Sometimes, a good opportunity falls in your lap, and you can't help but jump on it.

I was recently asked to participate in a silent auction to benefit Helping Paws, a Minnesota-based non-profit that "breeds, trains, and places assistance dogs with people who have physical disabilities and veterans with PTSD."

On behalf of everyone who helps The Writer's Glove, LLC, tick, I was happy to participate. If you're in the Twin Cities area, you can bid on pairs of the Deluxe Edition of The Writer's Glove. They may not be a trip to Cancun, a set of pricey golf clubs or a four-wheeler, but the world turns on everyone doing what they can to help out.

It brings to mind my favorite quote from Pres. Theodore Roosevelt: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

Indeed.

The silent auction is part of a larger event called The Tail Waggin' Dinner, which takes place Sept. 16. Details are here.

~Ben

It's been quite a journey from the time I warmed my hands over a candle next to the keyboard to the launch of the 2.0 editions of The Writer's Glove.

It started as an idea that I couldn't shake. There had to be typing gloves for cold hands somewhere out there, but no one offered the sort of warm, thin gloves that I had in mind.

I wasn't alone. As I researched what people were saying online about this problem, I found that the need for the thinnest, warmest gloves for writing was going unfulfilled.

I couldn't look someone in the eye and say that the original version of The Writer's Glove filled that need, but the second version, which launched this week, comes close. After all, it was customer feedback that ultimately designed these excellent gloves for typing.

What is Getting Even Better

The improvements include:

• A warmer grade of silk
• More durable construction
• Smarter design for repeated sessions at the keyboard
• Better elasticity for that "second skin" fit
• More comfortable interior, so you'll forget that you're wearing them

What's Staying the Same

Of course, some things never change:

• Touchscreen-compatible index fingertips for using smartphones and other devices
• Light grip in the palm and fingers for holding items securely
• Still not fingerless! Fingerless gloves for typing leave you exposed where you need to stay warm the most while typing on a keyboard

What's New

I'm happy to offer this new version of The Writer's Glove in two "editions." This allows customers to save a few bucks should the touchscreen and grip not be needed.

• Standard Edition: The ultimate thin, warm gloves for typing ($25 USD)
• Deluxe Edition: Everything customers love about the Standard Edition, plus the touchscreen-compatible index fingertips and the light grip  ($30 USD)

A ton of time time and thought when into bringing you these new gloves. I hope you'll give them a shot.

The People Behind The Writer's Glove

Finally, I'd like to remind you about who is behind The Writer's Glove. There's a whole team behind this operation, but it still boils down to one guy with an idea and a lot of elbow grease. This isn't the product of venture capital and a stack of spreadsheets.

Nope, this is coming from the same person who drops his kid at daycare in the morning, stays up late chasing his dreams and does it all for his family. I've shoehorned, MacGyver'd and duct-taped my way to this moment.

When you buy a pair of The Writer's Glove, you're a part of that story, too, and I won't take it for granted.

~Ben

Welcome (Again)

What do you think of the new digs? This is quite an improvement over the previous incarnation of thewritersglove.com, which for better or worse is forever archived on the Internet somewhere. Maybe I'll hang a printout on the wall some day.

The new website should clue you into what's been happening here. The Writer's Glove grew by leaps and bounds since it was first introduced last year, and can count 25 countries around the world as homes to its customers. By the end of 2016, it was clear that what started as a literal basement/garage project needed an upstairs treatment.

That meant finding new suppliers, formalizing the business and coming up with a plan that didn't leave customers waiting for stock to arrive. I'm happy to say all of that came true in 2017. Later this summer, I can reveal the results. I couldn't be more excited.

Improvements

That's good news for anyone with cold, stiff fingers while they type (or attempt to type) on a computer keyboard. The new and improved editions of The Writer's Glove take into account the feedback customers gave me on the original edition.

• Higher quality materials means warmer gloves for cold hands and fingers.
• More durable construction means far fewer runs, tears and holes. Your writing gloves will last longer.
• Smarter design makes for a more comfortable fit, from wrist to fingertip.
• Still made with natural, hypoallergenic, 100 percent silk. There's a reason it's been used for thousands of years.

Two Editions to Choose From

Also new are the two different editions of The Writer's Glove, a change from the single version found in the original incarnation.

• Standard Edition: A warm glove for writing on keyboards with cold hands and fingers.
• Deluxe Edition: Those same warm gloves, plus touchscreen-compatible index fingertips and a light grip in the palms/fingers for holding items securely.

These two editions allow you to choose exactly the glove you need. If you only care about typing on computer keyboards, go with the Standard Edition and save a few bucks. If you want all the bells and whistles, the Deluxe Edition is the better bet.

Coming Late Summer 2017 - Be the First to Know

These two new editions will make their debut in late summer 2017. You can receive a notice when they arrive by submitting your e-mail address here.

I hope you're as excited as I am about this new chapter. Stay tuned!

~Ben