Join us as we hear from our BookSparks authors on where they write to find inspiration.
Introducing – Where I Write!

Where I Write – Hannah Mary McKinnon

In my dreams, I have a beautiful, sparsely furnished but serene home office, with a view of lush, green fields, and mountains in the distance. I imagine gazing out of the window, pondering storylines and character arcs, looking to the snowy peaks for inspiration.

Meanwhile, back in the real world…I do have an office, which I share with my husband, and while it’s not ugly, it is a bit cluttered. Rob runs an electrical business, so I share the room with him, our company files, and some of his tools. Of course there’s also a book case stuffed with my “to be read” pile. And the view? The court we live on, which is perfectly pretty…but my desk faces away from the window, and there’s not a mountain or field in sight.

It doesn’t stop me writing though. I’m happy sitting in the peace and quiet during the day, or late into the night, working on my stories. Sometimes I’ll migrate to the garden in the summer, or the living room in the winter, where I’ll sit by the fire with a cup of tea. Occasionally I’ll take my work to a coffee shop, especially when I’m editing a printed manuscript by hand. There’s something about putting pen to paper that makes my mind work differently to when it’s looking at the screen.

And as for that serene home office? Someday, in the not too distant future, I hope. In my mind, I’m already picking out the paint.

The view from my home office.

My home office.

The view I wish I had.

Hannah Mary McKinnon

Hannah Mary was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favor of writing. The Neighbors is Hannah Mary’s second novel. She lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her husband and three sons, and is delighted by her twenty second commute. Connect with her on Facebook, on Twitter @HannahMMcKinnon, and on Instagram @HannahMaryMcKinnon.