This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. PJ will be awarding an eBook copy of "Thin Ice" to one commenter at each stop and a $25 Amazon or BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To see the other stops on the tour, please click the banner above.
Up until last December, I was parked on my couch with my laptop and as many pillows as I needed to keep me comfortable and supported. I think I was hell bent on being in the living room because I spend so much time at my desk, if I didn’t get to take breaks and watch TV or engage in a conversation with my husband now and then, I would feel like I was working ALL the time. I had a room upstairs that we called an “office,” but it was really a cubbyhole with a desk, an ancient computer, a filing cabinet, and stacks of junk I wasn’t using. It felt claustrophobic. I couldn’t work in that space at all. Creativity for me doesn’t happen in isolation. I need a wide open space and access to my living area. I need to feel like I’m part of what’s happening in the household, even if there isn’t much happening.
Against my better judgment, I had gotten used to hunkering down in the living room. I tried a million ways to make sitting on the couch ergonomic, but my back and neck were definitely suffering. Being a massage therapist, personal trainer, and former PT Assistant, I knew better, but I was stubbornly holding onto the idea that my productivity was attached to being in my living room.
So last Christmas, while I was at work one day my wonderful husband moved my office from upstairs down into the living room. He created a fabulous work space for me, including dual computer screens so I can work simultaneously on two projects at once, or have my e-mail on one while I write my stories on the other. It’s very easy to move from my laptop screen to the much larger screen in front of me that is ergonomically in just the right position. I must say that I’ve gotten spoiled having this feature but my neck and back pain have improved greatly.
Technically, my view includes the living room with flat screen TV, our pellet stove room which is a cozy transitional room between our living room and kitchen, and then of course our fabulous kitchen itself, where my husband plays chef and does most of the cooking. It’s very easy for us to have conversations between rooms and for both of us to feel like I’m still present, even if I am pecking away at the keyboard. However, when I need a dose of fresh air and sunshine, I can be found out on my front porch, enjoying the lovely weather here in the Berkshires and watching the hummingbirds and butterflies in my gardens.
About the Author:I knew I would be a writer someday when I was a little girl sitting on my grandpa’s knee and telling him stories that he would help me put on paper. By the time I entered kindergarten I could already read and write, and I couldn’t wait to look up new words every morning in the ginormous Webster’s Dictionary that sat in the book case at the bottom of our stairs. I would get on the bus and ask my friends, “Do you know what pulchritudinous means?” Between that and challenging the boys to push-up contests at the bus stop, I mostly sat alone on those bus rides to school. But that just meant I had more time to make up stories.
I went on to many other endeavors in life, including the world of figure skating, and later, earning a black belt in martial arts. Though I was a mom at seventeen, I did manage to finish school and somehow made it through college, earning a degree as a Physical Therapy Assistant. After nineteen years, two sons, a divorce, and some fairly lean years, I found that it’s true what they say about life beginning at forty. It was about that time when I reunited with the love of my life and worked my way to owning my own business as a Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer, and Yoga Instructor—all of my favorite things. To make my bliss complete, I moved out to the Berkshires and found my muse waiting for me there amongst the lilacs and humming birds.
I now write Extraordinary Stories of an Average Teenage Life in order to share hope with others, especially teens, that no matter how tough life gets, there is always a bright spot waiting just around the corner. My published books include the award winning YA Novels, HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and SAVAGE CINDERELLA, available through Amazon and B&N Booksellers.
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pjsharonbooks
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/pjsharon
Amazon Author Central https://www.amazon.com/author/pjsharon
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/pjsharon64
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/pjsharon
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5238865.P_J_Sharon
Secretsof7scribes http://www.secretsof7scribes.com/
YABeyond http://www.yabeyond.com/
In the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where a global shift threatens the remainder of the population with extinction, sixteen-year-old genetically enhanced Lily Charmichael has more immediate problems. Her uncle is dying of cancer and her healing abilities are ineffective against the blood ties that bind them. In order to find a cure, Lily must leave the protection of her quiet town and journey into the trading city of Albany, all while avoiding the Industry, an agency that would like nothing better than to study and exploit her abilities.
Seventeen-year-old Will Callahan has been searching for his father since severe storms blasted through the Midwest, killing his mother and sister. When he learns that his father may be in the city, he catches a ride with Lily, a girl who has come to his rescue more than once. As the two embark on a dangerous journey, the attraction between them grows. But the secrets Will’s keeping could put her in far more danger than traveling to the city with him, and if he was any kind of man, he would have told her to run the minute she found him.
Thanks for allowing me to share my work space with you today. If anyone has any comments, questions, or suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
ReplyDeleteYour new workspace looks roomy. I can hear how pleased you are with it. Your garden looks lovely.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thanks for stopping in and commenting, Mary. The workspace is great...the garden is perfect:-) If i could set up my desk out there it would be heaven.
ReplyDeleteIt is so sweet that your husband hooked you up with the ultimate writing spot as a surprise. Thanks for sharing your life with us
ReplyDeletefencingromein hotmail dot com
I've really lucked out, Shannon. My hubby is the best! He's really the best person I know and the sweetest man I've ever met. Thanks for stopping in and leaving a comment:-)
ReplyDeleteYour husband sounds like a great guy. It was a very sweet thing he did.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Thanks Kit. He's full of surprises!
ReplyDelete