Did you know that today is International Feng Shui Day? According to The Spruce.com, Feng shui is the practice of arranging pieces in living spaces to create balance with the natural world. The goal is to harness energy forces and establish harmony between an individual and their environment.
Years, okay, two decades ago, I took an online class on how to Feng shui your workspace hoping to help give me harmony to become a published writer. And it work!
Well, I don’t know if it was the Feng shui or being at the right place at the right time or knowing the right person at the right time. Whichever of the three it was, I became a published author with a just starting small press who has grown immensely over the years. I put out 10 books with them before taking the Indie route in 2012.
I kept my desk top and writing space Feng shui just as I’d learned to place items from the class the whole time we lived in Central Oregon. Then we moved to SE Oregon, and I worked in a ten by twenty cabin for 8 months while we built the house we live in now. Nothing was Feng shui but I kept writing books and publishing them.
We built the new house with one room set up for my office and my husband’s desk. (we have matching desks- but he only uses his to hold stuff) At first I placed the desk under a window so I could look out when I needed thinking time while writing. But that put my back to the door. And the one thing I learned during the Feng shui class that stuck with me was to always be facing the door as that is where opportunity walks through. Keep books to your back for knowledge. Those are the only two things I remember from the workshop.
When I was feeling like my writing had stalled and wasn’t feeling as optimistic about my future, I changed my desk. It now sits with one end under the window but it faces the doorway. I don’t have book cases at my back but I have them on both sides of me some just an arm’s reach away.
My husband says my desk takes up too much room this way, but I say I’m open to the opportunities that are coming my way. What they are, I don’t know but I’m ready to embrace them when they do show up!
I have joined a Facebook group that is actively helping me promote my audiobooks. Since it is a whole different group of people than those who read print or ebooks. The owner of the group puts together Indie Author Deals once a month. I’m hoping that one of these days I can use links to my audiobooks on my website. For now I have links to multiple audiobook vendors. Right now there is a sale going on and you can get the first audio 3 book box set from my Shandra Higheagle Mystery series for $0.99 at: IndieAudiobookDeals.com
Being part of this group is one of those opportunities that I found while trying to find someone to help me promote by audiobooks. Feng shui or just luck? I think a little of both!
I’m also excited that through this blog, I’ve met some amazing mystery, suspense, thriller writers and I will get to meet 6 of them in person at the Left Coast Crime conference I’m attending this week in Bellevue, WA. Several of the Ladies of Mystery bloggers and I will be riding from the airport together and then having brunch together the following morning. I’m excited to meet them in person and make even more connections to them and with others throughout the conference.
One of my favorite sayings is: Life is never boring, embrace it!
Ladies of Mystery 
You’ve inspired me to do another feng shui makeover. It’s been a while, but since doing it the first time some years ago, things (objects, items) have gotten out of hand around here. Especially in my office! I don’t talk much about feng shui as folks don’t understand it, and I don’t announce that I practise it, but I do. I heed what I’ve learned. I know that the effect that my particular knowledge about where things “go” always plants a seed in my mind — of expectation, at the very least; and that makes a huge difference in the way I feel about my life and surroundings.
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Hi Bonnie! Yes, I know they said having the desk in the middle of the room is the best, but then we would have to more the desk when we needed to use the murphy bed. 😉 Your placement sounds perfect! You’re welcome. The Facebook group I mentioned is the best place I’ve found so far for helpful information and groups.
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Well, Paty, as usual your positive attitude and love of life shines through. As one of your bloggers, I am grateful for the opportunities the site offers me. Re feng shui, I have my back to the office door, unfortunately, and there is no way to change the set up. Really smaaaall space. So I’ve decided that when I’m not writing, I will swivel around and face the door, greeting anything that comes my way. Looking forward to our adventure that starts in two days!
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Heather, it will be fun to meet you in person! I understand the no space thing. When we were living in the cabin, building this house, I had to use a laptop and a small 2′ x 4′ table as my work space that was then cleared for our meals.
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I love this. I too discovered Feng Shui years ago when one of my co-workers wanted us to Feng Shui our office. That was an education! I’ve placed my desk so it faces the porch and front door (so I can see opportunity coming), and can look out the window and see people passing on the street (letting the mind wander and getting ideas). But alas the desk top is never clean, but I do have books at my back (along with a window) and lots of light. It’s time to clean off the desk top, after publishing numerous novels, and see what shows up next in the awaiting space. Good post, Paty. I’m curious to learn how many of us Ladies of Mystery use Feng Shui.
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You mean I have to clean off my desk? Well, okay. If you say so. Hmmm. What will I find underneath everything?
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Heather, LOL! I clean my desktop after every book I finish. Mostly because all the notes and notebook and reference books are there for a different series than I will write next. It’s like cleaning out my mind to get focused on the other series book.
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Susan, It’s fun to learn you also discovered Feng shui. It is interesting the reasoning behind certain objects. I need to see if I can find my notes from the workshop and do my desk top again.
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I was so excited to see an article talking about feng shui! And the desk position is very important. I have my desk in the middle of my office, diagonally placed. This works well as I look right out into the living room, and can keep track of my two boys (male cats).
Thank you for mentioning audio books – this is something that I have been thinking about, but not acted on yet.
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