Waddling through Rejection

As you can see -- the blog posts have slowed down to a crawl since the summer ended.

I've been back to work, teaching up a storm, not to mention attending meetings, and sifting through papers with my purple pen.

We are in the home stretch of rehearsals for AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Our first show is this Saturday!

And rehearsals for the Radio Play (which is now called CHANGE THE STATION) are just in their infancy stages.

But the thing I've been most focused upon is MY GRAPHIC NOVEL... I have been (im)patiently waiting for responses from editors. My awesome agent sent Ducktown into the world on August 31st. It went out to 14 places. So far, we have received four rejections. They are all friendly rejections -- one in particular said a lot of very nice things about the plot of my graphic novel. However, the rejections share a common theme: They are not in love with the illustrations. It might turn out that my little drawings are too amateurish to make it past the gate-keepers.

My wife recently said, "You deal with rejection letters all the time. Why are these ones different?" And I guess the answer is, I'm really in love with these characters I have created... and I'm going to be sad if my fledgling skills as an illustrator prevent the story from being shared with others.

So, there's a very strong possibility that the 10 remaining editors will pass on this project, and Rainbow's story will go into the drawer with some of my other beloved novels that haven't found an audience yet. I've made peace with that possibility. There's a chance that, if this round of editors don't connect strongly enough with the story to overlook the visual flaws, maybe in the future, when my picture books become a big hit, I'll have stronger connections with publishers...

But perhaps I should be thinking more positively about Plan A instead of already emotionally resorting to Plan B. Ducktown still has a chance. Keep your feathers cross.

Labor Day Weekend in a Nut Shell

We built sets and props for "Around the World in 80 Days."

Cheri and I watched four episodes of "Game of Thrones" season two.

I graded a stack of in-class essays.

Mackenzie traveled with friends to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.

Emily is hard at work at algebra, and takes SNL breaks between problems.

"Duck Town" Update: Haven't heard anything from my agent. No news is good news, at this point. If an editor replied on Thursday or Friday, it probably would have been another rejection, similar to the one I received last week.

I am feeling positive and curious about what will happen next. "Duck Town" has twelve chances to connect with publishers. It might not pass the gatekeepers and waddle into bookstores, but right now, at this moment, the future is wonderfully unknown.

"Duck Town" -- Preparing for Lift Off

It happened yesterday.


My agent (aka the coolest person in the publishing business) completed her submissions list and sent "Duck Town" out into the world.


As we speak, my little graphic novel is waiting to appear on someone's computer, laptop, or iPad -- and hopefully the tale of Rainbow and her family will win their heart.


Now only time will time whether "Duck Town" finds a home. I did my best, now the book needs to find its own nest.


 "Duck Town" has been submitted to 13 editors. And 13 has been my lucky number ever since my daughter was born on Friday the Thirteenth. We will probably know within two weeks... Maybe sooner -- which is kinda terrifying.


For example, Abi has already received her first response. It was a "NO." (A nice, friendly "no," but still a "no" is a "no.") The reason was simple: the art style. So, that could be a big stumbling block. I'm the first to admit my drawings don't compare with the true masters children's book illustration. Still, I have hope that someone will look beyond the simple drawings and find a story worth sharing.


Keep your feathers crossed.

A Busy Fall Semester

There's been a lot of stuff happening the past seven days, and time has gone by so fast I haven't been able to blog about it...



For the most part, I have been busy with school. The new semester is cruising along -- a lot of great students, good writers and critical thinkers.


My classes are a bit more crowded than I would prefer because I added all of the waitlist students.

It's also going to be a busy semester because of some administrative duties: curriculum, tech review, tenure committee, a hiring committee for a new English instructor, and in September I'm going to be evaluated by my colleagues, as well as the new dean.



Then, there's my girls... Emily is taking an art class and an algebra class in college. Mackenzie is taking a PolySci class and a literature class. Plus, they've git added duties at karate because they are training the younger students.



Then, there's theater stuff. Chris Flowers and I are still developing the script for our old time radio comedy. We will be having our first table read (with multiple cast members) this week.

