My dream writing space is on the deck of an 80-foot sailboat designed by my friend, Kevin Dibley, called the Knight Commander. I fell in love with this boat when I was working on my first writing project. I emailed Kevin—a total stranger—and asked if I could use his boat in my book. He emailed me back from New Zealand saying, “Well, that’s not one I’ve heard before.” He also offered to check my sailing sequences for me, and we’ve been great friends ever since. One of my goals in life is to own one of Kevin’s boats. He’s one of the most talented Marine Architects in the business and a really great guy.

In a perfect world, I’d do most of my writing on the deck of my sailboat while sailing the South Pacific with a full crew—like the guys who raced the Hugo Boss Boat in the Rolex Sidney-to-Hobart race a few years ago. The Hugo Boss crew sailed out of Sydney Harbor dressed in black Hugo Boss suits and shades.

They were very hot, literally and figuratively. (grin) Kevin told me they’ve since repainted the boat white because the black hull absorbed so much heat everyone below decks practically roasted.

Unfortunately, my true writing space is at one of two Starbucks. There is one a mile from my house, which I’ve been frequenting lately, but my favorite place to write is at the Carlisle Crossing Starbucks in Carlisle, PA—90-miles away. My daughter used to study ballet in Carlisle dancing with The Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet—one of the best pre-professional ballet schools in the country. For two years I home schooled her, drove to Carlisle where she danced 40+ hours a week, dropped her off at dance, and then headed to Starbucks to write. I spent more time there than most of the baristas. She eventually moved to Carlisle and lived with a host family (the mother of one of the regular customers I got to know at Starbucks) so she could attend high school and dance, but I still made the trip a few times a week. I’ve written four books at the Carlisle Crossing Starbucks and everyone from the district manager to the regular customers have become some of my dearest friends. I always thank them in every one of my acknowledgements. They’re the absolute best and have kept me in coffee and laughter for four years. No other Starbucks could compare. Since my daughter stopped dancing due to injury, I’ve really missed them. It’s time to make another trip to get my Carlisle Starbucks fix.

I also have a beautiful home office with a TreadDesk. My TreadDesk is a desk with a treadmill beneath the hydraulic desktop. The desktop will go from sitting height to standing height with the push of a button. But after having written for so long at a Starbucks, I’ve found it almost impossible to write at home. Go figure. Still, I do a lot of my email and busy work at home while walking 1.4 miles per hour, and then I head over to Starbucks to write my books. I’ve found that at home, I can’t turn off my Mommy Ears. It’s much easier to go to Starbucks and tune out people I’m not related to. I get a whole lot more done – plus, the coffee is much better!