This is the latest instalment in an occasional series of blogposts, in which some of our authors and illustrators share their favourite working spots. Today, Paula Harrison, author of the Rescue Princesses series, the newly-published Red Moon Rising series, and the soon to be launched Secret Rescuers series, shows us where she writes…
I was born in Bletchley (of code-breaking fame) and live not far from there still. I usually work at this computer in the corner of my dining room. Sometimes, if my family are around, I have to be a bit more mobile and “hot desk” round the house with my little laptop. I prefer it here though because I sit right next to the patio doors so I can gaze out at the garden all the time.
If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you’ll find I talk about the seasons a lot and put up pictures of various plants and animals (the squirrels that visit are really naughty). Nature is pretty important to me, which hopefully comes across in my books. Here are some fritillaries that came out in my garden this week.
The desk in front of me is usually piled up with notebooks, sketches and maps. I also keep one or two things nearby that help to ground me in the story. The little dragon model pictured below was made for me by my daughter after I told her I was writing a story with a dragon. So this became my inspiration for Windrunner in Secret Rescuers: The Storm Dragon. The little geode sitting next to him also plays an important role in the story. The rough stone on the right of the picture relates to a different book entirely. I picked this up during a visit to the Peak District when I was doing some research for the third book in the Red Moon Rising series. When I work on the next draft of Pale Peak Burning it will help to remind me how it felt to be walking those hills.
Red Moon Rising is out now – you can take a look inside below, or order the book online here. The first book in Paula’s brand new Secret Rescuers series, The Storm Dragon, will be out next month – you can pre-order it online now.
Previously in the series: Helen Peters, Caryl Hart, Elys Dolan, G. R. Gemin, Olivia Tuffin, Benji Davies, Simon Puttock, Steven Lenton
