I was given the opportunity to convert a bedroom into a creative space recently, and have been planning how I want the room to look and feel. The first task was choosing the paint colour. This is always the most important as colours are certainly mood changers. I found that green is a very good ‘creative’ colour, so investigated the numerous shades available. Eventually, I chose a soft green, which will bring nature in, when we are in the depths of a grey and white Albertan winter. To continue the theme of nature, I found a lovely mural of hanging leaves, which are easy peel and stick.
With help from my youngest, Emjay, we painted the room in just one day, after I had washed the walls and covered the woodwork with masking tape. Then came the application of the mural pieces. Deciding on their placement was the first decision to be made. I didn’t want a straight line on one wall, but just in a couple of places. I think they worked out very well.
In the next few weeks I will gather items of furniture to put in the room alongside my writing desk. I want a long craft table and more storage and possibly some kind of rug. Eventually, the carpet will need to be replaced, as the hired carpet cleaner was no match!
I have been given the opportunity to create a new writing/creative space for myself. This is exciting as well as daunting. There are many factors to consider apart from the placement of the desk.
Lighting – natural and artificial
The room has one window, which is central to one wall, so I want to maximize the natural light coming onto the desk. Added to this there is one ceiling light, which will cause shadows, so I will add a good strong lamp for desk work. Having a nice view is a double edged sword for writers – it is relaxing and refreshes the mind, but can also be a distraction. Therefore, I will place my L-shaped desk in such a way to allow focused work and nature watching.
Paint colours
I have to consider what ‘mood’ I want to convey with the paint colour on the walls. Do I go for a single or double coloured walls, or have a focus wall? When researching colours, I found that green boosts creativity, promotes harmony and is a good choice for brainstorming spaces. So that may be my choice, although there are a multitude of greens to consider! I The carpet is a light sandy earth tone so it will balance the room. I would like to have some sort of wall mural to make the room feel like a natural oasis and might invest in a large mural of a tree or hanging foliage to make the space feel like it is in nature. This will be especially nice when I endure the Albertan winter! I found some really nice ones.
Decor – natural and artificial
I love plants, so will choose air purifying and variegated leaf plants for this space. These include spider plants, English ivy, and pothos, all of which I have already, so it will be a matter of propagating and new pots.
There is also the texture to contemplate – soft and plush and hard and shiny to give the room balance. My floor lamp is silver metal, my desk a light beige, my office chair is a dark blue, and maybe I will invest in a plush rug for my feet. Then there are the other furniture items to think about – another bookshelf, a large armchair, a a crafting table for other creative endeavors…the list goes on!
All of these are just ideas at the moment, things change, ideas come to mind. It is the process that is the joy.
How did you choose to decorate your writing space?
I’ve held a fascination for all things paranormal, ever since I was a little girl. So, once I knew I wanted to pursue writing it was a natural fit for me to right in the horror/dark fantasy/speculative fiction genres.
Did writing for anthologies aid your writing style?
Absolutely! When you’re given specific word limits to adhere to, it teaches you to write concisely which I found a great skill to have once I moved forward with my novels.
Did you find the switch from short stories to novel length challenging?
Not at all, though they are certainly different. With novels you need to make sure there’s a lot more fleshing out of the characters/places etc.
What inspired your debut novel, Fates’ Fury?
I’m not sure when the idea first came to me. It wasn’t an ‘ah ha!’ moment, but more like an idea that simmered beneath the surface for awhile. It was in 2012, when there was a lot of talk of the Mayan Calendar, and it got me thinking about what would the ancients think if they could see us now?
Can you tell us about the story behind Fates’ Fury creation?
Essentially, the Fates’ have decided enough is enough and mankind have to go. They start killing people off as they hunt for the Tablet of Destinies, which will allow them to eradicate us for good. Three friends, Jonah, Tristan and Ava find themselves in the middle of it all, when they each have increasingly strange encounters before they’re approached by a man in the middle of a thunderstorm claiming he’s Zeus. He tells them of an Alliance of ancient gods and goddess prepared to help fight against the Fates. Yet the Fates are more powerful than man the gods combined…
Your follow up novel Leroux Manor is set in England. Did you visit England for research?
I wish! That would have been amazing! Just lots of research, I’m afraid. Though one day I’d love to visit for real.
Where is your favorite place to write?
I’m boring—it’s my desk! We moved into our first home a few months ago, and it’s the first time I’ve had a space solely dedicated to writing and I’ve loved setting it up.
Do you feel your environment affects your writing?
