary Romance.
Lauren is a member of the YA Rebels (vlog) and the Aussie Owned and Read blogging team. In her free time, she enjoys long walks on the beach with her two super-cute dogs and her partner-in-crime/fiancé.
This Writer’s Space: Nicole Evelina
Posted: March 19, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: inspiration, this writer's space, writing 2 Comments
Today’s This Writer’s Space features Nicole Evelina, Arthurian author extrodinaire.
Where I Write
When I’m at home, I’m usually on my couch with two cats vying for space with the laptop. Not very glamorous, but it gets the job done! I do have a second bedroom that doubles as an office (and my cats’ bedroom), but I don’t usually do much writing there. I think the couch is just more comfortable, plus I get beautiful afternoon sun through the front window.
When I venture out to write, my favorite place is a little coffee shop about 15 minutes from where I live. It’s loud (darn college students) and the music is terrible (thank God for headphones) but I love the old-world vibe.
Where I’m Inspired
This is a man-made lake that’s less than 10 minutes from my house. I go there to walk/run a lot and it really clears my head. But I’ve also taken my laptop and written and plotted there. There’s something about being out in all four elements – grass/sand beneath my feet, wind in my hair, water nearby and sun on my face – that shuts down my worrying side and allows my creativity to flourish. My characters seem to like it, too, as they are more fond of talking to me there than any other place (except the shower!).
This is Fir Cottage, my home for a week at Hedgebrook, a writing retreat on Whidbey Island, outside Seattle. I recently attended a Master Class on creative writing there that was taught by author Deborah Harkness. This is where I lived and wrote, honestly assessing all that still needs to be done to my third book. It’s a place of beauty, for communing with nature and the muse. I’ll be there in my memories whenever I need inspiration and plan to apply for a residency at some point in the future.
To Be Read
Some of these I have read, but most are still on the TBR list. And these are only the non-library books. The pile gets bigger each spring after our annual charity book fair. Last year, I came home with 21 books. Some of these are research, but the vast majority are fiction.
Nicole Evelina is St. Louis-born historical fiction writer represented by Jen Karsbaek of Foreword Literary. She is the author of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, as well as a work of women’s fiction. Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society, and Sirens, a group supporting female fantasy authors, as well as a member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild and Women Fiction Writers Association.
She is one of only six authors who recently completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. Nicole has traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.
Her website/blog is http://nicoleevelina.com and she can be found on Twitter as well as on Pinterest and Facebook.
This Writer’s Space: Louise D. Gornall
Posted: March 12, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: inspiration, this writer's space, writing 7 Comments
Today on This Writer’s Space I have Louise D. Gornall, author of one of my favourite urban fantasy reads from last year, In Stone. She’s one of the coolest people on Twitter, so I’m very excited to have her here!
My name is Louise and I write urban fantasy and horror stories for young adults.
I like dark and edgy. Swears don’t offend me. Ignorance does.
I work at Swoon Romance, and I’m currently studying for a BA (Hons) degree in English language and literature.
Identical twin, junk food aficionado, book bird, film nerd, Jedi. Represented by super agent Mandy Hubbard at D4EO!
Where I Write
This is where the magic nearly never happens. I mean, this is where I make beautiful music, dance a passionate tango with the alphabet, reach Nirvana… No, but seriously, I love my desk and I feel lost when I’m away from it.
Where I’m Inspired
My most favorite place in the world is the Lake District. We go up a couple of times every year. It’s the kind of place that takes your breathe away. It’s so quiet and peaceful. Everything is so perfect and fresh it’s like waking up in The Shire. It just makes me want to write.
To Be Read
My actual TBR pile is currently being used by NASA as a stepladder into space. Seriously, it’s a pile of epic proportions, but these are the books I’m planning to read in the next week or two. I’m writing a thriller/horror right now, so I’m trying to surround myself with heart-stopping-feely stories.
If you now have as big a crush on Louise as I do, you can find her on her blog, Twitter, Facebook or Goodreads. Thanks for stopping by, Lou!
This Writer’s Space: K. A. Last
Posted: March 5, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: aussie-owned, inspiration, this writer's space, writing 1 Comment
Today’s This Writer’s Space is brought to you by fabulous indie author K. A. Last! Take it away, Kim!
Where I Write
When I first started writing I would write anywhere I could. My laptop wandered around the house with me, and usually ended up wherever the kids happened to be. I also used to write a lot in my rocker-recliner, but I find my legs get sore having the computer on my lap for so long.
Now my kids are in school, I can sit down in the peace and quiet, in one place, and get my brain working better. I wish I had an office—which I actually do—that I could devote solely to writing, but I prefer to write at the dining room table. The office is great, and I have a fab desktop PC in there which I love, but I use it mainly for my graphic design work, admin tasks, promotional time etc. The dining room table works better for me because I have more room to spread out. As you can see from the pic, it’s a mess (and usually is). I’ve been getting ready for a signing event on the Gold Coast which is happening in less than three weeks (eeek!), so there are stacks of books and swag everywhere. I’m also more inspired at the dining room table because I don’t feel like I’m locked away in a cave. There’s air flow, light and space around me.
After saying all that, sometimes I do write in the office, like I am now, if the table needs to be used for something like, I don’t know—eating!
Where I’m Inspired
I’m inspired at all different times, in a lot of different places, and in many different ways. Mostly though, I’m inspired inside my head. That sounds a little weird, but it doesn’t matter where I am, or what I’m doing, for me to get inspired. My hubby often gets annoyed with me because I have the ability to switch off just like that, even mid-conversation. I end up inside my head, thinking through a scene or creating a new character, and then I have clicking fingers in front of my face.
If I was to pick a place where most of the inspiration happens, I’d have to say inside my car. I work two days a week—in Sydney. The traffic is horrendous, which means I have anywhere up to three (sometimes more) hours of thinking time on the drive to and from work. Music really aids my inspiration. All of my books have a theme song, and a playlist, and every time I hear particular songs, they remind me of my characters, their actions, and even particular scenes.
To Be Read
Okay, this is a bit of a sore spot in my house. Hubby can’t believe—or understand—why I have so many books. I love books, especially pretty ones. I love all the pretty covers. About a third of my books I’ve bought because I loved the cover. I’m a graphic designer; I have to have the pretty covers.
There are so many books I want to read that I don’t have a ‘next on the list’ list. I’m an eclectic reader. I basically pick up whatever I feel like at the time, and I have a lot to choose from.
The shelves on the left side of the photo are all books I haven’t read. Yep, and they are double stacked. The ones on the right side are the books I have read, also some of them double stacked. As you can see though, the unread books far outweigh the read ones. Don’t even get me started on the number of books on my iPad. I have a panic attack just thinking about it.
If by any chance you don’t have too much on your TBR, I’d love you to check out my YA Paranormal Romance series. I also have a standalone lower YA fantasy adventure. Come by my Facebook page or tweet me if you want to know more.
K x
K. A. Last was born in Subiaco, Western Australia, and moved to Sydney with her parents and older brother when she was eight. Artistic and creative by nature, she studied Graphic Design and graduated with an Advanced Diploma. After marrying her high school sweetheart, she concentrated on her career before settling into family life. Blessed with a vivid imagination, she began writing to let off creative steam, and fell in love with it. She now resides in a peaceful, leafy suburb north of Sydney with her husband, their two children, and a rabbit named Twitch.
You can find her at her website, or on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or on Amazon.
This Writer’s Space: Jennifer Anderson
Posted: February 26, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: inspiration, this writer's space, Turquoise Morning Press, writing 8 Comments
Is this thing on *taps microphone*…*loud feedback* *covers ears*. Good! Hey, I’m Jennifer Anderson, author of the Honey Creek Royalty series, Spider and My Brother’s Wedding. *waves*
Where I Write
Back when I was a newbie, thinking writing would solve all my problems, I wrote wherever my butt would fit (I don’t actually have a big butt!). Usually, you’d see me plopped between my two children at the kitchen counter while they did their homework.
Then, the best thing ever happened. Ice Princess was picked up by Turquoise Morning Press! Overjoyed and high on writing accomplishment, I was determined to have a place of my very own. So I turned our playroom into a writing room/kid TV room. I cleaned out the toys, added a desk (an old one stored in our basement) and decorated it with all the funny things I could find. I had baskets, cup of pens, my red laptop and an assortment of Angry Birds (my son’s contribution).
Life was good. Great! TMP picked up Prince Charming, Queen Mean and King of the Lake, all from that very special spot.
Then I found out I was pregnant with my third kid (with an eight-year difference with middle kid). And about seven months later, gone was my desk (the curb), my Angry Birds (my son’s room), my baskets (storage) and even my red laptop shot craps. I tried setting up shop in the living room with a TV tray and my baby glider, since I’d be nursing every few hours (she was a pig) but alas, that never felt right either.
Now I’m saddled with a new laptop (plain black) and I’ve returned to the kitchen counter. Instead of my kids flanking my sides, I’m joined by a high chair, baby snacks and a countertop littered with everything imaginable.
But I don’t let this stop me. I have a submission at Swoon Reads, one waiting to be edited and one in the works.
Where I’m Inspired
Where do I find my inspiration? Actually, even though I have an amazeballs view, I find the one spot that is sure to conjure up a plot bunny is tightly snug beneath my covers in bed!
And more often than not, I have to jump from a plot dreaming stupor to find a piece of paper (often an old stray receipt) and jot down my idea.
To Be Read
My taste in books run all over the place. But a must is a HEA (Cass: that’s a happily ever after, if you’re not up on your TLAs, or three letter acronyms). I’m in the middle of several series and with 13 books some of them, I’m not in any rush. There are also books that I think I’ve read and forgotten to review! What can I say, mom of three!
You can tell me if I’m successful or not at my countertop writing and check out my latest, My Brother’s Wedding (contemporary romance) or Spider (YA suspense). I’d also love to hear what you think of my Swoon Reads submission, Need To Know. A New Adult fiction that involves a summer hunt, a hot guy on the side of the road and a bestie with an unusual name.
I’m always around to chat on Twitter. Thanks for listening to me ramble and I wish you luck on your writing endeavors!
Author Bio: Mommy, wife, cat owner, review coordinator for Turquoise Morning Press and author. Needless to say, my plate is full. I call the Midwest my home and that’s where I find inspiration. I didn’t grow up wanting to be an author but knew I needed to do something creative. After many years of moving from one job to the next and not finding happiness, I set pen to paper and began work on a young adult novel that will never see the light of day. And that’s okay.
This Writer’s Space: a new blog series
Posted: February 19, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: inspiration, this writer's space, writing Leave a comment
Today I’m launching a new weekly blog series, where I ask writers (published or unpublished) to show us photos of three things: where they write, where they are inspired, and their to-be-read pile—with a few words on each, and including an author biography and any links they want to include.
The reason for the idea is simple; I’m a self-confessed stickybeak. And here’s an example—my writer’s space!
Where I Write
I promised myself that, when I downsized my house last year, the one thing I’d get myself would be a proper study. Our new townhouse is two storeys, which gives me the advantage of being on a different floor to the television! (Yes, I did clean up some old receipts and things before I took the photo.) Having two monitors feels decidedly decadent. Theoretically it’s so I can have a reference page such as wiki up while I’m drafting but, let’s be honest, that right-hand monitor is usually home to Twitter.
The most important things in this photo other than the PC (and photos of my son) are that little red notebook, where I write ideas and sometimes scenes, and the notepad beside it, where I keep track of scheduled blog posts.
Where I’m Inspired
A more honest photo would be of my shower, but ain’t nobody needs to see that! Besides, I love my bathroom. I find the drumming of warm water on my head helps my mind to drift, and tackle any problems at hand. No wonder my water bill is so high… 😉
To Be Read
This photo hasn’t changed much since the last time I took a photo of these shelves. Except now my Kindle is front and centre, because the next few books I plan on reading (Immagica by K.A. Last, The Problem With Crazy by Lauren McKellar and Gifted by Ingrid Alexandra) and my current read (Forget Me Not by Stacey Nash) are all on there. How very 21st century of me!
I haven’t included a bio of me because it feels a little weird given this is my blog… But hopefully you get the idea. It’s not meant to be massively onerous—although if you want to write half a page on each photo, feel free!
If you’re interested in taking part, drop me an email at cassandrapage01[at]gmail[dot]com.
Cassandra Page 