catch a fire

14 Mar 2009 news 0 Comments

I hope she won’t mind, but I wanted to share this message I received today from a literacy coach I met in January.  Her excitement about A Wish After Midnight has started a ball rolling; in February I was invited to speak at the monthly coaches meeting, and this week I heard from two coaches who’d like to use Wish in their classrooms.  This email brightened up a somewhat dismal day:

Hi,

Congratulations! I just saw A Wish After Midnight on amazon.com.  We had such a discussion about this book at our meeting today. One of the high school coaches said she is meeting with you this week. I plan to ask Ms. M to buy it if she has any money left. I wanted to get it the moment I read it. Last week I conducted an African American Read-In and I chose an excerpt from the book. Since then, so many students have asked me for the book. I have not loaned them because I want to help you get this excellent work of literature out there and I want to use it for a book club. I cannot wait to read Judah’s Tale [sequel to Wish].  Ms. K is also pushing it with the ELA and the Social Studies curriculum. Today she encouraged coaches to have their principals purchase it if they have money. I spoke to the Social Studies teacher this afternoon, she is an older lady. She is interested in buying a copy. Could you bring a copy with you when you come next week?  Really looking forward to your visit.

I did a workshop this morning and about halfway through, the teacher left the room for a long time.  I left the school feeling like I’d let the teacher down, though I was told later that she’d been feeling unwell.  I’m still learning how to adjust my workshops; today was a group of 4th graders, and I realize I don’t really have much experience with elementary school kids, having worked mostly with middle and high school students.  I wasn’t terrible today, but I can do better, and the organization that brought me to the school is *fantastic* (Behind the Book) so I don’t want to let them down.  I’ll get a second chance next week when I return for another visit.  I have a LOT of workshops scheduled for next week (2 on Monday, 6 on Wednesday, 5 on Thursday, & 1 on Friday), and I really want to make sure each group of students finds meaning in my visit.  I feel like I’m on the brink of something big–not fame or fortune, but a chance to really connect with youth.  I never met any authors when I was a child; every year my white middle-class high school took a trip to the Stratford Festival to see a play by Shakespeare–I never saw a black actor on stage, I never knew black people wrote plays, too.  So one of the main things I want to do is embody possibility.  I’ve finally reached a point in my life where I *like* being different!  Remember those awkward early years (which ended around 32!)?  I didn’t speak up in class, I tried to fade into the background so no one would notice me.  I had a fear of being looked at!  And now I’m standing up in front of groups of people, talking about my dreams and ideas.  I used to complain about not having 30-something black feminist role models, and my friend Gabrielle said, “Why do you need a role model?  Be your own example.”  It’s daunting, but that’s now what I’m trying to do.  Be my best ME!   I’m *very* grateful to everyone who’s been talking about my books, spreading the word, and opening up opportunities for me.  THANKS for all your support!

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