15
May062010
Where Stories Are Made: Kristine Kathryn Rusch
by Carolyn • Posted in Where Stories Are Made
Banner designed by Twoscoopz
Where Stories Are Made is a regular feature here at Book Chick City. It’s where the author takes us on a tour of their writing place, be it an office, coffee shop or park and tells us about their writing day and rituals. My guest today is science fiction writer, Kristine Kathryn Rusch…
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
How do I go about my day? Mostly, I herd cats.
Literally. My husband, Dean Wesley Smith, has never seen a cat he doesn’t want to rescue. Right now, we’re at the fewest cats in our relationship–three indoors and two out. I’m sure by the time you read this, another will have joined us. Dean has spring cat fever. He’s looking at kittens and thinking of bringing one into the house.
I feed them, clean up after them, and make sure they’re where they’re supposed to be. The first thing I do in the morning is feed cats. Then I eat, answer e-mail, and exercise. If I exercise outdoors, I often find myself playing tag with one of the outdoor cats. I’m supposed to use that exercise time to plan my next project, but mostly I’m trying to catch Orange Kitty or find him in the bushes.
This is my office window and part of my brag shelf (one copy of each of my publications) along with the most important part of any office–the cat. In this instance, it’s Monet.
Then Dean and I eat lunch out. It’s the only time we leave the house. It also gives us time to talk about writing/publishing/editing/teaching.
The all-important reading/napping/research area, with another brag shelf.
After lunch (and a stop at the post office), we come home. I feed cats again, and go into my office–for a nap. (You see the all-important nap couch in the photos.) After the nap, I finally get to writing, usually putting in a few hours before dinner.
My actual desk plus window (overlooking the garden) plus computer plus ongoing research. My desk is rarely clean–always covered with materials for the next project.
Then I write a few hours more. If I am researching, I return to the all-important nap couch and read *after* I finished writing. Pages first, then someone else’s books. If I don’t do it that way, I’d spend my entire life reading and herding cats, instead of reading, writing, and herding cats.
Part of the research library. We have an entire wing of research materials, my husband Dean Wesley Smith and I. My office happens to live in that wing as well. We have about 10,000 books with more added every day.
After research, I watch an hour or so of television or a movie–getting my visual story fix. Then I read a novel until I’m too tired to move. The life of a writer–it’s so exciting on a day to day level (she writes sarcastically).
This one is the most important, because this is what my desk looks like when I sit in my writing chair. There’s always a calendar with a to-do list, always a pen, always papers, and always a cat, trying to get in the way. The paw here belongs to Ezri, who believed that everything belonged on the floor–one item at a time.
Mixed into all of this, of course, are the occasional events–teaching, signings, travel. And Sunday lunch, with the professional writers in the area. We can have five writers or thirty–it just depends on the Sunday.
The life is about perfect for me. Although I doubt it would satisfy many others (unless they were cats).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Diving into the Wreck – Out Now
Hitler’s Angel – Out June
Duplicate Effort – Out Now
You can find out more about this feature HERE
**Next week on ‘Where Stories Are Made’: Cynthia Leitich Smith**
15 Comments
I really enjoyed this one! I love authors that love cats. She has some real cuties. I am in awe of their 10,000 book library…wow! To have the room for that many books. I will be there someday at the rate I'm going (2500+ books–fiction and non-fiction). I'm going to have to get a bigger house!
Thanks for sharing Kristine!
Reply
Wow!
*drooling over her library*
Reply
WOW! That research library…it is just beyond words
Reply
I love these posts! Very jealous that she has a wing in her house for a research library, mostly jealous that her house is big enough to have wings!
Reply
I love her library!
Reply
Wow that really is a library!
And my desk looks like that all the time too. LOL
Susi- The Geeky Lover
Reply
Wow! I want a wing for my library! Where do I get one? Amazon?
Also, all that napping, how fantastic!
Thanks Kristine, what a really great post
Reply
Thanks for the great post Kristine, love your library *green with envy*
Reply
love reading this feature. LOL – herding cats! the pic with the cat's paw placing a stamp of approval on author's notes is priceless. and love Kristine's office-in-a-library.
Reply
I love this series!
Reply
Yay for cats, and look at all those books!! Wow!
Thanks for sharing your pictures, Kristine!
Reply
Oh my gosh, a LIBRARY…in the house. I so want one:) A woman after my own heart who has a nap couch too, and again I say: a library!
I wish I had an office, let alone, a L I B R A R Y. Okay, I think I've said that enough now. *snicker*
Reply
LOVE that last picture and that research area is just to perfect!
I also love the desk. Finally someone who's desk looks like mine when I'm doing some work!
Reply
I can relate. I spend a lot of my life herding cats! haha Love the library,too.
Reply
Looks like you always have lots of company and always new visitors.
The research library is amazing! Great work area. 
Reply