Mr. Ballpoint: A Novel Based on Truly Wacky Events

Milton Reynolds didn't invent the ballpoint pen. But he boasted, "I stole it fair and square." His mild-mannered, square-dealing son Jim wanted nothing to do with it.

When a smooth-talking entrepreneur discovers a strange new pen in the final days of World War II, he becomes convinced it’s the next great consumer sensation. His son Jim—a Stanford-trained engineer who craves stability instead of chaos—is dragged into a whirlwind of outrageous deals, impossible promises, and high-stakes schemes that launch the infamous “Pen Wars” of the late 1940s.

Inspired by the true story behind the first ballpoint pen craze, Mr. Ballpoint is a hilarious, fast-moving historical novel about ambition, family, invention, and the gloriously reckless spirit of American entrepreneurship. Filled with larger-than-life characters, sharp wit, and surprising heart, Gerald Everett Jones turns forgotten business history into a wildly entertaining adventure.

Perfect for readers who love historical fiction, entrepreneurial stories, and smart literary humor with real emotional depth.

"Puts American Hustle to shame. Jones has a marked talent for laying a methodical patina of logic over the most outlandish characters and events in his Rollo Hemphill novels. With Mr. Ballpoint he has turned that estimable gift to the true story of the wild entrepreneur Milton Reynolds who hustled his way to millions with the lowly ballpoint pen in the late 1940s. Reynolds lived the full, exciting "life of a salesman," and his outlandish career proves that truth can bat fiction out of the park any day." - Thomas Page, author of The Man Who Wouldn't Die and The Hephaestus Plague

"It's getting rarer these days to find humorous fiction-much less humor stories based on true stories-but Mr. Ballpoint is such a find and includes an unusual focus on a father-son relationship and a ballpoint pen. Not just for comedy readers and not just for those who want serious psychology... a recommendation for any who want a blend of entertainment and serious reading." - Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Reviews and host of Donovan's Bookshelf

"Gerald Everett Jones sews a mast sail of a story that tackles the ever shifting winds of the development of first ballpoint pen, and the business knots that present themselves at every gale, charting a course towards a holiday sales rush that anchors every character in the book into the blustery capitalism that defines the American Dream of progress, and a brighter future for all." - Greg Minuskin, pen professional and member of Pen Collectors of America and Los Angeles Pen Club

"Thank you, thank you, Gerald Everett Jones, for showing us that history can be hilarious and needn't involve King this or Queen that to be significant. Oh, and just so you know, I'm writing this endorsement with my turquoise Bic Velocity with the medium tip, which might not exist if not for Milt and Jim Reynolds. Love your writer's voice, BTW, Gerald! Keep those great books coming!" - Paula Berinstein, former producer and host, The Writing Show

"My favorite story about Milt was, that day the pen was to be introduced in New York, he had promised many retailers the exclusive on the ballpoint if they gave him a full-page ad in the Times. Boy, was Fred Gimbel surprised when he saw thirteen full-page ads that morning!" - Tom Reynolds, grandson of Edna and Milton, son of Zelta and James Reynolds

© 2018 LaPuerta Books and Media (Ebook): 9780985622756

Release date

Ebook: 17 September 2018