Workspace Wednesday welcomes Theresa Ragan

 

Today I welcome a genuine rock star of the indie author world. I’ve known Theresa Ragan (who also writes as T.R. Ragan) since we finalled in the RWA Golden Heart contest in 2003, along with dozens of other talented authors. That group of authors called themselves The Wet Noodle Posse, and we’ll be celebrating our 10-year anniversary at the RWA National Conference in Atlanta in July. As fellow-Noodlers, we’ve cheered each other on, celebrated each other’s successes, commiserated over disappointments, and grieved over losses. Several Noodlers have given us a great deal to cheer about, and Theresa is foremost among them. Her perseverance is truly inspiring, as is her phenomenal success! She is now a Yew York Times and USA Today bestselling author. I would urge you to go read this Amazon article “Overnight Success, 20 Years in the Making”.

With that, I’ll turn you over to Theresa.

 

 

 

THERESA RAGAN:  Hi, Norah! I love Workspace Wednesday and I can’t thank you enough for inviting me to blog about my work space, since I finally have one.

 

 

My office is a small, ten-by-twelve room, and I love it! I finally have my own workspace. The reason I am so grateful to have a room to myself where I can actually lock the door is because for the last twenty years I wrote in the car while waiting for kids, in bed, at the dining room table, and on a tiny desk squished into the corner of my bedroom.

 

 

 

You name it, I’ve written in it or on it.

Most writers know that where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you want to be a writer, you need to sit down somewhere, anywhere, and write.

 

 

 

I had a Chihuahua, Sadie that kept me company for eighteen years during my writer’s journey. Now I have a tomcat named Lisa to watch over me. We had a Bart and Maggie at the time and the kids thought we needed a Lisa.

With six of us living in a small house, I had to make it work, so that’s exactly what I did. To block out noise, I always turn on a fan. I like white noise in the background while I write. Now that most of the kids have grown and moved away, I don’t really need the fan as much, but I’ve grown used to the noise, so I keep it on all day.

 

 

 

I’ve only had my office for a few months, so I’m still excited. When the sun isn’t too bright, I open the window and see wild turkey and rabbits and a beautiful willow tree that I planted myself.

 

Well, that’s it for now. Thanks for having me, Norah.

 

Book three of Theresa’s bestselling Lizzy Gardner Series A Dark Mind by T.R. Ragan is available for pre-order now and will be released on June 18, 2013. You can visit Theresa at:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

 

COMING JUNE 18, 2013 – AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER! A serial killer is terrorizing Sacramento, preying on happily married couples and unleashing unspeakable cruelties upon his victims. The ordeal rekindles disturbing memories for private investigator Lizzy Gardner, who barely escaped a serial killer’s clutches only years ago. But while most Sacramento residents are hiding in the shadows, paralyzed by fear, Lizzy is compelled to go after the Lovebird Killer.

So it’s no surprise that, when a routine workers’ compensation case suddenly leads her and her two young assistants onto the killer’s trail, she welcomes the chase, determined to bring him to justice before he can claim another victim. She never imagines he could be two steps ahead, watching her every move and plotting his bloodiest, most triumphant conquest of all.

 

COMING JUNE 18, 2013! Samantha Johnston, a tabloid reporter for The LA Beat, flies to New York to get the scoop on Dominic DeMarco, one of the sexiest celebrities in America. Nothing is going to stop her from being the first to find out who the mystery bride is, but instead of getting the story, Sam ends up being the story.

 

Thank you so much for visiting with me today, Theresa, and for sharing your hard-won writing space.  I absolutely LOVE that leather chair and ottoman, with that handy occasional table right there. With a cup of tea steaming on that table, I could put my feet up and write there for hours. It makes me happy knowing you’ve finally carved out this space for yourself. I’d say it’s more than overdue!

Okay, it’s on to the giveaway! Two lucky commenters will receive an e-copy of A Dark Mind, Theresa’s newest T.R. Ragan title. To call her Lizzy Gardner stories thrillers is almost an understatement. I tend to check the locks on my doors and windows when I hunker down to read one, which I’ll be doing soon as soon as my preordered copy arrives. 🙂

Okay, let’s have some comments! Are you working on your own “overnight” success that’s taken decades? Do you shoehorn bits of time or space into your demanding day to follow a passion? Have you ever had to surrender a dream, only to have an ever better one manifest? What’s your story of perseverance?

