Here I Go Again
It would appear I'm about to write another book.
Thanks to Kate Garrick (the wonderful agent I have because of the incandescently glorious Jen Lancaster) and the lovely people at Penguin, I'm going to write a book about our first year of homeschooling, contrasted against the larger homeschooling community, a place which is wider, more fascinating and in some cases much weirder than most outsiders can even imagine.
I've already done some research. I mean, besides living my homeschool life and relearning to factor polynomials.
[Fine. Learning to factor polynomials. I swear they didn't have those when I was a child.]
But now comes the fun part. Now that the book is official, I come to you with a request; if you homeschool, I want to hear from you. If you're Muslim and homeschool, if you're a rural family and you homeschool, if you're a homeschool family who travels the country Morris-dancing, if you are homeschooling, I want to hear from you. If you want to tell me about your homeschool experience, you can leave me a comment with your email and just indicate it's private.
Homeschooling in America is done by millions of people and is growing at a rate of 10% annually; whether you think it's a wonderful idea or the end of society as we know it, it's too big to just be a punch-line any more. I hope to write a book that even people who are child-free find compelling and engaging, because people who are passionate are usually interesting and I have yet to meet any kind of homeschooling family who wasn't passionate.
And then there will be the parts about my life as a homeschooler, to provide moments of low comedy and inappropriate outbursts.
As of now, it's called "Homeschool Confidential" and a tentative publication date in 2012. Later will come the begging for pre-orders and the moaning about how much I hate getting an author's picture taken. Now, there is enjoying this moment with you and starting what I hope will be very interesting conversations.
Thanks to Kate Garrick (the wonderful agent I have because of the incandescently glorious Jen Lancaster) and the lovely people at Penguin, I'm going to write a book about our first year of homeschooling, contrasted against the larger homeschooling community, a place which is wider, more fascinating and in some cases much weirder than most outsiders can even imagine.
I've already done some research. I mean, besides living my homeschool life and relearning to factor polynomials.
[Fine. Learning to factor polynomials. I swear they didn't have those when I was a child.]
But now comes the fun part. Now that the book is official, I come to you with a request; if you homeschool, I want to hear from you. If you're Muslim and homeschool, if you're a rural family and you homeschool, if you're a homeschool family who travels the country Morris-dancing, if you are homeschooling, I want to hear from you. If you want to tell me about your homeschool experience, you can leave me a comment with your email and just indicate it's private.
Homeschooling in America is done by millions of people and is growing at a rate of 10% annually; whether you think it's a wonderful idea or the end of society as we know it, it's too big to just be a punch-line any more. I hope to write a book that even people who are child-free find compelling and engaging, because people who are passionate are usually interesting and I have yet to meet any kind of homeschooling family who wasn't passionate.
And then there will be the parts about my life as a homeschooler, to provide moments of low comedy and inappropriate outbursts.
As of now, it's called "Homeschool Confidential" and a tentative publication date in 2012. Later will come the begging for pre-orders and the moaning about how much I hate getting an author's picture taken. Now, there is enjoying this moment with you and starting what I hope will be very interesting conversations.
posted by Unknown at 8:45 AM
30 Comments:
Congratulations, Quinn! What fantastic news, and a very compelling topic. Can't wait to read it!
congrats!!! I don't home school (unless you count teaching my kindergartener to read at home while he draws pictures of jedi's and harry potter at school), but I have several friends who home school. I'll pass this on to them.
*plots to print request & leave it somewhere she knows homeschoolers gather, the better to haste said book*
YAY!
I was home-schooled through many years of my life. And, to much people's odd surprise, I am neither a genius or exceedingly weird.
I would definitely be interested in reading the upcoming book. Good luck!
Congratulations, Quinn. :-) That's great news. I'll be among the first ones to pre-order.
I was an in-home music tutor as a nanny, but I don't think that counts as homeschooling. hehe
I passed the blog along to friends who homeschool and wish you the best of luck with the book. Have fun with it!
Congrats on the book deal!
