When and where do you prefer to write?

I prefer daytime writing over evenings. My home office window has a lovely view of a beautiful lake scene. I enjoy getting to observe the movements of nature as I write. There are always birds and squirrels in the yard. Sometimes I see an eagle pair soaring overhead. It is all quite charming and calming.

Do you have a certain ritual?

I usually have to have total silence when I’m writing but once in a great while, I feel the need for music. Sometimes, that’s because I am writing a musical scene and I want to get in the mood for it. Other times, I am writing an actual
song for a book and I end up going over it again and again before sending it off to an instrumentalist and singer. The Cleo Can Tie A Bow song went through several iterations before it ended up like it does now. By the way…something you might want to keep in mind if you ever write a song for a book. Make sure it is at least 1 minute and 1 second long, otherwise you won’t be able to get it licensed for air play on Itunes, Spotify and other streaming services. Cleo’s song was originally only 30 seconds long. After Tunecore, the licensing organization I use, rejected it for being too short, I ended up having to add another verse and I also had to re-hire both the musician and singer. That could have all been avoided, had I known about the minimum play time rule. So, I hope this tip helps save others extra time and money.

Do you like a drink or something to nibble on while you write?

Read the answer the last question at B For Book Review Blog.