Workspace Wednesday welcomes L.j. Charles
May 21st, 2013 | 
Author: Today I’m pleased to introduce you to L.j. Charles. I met L.j. online early in the indie author movement, when there weren’t so many of us. And no, that doesn’t make us dinosaurs. That makes us early adopters. (Sounds so much nicer, huh?)
Okay, L.j., take it away!
L.j. Charles: Thank you, Norah, for inviting me to Workspace Wednesday. It’s such fun to share my office with you, but I have to preface this by saying that I rarely work there. I’m a Have Laptop—Will Travel writer, so I’ll start by being right up front with it. I do a lot of my writing, and most of my revisions at the local Perkins restaurant as is shown here. I’m quite fond of the never-ending supply of Diet Coke they provide.
I do curl up on the sofa in my office to write on weekends, usually to avoid being interrupted by my Dear Husband.
He truly understands what a distraction he can be, and purchased this reminder for the door of my study.
The actual office space is quite small, and is usually inhabited by a cat or two. The black feline is Oliver Biscuit, and the wide-awake little one is Harley. The Biscuit kitty likes to sleep on my arm when I’m writing—which is one of the reasons I hide at Perkins.
There are a few things in my office that mean a great deal to me. One of them is a certificate stating that I’ve kissed the Blarney Stone. I’m not comfortable with heights, and yet I stretched out on my back and leaned over the edge of the castle roof to reach the stone. To be perfectly honest, there was a strapping young man holding me down. I can only hope the experience is a positive reflection in my writing.
Another is my Color Outside the Lines painting. It was a Christmas gift from my husband, and I use it as a focus point whenever I’m stuck on a plot point.
It’s been a pleasure to share my workspace with you, and I’m very excited that this blog post has serendipitously coincided with another event that I’m very excited about. I’ve collaborated with six other authors in a boxed set of mysteries titled Mirth, Murder & Mystery, and it’s going on sale today for .99! We’re having a Facebook party to introduce our readers to our heroes, so please stop by if you have a chance.
Thanks to everyone who dropped in to visit, and for those of you who leave a comment, I’m offering a print copy of A TOUCH OF ICE, and A TOUCH OF TNT to two commenters. Each winner will also receive one of my collage bookmarks.
Everly Gray’s fingers are a magnet for trouble. When she touches photographer Mitchell Hunt and sees the image of a dead body, she dives into the murder fingertips first. Life takes a turn for the dangerous when she discovers the body is related to a small-time crime family that accidentally stepped on the toes of notorious criminal, Delano West. Caught in a web of intrigue where nothing is as it seems, El discovers an aptitude for breaking and entering, the pain of an up close and personal meeting with a bullet, and the terror of facing a cold blooded killer. What she doesn’t learn–to keep her fingers to herself.
Having ESP in her fingertips gives new meaning to “get the picture,” and for Everly Gray it’s a one-way ticket to trouble. With fear nipping at her heels, out of control curiosity, and a reluctant request from the chief of police for help with a case, she stumbles across, not one, but two dead bodies. What she knows puts her in the path of a killer. What she doesn’t know—she’ll be the one pulling the trigger.
Curious minds want to know. Has anyone kissed the Blarney Stone. Has it helped your writing? Do you have pets who insist on helping you write? Both of my cats are very attached to adding interesting comments to my WIP.
Thank you, L.j. Loved the tour! And how exciting about your multi-author box set! Trish Milburn, MJ Fredrick and I just had a Facebook party on Monday, May 20, to launch our romantic suspense box set, In Harm’s Way. What a great way for readers to try new authors. Discoverability, right?
Okay, guys, you can check out L.j. Charles at little more closely at her website or like her on Facebook.
Now, let’s open it up for comments and a chance to win books! L.j. has given us some questions above to start you off.
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Hi L.J.! Nice workspace and love your cats! I’ve never kissed the Blarney Stone, but always wanted to visit Ireland. Your books look great!
Hi, Bonnie. I love my kitties, too. Oliver Biscuit is sitting on my right arm as I’m typing this. He’s the cuddly sort. If you have a chance to visit Ireland, do it! It’s a beautiful country. You know, I should probably write up a blog with a bunch of pictures from the trip. Thanks for the idea! And thanks for commenting.
I just want to take a moment to thank Norah for having me on her blog today. This is one of my favorites, and I’m honored to be her guest.
It’s always nice to see where other writers write. I rarely write at my desk because even though I’m high tech for some reason I write better with pen and paper in a comfy chair.
Your cats are beautiful!
Hi, Ashley. Thanks for stopping by. I simply can’t focus when I try to sit at a desk. I think my mind rebels. And about those kitties…the little one worked her way the armoire this morning. The space is about 3 inches. I have no idea how she did it, but got out in time to race my DH up the stairs – and win the race!
Hi L.j.
Loved having a peak inside your creative space. I love your focus point, but how do you not fall asleep on that comfort-y couch?
Hi, Nancy. Well, I probably would fall asleep if I could lie down, but there’s usually two cats taking up most of the space.
That couch really looks comfy! I have an arm bandit feline too- Smidget wraps herself around my arm like a snake and puts her head in my hand while she sleeps! So you kissed the Blarney Stone? And was Pierce the helpful young man. Lol. Thanks for sharing your space 🙂
How cool that we have similar felines, April. I’d probably still be in Ireland if Pierce had been holding me down. Heheheheh. The Irish gentleman in question was very, um, debonair. Definitely not a Bad Boy like Pierce.
L.J., I have kissed the Blarney Stone, and how come no one tells you beforehand you have to practically hang from your feet upside down to do it? I was a little nervous because instead of having a strapping young lad to hold onto me, there were two wizened up old drunks in long tweed coats and cloth caps. And yes, they were sharing a few nips from a bottle of whiskey! Ah, Ireland. I felt right at home there!
Wow. I mean, I’m not sure I would have done it if my guy was taking a few nips during the process. It was an experience though, wasn’t it? And quite a surprise that we had to hang from our feet. So glad to meet a fellow Blarney Stone kisser.
Hi L.J.
I’m like you. I have a nice office, but I wander around the house to write.
Love your writing spaces. Thanks for sharing.
Fan girl moment here…I love your books.
LJ I always picture you sitting at your desk writing away. I guess I get that from your picture where you’re industriously working away on a laptop with book shelves in the background.
I think I must be the only person who writes at their desk. Okay, if I really want to get wild, I use my laptop while sitting in my recliner…but that rarely happens.
I’m curious how you coffee shop – coffee house people concentrate in those places.
Hi, Kathy. That picture was actually taken in a library in Quebec and I was sitting on a little kid chair. But I had to get work done and internet on the ship was outrageously expensive.
The thing about working in a restaurant or coffee shop is that I don’t have to attend to anything going on around me. If I’m home, every little thing is a distraction, and usually means I have to interrupt my work to take care of it. I think it means I have a weird brain, or something.
I love the kitties! And well done with the Blarney Stone, though I know a few people who would think it unsanitary. Do they clean it?
And where can I get my own doorknob cushion???
Hi, Barbara.
I have no idea where my husband got the doorknob cushion, other than that it was from a catalog. About the Blarney Stone…no, they don’t clean it. Because I had glasses on, I couldn’t get close enough to actually touch it with my lips. It’s a very awkward position leaning over the edge of the building. I ended up blowing a kiss and hoping for the best. I think the mystical qualities work as soon as you hang over the building, because seriously, it’s a feat!
Thanks for commenting.
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