If there’s one thing both readers and writers have in common, it’s the appreciation for a quiet spot with comfortable seating and a kick-ass cup of coffee.

We’re not talking chain stores here.  While we’d be the first to agree that the ubiquitous outposts of Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks do have some virtues, we have a hunch that the main reason people frequent them—to quote George Mallory of Mount Everest—is “because they’re there”.

IndieReader, the essential guide to self-pubbed books, is a resource for people who prefer reading material that is special and unique.  We have a hunch that you might prefer your cafes the same way.  And to help you find those places, we’re launching a new weekly column called “Reader’s Retreat”, that includes extraordinary places to escape, culled by Juliet C. Obodo, author of “Writer’s Retreat”.  Her part of the story follows.

Enjoy!

Amy Edelman, IndieReader

*********************************************************

My name is Juliet C. Obodo and I am an author.

I tried to begin writing my first novel at home, but living in New York, I was constantly sidetracked by the construction taking place in my apartment building.

And so, in search of an alternative, I packed up my laptop and attempted to find a quiet spot at a local coffee chain.  What I found instead were places packed with masses of people, filled more with distractions than inspiration.

Then one day I walked exactly one block east from a major coffee chain, only to discover the cutest cafe with plenty of seating and—if that weren’t enough—delicious espresso. It turned into a wonderful and productive afternoon.

I began to compile a list of the places I visited and it soon grew to over one hundred cafes. My friends would text me for recommendations and then one day it hit me—this would make a great guide! And that’s the story behind “Writer’s Retreat.”

Each week I will spotlight one of the writing nooks from my book. Today we’ll start with the café where it all began.

Bourbon Coffee

43 W 14th St

New York, NY 10011

bourboncoffeeusa.com

Hours:

Mon-Fri 6 am—10 pm

Sat-Sun 7 am—10 pm

Bourbon Coffee is very spacious and often empty early afternoons. They seemed to have designed the space with mobile workers in mind. Every type of seating area is available for the study group, the weekly tete`-a-tete´with your girlfriend or for the solitary writer. They serve strong espresso and have plenty of outlets that will keep both you and your notebook fully charged. Two of my favorite beverages are the Caramel Indulgence and Amaretto Dream. Their breakfast and lunch menus include freshly made scones and delicious sandwiches.

Can’t wait until next week? Writer’s Retreat New York City Edition is available at McNally Jackson and Amazon. You can also pre-order the entire collection of city guides from our Kickstarter page. The collection includes: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco & Seattle. You’ll be able to find a Writer’s Retreat no matter where you are.

*******************************************

Know a great cafe to curl up and read (or write!) a good book?  Send the deets to Juliet at contact@julietobodo.com and we’ll possibly feature in an upcoming post!  Or send us a tweet at #greatplacetoread.