Around the World in 80 Days is going well. The cast is very sharp, and this week we are starting to put some of the tables, chairs and set pieces into the mix.



That's been my life in a generalized nutshell. Trying to think... What else has been going on... ?

We watched "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" at the Canyon Theatre Guild. A full house. The audience gave them a well deserved standing ovation. That's about all of the leisure time I recall this week.. I've hardly been watching anything, just too busy I guess. I have been watching some of Louis CK's stand -up comedy. It seems when I watch him for an hour or so, I start at act and talk he does, at least in my own pathetic way. It's weird how the media can rub off on you.

"A & P" by John Updike

Tomorrow, our class will be discussing the oft-anthologized short story: "A & P."

Lots of students find this story interesting and amusing. Some students hate it -- or just don't get the point.

To me, this story resonates because I freshly remember those days of working in retail, working with customers and idiotic co-workers, ringing people up, and listening to complaints. Some of those teenage jobs were more wonderful than horrible -- such as working at the movie theater or working at Disneyland. All of my jobs during my young adulthood were bearable -- with the exception of one.

There was one job in which my employer was verbally abusive. She called me "dead brain" from time to time. She claimed that her ten year old son had a higher level of maturity (and to be fair, perhaps she was correct -- but she didn't have to be so mean about it.)

After six months of working for her, she decided I wasn't competent enough to deserve 8 dollars an hour, so she was going to dock my pay down to $6.50. When she told me that, I took my lunch break and then I never returned.

Have you ever walked away from a job? (Or have you ever wanted to?) What's the worst you ever felt while at work?


Oh, and if you are interested, here is the link to John Updike's "A & P." 

English 1B - Schedule (Fall 2016)

Spent most of my Saturday finalizing the Reading / Assignment schedule... Here it is!

English 1B – Course Schedule

Aug. 22nd (Mon): Discuss online stories:
             “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

             “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant

            In Class Reading: "The Story of an Hour" (98-101)

Aug. 24th (Wed): Discuss: “A&P” STORIES (460-467)

            Hero Character Workshop (Bring in an example of a hero character.)

Aug. 29th (Mon):  Discuss: “A Rose for Emily” STORIES (133-143)

            Discuss: “I’m a Mad Dog Biting Myself for Sympathy” STORIES (126-133)

            Workshop: Psychological Criticism

Aug. 31st (Wed): Discuss: "The Yellow Wallpaper" (STORIES) (150-167)

            Discuss “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck (STORIES) (448-458)

            Workshop: Feminist Theory in Literature

Sept. 5th (Mon): NO SCHOOL (Labor Day)

Sept. 7th (Wed): Discuss: “A Hunger Artist” by Franz Kafka (STORIES) (218-228)

            Discuss “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” (STORIES) (143-150)

            Magic Realism Workshop

Sept. 12th (Mon): Fiction Mini-Exam

            Discuss: "Winky" (STORIES) (423-437)

            Peer Review: Bring Draft of Short Story Analysis
            

Sept. 14th (Wed): Antagonist Workshop

            Bring in discussions notes / example of a villain from literature or film.

            Discuss: “A Cask of Amontillado” (STORIES) (390 - 397)

            Discuss: “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”

                        (STORIES) (316-333)

Sept. 19th (Mon): Short Story Analysis Due

            In Class Reading: "Trifles" (PLAYS)

Sept. 21st (Wed): Mid Term Preparation    

            Discuss "Uncle Ben's Choice" (STORIES) (3-8)

            Discuss "The Swimmer" (STORIES)

Sept. 26th (Mon):  Mid Term – Short Answer Essays

Sept. 28th (Wed): Poetry Overview / Bring Poetry Textbooks

            In class Reading: Billy Collins poems (POEMS) (64-69)

Oct. 3rd (Mon): Classic American Poetry

            Discuss Robert Frost: (POEMS) (119-124)
            Discuss Emily Dickinson (POEMS) (80-84)

            Discuss Langston Hughes (POEMS) (170-173)

Oct. 5th (Wed): Poetry and Art

            Discuss William Blake Poems (POEMS) (31-34)

            Discuss Edgar Allen Poe (POEMS) (248-253)

            
Oct. 10th (Mon): Workshop: What Makes a Sonnet?

