I don’t know if you are old enough to remember the Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom programs that starred zoologist, Marlin Perkins and his co-host Jim Fowler, but it was a great program. The show brought miracles of African nature and wild life into the homes of Americans. Today, I’m going to provide a glimpse into the lair of a cozy mystery writer. It won’t be nearly as exciting as watching a lion take down a gazelle, but it’s been a long week, so here you go.
Most writers, myself included, work full-time jobs, in addition to writing full-time. Why? Because unless you’re fortunate enough to be J.K. Rowling or Stephen King, you don’t earn enough from writing genre fiction to pay a mortgage, health insurance, car payment, school loans and utilities. Most writers can survive for a bit without food, but roof over head is essential. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. There are writers who are fortunate enough to have blockbuster successes with their first books and are able to quit their jobs and write full-time. Unfortunately, just like the African Penguin, African lion or the Black Rhinoceros, these creatures are extremely rare. If you’re ever fortunate enough to see one, snap a photo. So, my writing starts after work. On weekends, I start earlier and try to make up for any short falls during the week, because life happens.
I have an office where I write most of the time. Having my books around me is important in my creative process. No big surprises so far. Well, I have, what I used to call rituals. However, now I’m going to rename as inspiration. Miss Marple had her rose garden. Nero Wolfe had his orchids. For me, it’s my Seton Hill University attire. The red shirt is my Seton Hill University (SHU) Alumni T-shirt (a personal favorite for writing). I have several other SHU T-shirts and sweat shirts that I don along with my Tribe baseball cap. What is The Tribe you ask? The Tribe is the adopted name of the wonderful group of people from my graduating class in the Seton Hill University MFA program. Why the hat? I can only assume because writing had been an unfulfilled dream for such a long time and SHU was the first place where I met people who believed I could do it. It was a wonderful community of writers who shared their knowledge, expertise and who supported each other. I think the hat reminds me I can do this and there are people who believe in me. 
What’s in the yellow mug? If I’m writing at night, it’s tea (I prefer black teas like English Breakfast, Earl Grey or Lady Grey). In the morning, its coffee, elixir of the gods. Coffee is a requirement. Bacon and coffee are my usual Saturday morning indulgences. If you’ve ever wondered where Samantha Washington (Mystery Bookshop Mystery – sleuth) gets her love of coffee and bacon, now you know.
Here’s another revelation. I have poodles. Okay, maybe not a revelation. You’ve probably seen them on the covers of my books. In the Mystery Bookshop Mystery series,
Snickers and Oreo who are based on my two chocolate poodles, Coco and Cash. 
As of this post, Coco has crossed the rainbow bridge. However, her antics will live on in my books.
The black poodle is 
Kensington (yes, I named her after my first publisher). I call her Kenzie. When I complete her AKC registration papers (note to self to complete those), my plan is that her registered name will be, KENSINGTON, MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE. Her call name (which is basically a nick name) will be Kenzie. What the poodles do while I write is usually sleep. Lest you think I’m cruel and force the poodles to share a dog bed, I will tell you that I have 3 dog beds in my office. They rotate. Sometimes they share. Sometimes not. Sometimes the covers are in the dog bed, sometimes they pull it out. Cash has expectations of getting 2-3 dog biscuits at the start of my writing sessions. Kenzie pretends her palate is too refined for the lowly dog biscuit until she realizes there will be no string cheese for writing sessions (that is reserved for when I leave for work). When she accepts nothing else is coming, then she eats her share of the dog biscuits. Cash will then bark for more. When he is appropriately ignored and must accept that no further treats are coming, then and only then will he get into bed.
That’s a glimpse into the boring lair of this cozy mystery writer. Unlike Agatha Christie, there are no trips on intercontinental trains, no Egyptian digs to inspire and motivate. I have coffee, Pandora (tuned to jazz or classical music – nothing that will make me sing and keep me distracted), poodles, books and my SHU writing gear. Hazard Yet Forward!