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The Best Pillow for Writing in Bed

February 24, 2016/2 Comments/in Reviews, Writing/by Katherine Cowley

I’ve recently discovered the best writing tool since the laptop. As a woman balancing writing, mothering, and a myriad of other obligations, I’m always trying to find new ways to up my productivity. I have limited writing time every day, and I use all sorts of tricks to make the most of it, like turning […]

New Short Story: Misunderstood at 365 Tomorrows

January 9, 2016/0 Comments/in Updates, Writing/by Katherine Cowley

I have a new short story that has been published! It’s called “Misunderstood,” and you can read it at 365 Tomorrows. There is also a forum discussion of the story, for those who want to chime in. “Misunderstood” is the shortest story I’ve ever written. Including the title, it’s only 483 words long. Yet the […]

The Best Pillow for Writing in Bed

February 24, 2016/2 Comments/in Reviews, Writing/by Katherine Cowley

New Short Story: Misunderstood at 365 Tomorrows

January 9, 2016/0 Comments/in Updates, Writing/by Katherine Cowley

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

The Best Pillow for Writing in Bed

February 24, 2016/2 Comments/in Reviews, Writing/by Katherine Cowley

The Best Pillow for Writing in Bed

I’ve recently discovered the best writing tool since the laptop.

As a woman balancing writing, mothering, and a myriad of other obligations, I’m always trying to find new ways to up my productivity. I have limited writing time every day, and I use all sorts of tricks to make the most of it, like turning off the Internet and racing against the clock.

Enter the Healthy Sleep Wedge pillow by Furinno.

Now I can write in bed. Seriously, isn’t that every writer’s dream?

Normally, one of my challenges is I don’t have a good, dedicated writing space. Sometimes I write on the sofa, sometimes at the kitchen table, and other times on a small, shared desk, which honestly isn’t great for creativity.

But with my new pillow, writing in bed is suddenly easy and comfortable. It has great back support, which prevents slouching and helps me work for much longer. The back is even tall enough for my husband (who is 6 feet tall). Sometimes I even have to remind him that it is my pillow and I need it…

In addition to using the pillow for writing in bed, I’ve also used it for reading to my kids, folding laundry, crocheting, and general relaxing. It can be set against a flat surface like a wall, but also used upright in the middle of the floor. It’s made of memory foam so it keeps it shape well. Another perk: It has an easy, washable cover.

The only thing I have yet to use the pillow for is sleeping. It’s supposed to help if you have breathing problems, acid reflux, back/neck pains, or are pregnant. None of which apply to me at the moment. But for when they do, I am prepared.

If you’re going to invest in a writing pillow, you want something that’s high quality and going to last. The Furinno model is well-priced and even comes with a five-year factory warranty. (It’s available on Amazon and through other online retailers.)

Some things increase my productivity for a week because of their novelty, and then lose effectiveness. I’ve tested out the pillow for two months, and it still is awesome. I use it to write in bed almost every single day. And yes, I even used it while writing this blog post.

Disclaimer: Furinno provided the Healthy Sleep pillow in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in the post are my own.

New Short Story: Misunderstood at 365 Tomorrows

January 9, 2016/0 Comments/in Updates, Writing/by Katherine Cowley

I have a new short story that has been published! It’s called “Misunderstood,” and you can read it at 365 Tomorrows. There is also a forum discussion of the story, for those who want to chime in.

“Misunderstood” is the shortest story I’ve ever written. Including the title, it’s only 483 words long. Yet the story also spans an epic time frame–over 4000 years.

Once you’ve read the story (go, read!) here are my author notes:

Scene I. Early in 2015 I did a fair bit of reading on Ancient Egypt, because I visited there in March. Pyramids, temples, tombs–Egypt has it all. If you do ever make it to Giza to see the pyramids, make sure you go to the Khufu ship museum. It’s amazing that you can see a boat that’s over 4500 years old. And it’s huge.

Scene II. In researching for another short story, which, a year later, I am still writing, I read 3 or 4 nonfiction books about Vikings. Vikings are pretty awesome, and Hollywood gets a lot wrong about them. Some of my ancestors may be Vikings. And so they snuck into the story.

Scene III. This is the scene that inspired the story. And it’s actually nonfiction. I went to Albertson’s one evening and saw this exact thing happen. Sure, the guy probably wasn’t named Louis. And while I don’t know what he was actually thinking, his facial expressions made it pretty clear. I just had to figure out what story he was part of–and I gravitated to speculative fiction. But maybe I’m right, and he really was a timesoul.

Scene IV. Not much to say about this scene. I just knew this was the ending, and I hope you enjoyed it.