Brooke Hauser's place

Brooke Hauser is originally from Miami, Florida and now divides her time between western Massachusetts and New York City. The New Kids: Big Dreams Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens is her first book. About the book, she says, "In 2008, I wrote an article for The New York Times about prom at a high school that teaches English to recent immigrants from around the world. The students captured my heart, and the following year I decided to spend a year with the new kids at the International High School at Prospect Heights." Recently, People magazine selected The New Kids as one of its "Great Reads." You can find out more about Brooke here. Below, she talks about where she gets work done.

Brooklyn Writers Space

I wrote my book, The New Kids, in a cubicle at the Brooklyn Writers Space. At the time, it was the perfect spot for me, not just because the building that housed us was located off a stretch of Park Slope that is paved with places to grab a great sandwich or get a pedicure (I like a rewards system), but also because the location happened to be a short walk to the International High School that is the subject of my book. Whenever I needed to refresh a memory—the sound of the halls between classes, the smell of the cafeteria—I walked a few blocks, and suddenly I was back in that world. I also loved being in the company of other writers and people in general. Tempting as it is to work from home in pajamas, it’s important to put on real pants every day.

Recently, I moved to western Massachusetts. For a while, I wrote at a college library in my neighborhood. That was before I had a baby. At the moment, I am sitting with my son on the couch in my apartment, typing with one hand. It’s not Yaddo, but it will do just fine.