It’s so nice to be back in my office! This isn’t a declaration of glee due to holiday absence. This is joy from being able to see my office floor and having space on my desk again.

The floor space had shrunk due to totes of books that needed sorting and shelving . . . or donating! With the hustle-bustle of the holidays and family and writers’ events, a paper trail of memos, research and rough drafts, etc. made it to my desk and office chair, but not the file cabinet. The noisy clutter made it uncomfortable to work.

So yesterday I followed the example of other writers – if social media is any indication – and cleaned my office for 2013. Sorry, no before and after pictures 🙂 Four hours later I remembered why I love my place. I work in surround sound.

While I do have a radio/CD player, (yes, I’m very old school) and I enjoy my music, I’m not talking about the little speakers that hover along the ceiling. I’m talking about my wonderful big window and the books that line all four walls.

Sounds vibrate through my window. We’re surrounded by woods filled with birds, squirrels, deer and, unfortunately, the occasional hunter. A railroad track with a twice daily train runs just on the other side of the trees. We have two wonderful black labs that bark at all things feathered and furry, and howl with the train whistles. Mix all that together with the hum of the heating/AC unit and there is a different symphony every day. The weather adds its own arrangement – today’s is muted, but I prefer stormy ones.

The books carry their own murmurings. If you’re a reader you know that the voices of the characters, the sounds of war and the whispers of lovers linger in your head long after that last page is turned. I have a stack of books which have not had that last page turned and they call me back, as if eager to tell me how their stories end.

There are shelves heavy with knowledge I want to dig into – just because. It’s my own voice and heart impelling me to lift out the books, settle into my wing-back and listen.

Others are from writers I’ve met. I can’t wait to read those books and share them with you. A couple of the books made several “Best Books of 2012” lists and I hope to interview the authors for A Writer’s Window. I can hear their enthusiasm for their work when I see their books and recall our conversations.

One author is Bob Strother, His collection of short stories, Scattered, Smothered and Covered, is one of my favorites. His first novel is coming out in May, but later this week I’ll post my interview with him as he talks about his upcoming Shug’s Place. Bob’s voice is a sound you won’t want to miss.