All Headline News

Author Margaret Atwood Invents "LongPen"

February 22, 2006 11:11 a.m. EST

Yvonne Lee - All Headline News Staff Reporter

(AHN) - Science fiction author Margaret Atwood has invented a pen which allows her to meet and sign books for fans across the globe from the comfort of her home.

Fans can sit at a desk at a nearby bookstore and hook up with Atwood via the Internet video chat setup. She then uses the "LongPen," to sign the book by writing out her message on a touchpad, reports LiveScience.com.

The Canadian author writes fiction, non-fiction and poetry. She plans to use the "LongPen" at the London Book Fair in two weeks.

Atwood said, "You don't have to be in the same room as someone to have a meaningful exchange."

She added, "As I was whizzing around the United States on yet another demented book tour, getting up at four in the morning to catch planes, doing two cities a day, eating the Pringle food object out of the mini-bar at night as I crawled around on the hotel room floor, too tired even to phone room service, I thought, 'There must be a better way of doing this.'"