Bookcase of the Week - Starring... Antony John

In today's Bookcase of the Week feature, it is with great pleasure that I bring you author Antony John's bookshelves.  That's as far as my intro goes... Antony the mic is all yours:

Hi Nely (and Nely’s readers)! Thanks so much for inviting me along today. 

Oh, and apologies for the quality of the photos. My camera is ancient, and ever since the elastic band holding it together snapped, I can’t take a picture without pressing in the battery with my left hand. Time for duct tape, methinks!

Okay, so I’ll start with my favorite writing spot:

Here’s my preferred table in my local coffee shop. I write here for two hours every morning (Monday-Friday), then pick up my kids and spend the rest of the day playing with them. It doesn’t look like much, I know, but there’s a nice fireplace for me to stare at when I’m in Deep Thought Mode (aka: dozing)

 

A funny thing: I always insisted I wouldn’t be proprietary about this table, but it’s gotten so that the baristas warn me when I arrive if someone has taken “my” table. And I must admit, I kind of hate changing my routine. Hard to believe I’ve become so curmudgeonly at such a young age!

Of course, sometimes two hours per day isn’t (nearly) enough to get everything done, and so in the evenings I sit in an armchair in the living room and try to catch up on emails. As you can see, it’s far too comfortable for me to stand a chance of being productive (and no, that kid’s shopping cart at the bottom right is not mine)

 

Before the kids head to bed, my wife and I read to them for a while. We’re fortunate to have a library with wonderful built-in bookshelves. (Our house is a hundred years old; I guess these things came standard back then!) There’s a comfy love seat where we can all snuggle up and read. It’s lovely.

I’d like to say that I read in our library, too, but actually I read all over the place. I frequently carry a book around with me as I’m pretending to do other more pressing things. It means I never get anything done—at least, not properly—but it makes me seem incredibly industrious. And that’s what matters, right?

As for writing inspiration, I don’t have to stray too far from home. Although I didn’t know it when we bought our house, our street has quite a literary history.

A hundred yards from my house is this apartment building where Tennessee Williams lived as a kid.

 Just beyond that is the house where T. S. Eliot grew up.

I was a big Eliot fan in high school, and walking past these houses every day literally gives me chills. I don’t imagine for a moment that I’ll ever possess a fraction of their talent and artistry, but I figure it’s good to set the bar high.

Thanks again for having me along today. Cheers!

Not only is Antony the author of the awesomeness that is Five Flavors of Dumb, but he is also giving one of you guys a chance at winning a brand new, shiny copy of Five Flavors of Dumb (insert crowd cheering here)

GIVEAWAY: Mr. John is giving away one brand new, SIGNED copy of Five Flavors of Dumb.

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, All About {n} button, Facebook, etc.) Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Winners will be drawn Sunday, November 14.

To learn more about author Antony John and Five Flavors of Dumb - please visit Antony's website.  You can also catch him on MySpace and Facebook.  And just a quick note, if you "LIKE" Antony's Facebook author page, you automatically get entered into a competition to win not only a signed copy  of DUMB, but also a copy of WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON signed by both John Green and David Levithan... How cool is that?  You know I already did  (haha)  so please drop by and check Antony's FB out.