Those who followed my blog tour this summer were treated to a lovely picture of my writing space – it’s the parlor.  We’re a family of five crammed into a nearly 200 year old farmhouse that comes with a whole set of challenges including weird lay-out and complete absence of closets.  Hubby has taken over the “alcove” on the second floor landing for his office, which left me to use one of the smaller living rooms that I’ve named the parlor.

It’s a major traffic area between the rest of the house and the kitchen, is right next to the front door.  My desk is a small sofa and a coffee table, and the walls are littered with white boards and huge sticky sheets.  This double duty thing had to stop.  I work from home most of the time for my day-job, and when I add my writing time into the mix, I’m in this space most of the day.  I need my own office where I can have all my research spread.

So I hijacked the kid’s play room. It’s still not totally private since my eldest son will need to pass through it to get out of his own bedroom, but it’s better than the parlor.  The only challenge (besides my children’s dismay) is the vast amount of STUFF the place has accumulated.

These are pictures after the Big Clean.  Two trips to Goodwill, and six trash bags later, the room is finally clean.  Other toys in a chest and plastic tubs are now squeezed into the kids’ bedroom.  I’ve still got a bit more cleaning to do.  There are two huge bookshelves that have managed to attract STUFF of their own. After I sort them out, I’ll move them, then get down to painting.

Which led me to one of the hardest decisions in my project.  This mural.  My very talented artist brother painted it when my second son was on-the-way, and this room was his nursery.  We left it when we moved both boys into the bigger bedroom and turned this into the play room.

Ugh – I hate to paint over it.  It’s so darned cute, but I don’t think it will be easy for me to write dark fantasy with adorable farm animals smiling at me from the wall.

Once I get some paint on the walls and get everything in place, I’ll post more pictures.  I’m so excited!  Finally, a writing-cave all of my own.