Welcome to giveaway number two leading up to the September 1 launch of my new book, Move Slow & Make Things. For this giveaway, I’ve partnered with Luxury Brands of America, a US distributor for fountain pens, inks, notebooks, and other fine writing supplies. They carry some of my favorite fountain pen brands, such as Platinum, Waldmann, and Benu.
One of the themes I write about in Move Slow and Make Things is buying and using tools and materials that honor your creativity. This doesn’t mean you have to buy everything top-of-the-line, but it means you buy and use things that make your heart sing. You not only buy those things, but you actually use them. I know it sounds idealistic and romantic, but I will own that when it comes to creative supplies.
I will admit that even just a few years ago, I didn’t understand the appeal of buying a fountain pen. I didn’t know if I was interested in messing with the ink, the nibs, and the leaks that come with using one. While you can get fountain pens for as little as $7.00 (for the Platinum Preppy), I also didn’t understand splurging a few hundred dollars on a pen. I mean, it’s just a pen, right?
I don’t know how it started, but it was a slow progression from buying nicer mechanical pencils, playing around with dip pens and nibs, buying a $150 pen for my birthday, and then buying a 1920s fountain pen at a shop in Paris as a souvenir. And now, I’m hooked on fine writing instruments. They are like office jewelry, some made of Sterling silver, platinum, gold, and other fine metals. They are heirlooms that can be used for generations. I’ve already made a lot of great memories with my fountain pens, using them for writing and sketching.
This is the Waldmann Tango, one of my favorites.
It also feels good to clean and refill a pen instead of throwing it away. I’ve come to really dislike how our current culture makes and treats things (like huge, expensive refrigerators) that are basically disposable. I’m not above being wasteful, but I’m becoming more aware of it and want to buy and use things that will last a long time, if not a lifetime. I’ve also come to enjoy caring for my pens. I take real delight in cleaning out the nibs, refilling the ink, and troubleshooting if something isn’t working properly. It’s the sort of activity that forces me to slow down, get my fingers a little ink-stained, and care for my nice tools.
The pen above is the Platinum 3776 in Calico Celluloid, and another favorite.
Today, we’d like to give one lucky reader a chance to win the Benu Hot Lush Fountain Pen, a starter set of Colorverse fountain pen ink with washi tape, a Nebula notebook, which is filled with paper perfect for fountain pens, and a Giro Logio pen sleeve. It’s basically everything you need to get writing with a fountain pen or, if you’re already a member of the fountain pen fan club, it will be a flashy new addition.
You don’t have to preorder the book to enter, but it would be awesome if you did! Preorders contribute to the success of a book so much in this day and age. You can preorder Move Slow & Make Things HERE. And claim your preorder bonuses HERE.
Details to enter are below. Good luck!
