Today’s guest is the inimitable Cathryn Hein. Her wicked sense of humour, passion for golf, and obsession with a bunch of grown men wearing red and white tight shorts, makes her stand out from the crowd. I love hanging out with Cathryn and Rachael Johns at RWA and ARRA events – and if you want to read a feel good story about writing buddies check out Cathryn’s blog post about the two of them on Rach’s site. (And I have to sneak in a mention of Rach’s new book, Outback Blaze, which is on the shelves now as well!)
But back to Cathryn – her latest story, Rocking Horse Hill, is out and about garnering wonderful reviews in the blogsphere, but she’s still found time to drop by and share a glimpse of her writing space. So, over to Cathryn 🙂
My Writing Space – Cathryn Hein
Thanks, Helene, for inviting me to your blog to talk about that most important of rooms, and I don’t mean the loo!
I admit to being very lucky with my writing space. I have an entire room at my disposal, all kitted out with everything a writer could need (except perhaps a spectacular view like what Helene enjoys). (Ah yes, my beautiful view 🙂 )
I have a large workstation, a freaky-looking but wonderfully back friendly office chair, whiteboards (oh, how I love whiteboards,) including a giant one on wheels, a computer, printers and scanners, a wall planner, and what writing space wouldn’t be complete without a putting mat? (I’d like to see that fit aboard Roo Bin Esque!)
As you can see, the area is perfect. I swan in around 11 am each morning, type a couple of words into The Greatest Novel Evah, nurture my muse with wine and a few mind-clearing putts, before knocking off at 12 to spend the remainder of the afternoon reading or rewatching Sydney Swans AFL Grand Final victory DVDs for hero research. (That’s those men in red and white with their shorts about two sizes too small – magnificent!!)
Convinced? No? Aww, come on. Surely, you believe me?
Huh.
No, well I suppose I wouldn’t either. The above simply doesn’t happen. Somewhere between 6-30 and 7 am I stumble to my office in my trakky daks and t-shirt, spend the next 8 hours believing I’m writing The Worse Novel Evah  and wondering why the hell I ever thought I could do this.
THIS is more what my writing space looks like mid-book. Me slumped in despair, biscuit and cake crumbs in every crevice, papers and sticky notes scattered like confetti, a box of tissues on standby for when things get really bad. (What no chocolate???)
I actually hate mess. I’d much rather be organised and tidy, but for some reason the office trend is toward chaos. I have flurry days where it all gets too much and I ruthlessly put everything into order. Then, slowly, it degrades again. This goes on until the book is finished and I can finally stack everything into a nice rubber-band wrapped package and file it away.
Right now that time seems a long, long way off. Rocking Horse Hill has just released and I’m deep into the second draft of The Falls, my next rural romance. Salvation from chaos will have to wait. Nevermind. I’ll just have to tell myself that it’s all a part of my creative cycle, and one that must be nurtured.
Not a bad excuse to get out of housework, is it?
Ha, love it! Any excuse to get out of housework indeed! Capt G is stuck with cleaning duties on Roo Bin Esque… Cathryn, thank you for another witty insight into your world. ‘Rocking Horse Hill’ is at the top of my TBR pile while I finish enjoying Jenn J McLeod’s wonderful, ‘Simmering Season.’ I’m looking forward to reading Emily and Digby’s story!! Can’t wait to catch up at RWA 2014 in Sydney this August.
You can find Cathryn at:
Her WebsiteFollow her on Facebook
Tweet her on twitter @CathrynHein
Grace her circles in Google+ Check out her new book, Rocking Horse Hill, available at all good bookstores and e-retailers.
ROCKING HORSE HILL
by Cathryn Hein
Who do you trust when a stranger threatens to tear your family apart?
Ever since she was a little girl, Emily Wallace-Jones has loved Rocking Horse Hill. The beautiful family property is steeped in history. Everything important in Em’s life has happened there. And even though Em’s brother Digby has inherited the property, he has promised Em it will be her home for as long as she wishes.
When Digby falls in love with sweet Felicity Townsend, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Em worries about the future. But she is determined not to treat Felicity with the same teenage snobbery that tore apart her relationship with her first love, Josh Sinclair. A man who has now sauntered sexily back into Em’s life and given her a chance for redemption.
But as Felicity settles in, the once tightly knitted Wallace-Jones family begins to fray. Suspicions are raised, Josh voices his distrust, and even Em’s closest friends question where Felicity’s motives lie. Conflicted but determined to make up for the damage caused by her past prejudices, Em sides with her brother and his fiancée until a near tragedy sets in motion a chain of events that will change the family forever.
Rocking Horse Hill is a moving family drama and passionate love story from the author of Heartland.
Lol, you can remember further back than yesterday, Cathryn? I’m impressed!! Now get back to work 🙂
Hi Brenda, lovely to see you here!
No, not a whole lot of kicking back with my feet up, although it has happened. A Tuesday I think it was, back in 2012….
Working hard on The Falls right now for you!
Fabulous, Cathryn, sticky notes I can do!!
Thanks for dropping by, Brenda. Can’t wait to read Rocking Horse Hill and then the wait for The Falls begins!
