Not only is Kyle Cassidy a heck of a photographer, writer and teacher, he is also one hell of a nice guy. I had a lucky chance to meet and learn a few photography skills some months back. He learned that I was also a writer and offered to send me one of his extra fountain pens. I very nearly squeed.

I’ve been interested in fountain pens for as long as I can remember. When I was young I used some cheap, cartridge-filled pens on occasion but fell out of habit as I aged. I always admired fountain pens from afar, and lived vicariously through my friend Dierdre and her pen obsession. That pen from Kyle, an old Arnold sitting on the bladder transplant list, resparked that old passion. This past Christmas I received brethren to join my collection.

The awesome Kyle is running a contest on his blog and the lucky winners will also receive a nifty fountain pen that is in need of love and affection. Go there. Make a semi-anonymous post with a picture of your notebooks, assuming you’re like us and write longhand, as well as a small writing sample – a poem, a paragraph, a snappy retort, whatever.