A desk of one's own

A desk of one's own as opposed to Virginia Woolf's room of one's own. A place to write, to think and to research. This picture is to prove that I did tidy my desk yesterday. I needed space to think as I have three critical papers that need to be written this month. It all seemed such a good idea when I initially put the abstracts in...when will I learn.

I have to confess though often if I am writing one of my novels I do lying on my bed with masses of pillows and cushions to prop me up whilst I work on my laptop. I believe Michael Morpurgo has a day bed where he takes a similar approach to writing. If it works for him who am I to knock it.

When I work I surround myself with things that mean something to me. Fresh flowers because I love flowers and for no other reason. The picture on the wall is one of mine that I did a few years ago, the one underneath is one I mentioned previously in this blog. It is 'Man with Kite on a Beach' and I still love it very much but need to get it framed. The two 'V's on the cds are printer's block letters. I collect letters, as I work with letters it seemed a logical thing to do. The photos are of my Dad, my three sisters, my Mum and me all doing a great impressions of mushrooms at a family wedding and one of my favourite photos of my daughter. She was 18 in this photo and it is full of laughter. You will see I have no photos of my sons, not through lack of love, through lack of decent photos. They see a camera lens and immediately pull a stupid face. (And the dog was our old dog called Beau who grew up with the children and was a very important part of our lives). The metal couple dancing was a present from my mother to me when she was trying to mend my broken heart many years ago. And as for the china cake....what else do you give someone who can't eat!

As a writer I love being surrounded by things like these, they spark ideas, feed the imagination and provide a panacea for a stressed and lost mind. They are friends to whom I need explain nothing. What they do highlight is having a space of your own to work in. Virginia Woolf was so right.