An Author and Her Notebooks

 by Debra Sennefelder

Happy August!

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that August has finally arrived. July felt like the longest month ever, yet it also felt like the fastest month ever. Some days I felt l blinked, and three days passed while other days seemed to stretch into twenty-seven hours. Go figure.

A new month means a blank slate. No pressing deadlines to deal with, and my favorite commercials start airing. Can you guess? Back-to-school commercials! I just them. Commercials about school supplies – notebooks, pens, binders, highlighters, and bags!

As a kid, back-to-school shopping was my favorite activity. A new school bag, a new lunch box, a bunch of new clothes and new notebooks! I just love a good notebook. Show of hands who’s with me.

A couple of weeks ago, I popped into Barnes & Noble over at Union Square in NYC for a bit of browsing. Of course, I had expectations that I’d leave with a haul of books (it was that kind of day where all I wanted was coffee and books). So, imagine my surprise when I left with only one item, and it was a notebook with one inspiring word on the cover – Write.

The inspiration word, size, thickness, and narrow lines had me heading to the checkout with the notebook in hand.

When I purchased the notebook, I didn’t know what I’d used it for, but after a couple of days, I finally decided which project I wanted to start brainstorming in the notebook. Writers use notebooks for brainstorming, plot ideas, characters, backstory, or plot ideas. I’ve used notebooks for all those things, plus I’ve used them for courses I’ve taken. Currently, I’m taking an online marketing course and have a section in my large daisy-covered notebook dedicated to the class and the actions I’ll be taking in the fall. I have another notebook for goal setting. Plus, one that contains my running to-do list. There’s a red one I use as a gratitude and scripting journal. A pink one has many story ideas and backstory for a series that I’d like to write one day. While another one is dedicated to a course on author business and estate planning.  

My stack of notebooks makes me a very happy author. Now, are you crazy about notebooks too? I’d love to know.

P.S. – The next Food Blogger Mystery is available for pre-order and will release on 9/28/21. To celebrate the upcoming release, I’m hosting a giveaway.  

Pre-order THE CORPSE IN THE GAZEBO between nowand Sept 27th and with your receipt, you will be entered into a giveaway for a Food Blogger apron and a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Two winners (shipping to US addresses only & one winner per household) will be randomly selected.

Debra Sennefelder is the
author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.
She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking,
exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie. You can keep in touch
with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.