From the Writing Desk of: Chloe N. Clark

1.) My desk is the one I bought, very very without any money, my first year of grad school--it was the cheapest one I could find that still had a foot rest (I have long legs that tend to cramp if I can't stretch them up and out on a rest). It's still the desk I use because I wrote so much on it, that it's now like an old friend. An old friend who has so many coffee stains as to be basically a different design, but whatever.

2.) Behind my desk is my wall of things that make me happy--pictures of family, my dog, animals I have loved, friends, cards, and objects that have a special meaning (including--not pictured--something I refer to as my sentimental value lizard). I think being able to look up and see things that bring me joy helps keep me grounded in why I write.

3.) I write at a laptop and the only frill I went with on it was choosing a color (light mint) that matched my electric hand beater. Not pictured are the corgi and bat stickers that adorn its back. I keep it elevated, because I sometimes write for 8 hours straight and its the one way I've found that keeps my wrists and back from aching after such stints.

4.) Who doesn't have multiple mugs on their desk from the masses of coffee they drink? That's just common right? I also have a glass of water, usually, because I'm healthy. (One of the mugs is from my nephews and says "To Aunty Meany" on it, which is basically my aesthetic)

5.) Organizers. I love things that organize things for me because I am not an organized person and they give me the semblance of not being messy. Inside are pens, post-its, stationary, and odds and ends (such as my strangely large collection of multi-purpose tools and swiss army knives).

6.) Yes I have a magical tree puppet that can wave around a stuffed mushroom it has in one hand. I already said I chase joy. See also: stuffed bat, frog, hedgehog.

7.) The Xenomorph Funko Pop not only represents my favorite monster and one of the films that has had the biggest influence on my self as a writer, but also was the inspiration for the name of the literary journal, Cotton Xenomorph, that I am co-founder and co-editor-in-chief of.

8.) I almost always have something that I can do with my hands, while Im thinking between sentences. I'm a very kinetic person when it comes to how I think--so I keep a Jacob's Ladder and/or a deck of cards and/or a hand exercise ball on my desk at all times. This keeps my body moving while I'm mulling over lines or scenes and is especially helpful for when I'm diving into editing work.

9.) Not pictured--some kind of writing snack, my speakers (I listen to music almost constantly while writing).

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Chloe N. Clark's work has appeared in Apex, Glass, Hobart, Uncanny, Yes, and more. She is co-EIC of Cotton Xenomorph, teaches at Iowa State University, and her debut chapbook The Science of Unvanishing Objects is out from Finishing Line Press. Her forthcoming full length, Your Strange Fortune, is being published by Vegetarian Alcoholic Press. Find her on Twitter @PintsNCupcakes.

Your Strange Fortune is available for preorder now!