It's a myth that you only write when you're sitting in front of a computer. I write in all sorts of places, in my head, scribbling down notes shortly after when I can.

But some places are more special and productive than others. Here are my two secret thinking devices...

1. A small and characterful wire fox terrier called Eddie.

<a href="http://davidhewson.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/eddie.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-8091" title="eddie" src="http://davidhewson.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/eddie-640x480.jpg" alt="" width="635" height="476" /></a>

Hard as I find it to believe, Eddie just turned eleven. He's listened to me chuntering on for ten or so books or so since he turned up. He's par