WHERE THEY WORK

by Steven Steinbock

Steven Steinbock and Evan Hunter (Ed McBain)

I wandered over to see my friends at Murdurati and was intrigued to learn that they’re doing a theme fortnight (they’re calling it theme week(s), but I can be cleverer than that. Besides, how often do I have a chance to use the word fortnight?) It’s been a fun read, both entertaining and edifying, and it was fun seeing what office elements I had in common with some of my friends and colleagues.

It started on Monday with a tour of Pari Noskin Taichert’s workspace. Turns out she keeps a Ganesha statue on hand for inspiration. Don’t tell my rabbi, but I have one, too. Actually, I have several, along with a collection of Shiva statuettes. (We can go into the theology of it some other time).

On Tuesday, fellow Mainer Tess Gerritsen showed off her office. It was a relief to see that clutter doesn’t preclude cleverness and success. (Tess does have a much nicer view than I have).

On Wednesday, Robert Gregory Browne revealed his pit. Greg collects guitars, Gold Medal paperbacks, and confusion. I like it.

Yesterday was Brett Battles turn. He has the most complex scenario so far. You can read about it here. It was the most complex, but also the most interesting. Battles splits the writing process into four separate compartments, depending on where he is on a particular book. Where he works depends on what stage he’s at. (Like me, he does much of his writing and light-pass rewriting at cafes). He shows a photo of the area where he does his plotting. It’s pretty cool with his giant Post-It pads, Dry-Erase board, and six stacks of color coded index cards.

Go on over and see whose workspace is on display today . Tell ’em Steve sent you.

Meanwhile, I’ll put together a tour of my own work space for next week.

THE COOLEST (AUTHOR) WORKSPACE I’VE VISITED

In past decades, while conducting magazine interviews, I had the chance to visit a few writers in their homes. Most notable were Ed McBain (Evan Hunter) and Janwillem van de Wetering – both sadly gone. Both authors, incidentally, worked in outbuildings adjacent to their homes. McBain lived in a beautiful house in southwestern Connecticut. I had lunch with him and his wife, and he showed me the den where he kept a library of all the thousands of editions of his books, movies, and audiobooks. But I never got to see the building where he worked. (It was either a converted garage or just a separate building, connected to the house by a bridge).

About fifteen years ago Janwillem van de Wetering let me into his studio, a building he put together himself out of old timbers in Surry, Maine, near Ellworth. It was amazing. It was a walk along flagstone steps down the hill from his house, past the barn where he kept his motorcycle, overlooking the bay. He told me he enjoyed watching the seals from his desk.

Janwillem’s studio was a tri-level affair, as I recall, with the top level serving as a bedroom for guests, and the lower levels housing a kitchen, a desk, and a media room. At one point he told me to lay down on the futon in front of his big screen TV and he played a video of a Dutch documentary about him. He translated throughout. Had anyone else done such a thing, I’d likely have been bored or annoyed at the audacity. But with Janwillem, it was not only natural, it was engrossing.

A man of paradox, Janwillen decorated his workspace with Buddhist art, antique rifles, and portraits of Jazzmen and large-breasted women. (Miles Davis, he told me, was the most important influence on his life). An Oriental bell hung above an incense alter on which a plastic dinosaur rested. His life story was just as paradoxical and varied, with years spent motorcycling through southern Africa and South America, studying at a Zen monastery in Japan, and serving as a municipal cop in Amsterdam.

Somewhere I have photos of that visit, but they are from my pre-digital days, and I’ll have to dig for them.

Meanwhile, as I said above, I’ll be back next Friday with a tour of my own workspace(s). Until then . . .