Fabulous post girls! Love Cathryn’s humour too – I can’t imagine you sitting back with your feet up (or putting that little ball back and forwards) when you have magnificent books like Rocking Horse Hill on the go Cathryn! Can’t wait for The Falls 🙂
I’m going with that theory too, Nicky! Chaos is really creativity in disguise. A most excellent theory.
Helene, the sticky whiteboards are just like giant post-it notes. Perfect for the Roobi and no stress for Captain G!
Nicky, love that idea – may have to use it very soon!!
Heather, thanks for dropping by. Sharing a computer would drive me batty so you must be very patient!!
Cathryn, I’m with you. Capt G’s learnt that Roobi is only just big enough for two when I’m writing. (He’s suggested that perhaps he and Zeus should decamp to the dinghy – and I didn’t say no 😀 )
Cathryn, I think the host may have been a little late opening the doors of the pub for a yarn so apologies for that!!
Would love to have seen the whiteboard on wheels and I’ve instructed Capt G to search for a roll up whiteboard. He wanted ironclad assurances that magnets were not involved as he could see us heading south instead of north…
I cling to the notion that creation comes out of chaos. And also justifies cleaning is for the post-post-editing phase.
Oh, I couldn’t imagine sharing, Heather! Not like that. All those things in the way, disturbing the desk’s delicate ecosystem. Yikes! I get tense enough when Jim plays around in my space.
Thanks for dropping by. Hope all is well!
I had to chuckle at this – especially the photos! But your desk isn’t as untidy as mine is at the moment, Cathryn. Unfortunately my son uses my computer too, and has paint charts, invoices, wages books etc strewn over it! He does have his own laptop but the wireless internet is too slow, here.
Entertaining post, Helene and Cathryn.
Hello, hello!
Arriving late as usual to the party scene.
Helene, thanks so much for having me on your blog. I had such fun with this post.
Rach, my putting mat does NOT get enough work out. If it did I wouldn’t keep succumbing to the Us Heins Weren’t Meant To Play Golf curse that my dad swears exists. Really must try harder!
Amanda, such a pity I couldn’t show off my giant whiteboard on wheels too. I’m ridiculously proud of that baby! But post-it notes run a close second in my must-have writing kit though, as evidenced by my window sill. Where would we be without those?
Heya Jenn! I can’t imagine you being nervous around anyone, although that Helene…. I don’t know. My mum always said to be wary of the sweet sorts. 😀
Ms Campbell, Romance Queen, how lovely of you to drop by! Do you know I actually thought of you when I did the fantasy photo? I wasn’t going to worry with the wine and then I thought, what would Anna do? And out a bottle came. See, this is aaaall your influence!
Thanks, everyone, for your wonderful comments and all the Rocking Horse Hill best wishes.
Helene, keep pushing for that whiteboard. I discovered sticky-backed roll up ones that you can slap on the wall and use and then pull off. Marvellous!
Anna, it’s so reassuring to find we’re not alone in shambling our days away! Mind you, I do have ‘study envy’ with all that space Cathryn enjoys. Capt G looked horrified when I suggested we could work a whiteboard into the interior design on Roobi… I was outvoted…
Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Oh, that’s hilarious! Hello, you pair of funny girls! Cathryn, I’m so in awe of you, for a moment there I thought you meant that about your schedule. I’m so sure that everybody else does it right and my shambolic practices are purely limited to my shambolic self.
Then I saw the REAL picture and I thought, “Huh, she’s just as shambolic as I am, although my crumbs are Smith’s chips instead of cake.”
Hmm, we have something in common. When you write, you need a golf caddy. And when I write, I need a tea caddy!
Good luck with Rocking Horse Hill. It’s going great guns! And I bet The Falls is another brill book!
Fiona, she nailed it! How people think writers work versus the reality 🙂
Jenn, I had no idea I was going to mentally scar you for life grabbing you in the lift for a hug – but it was your own fault for writing such a lovely review of Border Watch!!
Thanks, lovely Amanda, they are two inspirational ladies 🙂
And I may have whiteboard envy!!
I’m jealous of all that space too, Rach! And I love Cathryn’s post on your site – it made me cry 🙂
Oh how much I loved this haha. You have captured writing to a T Cathryn. Actually I reckon you write in your swans gear & golf glove don’t you? Awesome. Thanks for putting a smile on my dial. 🙂
LOL YOu guys are right up there on my fun people list at RWA. Of course I remember my …err…first ‘meeting’ with Helene and then…. Cathryn, you were the most generous friends chatting to a nervous nelly newby (I was nervous largely due to the meeting with Helene in the elevator!!!! ;))
This is the BEST blog I have read in a long time.
LOVE the space Ms Hein… SO love whiteboard work, but don’t have a space right now… stick with random notes, pictures and post-its in writing pads!!!!!
Ladies (including Rach) love reading your work, and watching your rise and rise… inspiration, integrity and ‘how to do it’ personified, all of you!!
x
Such a fabulous blog. But of course I expect NOTHING less from you two wonderful ladies. Love the golf green in the office 🙂 Great photos! I AM jealous of your space!