Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The Nameless New Lair

By ten-thirty yesterday morning, I was fairly certain I'd never feel organized, tidy, or able to think again. My Lair was no more, my bedroom looked like the aftermath of Armegeddon, and Sarah and I had both inhaled so much dust that she, at least, had begun to crack puns. And we both hate puns. We were getting loopy. There's a fair amount of brain power involved in combining two stuffed bookcases into one, toting out a heavy hopechest stuffed with letters, favorite books, and things from my childhood, moving another hopechest into that spot, finding where on earth my art supplies was to go, and carting in a desk and all my trappings. We did it, though, and fled downstairs to find there was nothing to eat but salad. After having nothing to eat all day but yogurt. That sent us packing to Starbucks where I bought an Izze and buried myself in Stephen Lawhead's Tuck between three different groups of our friends descending on us by chance. (This is what happens when there is only one coffee shop in town, apparently.) An Izze and friends do minister to a mind diseased (unlike plum puffs) and I returned home in a far better mood than I left. Soon after my return, the UPS man came with two boxes stuffed full of copies of Fly Away Home which I then promptly autographed and packaged up. Mama is sending them this morning after Sarah tests for her license. So those of you who ordered copies, SO sorry for the wait; you will receive them soon and I hope your enjoyment won't be lessened by the unfortunate wait.


Today, after waking up properly, I decorated this new writing space with the old things (small wall-space meant things like the illustrations for Cottleston Pie had to go into the hope-chest) and stood my sign from Wyatt Fairlead above the door. That is always the final measure in designating a new writing space: does my Author's Study sign adorn the lintel? If so, I really have moved in.

The longer I spend in this corner, the more I think it will serve well. I think I will be comfortable here. I haven't found the perfect name for it yet, but it is a pleasant, more public writing space that I think I will grow to enjoy quite a lot. Public? In your bedroom? Darlings, if you knew how much mine and Sarah's room stands as a family hang-out, you'd laugh. Levi is now playing matchbox cars on the floor, and Leah and Anna are traveling back and forth from the hall, through my bedroom, through the bathroom door, into their bedroom through the bathroom. They've decided to go with a travel-theme as soon as Abby moves out. The little girls painted my Lair an astonishing shade of pink. They love it, but I had to laugh because it literally makes the room glow. Hopefully as soon as they have furniture in it, the color will tame. Currently it is quite...energetic. Anyway, I thought you'd probably like to see pictures of the new scene of all crimes. Let me know if you have any brilliant ideas for a name!





I decided to display our antique books in the tea-cup cabinet near my desk.
There you have it! Do you have any idea what it ought to be christened? I suppose that will come with time. For now, I'm just blessed that Sarah is in support of letting me commandeer a whole corner for my work. :)

9 comments:

Madmartigan said...

How about "The Ink Spot" ?

ashley tahg said...

Going with Madmartigan here, but the first thought that popped into my head was "The Spot", due to its smallish cuteness (I love it. it looks cozy and cute) and the term, "a spot of tea".

I really don't know, my mind just thinks by tea, and "the spot" somehow popped up.

Unknown said...

What about the corner? Not very original I know, but still an idea.:)
keepcalmandsparkle1099.blogpsot.com

Esther Brooksmith (wisdomcreates) said...

It is absolutely adorable, and I love your cozy corner!

Carmel Elizabeth said...

Ooh, I like it! Quite cosy. I wish I had a designated writing-spot, but at the moment I hop around from the dining room table and the minuscule desk in our bedroom that is almost always flooded with books. (Those usually get stacked on the floor when I feel like writing in my room.)

You could always call it "Hairpin Turn", since it's a corner...O_o "The Hollow" or "InkSpot" might do as well. :)

Carmel Elizabeth said...

Ack, I just realized I'm not the first to suggest InkSpot! Kudos to Madmartigan for jumping there ahead of me. :)

Joy said...

I love your new writing space, Rachel - it is quite lovely indeed, and so cosy too! I must ask you though - now that it resides in the bedroom, is there a certain hour of the evening you have to stop writing?

That's question I have because I have a space in the bedroom pretty much like yours for my schooling + my bookcase, but when evenings come my younger sister goes to bed early and I lug my laptop and notebooks/pens/books to Dad's office and sit down on the floor for an hour or so. I wish there was more access to the comfort of the desk and library!! :D

But anyway, I totally love the setup of your place!! Happy writing there ;).

Rachel Heffington said...

Thanks for all the ideas, everyone! Joy, for many years I operated under similar dynamics, but because I share a room with Sarah (who is 19 and always stays up later than me anyway), I don't currently have the problem. I'm also graduated so I get my work done in the day and try not to spend the evening upstairs. :)

Esther Brooksmith (wisdomcreates) said...

BTW, I just read Chapter One in Fly Away Home and my, oh, my, oh, my! It is awesome! My personal opinion is that Rachel Heffington's writing (like Mr. Barnett's) should become "all the rage". What publisher could turn this stuff down?