The Book Post

I've Shown You Mine, Now Show Me Yours, Part XI.

The call to 'Show Me Your Writing Desk' has so far given us a voyeuristic peek at the private writing rooms of a number of prolific authors. Part XI of our series features the desks of Leigh Redhead, James Massola and Ian McLean, proving once again, there is no 'right' place to write...

Left: The writing area of Leigh Redhead, creator of Simone Kirsch - 'ex-stripper, sex kitten, private investigator' - in the saucy novels Peepshow, Rubdown and Cherry Pie. 'It's actually my desk at the Hanoi school where I'm teaching English, History and ESL,' she explains. 'I get more writing done at school during free periods, recess and lunch than at home, probably because I'm not supposed to be writing, which makes it naughty and therefore fun.' Redhead finds the 'back to the wall position' helpful, as 'kids can't sneak up on me and discover the violence and depravity that lurks in kind, sweet, Miss Leigh's head.' (We went head to head at the Ned Kelly Awards Debate in 2008 and she won hands down with her persuasive debating and exotic dancing skills). Redhead's occupations have included stripper, lingerie waitress, masseuse, chef, and now arse-kicking crime author - in fishnets.

Middle: The desk of James Massola, writer and political reporter for the Canberra Times. The desk features headphones, keys, coffee cups, Senate estimates books, scraps of papers, dictionaries, post-it notes, and Odgers' guide to Senate practice. Notebooks betray the desk's utilitarian function: 'finding the next story'. On the wall can be found cartoons by Leunig, Pope and First Dog on the Moon, between phone lists for government and opposition. Keen eyes will also spot a Demons pen tin, a C3PO figurine, and Oscar Wilde's 'all art is quite useless' intro from The Picture of Dorian Gray. 'Political journalism is not high art as Wilde defined it, nor is it 'quite useless' - despite what some people say," James explains. 'I take being a reporter seriously. It's a privilege and the quote reminds me of that, and also to write well.' Note that the monitor on his desk shows an image of the desk. (Could the monitor in that image show a monitor showing that image showing a monitor showing...?)

Right: The writing desk of Ian McLean, who says he was 'fortunate enough to be presented with a unique piece of Australian television history to use as my writing space - the specially commissioned partnership desk made for Don Cash and Bill Harmon, co-producers of the cult Australian TV soap opera of the 1970s, Number 96.' The desk is a Ron Barossi design, in rosewood with pine trim. The desk divider is a set of built in drawers with filing cabinet. Both the Bill Harmon side of the desk and one of the bins show evidence of many a stubbed-out cigarette, another relic of Australian 70s showbiz. As a further piece of history, Ian explains that 'writer Nancy Cash, widow of Don Cash, used this desk to write her first novel for agent Selwa Anthony in the 90s' (Both Ian and I share the same agent.) Ian hopes the desk has some magic in it. "I have the dubious honor of being Selwa Anthony's longest serving client who's never earned her any money.' We are rooting for you, Ian. Success is just a novel away...

Quid pro quo. We've shown you ours, now show us yours in the comments below, and I'll continue to post the best on The Book Post....

Happy reading,