Authors are a quirky bunch. Get a group of writers together and the combined nerdery will bring out the inner geek in the coolest cat. Even the one’s you’d swear sat at the cool table in junior high cafeteria have a few habits (and a half dozen cats) they are careful to keep hidden.

I put on my normal and hit the gym, carpool, even girls night out. But when I’m writing I have to be true to my weirdness. Case in point? I have writing pants. Yes, writing pants. A few close friends have seen my in my leopard or zebra print lounge pants, but not on purpose. Time slips away from me when I’m working and all of the sudden the carpool van arrives with a child or three and I’m sporting pink polka dots. I hope they write it off as artisic.

Nail polish is another quirk of mine. When I start a new book, I tend to keep the same nail polish the whole way through. Not that I rock the chipped and outgrown look…with Private Scandal I kept painting my nails I’m Not Really A Waitress for months. This obsession has led me to change nail products. I now have an addiction to Incoco nail polish strips because they don’t chip. I can make it about two weeks before I can’t stand how much my nails have grown and reapply…the same style. (Caribbean Christmas was french manicure because I didn’t think Saskia would bother with polish. Caribbean Casanova is Sinderella. I’m careful with what I put on my nails right now because I’m starting Caribbean Crush any day and don’t want to be married to something unflattering. I’m leaning towards a fun blue…)

The latest addition to my authorly quirks is Pinterest. I have to have it up when I’m writing. I do a board for each story, and the pictures put me in the right mood. so I’ll be pounding away on my laptop keyboard while the ipad is displaying the Pinterest board for the book. It’s crazy weird. I know. But it works.

Help me feel more normal…what’s your quirky habit?

Jenna Bayley-Burke

Website | Twitter | Facebook
New Release: Caribbean Christmas – Amazon | BN | Samhain