Guest Post – Collin Kelley and His Writing Space

My writing space is a nook in my apartment in Atlanta. I’ve been in this space for more than five years, so it’s comfortable, familiar and where the majority of my writing takes place. I’ve learned to economize, so everything is within reach – pens, paper, printer, file cabinet, and the many, many, many books I’ve collected over the years.
The most precious books are an autographed copy of Anne Sexton’s Book of Folly, a copy of Margaret Atwood’s collected poems signed to me in Paris and a signed copy of Edward Gorey’s Gashleycrumb Tinies. If the place burns down, I’m grabbing the laptop and those books.
Also on my desk is an autographed photo of actress Jeanne Moreau that my best friend Donna found for me. Moreau was my inspiration for the character Irène in Conquering Venus and Remain in Light. The photo is dated June 1995, which is when the action in Venus takes place. Coincidence, serendipity, synchronicity?

I have a big leather chair, which is beat to hell, but too comfortable to replace. Likewise, the desk is old but a perfect height and size. I’ll just keep dusting and polishing it. Behind my desk are my stereo, record albums and CDs, because music is a must when I’m writing. It’s usually Miles Davis, a good movie soundtrack (The Tango Lesson and Portrait of a Lady are favorites) or Kate Bush.
Since it’s an apartment, I’m limited to what I can do, but if I could, I’d have a wall of floor to ceiling bookcases installed – built in, not IKEA. I’m a big proponent of the ebook revolution, but I still love to hold a book in my hand and see them on my shelves.
The only thing really wrong with my writing space is that it’s not in London. If I could do the Samantha Stephens nose twitch and magically move the apartment there, I would. Anyone got a spell for that?

Collin Kelley is the author of the novel Conquering Venus and the forthcoming Remain in Light (both from Vanilla Heart Publishing.). He is also the author of three poetry collections, Better To Travel, After the Poison and Slow To Burn, which is be re-issued in August by Seven Kitchens Press. His poetry, essays, articles and reviews have been published in journals and magazines around the world.