100% I hate feeling pent in by clutter or a stuffy room. I love fresh air (even in winter, but it gets super cold here.) and I often have oils in the diffuser to aid concentration and focus. I have drawings by my daughter on the wall, as well as a moon calendar, a framed copy of Fates’ Fury and a Dali print. I like greenery too, and have a little terrarium hubby put together for me, and a couple of potted palms. I’m also a massive procrastinator so I also have to make sure there’s nothing on hand to aid that.
Has your BA in psychology given you insights into how a character would react to a situation? Has it helped in the creative process?
Yes, I think it has. There’s just an overall deeper understanding of human behaviour and what motivates certain personalities. I think its especially helpful when writing in the darker genres.
Where can readers find your books?
On Amazon for both ebook and paperback, and anywhere else you can buy ebooks!
With the global effects of COVID19 restricting gatherings, how have you managed to promote your books?
By relying heavily on social media! I’ve also had some wonderful friends sharing it around, which I’m so appreciative of.
Is there any message you would like to send to your fans and readers? Thank you so much for your support!
Bio
Liz Butcher resides in Australia, with her husband, daughter, and their two cats. She’s a self-confessed nerd with a BA in psychology and an insatiable fascination for learning. Liz has published a number of short stories in anthologies and released her own collection, After Dark, in 2018.
Her debut novel, Fates’ Fury, released September 2019 and Leroux Manor in September 2020.
Tell us why you participate in National Novel Writing Month
I find it a superb way to practice writing to a deadline, write without the worry of editing and letting my creativity flow with no constraints.
How/When did you first learn about NaNoWriMo?
My first NaNo was 2009 when I was persuaded by a new writing friend from my writing group to participate. At the time I’d only written very short stories (and I mean short). The idea of fifty thousand words made me refuse point blank but gradually she convinced me I could do it. That first NaNo’s project was edited and revised almost every year until I finally published it 2018.
How many years have you participated in NaNoWriMo?
This will be my tenth NaNo – I only missed 2017 when I was working on two manuscripts that were published that year.
What is your NaNoWriMo project for this year?
The idea came late in October (almost November) it just popped into my head to write a young romance set within a university campus. The two main protagonists have evolved into fully rounded characters now.
If you were to introduce yourself to a group of strangers, what would you say?
I indulge my creativity in writing whether writing fiction or aiding clients within my freelance business and am a writing community advocate.
Do dreams inspire your writing ideas?
I have used several dream sequences within my works of fiction, they are always vivid and I quickly write them down. I always have a notebook on the bedside table.
Who is your favorite author? Why?
Stephen King is my literary hero. He is the greatest story teller, creating characters with minimal description, grips your interest from the first page and never disappoints. My greatest possession is a personal letter I received from him. It is framed about my writing desk.
What is your preferred genre to write in?
I do not write to genre, I write the story an it chooses which genre it is as it unfolds.
Since my mini writing retreat last weekend, I have not had any time to immerse myself in the revisions for The Twesome Loop, until last night. I took advantage of a couple of hours of peace & quiet in the library prior to my writing meeting. Word count increased by 892 and a couple of scenes were ‘fleshed out’ (actually erotic scenes so literally – pardon the pun!)
I have a meeting with my client whose book I am ghost writing this evening as I requested ‘personal experience’ pieces from her on several topics within the book. These I will include thus ensuring it is her voice.
My book cover proof is still pending for The Rython Kingdom so I have to be patient – although having the new cover available for my readers is paramount. So excited for it to go ‘live’ on the various websites.
Through a facebook page I found a submissions requirement where I can send my steampunk story – The Toymaker. Fingers crossed it gets accepted, it’s only 7790 words.
Books:
I am thoroughly enjoying this book – The Faraday Girls by Monica McInerney – sister’s growing up, finding themselves, drama, love, rejection and a mystery. Set in Tasmania and Ireland it becomes international as each sister flies the coop in search of her path.
My TBR pile includes a book I found in a lovely bookstore while on my weekend escape. The Other Life by Ellen Meister This is the blurb:
If you could return to the road not taken…would you?
Quinn Braverman has a perfect life, with a loving husband, an adorable son, and another baby on the way.
Quinn also has an ominous secret: she knows that another version of her life exists…one in which she made totally different life choices. But she’s never been tempted to switch lives-until a shocking turn of events pushes her to cross over, and she discovers the one person she thought she’d lost forever: Her mother.
But Quinn can’t have both lives. Soon, she must decide which she really wants-the one she has…or the other life…
Doesn’t it sound fascinating? Of course as I love reincarnation, spirits, afterlife and parallel universes it is just up my street, so to speak.
If you have a recommendation for this kind of story, please let me know.
Writing Tips:
Stop procrastinating. Turn off the TV, disconnect from the Internet, tune out the rest of the world, sit down, and write.
Create a space in your home especially for writing.
Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers 