What's on your desk, Alberta Ross?

From the desk of Alberta Ross...

Thank you for inviting me to show off my workspace.

I work on the dining room table – it’s not really a dining room any more, we eat off trays mostly, so I decided to commandeer the space.  Moved the china out of cupboards and replaced it with my books and files, works a treat.

On the table I have my laptop – I am almost welded to it!  Behind that a container full of my notebooks (like many, I have a thing about notebooks – have colour co-ordinated them; this year in shades of pink, next year it will be blue!) and behind the table is a trolley with a printer and scanner.  I alternate a music centre, iPod and radio for my background entertainment.

Out of sight to the right of the table are reference books, folders and magazines.  The window cills (out of sight) are quite cluttered with papers and books. I'm not the tidiest person around.

Younger cat observes from up high.  She doesn't much like the camera so she's retreated.  Usually she sits right next to the computer, occasionally rubbing my glasses off.  Great game.  She spends a great deal of time watching the words appear on the screen as I use the machine and she loves the printer, racing to watch the paper going in and out.  

A typical day for me is to spend a couple of hours 7 - 9 am (usually in my dressing gown with a cup of milky coffee) either writing WIP or networking depending on my mood.  Then I'll get washed, dressed, fed etc.  If I'm not going out anywhere I'll do a spot of gardening, washing and what have you – not keen on the housework bit!  I return to the computer about 11.00 and work until about 2.00 on various writing matters.

Lunch and a siesta.  I love my siesta – a lot of ideas and problem-solving goes on while I'm prone on the bed.  I start writing again at approximately 3.30 and go on until I make dinner at about 6 - 7.  If I'm good I'll leave the machine and relax in the evening but more often than not I'll wander back to the machine and do another couple of hours before bed.

Because I'm self-published a fair amount of time is needed to network and find opportunities to plug my books.  There also has to be enough hours to write the books.  I run two blogs which I struggle sometimes to find time to keep posted.  Luckily I'm retired and so can spend most of the day doing what I enjoy most.  I'm not sure how I would cope if I had to go out to work as well.  Those who can have all my respect.

I like working here.  Because our abode is open plan I feel I'm still part of the life of the home.  That can be disrupting on occasions, however when I was shut away in a special room I found it very restricting. 

Where to find me:

http://www.albertaross.co.uk
Alberta’s official website where detail of her books, extracts, readers comments and contact details can be found

http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com
where Alberta blogs about writing and self publishing

http://www.didyoueverkissafrog.typepad.com
blogging about anything she fancies

Alberta can be followed on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/albertaross

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