My husband can go in and out of an office supply store in 5 minutes. Not me. Yesterday I had the luxury of time, and I walked all the aisles, lingering. I did have a list: printer inkers, storage boxes (for packing away Mistress of the Sun notes), stick-on dots (for coding the research books on my shelves), but most importantly, a signing pen to use when signing my books.
When my first book was published, my husband gave me a beautiful Waterman fountain pen, which I treasure. But it proved challenging to use as a signing pen: it sometimes blotched, stained my fingers, and it could leak in-flight. Also, and most importantly, I had to carefully blot the signed title page before closing the book. In the beginning, when I had only few books to sign, I welcomed a time-consuming process. Now, when I’m signing as many as 40 books, I need to be more efficient.
What to look for in a signing pen
Recently, I stopped into a Chapters/Indigo store in Toronto, and offered to sign my books. I did not have a pen with me, and I was quickly offered a Sharpie. Well. Not that elegant, but— “They don’t blot,” the clerk told me. “Which is why we use them.” The other nice thing about a felt-tip marker, I later thought, is that you are given notice when it’s drying up—not like a fountain or ball-point pen that can quit mid-signature. Making a mess in a $30 book is not a good thing.
So I lingered long at the felt-tip marker section. It wasn’t an independent office supply store—the wonderful type of store where you can test the pens on a scrap of paper provided—so I purchased a selection, and headed north, to Petawawa Stables, where I had my horse to visit … and a book to sign.
I’ve known Dawn and her mother Yvonne since before I began writing Mistress of the Sun. I used to take riding lessons there, and my horse, Finnegan, is wonderfully looked after there during the winter.
I was delighted to sign Yvonne’s book, a gift to her from Dawn. I had tested the markers in the car: the Sharpies, a medium tip, were too fat—a fine-point would be a better choice—but the blue Staedtler (1.0 Medium) worked quite nicely … if only I didn’t have to buy a set of eight in assorted colors to get that one blue.
I’ll be in New York soon, with time, I hope, for one of my favorite past-times: lingering in the aisles of an office supply store.
Afternote: I will have more to report on picking out a signing pen soon. Stay posted.
Photo: Finnegan and me, taken by Dawn Townshend at Petawawa Stables.
Oh, my. I’ve met someone who, like myself, finds themselves in an office supply store and cannot help but peruse every aisle, especially the area where pens are sold. I’ve had a fetish for writing instruments since I was around 12 years old, and now at 49 I don’t see any of that interest fading (pun intended). :) Nice to meet you.
A quote of yours from “Josephine B.” was used in my Word of the Day (dictionary.com) email today that illustrates the proper use of the word mal de mer: “Hortense is in good spirits — a better traveller than her mother, I confess, who is overcome by mal de mer at the slightest movement.”
Warm Regards,
John Walter Fiske
Huntsville, AL
Hi John,
I wrote a heart-felt response but I must have pushed the wrong key because poof! It was suddenly gone.
See? The advantage of an actual PEN?!
I am charmed beyond measure that a quote from Josephine B. showed up in your Word of the Day email!
Cheers, have a nice day. I hope it finds you in a lovely stationary store, or at least lining up your many pens.
Sandra
I hear you, Sandra! This pen thing is tricky. And the large business supply stores have very few fine tip pens and none sold as one of a kind. And you can’t test them. I, too, need to find a small office store where they actually cater to customers.
Yes, Elaine! Good luck.
One positive—it’s always lovely to spend time in any stationary store. ;-)
Cheers, and Happy New Year,
Sandra
Why all the question marks????? It makes your writing highly confusing.
Why all the question marks????? It makes your writing highly confusing.
It’s so frustrating! I used to have my blog on Blogger, and then moved it to WordPress. In the move, long dashes became question marks. Thank you for pointing it out on this post.
Sandra – I’m the same in office supply stores. Sean doesn’t get it *g*.
And, like you, I LOVE pens – will have to check out that Staedtler the next time we’re in Vancouver.
Great pic of you with Finnegan!
Thank you, Tess! It’s the same with book stores, no? There no such thing as enough time to linger!