I love writing. I love creating stories and characters. I love going out to my office on a beautiful day and just writing, connecting with the story.
Did I tell you about my office? It used to be a dark, dreary shop with icky tools and saws and dust covered surfaces. We’ve lived in this house for over 20 years so you can imagine the kind of stuff it (meaning Karl) had collected over the years. Stuff that he “might” use one day. It was scary. We could’ve filmed a horror flick in his shop.
Then I had an epiphany. I love that word. This is the definition: An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the (larger) essence or meaning of something. Or also known as a big moment of EUREKA! Or also: the fear on Karl’s face when Karen has an epiphany.
I had a moment of inspiration. His shop, that he rarely went inside, would make a great office. All we had to do is clean it a little. Now, Karl is more analytical than I am. But he loves me so he agreed it would make a great office.
We had to build him a smaller shop to hold his tools. It actually turned out well. Except Karl slipped on the ladder when we were putting the tin up and sliced his hand which took 23 stitches.
Then we went on 5 trips to the dump to cart off the stuff he might use someday, had one garage sale, and one trip to the fire department where we donated the rest for their auction. We insulated the shop/office, then put up sheetrock. Now, this is just me and Karl doing all this. I found sheetrock is very heavy, especially when you put it on the ceiling. By this time I’m wondering if this was a good idea or not.
Then came tape and bedding. Karl had to do that so I painted the outside of the shop/office. This is a 12×20 building. You would think it wouldn’t take that long to paint it. It did. We ended up texturing the walls after Karl taped and bedded. Mainly because Karl is good, but he isn’t a professional. Texturing hides a lot of “oops”. I painted it a pale yellow with a Venetian/old world finish while Karl added shutters he made from scratch.
Absolutely beautiful!
Until we turned the light on. As we’re standing there admiring our work we began to smell something burning. Karl had changed out the wiring on one side to add new plugs, but not the other. He ended up knocking holes in the wall to make sure nothing had caught fire, and thankfully, it hadn’t.
We fixed the walls and you can’t even tell there were holes. I just have two electrical outlets that actually work (the new wiring), but you know what. I have an office where I can go and lose myself in the story I’m writing without interruption. Epiphany: the act of Karl helping to create something wonderful and beautiful for his wife because he loves her. 
Karen Kelley
She needs a place to hide
He needs a ghost exterminator
What could possibly go wrong?
MY FAVORITE PHANTOM
JANUARY 2009
www.authorkarenkelley.com
