Several people have asked me how I started writing my book. I never began with any intention to write a book. I had been saving articles and ideas for years in a folder. While still teaching, I was bothered by the fact that each year my students seemed to be coming to school with less and less respect, responsibility, motivation, etc. I had written a paper on that topic during my graduate school days in the 1990s and I placed a copy of that paper in my folder of “saved ideas.” I was amazed that politicians still seemed to believe that by pouring money into our schools, the education problem would be fixed. Sadly these people did not seem to realize that the desire to learn must come from within the child.
During my first winter after retiring, my daughter-in-law asked me to proofread her master’s thesis. I realized that I missed academia. I had been a great reader of teaching journals during my years as an educator, but I was no longer reading any of that material. I pulled out my folder of ideas and articles and began to write essays on things parents could be doing to help their children be their very best in school. I felt I had important information to share.
After bounding out of bed each day of my first retired winter to write another essay, I realized that my work could possibly become a book. After writing twenty essays/chapters, I spent the next few months trying to figure out how to get my book published. I read the book, Putting Your Passion Into Print by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry. I found this book to be quite helpful. I understand that these authors have written another version called The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published and both books are available at Amazon.
I have heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason. During my second year in retirement, I met a new friend in my yoga class who happened to be a published author. She told me she had self-published through a company called Author House. You can visit AuthorHouse.com to learn more about self-publishing. My friend had a great experience with Author House so I decided to self-publish with them also.
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I believe my book and this website is the start of a movement to get parents back on track which, would in turn get their children on track. That, of course, would lead to better education which will help the future of our country. I hope you will join and encourage this movement.
Soon after publishing my book, I had an opportunity to share my ideas at the North Edison Public Library in Edison, NJ. The Friends of the Library invited me to do a book signing presentation. This was a great experience and I look forward to doing other such programs for libraries and/or parent groups. On Sunday, December 21, 2014 I was featured in the Asbury Park Press Working Woman’s column.
-Lynne Klemens
