Wednesday Writers: Jenny Moore

Today I’m welcoming Jenny Moore!

I tried to think of things that might be interesting to someone reading this post. And when I considered what I would want to know about an author, besides their methods—like brainstorming, outlinining, how they choose character names and things like that, I thought I’d be interested in seeing their workspace.

So here’s mine.

I re-claimed the “playroom,” now that my kids are older and don’t need a whole room full of toys. It’s the brightest room in the house, which I love, and it has slopey ceilings and a funny shape—perfect!

So, here’s my desk. I’m glad it has the pull-out computer drawer, because there is never room for the laptop with all the books and stuff. I use that extra monitor when I edit, so I can have one screen with the editor’s notes, and the other with my manuscript.

On my whiteboard, I put notes to myself, and it’s mostly a “to-do” list.

I have my lego Shakespeare, pepto-bismol, what can I say, I’m one of those people with a perpetually yucky tummy, and a cute sugar bowl my sister-in-law gave me. I like to add sugar to tea and crio brew while I’m sitting there. Underneath my desk is a space heater and a stool where I put my feet up when I type.

Before I took the picture, I straightened the desk. I’m not a tidy person, but at least I threw away Diet Coke cans and Hot Tamale packages.

This is what’s behind me. Books I use a lot, and a bulletin board with headshots of my characters—I like to have a visual of the people I write about. And I put them together in couples, because I’m cheesy like that. My certificate from the Storymakers’ First Chapter Contest is framed—yes, I’m proud of it, what can I say?

The rest of the room is filled with bookshelves—some small because of the sloped roof and some bigger. I love this teapot, and the Japanese Manga copy of Reforming Lord Ragsdale that Carla Kelly gave me.

My Lit-o-graph of Pride and Prejudice and this cool vintage lunch box my kids gave me.

More books and my old Wonder Woman costume from when I was a kid. That’s one of my favorite Monet pictures on the wall—my sister gave it to me. She got it in Paris.

Basically, I like to surround myself with things that make me happy or inspire me, and my office is somewhere I feel happy and warm and comfortable. One of these days I think I’ll get a big cozy chair and ottoman where I can sit and read.

Oh, and speaking of things I love, I have a framed picture of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in my office too. He’s the perfect inspiration for writing happily ever romance novels, don’t ya think?