We haven't homeschooled yet, but we're considering doing it part-time (half days) next year for our middle schooler due to some ridiculous block scheduling at the middle school.
We don't homeschool (though we've seriously considered it at times thanks to the brutal nature of obtaining and maintaining appropriate special ed services for our daughter, who has special needs), but I do know parents who, further toward the back of our boat, have hopped into the life raft of homeschooling.
I would be happy to spread the word among my fellow parents of kids with special needs if that would be helpful to you for your book.
In the meantime, congrats and best wishes - I can't wait to read it.
Cheers!
I homeschool! three kids, none ever stepped foot in a school. both my partner and I stay home, he's a musician and I'm a writer. we're also vegan, tattooed and super awesome!
Wonderful title too.
I don't have kids, I cheerfully pay my taxes to support our schools, and I fully support a family's right to homeschool.
Most of the homeschool kids I now I met through community theater, their "outside activity." They were all pleasant, polite, productive, and prepared. As both a cast member and I director, I loved having them on the team.
I *think* that Cristen Conger of the How Stuff Works website and podcast was homeschooled.
Have fun!
Best news I have heard all day! YAY!!!! Can't wait to read it!
I technically did not homeschool but I did teach my children to read when they were each 4 years old. My effort and passion for reading was met with heavy sighs from the kindergarten teacher who had a "now what do I do with this kid?" look on her face when she found out my children were already readers.
I guess I shouldn't have expected a pat on the back then but I sure got it now. All three of my kids have gone on to be scholarship-winning kiddos with high GPAs who love to read....FOR FUN. That in itself is a true pat on the back I will always be proud of.
The only homeschooling going on in our family is our continuing efforts to train my father properly. (Well, the dog, too, but his training is much better.) That said, I can't wait to read it!
Wow! Happy for you Quinn.
I homeschooled my oldest for a total of five years (four of those were high school), my middle child for three years and my youngest child not at all.
They are now 30, 28, and 26.
The oldest graduated summa cum laude and spent a semester studying at Oxford with his wife.
My other two haven't gotten around to graduating from college. Yet.
And to think of all those nights I tossed and turned in fear that the oldest would grow up to be a blithering idiot. I WANT THAT SLEEP BACK!
(and just for fun, i keep a jeans jumper in my closet on the off chance that my daughter will allow me to homeschool her four children some day...)
Hurray! Another book! My 17 year old daughter and I just had this conversation recently about schooling (as she waits to hear from all the colleges about acceptances):
D: You know when I have kids I hope I can homeschool.
Me: Really?
D: Yeah, I gone to private school, public school and an alternative public school. They pretty much all sucked.
I don't want to do that to my kids.
Yay, Quinn! Yah, Quinn!
I am so thrilled that you are writing another book. Notes from the Underwire is probably one of my favorite books ever! Also, the fact that you're writing about your adventures in homeschooling is encouraging because I am trying to decide whether or not to homeschool my kid. Best of luck, I can't wait to pre-order!
How fabulous--I can't wait to read it! I love all your homeschooling references on this blog.
Both my husband and I were homeschooled in the same little town in Florida--in fact, that's how we met (at a Book It! pizza party, no less). His sister was also homeschooled. We've all gone to college and were all honors students. I've got an MFA, my husband has a BA and a BS (which he loves to joke about), and his sister has an MBA and an MA and got top honors in her graduating class as an undergrad.
However, I will be the first to admit we're all a little weird. Well-socialized, but weird nonetheless. And I have terrible fashion sense, which I blame on homeschooling. :)
At any rate, best of luck with the book, and I can't wait to hear how it goes. (Funny side note: I didn't know Kate Garrick was your agent--I just emailed her a query letter the other day about my own book. Small world!)
Yippee! I'm child-free, but I will snap it up the minute it hits the shelves (like I did your last book).
I live in a NY suburb and homeschool my 4 children. I love the time that we have to learn, laugh, and enjoy each other.
