BoB winner and a sneak peek at Jen Nadol’s author cave!

Thanks for playing in the Bundle o’ Bookmarks giveaway yesterday! The winner of this final batch of bookmarks is:

Lena!

Congratulations, Lena! Contact me here to claim your bookmark swag pack.

NOTE: I’ll have a new batch of bookmarks starting with the next giveaway, so stay tuned to the blog for your chance to win that one!

A Sneak Peek at Jen Nadol’s Author Cave

This is probably my favorite feature on the blog! I’m delighted to be bringing you a sneak peek into the author caves of some of my fellow author buds.

What’s an author cave? It’s wherever a particular author happens to write, be it a corner of a bedroom, a fancy schmancy office, or even an outdoor locale or coffee shop barstool. As my friend Wendy Toliver‘s agent simply puts it, an author cave is “Where the magic happens.”

I’m delighted to welcome my fellow Tenner and all around fabulous person…

Jen Nadol!

Author cave guests will not only be sharing a picture of their cave, but they’ll be talking about why and how it inspires them to write. Are you ready to see where the magic happens?

Please join me in welcoming the lovely Jen!

The Author

Name:

Jen Nadol

Web Site:

www.jennadolbooks.com

Short Bio:

I grew up in PA, went to school in DC, lived in MA, NYC and now, in an old farmhouse north of the city with my husband and three little boys. Want more? www.jennadolbooks.com

The Book

The Mark
January 2010
Bloomsbury USA

Sixteen-year old Cassie Renfield has seen the mark forever: a glow around certain people as if a candle were held behind their back.

She learned early to keep it to herself, considering its rare appearances odd, but insignificant. Until the day she watches a man die. Mining her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Cassie searches her past, her philosophy lessons, even her new boyfriend for answers, always careful to hide her secret. How does the mark work? Why her?

And: if you know today is someone’s last, should you tell?

A Sneak Peek Inside the Cave

1.   Tell us a little about your cave. How did it come about? Have you had this version of your cave as long as you’ve been writing or have you had many caves over the years?

My cave is the smallest room in the house. The bathrooms might be smaller, but I don’t think they count as “rooms” unless you’re selling real estate in New York City.

I picked it when we moved in eight years ago and it looks exactly the same as it did then. Except the ceiling doesn’t leak anymore. It’s the only cave I’ve ever had.

2.   How does your author cave help you get organized/get inspired/get working?

It’s completely my space so my things – notes, pens, reference materials – stay where I put them. During writing time, I can just come in and get down to business.

As far as inspiration, it adjoins the library. When I look left, I see shelves and shelves of books. What could be more inspiring than that?

3.   Do you write anywhere other than your cave?

No. Not in earnest. Sometimes a line or a conversation will come to me when I’m somewhere else and I scribble it on whatever I can find. But all my real writing is done at my desk, on my computer.

4.   Did you incorporate specific sensory things into your cave to inspire you? Music, candles, water, color, textures, pictures, etc.?

Nothing. Quiet isolation allows me to slip into a bubble where I can see and hear the story best.

5.   What are your favorite things about your cave?

Everything I’ve said, plus it has an awesome view of the yard which is totally peaceful. You can’t see any people or houses, only grass, trees, deer, rabbits (do I sound like Snow White yet?) and our veggie garden.

6.   Is there anything that is forbidden in your cave?

Forbidden? Well, I could forbid my kids, but that wouldn’t be very nice. Or effective. Tho’ I do keep threatening to put on a door. A glass one so I can still see all the books.

7.   If you could design your dream writing cave, what would it look like?

Just like this one, but with different wallpaper, a real desk and my husband’s old handmade-CD case not in it. And a whole wall of framed book covers with my name on them and the words “National Bestseller”.

8.   And just for fun… if you could invite three people (living, dead or fictional characters) to hang out with you in your cave for the day, who would you invite?

Stephen King and John Irving because I think they’re amazing writers. My sister Cait because I’d probably be speechless and she can talk to a brick wall.

Thanks so much for giving us a peek into where the magic happens, Jen!

Entry Filed under: Author Cave,Bundle o' Bookmarks