My Writing Cave –

I don’t know about you but I’m always fascinated to see where writers work. Or maybe it’s just me being nosy? Thought some of you might be interested in seeing where I write. I’d like to say it’s where the magic happens but there’s far more likely to be a lot of staring at a blank screen, fussing the dogs and singing along to the radio than actual writing done.

But I try!

It’s a room in one of the hopkilns and is supposed to be a bedroom. I use it as my study and spend huge amounts of time in here. It’s my little nest – or writing cave.

On the left is a bookcase which groans with books and files. I try to be organised but I’m not very good at it. I keep reference books on there: dictionaries, a thesaurus, a dictionary of first names. Plus there are box files with bits and pieces which I think may be useful for a story in the future. I thought being a primary school teacher meant never throwing anything away but I’m infinitely worse nowadays!

The desk seems to get ever more cluttered. The big screen is sometimes attached to my new laptop but I’m still getting used to it and am sticking to my faithful old Dell for the moment.

The pink welly penholder was part of a leaving present from my last teaching job. Apparently, after one very muddy school trip I said, ‘Shoes on, wellies in your bag,’ 33 times as everyone got back on the coach to go home. I think I even said it to the adults. It became a standing joke and isn’t remotely funny to anyone else. It reminds me of happy teaching days.

On the windowsill is a little glass elephant and a white stone bird. The little fat bird just looks friendly. The elephant was a present from my husband. I collect them (elephants not husbands!)  and I’m running out of space elsewhere. Above the monitor is a 1930s print which I picked up from a local craft centre. It’s of a little girl holding a puppy and is only a few pencil lines but I love it. The girl is tenderly cradling the dog and you can just see its head peeping over her shoulder. It makes me happy every time I look at it.

On the right are notice boards. I have problems fitting these and the bookcases against the walls of this room as it’s round and has curved walls. Instead of one huge notice board, I had to buy several narrow ones and slot them together. I try to keep these as image boards for the work in progress. The one nearest the desk is an image board of Ghost Stalker – or maybe Ghost Hunter – the jury is still out on the title and which is my current project. The middle one has pictures of men (!) which I tear out of magazines. I know I’m going to use one of them for a future hero. Some day. In something!

One or two postcards have crept into the middle image board including one which is of a woman in traditional Welsh costume reading a book. Its caption is: ‘Myfanwy was disgusted. Halfway through and no sex scene!’

I have a To Do List pinned up – which I don’t stick to and things which people have sent or given me. One is a purple elephant which a pupil made when she found out they were my favourite animal. The other two favourite animals (depending on how well behaved they’ve been) are usually lolling on the sofa, just out of view. As I write this, they’re snoring as we had a long trek over the Downs this morning. I’m trying to ignore the wet dog smell …

You can just see the plot overview of Ghost Stalker on the whiteboard. Like While I Was Waiting (next book out), it has a complicated plot structure. I’ve drawn up colour-coded plotlines to keep me on track. I haven’t got very far, as you can see.

I have a very old CD/radio player, which is nearly always tuned in to Radio 2. When I have to concentrate, I turn it down low. When I’m stuck, or finding something hard (usually at editing time) out come the Mozart CDs. I find Mozart stimulates the brain cells. Or what’s left of them.

The scruffy cardigan hanging on the chair is my writing cardie. I can’t justify putting the heating on for just me, so resort to wearing more clothes when it’s chilly.

I have a lovely view out of the window, over the courtyard and to the hills beyond. I can see sheep and cows in the distant fields and, in the summer, swallows swooping in and out of the open garages. I spend far too much time staring out of the window  – and not enough time writing! Got to have some thinking time, though, haven’t I?

Love,

Georgia x