Shaping Characters: A comparison of teaching and writing

After a month of nearly full-time teaching, I had a small epiphany.  I have been feeling quite fulfilled by my teaching job.  I had thought I would be pining to write as I worked on lesson plans and assessment.  I have had my moments -- when I finished a short story one weekend and all I wanted to do was to write ten more.  When I heard an author interviewed on the radio and wanted to get straight to work on my next novel.  However, I've found several similarities in my two careers which enable me to be content in either line of work.

In teaching, I get to create lessons.  I write them out, daydream about them and anticipate sharing them with my students.  This is very much like outlining a plot and dreaming about what is to come. 

Secondly, I am working with children, having a small hand in shaping their characters.  I get to interact with them and celebrate their learning and empathize with their frustrations.  While my fictional characters are fictional, I often feel like they are real.  I have even more say about how their characters will develop and I certainly feel their highs and lows.

Lastly, in both writing and teaching I get to share some of myself with others.  Although I write fiction, it is heavily laced with my own experiences.  Now that I have been publishing my writing, others are able to read about this and often respond to me about their own experiences in similar situations.  This is very satisfying.  In the classroom, I often share my own stories of learning and growing up.  My students share their own stories and we have another thread of connection.

And so, to those who say "Those who can not do, teach", I say "You are so wrong!"  Teaching is reciprocal and fulfilling if the teacher is willing to put his or her heart into the job.  It should be said that "Those who do, should teach!" 

My other career

After seven years of subbing, applications and interviews, I have acquired a teaching job!  This is great and I'm thrilled, but I'm worried my writing will now move to the back burner.  I know it will. 

While I was typing out long range goals and lesson plans during the summer, I was also writing at a maddening pace.  I had begun a novel in April and was determined to have the first draft finished before school started. Goal acheived!  I did one read through with edits and have now passed it on to family members to read while I get to know my class and get on top of my planning. 

I hope to have my next book ready by spring.  I believe I mentioned that it has ties to Jane Austen's book Emma.  I can't wait to have it out and to get started on something new.  In the mean time, I'll be learning right along with my students and trying to fit in a little writing here and there.  Happy New School Year everyone!

To youtube with love

For some time, I have been dreaming of putting a scene from my book Expectations: A Continuation of Pride and Prejudice on to youtube.  At first I pictured a very homemade scene made in the comfort of my own home, but after realizing I had nearly nothing that looked remotely Regency, I decided to look outdoors.  Unfortunately, it was only March and a very cold and miserable March at that.

I was blessed to have two good friends join my crazy mission from the start.  We decided a local garden would be the perfect setting.  But spring was long and wet and it seemed nothing would ever bloom again.

After a fast a furious June, suddenly the garden was perfect!  But I had lost my nerve.  That's the problem with telling your friends your crazy dreams.  They keep you to them!  A few setbacks later, my good friend Katie was not able to join us for the filming, but my husband offered to take her place behind the camera.  We booked babysitters for the kids and headed out to the glorious garden.  Our hair would not stay curled, but the sun was shining and we had memorized our lines and taught ourselves to speak "British".  We practiced while my hubby set up the scene.  We filmed a practice run-through and watched it to see our mistakes.  Set up for the next shot and "BZZZZZZZZ!"  No, not a timeless bumblebee, but a very modern and unmistakable weed whacker.  Not just one, but three.  Then four, five, six!  Seriously!

"It can't take long!" I reassured Phil and Charity, but alas, the weed whackers were on a mission to beautify an entire block worth of greenery.  The time on the baby-sitter clock was ticking.  We packed up and went for a little drive, throwing out suggestions here and there.  We chose a nice green space, but there wasn't a flower to be shot.  I took a quick trip to the florist and selected three roses and some other flowers I thought looked relatively "English".  Another set up and at last we were running through the lines.

I was very pleased with the outcome of our little video.  My friend Charity is a breathtaking Elizabeth and my husband is a whiz at filming, directing and editing.  It was one of the most enjoyable projects I've ever worked on.  My advice though, is to be flexible and enjoy the process.  I'd love to know what you think!  

Meeting Meg

from http://www.blubellpublishing.com/

Meg Kerr is the author of Experience, a continuation of Pride and Prejudice.  After reviewing her book for my blog and for the Jane Austen Society of North America Calgary website, I asked her a few questions about her work.

Samantha Adkins:  How did you come to know Jane Austen and her work? 

Meg Kerr:  I was one of those kids who always had her nose in a book. I was about twelve when I first read Pride and Prejudice, and as a teenager I re-read it every year. That of course led to the rest of Jane Austen’s novels (Persuasion is my next favourite, followed by Emma) and then to other 19^th century novelists. Their stories are still easy for us to identify with in the 21^st century, even if the details now seem exotic (candlelight, coaches-and-four), and their prose has rarely been equaled by later novelists—and NEVER equaled if we’re speaking of Austen!

