A pen and a notebook still work. Years and years ago, when I
first began writing, that was the way I started – with a wirebound notebook and
an ink pen. Not a ballpoint like this,
but a real fountain pen that I filled up out of a little glass jar of ink. The
jar had a little well at the top where I dipped my pen point in. Then I had to pull
out this little lever that pushed in the rubber ink holder inside the pen. When
you let the lever go, the ink was sucked up in the pen. I loved filling up that
pen even if I did get ink on my fingers nearly every time. You know, that might
have just made it better. Ink stained fingers surely meant I was a writer. Do
you remember those kinds of pens? How about those that had little replacement
cartridges of ink. I guess they were all replaced by gel pens.
writing time was precious, I told myself I had to learn to write using a
typewriter. I did. More time passed and I entered the computer age. The
keyboard became an essential piece of my creative equipment. I still journaled
in a wirebound notebook with any pen handy as long as it had black ink. I hadn’t written any fiction in longhand for
too many years to count. But deadlines can make a person desperate. So with a
deadline looming for my work in progress and a long airplane flight to and from
California, I stuffed a wirebound notebook in my purse. I sat next to people on
the long flights who had no interest in talking. So I went back in time and started
scribbling words. Lots of scratch outs and inserts, but I found out the pen
still works. Words came that when I did get to a keyboard weren’t all that bad
and I got through several scenes that helped me almost meet my deadline. I only
had to beg a couple of extra days and that was for reviewing and editing. But
without that notebook and pen, I would have never made it across the finish
line.
keyboard and my backspace key when I think up a better word. The delete key
comes in handy too. Of course, a black line or scribble through a few sentences
works too.
in my birthday giveaway. Sorry I’m a few days late, but had to get that story
written. So drum roll please. Wanda S of Iowa won the first prize of the NIV
Bible and she picked my book, Summer of
Joy. Ann H of Pennsylvania won second prize of the prayer journal and she
choose, Orchard of Hope. Jayne R of
Ontario, CA was the never won before winner of Liz Curtis Higgs book, Mine is the Night, and she picked my
book, Angels at the Crossroads. Then
I chose a bonus winner out of the never won before entrants. So Tisha of
Indiana won a copy of her choice of one of my books, and she picked Angels at the Crossroads, too. Thanks to all of you who entered. I
enjoy giving away books and I’ll be doing another book giveaway soon.