A day in the life of...

'So, Fleur, tell me, do you write every day?'

'Where do you work from?'

'Oh, you have a deadline? Really? Thought you'd just write and hand it in when it was ready.'

(HA! Don't I wish!) These are a few of the questions I get asked when I do an event, and I'd love to tell you that I write every day because that's what I should do. Recently, I was at an event where two of my friends were in the audience. The question of writing every day came up. I thought about saying, 'yeah, of course I write every day. I start at 9 am and finish at 5 pm. Nose to the grindstone and all that...' Unfortunately, these two friends are very good ones and know me pretty well. I was just a little concerned they might call me on that 'extension of truth'! So, no, I don't write on whatever I'm writing every day. But I do sit at my computer every day, doing some form of work, best for Breaking the Silence (if you don't know about that, read here) or on some of the mentoring or board work I do. 

Peculating:

I also do a lot of 'peculating', as I call it. Running ideas around in my mind, talking to people to work these ideas through and just basically jotting ideas down. I don't plan my books, but I do write all the ideas I come up with down. Sometimes I use them all, sometimes I don't. These big yellow Post-it notes (which I LOVE) were the outcome of a day's meeting with my detective mate in Perth, when we were running ideas around for the next Dave Burrows series, WITH INTENT. Working from home has its challenges, and I've often thought about getting an office away from the house. But I haven't, and I'm pretty well set up where I am. I can take my laptop outside and write on the verandah, in the sun, or bring the dogs inside to sleep at my feet while I write.

Deadlines:

And a big fat YES! to having a deadline. The 1st of March and the 1st of September are my two deadlines. I'd love to swan around and write when the mood takes me, but the fact is publishing is a business, and Allen and Unwin need to plan their release dates, book editors, ads and publicity the same as any other business needs to know what is coming up in their next twelve months. Anyway, here's a sneak peek at all the ideas and characters in my next book, With Intent (Go Detective Dave Burrows!)