As some of you may know, I’ve recently moved from Shreveport, LA to San Antonio, TX. Less than a year before that, I was in Oklahoma City. So there’s been a bit of upheaval in my life, which has led to much stress and a lot of books being turned in only on time, instead of months ahead, which is how things ran for the first two years of my career. But since we’re finally settling into our house in San Antonio, I thought I’d post a little photo tour of the things that are keeping me sane in this new city/new house (both new only to me), during multiple overlapping deadlines. So I give you, My Sanity:
This is my coffee station. Technically, I believe it’s called a butler’s pantry, but I don’t have a butler (the very thought sends me into hysterical laughter), so I’ve converted it into my own personal coffee bar. Features of interest include my coffee maker/dispenser (the main attraction); my coffee grinder (I’ve asked Santa for a better one–this is the quick-n-cheap replacement for the one I burned up last month); the basket holding my beans (in the stainless canister), creamers, and artificial sweetener; the mini-trashcan for sweetener packets; and my Lost Shaker of Salt, holding coffee stirrers. As you can see, this morning I’m drinking out of a reindeer mug. And on the ledge, you may be able to make out my black cat candy dish. Note that it’s empty. That’s because I’m being good, not because I ate all the candy. I swear. 
This is my office. It’s my very first office, and I love it. I write in that chair. It’s my writing chair. I’ve had it for six years now, and every manuscript I’ve ever written (except the first one) was written there. I’m pretty sure that chair contains my mojo, so I plan to keep it until it literally falls apart. My laptop is in the chair. Usually, I’m under that laptop. To the left is my bulletin board. To the right is another piece of ancient furniture: a lamp/side table combo. This is my messy area. I like it that way.
This is the other side of my office. And I swear that’s a Halloween headstone holding the door open, not a real one.
This is the other, other side of my office. My printer/fax, filing cabinet, and office supplies are in the closet. That’s Nyx on the cat tower. She likes to sit there while I work, and as I write this, she’s napping in front of the window. I keep the curtains open during the day, and she can’t resist the view. Kaci doesn’t hang with me while I work. She’s a grumpy kitty, even when she’s not sick. My white boards are leaning against the wall next to the cat tower. And yes, they’re facing backward, so zooming won’t help.
This is the junk on top of my desk. On the left is Lucky, the floppy black cat who comes to signings with me. The cat frame holds a picture of Tirzah, my very first cat, who died seven years ago. Next to Tirzah is a glass bottle my friend Jocelynn gave me for my birthday a couple of years ago. I’m supposed to write my goal on a slip of paper and put it in the jar, and by focusing on that every time I see it… well, that’s supposed to help me reach my goals. Have I mentioned how awesome Joce is?
In the left cube are some of my research texts, including Forensics for Dummies, Body Trauma, and several text books from college, which still come in quite handy. In the center cube are my thus-far published books, my Easy Button, and my collection of plotting Post-Its.
This is Scaredy, a stuffed Halloween cat someone gave me a couple of years ago.
This is a foam-backed poster of Rogue from a publisher function I did about a year and a half ago. The car is a model of the vehicle one of my (unpublished) heroines drives. Number one gave it to me, complete with bullet holes and cracked glass.
And this is the Pride territorial map I use for reference, with my hand written notes in the margins. The south-central Pride is in blue, in the south, of course. The free zones are yellow. I’m planning to post a clickable digital copy of this on my website, but the move to San Antonio pushed that project back a bit. Soon, hopefully.
Okay, there you have it. This is where I spend most of my time. What do you think? Does this look like a writer’s natural habitat?
Related posts:
Tags: Rachel Vincent
I’m jealous. I have to write in my room, and my room is small. It has my dad’s desk, no other place for it, my desk, my bed, my bookshelf, my dressed… Very cramped.
Your new office looks almost exactly my dream office. *sigh* I want an office with a desk, bookshelves, one wall partially covered with sticky whiteboard paper, comfy chair to sit in…
Anyway, I love it and yes, it looks like a writer’s natural habitat. Before they start working on the novel. If you’re as messy as I am, your office won’t be so tidy in a few weeks.
