In last week’s blog, we talked about the idea of writing anywhere. Some find great success in writing their book behind a desk. Take Charles Dickens, for example. He loved his desk so much that he had it (along with its contents) shipped to his vacation home! But for others, writing at a desk just isn’t feasible. But if this sounds like you, rest assured, you’re in good company.

Today, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at some of the places where well-known authors wrote their famous pieces of literature!

Agatha Christie

Believe it or not, during a renovation of her mansion, Agatha Christie advised her architect that she wanted a large tub with a ledge so that she could eat apples. The architect heeded her words and fulfilled her request, and her large Victorian bathtub became not only the place where she ate apples, but the place where she created some of her most famous plot lines!

Maya Angelou

Sometimes when people are traveling, they find it difficult to focus their minds, get comfortable and write while in a hotel. But for Maya Angelou, the exact opposite proved true. She found comfort in a hotel room so much so that to ensure there were no distractions, she actually requested that everything on the walls be removed! All she had in the room with her was her notebook, writing implements, a Bible, dictionary and thesaurus, and away she wrote.

Beatrix Potter

As an author of mystical children’s stories, it’s no shock that Potter’s writing haven was situated on a piece of property known as Hilltop Home. This home was nestled in lush greenery and vines crawled up the sides of the home’s façade. This scenic spot inspired the creation of some of her most famous characters!

Henry David Thoreau

A stark hut in the middle of the woods in Walden Pond, Massachusetts, is where famed author Henry David Thoreau found much of his inspiration. His hands not only created his literary works of genius, they also constructed the hut where he lived for two years. During those couple of years, Thoreau contemplated and eventually wrote his book, Walden.

Stephen King

Stephen King got his inspiration for The Shining, a spine-tingling thriller, when he and his wife stayed in a vast, old hotel. As the famous story goes, King and his wife were the only two guests. As he wandered through the halls, he began to think that these lonely corridors could possibly be the scene for a future ghost story. That night, he had a dream of his three-year-old son running through halls, screaming. He woke up from this nightmare, sat in chair that looked out at the Rocky Mountains and by the time he had calmed down, the foundation of The Shining was etched in his mind.

Though there’s nothing wrong with writing at a desk, as you can see, some of the most famous authors have found literary success in the most peculiar places.