Sanctum Sanctorum by James W. Ziskin

Show us where you work! Please share a photo of your work/writing space, and tell us why it looks the way it does!

From Jim

My dear friend Hallie Ephron told me that brown furniture is out these days. I must have missed that memo. I love old things, as you’ll see in these photos of my workspace, which I call Jim’s Landing.

This is where I write.

This is where I used to write.

Starbucks (Photo removed)

To the right of my desk is a bookcase. Its larger twin was too big to make it up the stairs when we moved. It’s in the basement for now. I keep a few treasures here for inspiration or excuses to waste time. 

For example, there’s this masterpiece—Show Cats—that I drew for my grandmother when I was six. Note, too, the autorickshaws. Lots of fun to play with. The shiny box on the left is a 19th century travel desk. Kind of the laptop of its day.

I keep some of my favorite books on the top shelf. And a photo to remind me how old I am.

A couple of awards and Mom. The T. S. Eliot was a gift from someone very special when I won the Macavity.

Next shelf. Doré, my favorite bookend—the other one was lost decades ago—and me with my dad.

Last one. My Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition. A little worn but precious.

Then there’s this wall. I gaze at these when the writing is slow or I get a bad review.

And another wall. Two photos of my grandfather (1910 undefeated University of Illinois football team) and my mom’s class picture 1936.

Good luck to all the Edgar nominees!

And that’s it! This was the easiest blog piece ever. Stay safe!