Writer's Lair by Georgia Downer

Writer’s Lair is the presumptuous label for my writing space at home. I love this room. It’s filled with books, pictures, 3-ring binders containing hard copies of my stories, and a metal Whitman’s Sampler can stuffed with receipts from exotic adventures at Wal-Mart, JC Penney’s, Popeye’s, and other reminders of exciting daily living. A poster-sized tempera painting of 2 deer hangs in here. I did it in 7th or 8th grade and won 2nd prize in the art contest. Competition was light that year.

Much of my time here is spent not writing. I pay bills online, read way too much email, and browse the ‘net. Or work with Bob on his video about the 75 cars he’s owned. I chat with Katy, our 10-year old granddaughter who lives in Illinois and types faster than I do. I often cruise through the twenty-five cookbooks at my elbow for a new recipe for dinner. Or pick up my all-time favorite book from the bookcase behind me and read “Beautiful Joe” by Marshall Saunders one more time.

These are a few of the things that inspire (such an elegant word) me to set down mundane events and thoughts now and then. A polite prompt from Jessica for a BWG blog offering never hurts either. Recording those experiences will never make me a great writer, but doing so has created a happy one.
Keep writing!

Georgia Downer is BWG publicist. She writes essays and short fiction and has won prizes for her work. She's currently working on a novel.