And by salon, I mean DESK.

I've noticed that many author websites feature tours of the magic places where writers create their works. Roald Dahl famously worked in a garden shed where he kept odd items including a jar of his own arthritic hip bones and gigantic ball made of chocolate bar wrappers.

Me, I keep small animals.

Not actual live ones, mind you, of the NINETY-THREE IN MY FAMILY or CHICKEN BEDTIME IS REALLY EARLY variety. Rather, little totems of sorts. Made of plastic, wool, china - you name it.

For example, take my "SURPRISE BOX" which I got at a tag sale long after my kids were of the appropriate age (although, interestingly, they both borrow it periodically because snapping the lids open is soooooo satisfying... I do it too when I'm experiencing a creative roadblock). In addition to the boy and cat pictured, you also have the option of popping up an extremely homely girl, a psychotic looking dog and a lion.

My computer wallpaper, which you can't really see in this picture, is a hamster in a reclining pose (courtesy of my dear pal Kenna Kay). See how many chickens you can count on my desk. There's also a sheep, a cat, a dog, a snail, a pygmy hippo...

And a stapler.

That concludes this brief tour of this children's book writer's desk. I mean, SALON.

Au revoir pour maintenant!