The Dirty Pajamas School of Writing
- Charis Cotter
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Here I am, dirty pajamas and all
The life of a writer holds some sweet moments. One of the sweetest is writing the last line of a book.
Today I did that. The line is:
“Yay,” he called out. “More ghosts!”
It may not look like much without the other 53 chapters in front of it! But it brought a big smile to me just now when I wrote it. The book is “Roxy Malone and the Shadow of Dread,” and it’s a collaboration between me and my daughter, Zoe Cleland. We started it back in 2022, and it’s had many ups and downs. We’ve just finished the second draft. Zoe is a filmmaker and an actor, and she loves ghosts even more than I do. She veers into the Horror side of things, and that has made this book extra scary.
As we worked on it over the winter, I lapsed into my favourite way of writing: The Dirty Pajamas School of Writing. And yes, I invented this. Other writers may work this way, but I’m taking credit for naming it!
I get up in the morning, putter around for an hour or so – building a fire, feeding the cat, making tea—then I sit down at my computer and work for an hour in my dirty pajamas. It’s important not to eat breakfast or get dressed—the dirty pajamas are a key to creativity. I’m still half in the world of sleep and dreams and the unconscious and the writing angels are whispering to me.
After breakfast, when I’m dressed and respectable, I do another hour or two, or if I have too much other work, I don’t. At least I’ve got that one hour in and the book moves slowly forward. I know PD James used to work like this while she still had a full-time job and young children. She would get up early and put an hour in before anyone was awake. I don’t think I could manage it with a full-time job and kids, but it works for me now.
Meanwhile, lots of exciting things have been happening with The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall.
* Paperback release: May 5: Just in time to buy a copy to take to camp!
* Finalist for the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children’s Literature (Atlantic Book Awards)
* Interview on Paul Butler’s Podcast, A Fear Beyond Fear: Shifting Trees and Endless Forests: Charis Cotter's Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall
* Chosen as one of CCBC Choices 2026: Co-operative Children’s Book Centre, School of Education, University of Wisconsin—Madison
* Finalist for Snow Willow Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Award 2026
It does my heart good to have all this recognition for The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall. I lived with this book in my head for about six years, and it makes me happy to know that people are enjoying it.
I’m heading off to Halifax soon to take in the Atlantic Book Awards Festival. Halifax in spring is always a pleasure: I'm looking forward to the daffodils in the Public Gardens.
Happy Spring, everyone!
I fully support the writing in dirty pyjamas but need sustenance first so I subscribe to writing in my pyjamas after I eat. All the best with the nominations!!