Very nice! Love the office! I see we have the same coffee maker~no more broken carafes; love it!
Rachel, your house is so CLEAN!!! **waugh** I never should have fired the maid…
Looks like a great office. But I am wondering where this “messy area” that you refer to is.
everything looks great!
I love your office, especially your bookshelves. In the small pictures, they look sort of antique, which is right up my alley. I also love your idea for your map. Very cool and easy to use.
**sigh** I want an office. Any place where my toddler won’t bang on the keys or ask to watch my bubble screen saver while I’m writing.
I’m so jealous! It’s SOOO cool! If I ever make it, I’m gonna save up to buy a place with an office and if it turns out even HALF as cool as yours, I’ll be ecstatic.
It’s great! Enjoy it.
Congrats on having your own office now!
And I love the coffee bar! That sound really be in the office too!
Thanks for sharing!
Rachel, I love your office. Makes mine seem tinny. I’m jealous.
Your heroine’s car is similar to the one that mine drives. It reminds me of Dean’s car on Supernatural.
Looks great! I’m currently campaigning for a new desk myself, one right in front of the window so I can look out. Just like to mention that I bought Shift on the weekend purely because of your posts here. Am really enjoying it so far!
Hi Rachel
Thank you for sharing the pictures. I loved them. Your office looks great. Love all the books!
Thanks again,
All the best,
RKCharron
xoxo
Clean Office Rachel ! wow, i love those pics. now i know where you sit when you ‘dive’ into your ‘world
Your office looks great, and so neat and clean and organized. Mine…a study in chaos.
Welcome to Texas
Hopefully that means you will have a signing near me (Ft. Worth) sometime in the future.
Hey, Rachel! Love your writing space. How you can call any area within it ‘messy’ is beyond me. It looks so neat and organized, and the colors look so soothing to the eyes. I love it that you use the white boards and post-it notes for brainstorming. We do similar things at work, and I’ve been thinking of doing that at home while I am working on a new outline. Especially after reading you talk about doing it. Seems like a really good idea. Hope this new space will be more permanent. Hope the kitty stays healthy. Moving is so stressful on cats. We took ours 2900 miles, from Florida back home to Oregon. Had to stop at a night vet in Ogden, UT, Celsi got so sick. Have a great week!
I think it’s really cool that you have a framed poster of the cover of Stray in your office.
Wow…
I love the office, seems aboslutely suited to you.
I wish I had a space of my own to write in like that, it’s either my bedroom, or the living room, however, unfortunately when I’m not alone in the house I never get left alone.
Great post, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the inside look. So, that is where the magic happens!
Messy area! LOL.
Love the office, so cozy and love the coffee station
Its good to have company sometimes when writing, it makes concentrating better when they don’t talk lol I think its fitting that your company is a cat. I really like your writing area. I could definitely see some really cool ideas been created in there.
How to you pronounce Nyx?? where did you find the name? I’m reading P.C and Kristen Cast’s House of Night series and their Goddess is named Nyx..
How do you pronounce Nyx that was meant to be.. early morning and the brain hasn’t woken up yet
Hey Melissa,
Nyx is pronounced like “nix.” I believe it’s Greek for “night.”
I haven’t read House of Night, but I’d assume her goddess has something to do with night or darkness?
OMG I have a “Scaredy” stuffed cat exactly like yours, given to me by a romance reader through a monthly Secret Santa game… She knows I am a cat lover! I put it out on my front porch this Halloween. I’m surprised it wasn’t taken by someone, but it is now packed away for another year.
Love the office! I write mostly in bed at night, since it’s the only time and place I can escape my husband bugging me every two minutes to help him with something he’s perfectly capable of doing himself! Can’t wait for the next book…I’ve recommended the series to my friends.
Your “butler’s pantry” is very nice and it’s great that you now have an office to work in. Though I must say your work didn’t seem to suffer from not having before! Look your Kitty, from your writings it sounds like Kaci isn’t feeling well, hope things get better!. Also hope your moving stops for a while too so you con feel more settled. Hope Texas works for you!