            William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18"(POEMS) (276)

            John Keats’ “When I Have Fears” (POEMS) (181)

            Thomas Hardy’s “Hap” (POEMS) (135)

            Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “The Windhover” (POEMS) (161)

Oct. 12th (Wed): Poetry Mini-Exam

            Poetry Workshop -- Part One

Oct. 17th (Mon):  Poetry Workshop -- Part Two

            Bring an introduction / thesis statement of your Poetry Essay

Oct. 19th (Wed): Poet / Author Seminar #1

Oct. 24th (Mon): Poet / Author Seminar #2  

Oct. 26th (Wed): Peer Review - Bring Draft of your Poetry Essay

Oct. 31st (Mon): Discuss: "Young Goodman Brown" (STORIES) (167-180)

            Halloween -- Bring a creepy story / poem to share with the class.

            Creative Writing / Flash Fiction Workshop
      

Nov. 2nd (Wed): Poetry Essay Due

            Watch Film: The Importance of Being Earnest

Nov. 7th (Mon): Workshop -- Creative Writing Activity / Playwriting

Nov. 9th (Wed): Discuss Act One and Act Two of A Doll's House

Nov. 14th (Mon): Discuss Act Three of A Doll's House

Nov. 16th (Wed): Read the first 30 pages (or more) of one of the following plays:

• A Raisin in the Sun
• Oedipus the King
• Death of a Salesman
• Fences
• Wit

Nov. 21st (Mon): Finish reading one of the above plays of your own selection.

            Group discussions or plays
            Workshop: Combining Literary Criticism with Biographic Research

Nov. 23rd (Wed): Outlining / Essay Development Workshop

Nov. 28th (Mon): Final Prep: Discuss “Cathedral” (STORIES) (61-76)

            "Everyday Use" (STORIES) (469-478)

Nov. 30th (Wed): Final Prep Part Two: Discuss "Hills Like White Elephants"     (STORIES) (180-186)

            Discuss: "The Things They Carried" (STORIES) (333-351)

Dec. 5th (Mon) Peer Review - Bring Draft of your Drama Analysis Essay

Dec. 7th (Wed): Final Prep Part Three: Discuss "The Gift of the Magi"

            MLA Check -- Bring your latest draft of your essay.

            Discuss Handout: Short Answer Essay Questions for the Final

Dec. 12th (Mon): Final In-Class Essay

            Drama Analysis Essay Due

Today's Creative Projects: 

Do gardening and yard work count as creative? If so, I was creative for about an hour this morning. 

I'm also planning out some of the scenes from the tail end of Act One for "Around the World in 80 Days." 

Developing a New Schedule

Hey, English 1B students, if you need the links for the short stories, here they are:

Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery"

Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace"


Today was Day 2 of Fall semester, 2016 edition. I'm teaching only one class on Tuesday and Thursdays -- so when I don't have a meeting, it's going to be a rather light day.

Our English 1A textbook this semester is the Third Edition of The Seagull Reader: Essays.

You can order it new on Amazon for $31... Not bad. I'm sure it can be a bit cheaper if it's used... but remember, sometimes when you order the used books on Amazon, they send you to another merchant -- and sometimes they take weeks and weeks to ship their order. 

The book is still relatively new to me. This is my second semester since its publication, so I'm still testing out some of the new articles. I'll have a brand new reading schedule by the end of the weekend. 

Today's Creative Projects:

I figured out how to compress my PDF files so all of the chapters can be contained in a single file (only 78 MB). (Sent the new, sleek Duck Town files to my agent.)

Cheri and I had another good day at rehearsal. We are about fourteen pages from completing the blocking for Act I. 

Leisure Time: 

I watched Star Trek Beyond!