I'm on point this week with the boys (my wife has an extended contract, and works through Friday). Happy to say I am writing, but fighting my instant lack of structure at the same time.
It happens every summer, and it is a good problem to have.
The best part of time off of the ol' job is more time spent with Thing 1 and Thing 2. Owen is learning to read. Man, how he lit up this morning when he realized (and showed me) that he can read Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss. I'll have him devouring Lovecraft and Poe in no time.
The best part of time off of the ol' job is more time spent with Thing 1 and Thing 2. Owen is learning to read. Man, how he lit up this morning when he realized (and showed me) that he can read Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss. I'll have him devouring Lovecraft and Poe in no time.
Speaking of Poe, I have a couple of nonfiction projects rattling around in my head. Both are hybrids of my day job and my love of dark fiction. The first, a collection of Poe stories with teacherly resources, annotations, and other goodies. Sure, teacher's guides and annotated editions exist, but most are too pricey (publishers must think teachers/schools are made of money...wait...they are made with tax money) or just plain lame. Teenagers sniff out lame faster than...well, something really fast.
The second, and this one is a stretch, is a book about teaching horror as a way to reach adolescent non-readers. Most books I can find on the subject approach horror as one would in a graduate level literature class. I'm thinking about a course for at-risk readers with high interest material (good quality stuff, too--not just schlock and gore). Even my most reluctant students perk up at the mention of Poe. You should see the reaction when we read "In the Vault" by H.P. Lovecraft (Cthulhu might be a little over some heads).
So...am I already missing school, or do these ideas have any merit?
