Recently I interviewed Ali Ahearn and her sister Roz Baxter after reviewing their first co-written book Sister Pact, which I loved I might add. Now it’s time to get into her workspace and see if it helps me find some inspiration to clean mine off again.
Come down see what Ali keeps on her desk for motivation…
What is on your desk?
Lots of papers relating to WIP (work in progress) on one side, bills to pay and tax related docs on the other. Miscellaneous bits and pieces – tubes of hand cream and lip balm, a diary, baby naming book (for when I need a name), school notes from the kid’s schools. Some filing draws. Pens. My desktop, of course. My printer.
What shouldn’t be on your desk?
My mobile phone – procrastination in easy reach is never a good idea! And that can of diet coke – I drink too much of the stuff!
Why does this area motivate you?
If you pull back the curtains (which I couldn’t for the photo as it was too sunny!) I have this magnificent mountain view which is peaceful and restful and very easy on the eye when I’m puzzling something out. But also pretty much everything about my desk space is work related and that’s all the motivation I need. It’s just like going out of the house to work at a desk job. Once you’re sitting at your desk, you’re in the zone!
Are there any items of particular significance?
I have my beautiful RUBY award which I won in 2010 on top of my filing draws which inspires me every time I look up. A miniature set of Russian dolls on the edge of my printer given to me by a writer friend which I adore. My gem tree also given to me by a fellow author because I was admiring hers and that’s just the kind of person she is – each stone represents an emotion or attribute and its very, very Zen! I also have a bunch of sayings and kids art and photos blue-tacked to the side of my filing cabinet – family and friends – that make me smile and remember why I’m slaving over a hot keyboard every day!
How often do you spend in this workspace each day?
Most days 6-8 hours, a lot of days it would be closer to 10 or more depending on how close I’m skating to deadline!
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!