Where Writers Write: Kim Henderson

Welcome to another installment of TNBBC's Where Writers Write!

Where Writers Write is a weekly series that will feature a different author every Wednesday as they showcase their writing spaces using short form essay, photos, and/or video. As a lover of books and all of the hard work that goes into creating them, I thought it would be fun to see where the authors roll up their sleeves and make the magic happen. 

This is Kim Henderson. 

Kim’s chapbook of short-short stories, The Kind of Girl, won the 2012 Rose Metal Press contest and is forthcoming this summer.  She has published work in the Tin House Open Bar, Cutbank, H_NGM_N, River Styx, New South, The Southeast Review, and elsewhere.  Originally from New Mexico, she now lives on a mountain in Southern California with her husband and dogs, where she chairs the Creative Writing Department at Idyllwild Arts Academy.

Where Kim Henderson Writes

I am mostly a morning writer, and mostly write here at my desk.  I do love to get outside and write in different places, and often come up with new material in those settings, but it’s at my desk where the majority of the work happens.

My desk, my comfy chair, my nerdy owl collection to remind myself that I am a nerd (do I really need a daily reminder?).

Speaking of nerdism, my mom recently made me go through some boxes in her shed, and I found this owl from when I was about five.  There was a whole series of these career-themed animals—cat nurses, dog doctors, bear mailmen, etc. (and I guess the owl graduate is a more abstract version of success).  The nerd thing is what stuck.

Note the Rose Metal Press pin!  I picked that up when I discovered them at AWP.


My writing partner, Nikki.  She supplies most of the ideas.

  My book closet.  I also spend at least thirty minutes each day staring at my guitar and thinking how cool it would be if I could actually play it.  The yarn mess there in the corner provides another diversion.
Note the orange walls, in the interest of staying awake.


I drink coffee out of this cup nearly every morning.  My students tell me writers are the awkward penguins of the world—perhaps that’s why I ended up with this cup.