Book Tour: Guest Post--Anne Clinard Barnhill, author of At the Mercy of the Queen

Folks ask me from time to time if I have a writing schedule or ritual that I follow diligently. The answer is, unfortunately, no. Life intrudes much too often; little emergencies arise; big emergencies arise; more often than not, my writing is squeezed into the corners of my life, corners I protect fiercely because I have discovered my writing is important to me, and only me. Dear members of my family really would not care if I ever wrote another word. They humor me because writing makes me happy--and, they don't like me much when I'm not writing. I don't like me much then, either. We all do the best

we can.

On a perfect writing day, here's what would happen:

I awake after a restful eight hours of dreamless sleep, stretch like a cat until I feel ready to arise. The house is empty. I dress in warm, comfy clothes (I'm not out to win a beauty contest!) I do not put on any make-up. I brush my teeth but not necessarily my hair. Eat a little something--get hot tea or cocoa. Then, mug in hand, I head upstairs to my office. I put on some soothing music and write in my journal, meditate, pray and just 'be' for about a half hour. Then, I approach the computer.

First, I check my email and facebook, spending, perhaps, another half hour. Next, I play three, and only three, games of spider solitaire. Finally, I approach the work, writing from around 9 in the morning until around 1 or 2 in the afternoon. After that, I take a long walk, do housework and prepare supper. I spend the evening with my husband watching Jeopardy and maybe a movie. Then, off to bed to read.

That's the perfect day. As you know, there are few of those! So, I catch as catch can. If I'm under deadline, I sometimes escape from my own house, go to my parents' where there is a garage apartment. I stay holed up in there until the first draft is complete. I won't tell you how many days I might go without combing my hair! 

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Watch for my review of At the Mercy of the Queen on Friday, March 9th!