My Office, My Sanctuary

Are you curious where I write? I know I sometimes wonder where some of my favorite authors come up with their stories. So, today I'm sharing my space with you.

I adore my office which is a good thing because I spend at least six hours a day here. I write around my boys' schedules which means I spend the time they're at school writing (or doing other author stuff). And sometimes I find my way back into my office once everyone has gone to bed.

When I began writing full-time, we shifted rooms around in our home. I took over the front third-floor room. We painted the room in a warm espresso brown, moved in my desk that had been primarily decorative until then and gathered up all my things that made me smile. I wanted to surround my writing environment with inspiration and comfort. And, I have to keep it neat and orderly.

Since gardening is a hobby of mine, I included plants in my office and my large front garden can be seen out the windows. Planted for enjoyment year-round, the English garden is a mix of herbs and perennials in bloom three seasons a year. It's where I look out to as I write and I love it.

I also stacked my office with  my favorite books, displaying ones I've had signed by authors I've met. One entire wall (not pictured) is a full bookshelf. Off to a corner is a chair, a family heirloom that can't actually hold the weight of a person anymore. Instead, it holds copies of my own books. Someday, I plan to add a soft, comfy chair-and-a-half in that corner so I can sit in it to read in the quiet of my office... or maybe I'll try some editing in it.

The rest of my house is in constant motion. With three growing sons, a dog, three cats, the hubby and a constant flow of the boys' friends, CHAOS might best describe our home. I isolate myself in my little safe haven -my office- when it's time to write. It's a place that's all mine, a room where I don't have to let the chaos enter.

Sometimes I play music from my two writing playlists in iTunes. Sometimes I just embrace the silence. And sometimes I listen to Oliver, my pug, snoring beneath my desk. Convinced I'd be lonely without him nearby, he likes to keep company while I write. All I have to say is "Want to go to work?" and he's trotting along after me up the stairs.

If I had to describe my office in three words, I'd call it MY PRIVATE SANCTUARY. I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my space.
- Paloma