My name is Reese (points to name badge) and I will be your tour guide for this portion of the Where We Write tour. I write many places but I happen to be my most productive in a converted bedroom that belonged to each of my children at one time or another. I feed off their lingering creative energy and, now that they’re grown, I appreciate their continuing support of my writing endeavor.
As you walk into my office the first thing that catches your eye has to be the seven sagging shelves and the bookcases all bulging with books. What can I say? I love books more than I love chocolate. No really. I do. Unless you count M&M’s. They hold a soft spot in my heart but tend to create soft spots over the rest of me.
The walls in here are really pink and barely white and covered with dozens of family pictures, art work from friends and a loveable armadillo Pat gave me in Dallas along with a note (which I still have) that reminds me that I can be tougher than the rodent when it comes to perseverance in the writing biz. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Pat. And the rat. I also have a letter from Deborah after I received a rejection. Her kind words are a gentle kick in the rear to remind me that I CAN do this. I just can’t give up. Thanks, Debo. A love note from my hubby completes the trifecta.
I have a large corner desk that is cluttered with the riff-raff of my daily life. Including manuscript pages, pens, catalogs, my IPod dock, more pens, research books, notepads, sticky notes, an M&M mug from my sister, trinkets of affection from my kids and hubby, candles and a picture of my mom and I from our trip to Florida. Believe me when I tell you I need these things around me. They make me happy. Until it comes time to dust them—but that’s another blog topic.
A large sign hangs above my desk that says And They Lived Happily Ever After. Beneath that is my wedding picture and next to that is one of us on the Caribbean cruise we took for our 25th wedding anniversary. Of course, the real story of my adult life lies not in these two framed pictures but in everything that happened between them.
Over there (practiced two-fingered point) is a futon to park yourself on and a whole wall of dry erase boards to plot on. A closet full of shelves—holding more very important paraphernalia including a box that contains letters of encouragement, congratulation cards from friends and family and every single one of the sympathy cards I received when my dad died that I can’t yet part with complete the picture.
This room fits my personality and it's my happy place. I come in here to just be me.
That concludes our tour for today. Help yourself to some homemade brownies or cookies on your way out and please remember to visit the gift shop before you leave.
Hugs,
Reese
7 comments:
Reese,
Your office sounds like a wonderplace to write. I know for a fact that it's a wonderful place to visit.
Nice guided tour. If you ever want to change jobs, I think the DC tour company could use you.
Any idea yet why the heroine of your current work in progress has a helium filled blow up doll and 147 packages of red Jello in the truck of her car?
I can't pretend to understand how a gifted panters like youself creates such wonderful, funny chaos in your books, but it works!
Thanks, Pat. I'll keep the job info in the back of my mind--just in case.
No idea why Molly has these things in her possession. It will come to me--hopefully sooner rather than later.
Reese, what a cool take on a description. Knowing you your office has to be great. I too love books more than chocolate--except Russel Stover cherry cordials or chocolate covered coconut. "riff-raff of daily life" Great visual description --stick with that armadillo--you will be published!
Reece, your office sounds like a great place! I, too, write in what had once been a bedroom and everyone who walks in always notices the bulging bookcases. "You have a lot of books" is a typical response - but like you, books are my weakness!
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Joan. I love my office and my armadillo!
Jessica, I received a Kindle for Christmas so I guess my bookshelves (and the people that sit under them) are safe for now. (grin)
Great tour, Reese, thanks for being our guide. I enjoyed your liking to write in a room with such memories, wrapping yourself in them and using the "lingering creative energy."
I also enjoyed your having certain mementos around you that make you happy. My whole over-filled small house is that way. I keep way too many things that I've collected on trips or people have given me. But they make me happy. It'll be up to my daughter one day to toss out the stuff. For now, I'm into being happy.
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