The Magic of Fountain Pens 

James Navé here welcoming Eliza Santiago, pen collector, and social media expert, to the Twice 5 Miles Radio microphone. Before I met Eliza, I didn't know about pen collectors' range and enthusiasm for fountain pens, ink, nibs, fine paper, and beautiful cursive handwriting.  

In this conversation, Eliza shares surprising tidbits about the world of pens, including the craft of nib masters who can customize your nibs to suit your writing style and moods. She also discusses the art of ink-making, where ink makers mix secret ingredients to produce a color that belongs only to you.  

Once you've got your nibs in shape, you must visit an ink maker for the right mix of secret ink ingredients to produce a color that belongs only to you. You can even name your ink: Blueberries Dreaming, Pretentious Peacock, or Chocolate After Hours. 

Eliza challenges the notion that fast typing is the only way to capture thoughts, instead suggesting that a well-balanced pen, beautiful ink, and smooth paper can calm the mind and invigorate the imagination. So consider this: Does speed matter when you write with imagination and energy? 

Why not take your time, connect deeply with your emotions, and write something slow that genuinely reflects what you want to say? Give it a try and see what happens.  Enjoy the show.

The Magic Of Fountain Pens with pen collector and social media expert Eliza Santiago

Provocative Conversations from Twice 5 Miles Radio is a podcast devoted to candid, often surprising exchanges with artists, thinkers, and cultural instigators who speak from the core. Each episode dives beneath the surface to explore the stories and questions that shape our lives.

I’m James Navé—poet, storyteller, educator, and longtime creative collaborator. With an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and decades of teaching experience across the globe, I help writers and performers tap into their authentic voices through public speaking, creative writing, and the Imaginative Storm method, which I co-developed with Allegra Huston.

My most recent book, 100 Days: A Poetic Memoir After Cancer (3: A Taos Press), documents a hundred days of healing and poetic reckoning. I’m also co-author of Write What You Don’t Know and How to Read for an Audience—practical guides for anyone seeking to speak and write with more truth and power.

I’ve directed festivals, hosted literary salons, taught with Julia Cameron, and memorized over 600 poems. I still believe in the power of a well-told story, the light through stained glass, and the open road with nothing but a podcast and a windshield full of stars.

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