The Journal

Gwendolyn decided to enter a writing contest. She had been told for years that she had great talent but she wasn't so sure they were telling the truth. She wanted a writing career. I mean, who wouldn't want a job where you can create new worlds and not have to leave your house. Her family and friends had been telling her to just put something out there. But Gwendolyn was afraid of the rejection. One day she saw an advertisement for a writing contest. She figured, 'let's give it a shot", she never expected to win. Gwendolyn just saw it as a first step into getting her work out there.

The contest had a prompt; Write a story about a little black book.

Gwendolyn thought about several different ideas on what a little black book could mean. Is this the little black book of past dates who you call when you are desperate? Or is this an old leather bound book from a long past ancestor with unknown family stories and strange incantations?

Gwendolyn got up and decided to find a notebook to write down her ideas. In the bottom of a box she found a leather journal. She didn't remember buying but she didn't think about it that much because she had such a collection that she didn't know what all she really had. It was perfect. The leather was black and it was small enough that she could carry it with her just incase she had some ideas while she was away from home.

At her desk, Gwendolyn found a pen and opened it up to the first page. On that page she wrote the rules of the contest just so she could stick to them. Then she started to list her ideas on what a 'little black' book could be. Then she started thinking about what the prize money could mean and what a career in writing could do for her life. She just started writing her plans to pay off all of her bills for at least a year. Then she wrote about the places she wanted to hold book signings. The places she wanted to see as she traveled around signing. Then she started thinking that she might even go on the speaking circuit and help other writers find their footing. Gwendolyn wrote until her hand started cramping. She set down the pen, stretched, and rubbed her eyes. She looked at the clock and realized that she had been writing for over three hours. It was time to cook herself some dinner.

Gwendolyn left the notebook on her desk and went to the kitchen. She return with her dinner and resumed her seat. She went back to read through what she had written, trying to get back in the groove, but she noticed something weird. She knew what she had been writing about and where she had left off, but there were more words written on the pages. She did not recognize the words but they were in her handwriting. Gwendolyn started to read the story and was enthralled.

The new story was about a young woman living in the Revolutionary War Era and struggling with her father's rules and societal traditions. Her father wanted her to marry but he had to approve of the marriage. Rebekah had to keep a journal of the suitors that came around. All the men that her father had come meet her were just like him. They were wealthy and only wanted her to raise their children. None of the cared for her mind or her ambitions. Rebekah was supposed to maintain the look and temperament of a "proper lady". That was not what she wanted for her future.

Gwendolyn was in awe, this story was amazing. It was like reading the life and heart of a long past person. She wasn't sure where it had come from, she lived alone. She decided to continue what she was working on before for the contest. After a couple of hours, Gwendolyn notice how late it was and decided she needed to get some sleep before work. She turned out the lights and went to bed.

The next day the notebook and Rebekah were left alone. Just before bed, Gwendolyn decided to look at the notebook, she wanted to think of more ideas but also was curious to see if Rebekah had written anymore. Sure enough more pages were filled with Rebekah's story. Gwendolyn curled up in her bed and read on as Rebekah poured her heart out.

Rebekah had fallen in love but her father refused to allow her to marry the man. He was the local blacksmith and was far from wealthy. "He will never be able to provide for you. He is beneath you and no daughter of mine will ever marry a lowly laborer." he had told her. Rebekah was heart broken that her father would care so little for her feeling that he would keep her from marrying the man she loved. The man who understood and encouraged her ambitions. Silas loved to sit and listen the Rebekah's stories and dreams of a future where women could choose their own path.

Gwendolyn could not get enough of this story. It was drawing her in and all she wanted to know was 'Will Rebekah marry Silas or will she cave to her father's demands?'. It was at this point that Gwendolyn decided that this was the story for the contest. She went to her desk and turned on her laptop and started typing. She tweaked the story a little. She wrote about finding a journal kept by a long passed ancestor trying to live in a world that would not allow her to live her dreams. It featured a young woman struggling with a society that kept her subservient to her father and traditions.

Every day the leather journal would reveal more about Rebekah and her struggles of the heart. Gwendolyn grew excited to open it everyday to see more of the story. She finished what she needed for the contest and put the journal away. She submitted the story and let it all go. It would take a few weeks before the winners would be announced.

Gwendolyn went on with her daily life not thinking about the contest or Rebekah. It wasn't until she received an e-mail stating that her story was the grand prize winner. She wouldn't believe it. She had never won anything before. She had thought at one point that she was cursed. She filled out the forms to claim her prize then closed the laptop. She sat at her desk smiling and thinking. She started to wonder if everyone had been right, she does have talent. Then her mind wandered back to Rebekah and the notebook. She pulled it out of the draw and again their was more. She read the new sections and decided this story needed to be told. So, she opened the laptop and opened the word processor and just started typing and before she knew it she had written six chapters.

Over the next few days, the leather notebook provided more of the story and Gwendolyn put the new information into her book. It didn't take long and she had finished the book and the leather notebook had stopped adding more.

Gwendolyn received the prize money in her account and she set out to create a proper office and set herself up for a new career she never knew she wanted. She paid her bills and then bought several new notebooks and a new laptop. She also purchased supplies for book binding. Gwendolyn started looking forward to her first book signing and hopefully many more in the future.