20 Responses to “Workspace Wednesday welcomes Theresa Ragan”

  • Doris McKay:

    Amazing writing room Theresa. So perhaps some day I will have my own space. I do have the desk in my bedroom. Just sorting out from a move. I love the writing board. I’m going to look into that. I think Lisa looks like a great writer buddy. Congrats and thanks for sharing. I’m always late and so I’m so happy to be early today.

    • Hi Doris! You’re the first one to comment. Yay! It is sort of nice having an office, but I must admit it took a little getting used to. I was so used to moving from room to room. 🙂

  • Nice office, Theresa. Congratulations on your wonderful successes.
    Can’t wait to read your latest books.

  • Theresa,

    I’m so glad you FINALLY have your own office. You deserve it.

    Norah, I love this blog. 🙂

    • Thanks, Debra. I love this blog, too! Norah’s workspace wednesday is one of the few blogs I check our regularly. Isn’t it funny…our curiosity about seeing where other authors are slaving away. 🙂

  • Lovely office, Theresa. My office is a bit smaller than yours, and I’m scratching my head, trying to figure out how you got that beautiful chair in there and not have it look crowded!

    • Thanks, Kate. My daughter had to stand in the hallway to take the picture and she has one of those cameras and a great lens that makes things look bigger than they are. Have you ever looked at a house for sale and then you go to see it and it’s not NEARLY as big as it looked in the picture? Yeah, well, that’s what’s going on here. 🙂 If I back up my desk chair, I hit the ottoman.

  • Theresa, I love your new work space, especially the view. I fear I would be looking out the window all the time. Congrats on your upcoming release.

  • It’s a beautiful space, Theresa!
    And, as a fellow Noodler, I’m THRILLED with your success and Norah’s!

    • Hi Diane! Thanks for commenting!

      • Hi webmaster, cememotnrs and everybody else !!! The blog was absolutely fantastic! Lots of great information and inspiration, both of which we all need!b Keep em coming you all do such a great job at such Concepts can’t tell you how much I, for one appreciate all you do!

  • Love your office, your spirit and your tenacity. Especially, though, the flowers. They bring soft pleasure during difficult struggles. I have been working on one ‘novel’/story or another for years, but in particular on a novel since 2006. It takes place in the Camargue and touches on many interesting aspects of French history and culture….many very well-written scenes that lure into the moment. BUT I hit a wall, a ‘the main couple needs more’ moment that I haven’t resolved; and I won’t unless I get to work.

    It is refreshing to see your well-earned success, and I applaud you for it. As to the office, I have no excuse. My husband and I share a fabulous office – an extra bedroom with bright windows, birds talking to us from the crape myrtle tree, lots of wall space for our France photos and a whole colorful wall of my watercolors —-they too are ‘finished and unfinished’. I don’t want to go to my grave without this written legacy that weaves my love of France with my own well-earned wisdom and sensibilities about life.

    Looking forward to your Dark Mind…..and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

  • hi Ms like your office space.

    My laptop sits on a table practically wide enough for my laptop along with a couple of other items.

    So I understand how you feel about space needs.

    In 11, 2007, I was writing a story about a woman who discovers her apartment manager is a vampire. He wants her. She doesn’t want him. In the middle of that month another vampire story came to me. So I put the other one away. I finished the book. Its a novella and 3 years ago on my bday it was released. It also became one of my publishers best sellers. & its going to print soon.

    I just started a WIP. After sharing its idea I’m told it seems to read like a thriller. The idea came to me as an image. So I’m writing the story.

    I’ll be returning to the vampire apartment manager and it will be completed. Soon

    Thanks for revealing your office space, kiddo. Can’t wait to read A dark Mind. Luv the title.

  • Love the cat bed. And your ‘view’. When I’m not writing, sometimes I open the window next to my computer and watch the road wind out of sight through the neighborhood.

  • Chalet Fuery:

    Thanks for sharing your space and your writing with us. I’m not a writer but I’ve been an avid reader since I was little. I read just about as often as I can whether its on the train into work or in bed after the kids are sleeping.

  • Amy Conley:

    Love the office. We are in the middle and taking ours out have a guest room

    Love the premise behind your book. Sounds like a door locker to m@e!.

  • Sara Brockunier:

    Love peeking in on someone’s writing space. Gives me ideas on how
    to decorate

    Nhsarab at yahoo dot com

  • Carol Erdan:

    Congratulations on your “Woman cave,” Theresa. Since the guys can have their Man caves, why shouldn’t we have our version? The view from your office window looks so serene, perfect for contemplating the next plot.

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