He shook his head and looked through the pile. “Would they be sitting on my desk if I didn’t?” Emerson pulled one from a tall stack she had on the desktop.

Most people had transferred their music collection to iPods and other digital music players. “Do I look like I need to be reassured?” He cast an eye about the things she had on her desk. That why he does all the hiring and I stand there and look good.” It came about because one day I had a stack of CDs sitting on the desk, there was a funky disco song* playing from one of the CDs, and…Įmerson said, “Pete knew what he was doing when he offered you the job. This desk is responsible for a scene I worked into Driving in Neutral. This silky oak desk is smack in the middle of my home study, which is the sunniest room in the house. 2: The Home Study/Music Collection Where 30% of my Writing Happens (unless I’m editing at Starbucks, which makes up the last 10%) Beside my beloved MacBook Air is my beloved coffee cup.

I never, ever eat Mentos because Mentos are not coffee.

There’s the usual penholder, stapler and tape dispenser, very important speakers for listening to tunage, as well as a blue bowl of Mentos for clients. In front of the research tower o’ papers sit my thesaurus and dictionaries, essential writing tools. While the PhD is done, the giant pile o’ research articles remain in the paper tower I constructed because I can’t get rid of anything until the graduation ceremony, which isn’t for another few months. On the right, you may observe my giant IN box pile of PhD research articles, books, and paper copies of ebooks, as well as WIPs. Sometimes the owner of the deck wanders out to check if his laundry is dry, occasionally forgetting that the louvers are open and he’s not wearing pants and then it’s willy ahoy…but back to my desk. I sit in my comfy office chair, write, and gaze out the window at the greenery and the deck across the street. Huge chunks of A Basic Renovation and For Your Eyes Only were written at this administrative-looking piece of office furniture, which I suppose is fitting since the desk is located in an actual office. I don’t know how many writers mention how many desks they use when penning novels, but I have 2-or 3 if you count my local Starbucks, where I go to edit, because editing needs coffee-lots and lots of coffee.ĭesk No.1: The Desk With a View/Where 60 % of My Writing Happens.

A Basic Renovation by Sandra Antonelli