Winners, Deadlines and Notebooks

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.

Time went on. I got a typewriter and since with three kids, 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.

Am I going to keep writing in a notebook? No. I like my 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.

After I finally got that deadline met, I drew for my winners 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.

Thanks for reading. Hope you have a good week.