Where Stories Are Made is a new 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 crime writer Kate Ellis, best known for her ‘Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson’ series…
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Recently I’ve gone up in the world. Until a couple of weeks ago my heinous fictional crimes were conceived in a shed at the bottom of the garden, but now my younger son has flown the nest and his old bedroom has been cleansed and decorated in a fetching shade of pale blue/green, I’ve finally made it indoors and the large front bedroom has been transformed into my writing space.
At first I quite enjoyed working outside. My shed had electricity and heating (of sorts) and the view from the window provided countless distractions in the form of birds, squirrels, local cats and the sight of the empty washing line to remind me that the laundry needed doing. But gradually the inconveniences (and a particularly harsh winter) made me long for the comforts of the great indoors.
That’s not to say that my shed wasn’t fairly well equipped for writing. One wall was filled with bookshelves to house all my reference books. My novels feature modern day crimes but there is always a historical case going on in the background of each book so research is very important to me. I have built up a good collection of reference books, mainly about history, archaeology and the County of Devon (where my Wesley Peterson novels are set). I also have quite a few books about murder and forensic science, including an invaluable one called The Crime Writers’ Handbook – 65 ways to kill your victim…in print. As you can imagine, my copy is very well thumbed.
My shed was a great place to entertain friends when they called round for coffee (providing a welcome distraction from crime) and I hope it will still provide that function now that it has become a summer house. However, one of my friends, a librarian, confessed to a library audience that she’d always felt a little uncomfortable sipping coffee in the presence of so many books on poisons – I think she was joking!
‘The Great Move’ from shed to indoor luxury took a while and it’s still not entirely complete. We transferred all my books in carrier bags and washing baskets and my desk had to be dismantled then built again in its new position by the window. As for my new life of working comfort, well it’s certainly less cramped and I haven’t got to worry about heating, carrying my laptop outside, calls of nature and having to brave the rain every time I want a cup of tea (and that’s frequently).
In my new office I have new bookshelves, plenty big enough to accommodate any additions to my book collection, my old desk, my radio and CD player (because I like to listen to music while I work), a large chest of drawers for all my paperwork and a little filing trolley where I plan to keep all my newspaper cuttings once I’ve sorted them out (quite a few ideas for plots are triggered by things I read in the newspaper so I tend to cut out interesting snippets for future reference). I also have a lovely new daybed with lots of big cushions which serves as a sofa to curl up on when I’m revising manuscripts or reading up on some historical subject. It can also become a bed and it was recently pressed into use when my cousin came over from Canada – a truly useful piece of furniture. I also treated myself to a new rug in subtle muted colours for the painted floor and a pretty lampshade with coloured glass droplets to add a touch of luxury. One essential task was putting up some pictures I have of Dartmouth (my fictitious town of Tradmouth where my detective, Wesley Peterson is based: in my books it’s a dangerous place full of death and mayhem but in reality it’s a beautiful and historic West Country port). Although the room is almost finished, it’s still a work in progress and my next job is to make a large notice board for the wall above the radiator.
One of my favourite pieces of furniture is a little cabinet I made when my children were young out of an old wine box provided by a dear friend who died some years ago. I painted it with the picture of a sailing ship in the style of old nautical chests and put shelves inside. Now it houses the classical CDs I like to listen to while I work and it has great sentimental value. The cane chair by my desk comes from my family home in Liverpool and is one piece of furniture I remember from childhood – in fact it was borrowed for a school production of The Importance of Being Earnest in which I played the part of Cecily so it holds some happy memories.
I like to get all my routine household jobs out of the way before I go up to my office and begin writing which means I usually settle down at my desk around 11 o’clock. I take a half hour break for lunch then I work through till around 5.30. I’m often joined by my cat, Vivaldi, who curls up on some convenient surface and makes herself comfortable. She’s 17 now and a little arthritic but we enjoy each other’s company.
You’ll notice in the photographs that my new office looks very tidy. Come back in a year or so and the mess will probably have spread and multiplied as mess tends to do. My latest novel, The Flesh Tailor, (a tale of a murdered doctor, sixteenth century body snatching and mysterious children evacuated to South Devon during the second world war) was created in the shed but I really feel that my new working space will be equally good for dreaming up intriguing crimes and mysteries.
Many thanks to Book Chick City for inviting me to tell you all about my writing space and I hope you’ve enjoyed this peep into the place where my novels are created.
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The Flesh Tailor: Out Now
You can find out more about this feature HERE
**Next time on ‘Where Stories Are Made’: Jocelynn Drake**
10 Comments
The shed looked really lovely, but it should be really cold and you can always go back whenever you feel nostalgic.
Loved to read this. It's always so amusing.
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I enjoyed seeing Kate's writing space! I like the idea of the shed, but having an office in the house is, I'm sure, much more comfortable.
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My father had a shed very similar like yours, except he used it as his "library" – he was an avid reader, not a writer. He had his equipped with heat and electricity, also, and even had a small television complete with cable hookup so he could watch his favorite sports games, too! Dad passed away a couple years ago, and although the shed is still there in Mom's backyard, it's not the same now that he's gone.
Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your writing nest, and for bringing back a happy memory for me.
Hugs~
Crazy Cat Lady
http://crzycatladyslibrary.blogspot.com/
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I kind of like the idea of a shed that's yours and yours alone. But it would get very cold in the winter – I'm not sure I could cope! I think moving indoors was a good idea
Thanks for the fun post.
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I love that shed and her writing space is phenomenal!
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I want that shed– I think I could add a sign: NO kids allowed. LOL
The room is lovely, and the bookshelves are awesome…yes, I think this would be so much more comfortable in the winter especially. Now if I can just get one of my kids to leave. *snort*
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I love both of Kate's writing spaces. So lovely!
xx,
E.J
From the Shadows
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I can see why you moved indoors, but that cottage looks just too quaint! Love your kitty. Hope the coming winter is nice to her.
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I definitely agree that the indoor environment can host a wide variety of convenience and comfort, but that writing shed is so gosh darn cute! I love your bookshelves!
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This was pretty cool. I love that shed! I also love the cat named Vivaldi…two of my favorites!
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