Drink coffee. Make stuff up.

I guess every writer has a favorite place; a place where they feel comfortable enough to let their imagination run. Where, on good days, the words flow and images and dialog fill our minds, so that we can scratch them out on paper (or the computer screen.)

So.  Where are you most comfortable? Where does your imagination flow best? At home or away?

For me, it’s a coffeehouse. Something about the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee and pastries, combined with piped music in the background, wobbly tables and chairs, snatches of overheard conversations, and the warm feeling that most everyone around you is in the same boat. Tapping at the keys, scratching with the pen or pencil, and trying to put enough words together to form an idea. An idea into a story.

GOD, I LOVE BEING A WRITER!!

But, which coffeehouse? You would think that in a city like Seattle, there would be no shortage of writer-friendly coffeehouses. I wish I could say that’s true. In the four years Verna & I have lived here, finding the perfect coffeehouse hasn’t been easy.  Not impossible, mind you, just not easy.

We did find a great place, a comfortable place in the center of a quiet neighborhood on the far side of town.  Stumbled across it completely by accident & fell in love with it. A place where those of us who love fantasy, science fiction, whatever could find others with the same interests. It was an incredible place to be. Then...

A fire. Closure. Dark oblivion. It was back to searching the backstreets and alleys in a renewed quest to find - our place. One coffee shop after another, always ending in failure. Bleakness enveloped us like a shroud.

God, I hated being a writer without someplace to write.

Then, it happened.  Word of a miraculous event. Our coffeehouse had reopened! Initial disbelief turned to reality. Reality turned to joy. Joy turned to WRITING!

Different location, same owners & staff, same clientele.

God...  

Since that time, I'm happy to say that I've completed, and sold several stories, and I'm only two chapters from completing my first novel. Granted my writing did not come to a complete standstill during that coffeehouseless (it's my word, deal with it) period, but it certainly felt like it.

In the coming weeks, I'll be revamping my website (rickhipps.com) with the help of my webmistress, and continuing to blog about the writing / editing / (hopefully) publishing process.

So, don't be a stranger. Stop by when you can. Comment if you like.

I'll do my best to keep you interested.

Until next time.

 

Rick