Danielle Steel’s wildly popular novels have made her a household name, and as the founder of the Nick Traina Foundation—so called after her late son—the mother of nine is also an ardent advocate for mental-health awareness. Ahead of her new book, Fairytale, being published next month, take a look at where Steel’s best-sellers are brought to life, at her desk in San Francisco.

Photograph by Aubrie Pick.

My beloved, partially handmade 1946 Olympia standard typewriter. I’ve written 163 books on this typewriter, and it’s still going strong.

I love these mementos that my children have given me for good luck. They touch my heart but do not help my creative process. The desktop is so crowded that, when I’m writing, I have to take them off the desk until I finish the book.

This tall stack of papers is all pending projects.

Photograph by Aubrie Pick.

On the walls of my office are framed covers of my books and sayings that I love. One favorite, since I work very late: “What hath night to do with sleep?”

Art done by my children when they were little.

This magnet says, “#1 Mom,” and was a Mother’s Day gift.

This nameplate belonged to my son Nick, with the name of his band, Link 80.

I had my desk made by some artisans about 25 years ago. They chose the colors and book titles—I love it.