So, here it is the middle of August and those obnoxious back to school ads are beginning to pop up on t.v. and in the circulars left on my driveway (pure litter). When people look at me I can see the question forming in their brain, the hated question -- "So, when do you go back to work?" Cringe! I'm not ready to think about that. Honestly, I haven't checked the calendar. It's not foremost in my thoughts. I'll wait until I get that letter from my superintendent, then I'll think about it. Now leave me alone.
Still, one of the nice things about going back to work in the fall is opening the new boxes of books that arrived over the summer. For me, it's like Christmas and my birthday rolled into one. I love the bright, crisp dust jackets, the stiff feel of the spine when I open a book for the first time. I love to drool over the new picture books, savor the poetry, pore over the stunning new nonfiction books with their beautiful photographs and drawings. Children's books have come a long way over the past thirty years.
Maybe one day I, too, will have a book in a box that some librarian is opening for the first time. Maybe. Of course, I still have a lot of work ahead so I can't let myself dream about anything until I have the legwork done.
So, back to my manuscript. Where was I? Oh yes, trying to write some paragraphs in Middle English. I must be nuts. Thank God for my son's Chaucer glossary. I just wish it worked in reverse. I can only use it to look up the meaning of Middle English words. How to say "pair of wings" in Middle English? Anybody know? How about shoe? After trying every known combination and then some, I'm convinced that the people of the Middle English period all walked around barefoot.
So it goes, as Vonnegut might have said.
7 comments:
Okay, you WILL have a book in the box someday!
I know the Xmas package feeling--I'm waiting to get the email that says my first fall review books are coming!
Did you feel this way about school starting when your son was young? My son starts in a little over a week, and I SO can't wait! :)
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Becky. Remember, you're still slated to read my ms when I'm finished (that's when, remember.) I am trying. You'll probably be published way before me. I'm looking forward to seeing that happen.
I started working when Derek was in kindergarten and Sean was in preschool (age 4) so I can't remember a time when I was home by myself except when I was pregnant with Derek. That was a difficult pregnancy for me (toxemia, sciatica). I guess I don't remember a time being home by myself. One day.
Dear Stella and friends
I am looking through the blogs of people who are interested in children's literature.
This is because my blog - THE BRICKS IN THE CAVE - is a children's adventure story with an illustrated chapter for every day in August.
You can find it at
http://bricksinthecave.blogspot.com/
If you do take a look at it, I would be very interested in hearing what you think of it (there is an email address on the blog as well as the usual place to leave comments).
Susan Harwood
Stella, I have no doubt that one day a librarian will be jumping up and down to the sight of your book in one of their boxes.
All I can say is, a girl's gotta have a dream, right?
I'm with you, Stella. A box of new books, that smell of newly minted paper and the crisp scent of glue in the binding. Ahhhh! And yes...the hope that someday your own book will be staring up out of that box at you, and a million other librarians!
Middle English--holy smokes! I love Chaucer, but I'm not ready to tackle all that! My MS is still hanging around, waiting for me to feel strongly enough that it is ready to find its way to my editor. I'm still not sure. My 2 readers are working on it, but do I need to wait? I'll give a couple more days...then decide.
Happy back to school! (I'm heading back to school after 7 years away...nervous, nervous, nervous!
Good luck, Mary Ann, with both your new teaching job and with the whole submissions process. I wish I were finished, sigh.
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