Some people think that home schooled children are "different". I would have to agree! My kids seem to think more "outside the box" than kids from the neighborhood. Like the time when my son was eating an ice pop and I told him to give his little sister a lick, and he proceeded to lick her on the head.
Good luck with the book!
The best of luck, Quinn! =)
Quinn, I'm eager to read any of your stuff! Here's a link to a relevant article I read today in Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/16/us-education-homeschooling-idUSTRE72F4WS20110316
Enjoy! :)
First of all, I loved, loved, loved Notes From The Underwire! I either purchased it for, or highly recommended it to, anyone I saw for about a year - I hope that boosted your sales! I look forward to anything written by you.
I never even considered home schooling my kids - private school yes, but not home school. I did wonder though, on occasion, whether it would be an easier job with a son as opposed to a daughter. (You know... the mother/daughter dynamics.) My proudest moment was when my daughter told me I was right about information passed to her during her formative years... not just once either, but on many occasions. YEAH!
Good luck with your research. I will certainly pass on your request should I find myself in the presence of such a parent.
I sent my older son to PreK and K at the public school and then homeschooled him 1st-3rd grades, 4th grade he transitioned from part time homeschool/part time public school first half the year to full time school second half. 5th grade he has been full time.
My younger son has been public schooled PreK and K.
We are possibly going to homeschool my older son again in 6th grade and my younger son is trying for a spot in a dual language immersion program (Spanish/English). Next year's plans are still up in the air though.
Feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss homeschooling with me. I love talking about it.
It is wonderful that you are to write a new book.The woman who works for me home schools her son. I'll pass this along!
I *loved* Notes From the Underwire and I will pre-order the pre-order of your homeschooling book which I already pre-love. I am pre-giving it to all my homeschooling friends, too.
I'm a homeschooling mom and a writer -- I'm both unschoolish and Catholic, which is kind of a weird combination, but, hey, it works for us.
Can't wait to read the book.
I love your title of your blog about turkeys flying! ha! :) Erin
www.healthybranscoms.com
I homeschooled my daughter when she was in third grade. It was a great experience for both of us. We went to museums, ate food from various cultures, studied tornadoes and went to the local TV station to watch how they put news casts together. We didn't continue because daughter and I decided (together, mutual agreement) that she felt ready to go back to regular school (there is a whole back story behind why we yanked her out for a year). I still feel that homeschool is cool, and if a parent and child can manage it and enjoy the experience, more power to them. Best to you and have fun!
Quinn,
Interestingly, I came upon your blog today after hearing "Goodbye Girl" on the radio. One of my favorite songs, by the way. It got me thinking..."where IS Quinn Cummings these days??" So, here I am.
We have always homeschooled, my oldest is 15 and going into the 10th grade. When she was 2, we decided we wanted more kids so we went back down the fertility drug path (which is how we conceived #1) and ended up with bouncing baby triplets. When they were 8 and the oldest was 10 we decided we wanted more children and adopted an 19mo old daughter from China, who is now 5. Still feeling not quite done, we went back to China this past November and adopted our now 4 year old son. Our adopted children have special needs, Lainey was born with cleft lip/palate and therefore is very speech delayed and will need continued therapy and more surgeries before it's all said and done. Dylan was born with a deformed left leg, which was amputated above the knee and he's now almost running around on his fancy prosthetic leg.
Anyway, you didn't need all that, huh? If you need any more material for the book, feel free to ask. We went into homeschooling cautiously and re-evaluate each year, always making some change in something. I guess you'd say we homeschool for faith reasons mainly, but under the larger umbrella of wanting to control what is actually taught to our kids.
Blessings :)
Donna
www.handsful.com
I home schooled my son his last 3 years of high (into two). I hated it. He hated it. We got it done.
Hey, Quinn,
This isn't directly related to the topic, but minutes ago I finished reading your first book,"Notes From the Underwire," and just wanted to tell what a great read it was. You are really funny and I'm guessing a really nice person. I'm glad I found this blog and hope to find some more humorous adventures that you've shared with your readers. Keep up the good work!
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