Where the Magic Happens

Welcome to my office!

Well, you asked and I am giving. Today’s newsletter is a glimpse into my writing space - where I spend the majority of my days. I’m so lucky to have a whole room in our house for my work. When JILTED my first book was published, my office was a tiny corner desk in a thorough-fare in our very small house, which sat at the back of the wheatbelt supermarket we owned. My husband and mum and occasionally our wonderful staff were constantly coming in and out, not to mention my kids. Sometimes my office was actually the shop office - if employees called in sick or my husband needed a break, I’d sit with my laptop in the back office watching the entrance and jumping up to serve a customer whenever needed.

It wasn’t easy, but I have fond memories of that little desk. Then we moved to Perth and we built the most gorgeous writing studio for me outside. It was truly MAGIC - away from the house, so kids couldn’t dump their Lego there and my husband couldn’t put stuff there when he was trying to clean up the rest of the house either.

It was heartbreaking to have to leave my little pink haven, but our next house we built especially to have room for my mum and an office for me. Hilariously it ended up being a tiny bit bigger than the kids’ bedrooms and they’re still dark about that.

This may be the place I work - which means sometimes I’m stressed and tearing my hair out here - but it’s also my favourite place to be. Every time I walk into my office, I smile.

I smile because it reminds me I’m living my dream of being a full-time novelist. I smile because on every surface - walls and shelves - I have things that mean something to me. My youngest son often remarks how much he loves all the little knick knacks here and I tell him it’s my happy place.

Sometimes Often it gets messy but that’s generally when I’m heading towards the end of a project, and I just don’t have time to keep things pristine.

The photos I’m showing you below are of my office on the brink of being clean, but slowly coming undone - my desk even faster than the floor.

Speaking of my desk - it’s an electronic standing desk, which I bought from IKEA. I did used to have a massive wooden corner desk (that we bought for my little writing studio) but I have had a back operation after injury and need to take care of it, so early this year - when I was grumbling about pain again - my husband suggested a standing desk. And I don’t like to say it often, but this was a good idea of his. I love it. And I am up and down ALL day.

My desk has an assortment of very important things on it. Post it notes, little trinkets that make me smile, lots of pens and highlighter, usually a drink bottle and/or Diet Coke cans, a big microphone (which I’m yet to get working properly), my old-school paper diary (which I keep all my appointments and my daily word counts in), a few odd books, and the notebook/s for my current works-in-progress.

BUT I told my husband if I was going to get a new desk, then my old bookshelves had to go as well for as nice as they were, they no longer matched the desk. Any excuse for new shelves right? Now I have floor to almost ceiling bookshelves lining two walls and between these and the back of my office door, which I’ve decorated with promo posters and bookmarks, etc - the room looks REALLY good when I’m on a Zoom meeting or recording a podcast.

The shelves, as well as lots of books, have things I’ve collected because they’re somehow related to my books (or I just like them), gifts that have been given to me by friends and readers, and also the trophies I’ve won for my work. I’d like to say the bookshelves are in order, but that would be a lie. Although I do have my big collection of writing craft books in one section and my own novels in another. For the novels I’ve read or those waiting to be read, it’s an anything goes shelving system.

One of my favourite parts is my post-it wall - where I keep lots of quotes I’ve read about writing from favourite authors or heard on podcasts. I often look over and read them for inspiration or reminders. Here are a few of my faves:

• A good romance isn’t about two people falling in love, but two people becoming who they need to be to deserve love - Robert McKee

• If your hero is a firefighter, your heroine better be an arsonist - Linda Howard

• Writers need a PhD: Persistence, Humility and Discipline - Jane Green

• Backstory is why front story matters - Emily Henry

• Every time we meet the character they should be at a moment of crisis or change - Sally Rooney

Of course I have a MASSIVE pink bed for Addie, which cost far more than I will ever admit to my husband but is actually SUPER comfy and I confess to sitting on more than the lovely white reading chair in the corner.

I keep a white board on top of my fabulous big filing cabinet (also from Ikea. Hides a lot of mess) with my deadlines and upcoming books on. Don’t try to look closely cos it’s all changed now and I need to update it :) Of course I also have pics of my kids and my favourite cat ever (dearly departed, Simba)

If I had to choose my Top Five fave things in my office:

• The cute orange Veuve Clicquot case that used to house the bottle of champagne my publishers sent me on signing my VERY first contract

• My ABIA (Australian Book Industry Award) - which THE PATTERSON GIRLS won in 2016.

• The remains of my Troll collection (my last dog ate most of them) and all the gnomes gifted to me and collected when I wrote THE OTHER BRIDGET.

• The little whiteboard on my desk with it’s own inbuilt timer - I use it every day for writing sprints and to document my word count as I write.

• The dog that’s usually by my feet while I work, despite her VERY fancy bed.

The only downfall is that I struggle to write anywhere else now…. I used to be able to write on planes, in cafes, in the car, etc, but now I really struggle to get in the zone anywhere but here.

Thanks for visiting. Let me know if there’s anything you’d like to know more about from my office or any other questions you have and I’ll do my best to answer them in the comments.

NOTE FROM A FRIEND

In my second NOTE FROM A FRIEND, I’m excited to introduce you to the delightful Emma Mugglestone:

Hi there! I’m thrilled to welcome you to In the Long Run and the Croissants and Kilometres Run Club! (Don’t worry, there’s no running required if that’s not your thing!). But now that we’re pals, can I tell you a secret? In the Long Run is my favourite book that I’ve written. I know that authors aren’t supposed to admit this and look, yes, potentially, I’ll say the same thing about my next book, but right now this one has my whole heart.

In the Long Run is a steamy, run club romance about two people who have lost direction. Gen’s almost 30, training for a marathon she never meant to sign up for and dodging an ex who won’t take no for an answer. Knox is back in Melbourne to care for his injured godfather and help save his struggling pâtisserie. Neither are looking for love but when Gen asks Knox to pretend they’re on a date to scare off her ex—who just so happens to be Knox’s high school nemesis—he’s all in. And when a flirty clip of them after a running event goes viral, they launch the Croissants and Kilometres Run Club and suddenly their fake dating is very, very public. Can they keep up the charade long enough to reach the finish line and will they admit their fake relationship is turning real?

Being able to combine two things I love – running and writing romances – in In the Long Run has been the best fun. There’s something magical about watching characters learn to trust themselves and each other while they embark on new challenges like running a marathon or falling in love. Both are things that can be scary, exhilarating and life changing.

If you’d like to know more about In the Long Run or pick up a copy, it’s available here. And I’d love it if we could be friends on Substack and Instagram.