Writing as a part-time job

I'm back to my paying job tomorrow, after two weeks of vacation. It was a wonderful two weeks; I got to do everything I wanted and more. Had a mini-vacation in Manhattan with my son where we got to see a Broadway play, do some location scouting for my next novel, and generally be gawking tourists. Spent some mega quality time with my grandson which was a total bonus. Wrote several chapters in the second book. Visited with family. Sat in the sun and swam in the pool. Read a dozen books. Discovered a new author.

The new (to me) author is Laura Lippman and as usual, I came across her the same way I always discover authors. Totally by chance at my local library. You see, I read so much that it's cheaper for me to go to the library (blasephemy I know, from a new author myself). I pretty much stick to the mystery section (if they have one). Last week I had to go to the library in my old neighbourhood because ours is currently under renovation. This library has only a general fiction section so I played my usual library game: wander around the stacks until something inside me says "stop". I then turn to my left and take a gander, then I turn to my right and take a look and whichever side "feels" right, that's where I start looking for books. This week I ended up in the "L" section. There were two books by Laura Lippman and I could tell by reading the jacket covers that I would like her books. I devoured them along with about eight other books that I took out.

Laura Lippman's writing fascinated me. She is so detailed about locations, people, emotions, situations, etc. She's a wonderful storyteller.

I wondered how long it took her to write these books because I have been struggling with mine. So I looked her up on the internet (www.lauralippman.com). Apparently, she's been a newspaper reporter for over 20 years and wrote her first seven novels while she was a reporter. Whew! While she was holding down a full time job, she wrote seven novels! I'm sure she's not the only writer to be published and so very accomplished while holding a job, but I am just gobsmacked! On her website she said that for her first books, she would go to a cafe every morning, and write about 1,000 words. She would have a first draft of her book done in 4-5 months. Amazing.

I'm wondering if I should find a nice little cafe downtown that I could patronize for a couple of hours every morning....hmmm (not Starbuck's!).