SA:  Why did you decide to write a sequel to Pride and Prejudice?

MK:  Just as every reader does, I wanted to know what happened after Pride and Prejudice ended. And I wanted to have a visit with all the characters simply because I like them and wanted to see more of them! They really turn into friends after a couple of readings. Who wouldn’t want to live at Pemberley? And although we might not want to stay at Rosings or Hunsford Parsonage for a month, we’d even like to drop in on Lady Catherine and Mr. and Mrs. Collins for an evening.

P&P takes place in a world all its own, almost untouched by contemporary events in England. I love history, and I wondered what would be the result if the real world leaked a little into the story; so some of the things that happen in Experience are based on current events. (Little things like the Napoleonic Wars….)  But others are based more on the personalities of the characters—what they would do if they found themselves in new situations. I’m one of those people who firmly believe that Elizabeth and Darcy lived happily ever after, so I’ll say right now that they don’t drag each other around by the hair,  divorce or die in Experience.           

SA:  What do you enjoy about the writing process?

MK:  Thinking up stories is fun. And I love playing with words—maybe that’s something I picked up from early exposure to Jane Austen.

SA:  What part of Canada do you live in?   

MK:  I live in Toronto, although as a little girl I lived on my family’s farm north of Port Hope, Ontario. That branch of my family emigrated from Ireland between 1820 and 1830 (they would have been fairly close contemporaries of Susannah Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill, who also settled in the general area). I mention this because I put a Canadian connection—a historically natural one--into Experience.

SA:  Do you plan to write other novels related to Jane Austen?

MK:  I’m working on a sequel to Experience that tells Georgiana’s story. (Of course several other characters’ stories are in it as well.) Poor Georgiana is a cipher in Pride and Prejudice. Not even any speaking lines! I was sure something interesting would happen to her, and better than her little adventure with Wickham at Ramsgate.

SA:  Where can we find out more about your work?

MK:  I am taking part in this summer’s Austenesque Extravaganza http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/more-about-austenesque-extravaganza.html--or I should say that someone from Pride and Prejudice is taking part. For a little treat, have a look at Meredith Esparza’s blog on Austenesque Reviews on August 13.

The website for Experience is at http://www.bluebellpublishing.com/.

Experience by Meg Kerr

            Experience is a gratifying continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  It begins with the final chapter of P&P and continues directly after Darcy and Elizabeth’s honeymoon.  The reader is treated to an intelligent and entertaining story of “what happens next” to all of the Bennet sisters, Caroline Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam and a host of other characters.

            Kerr does a fine job of maintaining Austen’s characters, intentions and style.  She shows an obvious respect for Austen’s sensibilities and writes with a good deal of wit.  She also writes amusing dialogue and weaves many Austen quotations into her novel.

            Readers who are interested in knowing more about the regency world will be pleased with the attention to detail and the inclusion of historical events.  Kerr cleverly includes the birth of the S.P.C.A., the Luddite Rebellion, British politics, the birth of the railway and many other occurrences into the plot.  Her own love of horses is evident throughout the book. 

            There are several new characters in this novel who compliment Austen’s characters.  I especially enjoyed Adam Kendall.  I was tickled with the future Kerr imagined for Elizabeth and Darcy and their sisters.  Anyone looking for a bodice-ripper will not find one in Kerr’s work, but will instead be treated to an admirable homage to Jane Austen and her work.

 http://www.amazon.com/Experience-Meg-Kerr/dp/0986778907/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309664373&sr=8-1          

Weird things happen when you publish a book

Do you ever Google yourself?  It might be a bit egotistical, but it is interesting.  A few years ago, all I could find about myself was a reference to my time at Mount Royal College.  Now I find my books and other writings and one very strange item.  But first I have to back up. . .

A few months after I published Expectations: A Continuation of Pride and Prejudice I decided to take the plunge and send it to Andrew Davies, writer and director of all my favourite Austen film adaptations.  But how to find his address?  Google of course!  I was led to many different sites where I could pay to get his agent information OR, I could use an address I found for him in the U.K.  Perfect!  As a self-published author, I almost always go with the most cost-efficient route:) 

I wrote up a letter, which I thought rather witty, and at the end said something like “if you are not the Andrew Davies who wrote and directed Jane Austen’s movies, please feel free to keep my book as a gift, but kindly notify me by email so I can search for a different address.” 

A year passed.

I decided to Google my book, just to see if there was anything on the web I didn’t know about.  Then I found this link http://www.abebooks.com/Expectations-Continuation-Pride-Prejudice-ADKINS-Samantha/3241079893/bd  Ha!  My book was for sale on ABE books for over $40.00.  I won’t quote directly from the sales pitch, but it was noted as a rare book with a personal inscription to Andrew Davies!  It was also marked as “unread”, which I found just a tad insulting.  If only they had read the book, I would feel better about the whole mess.  Anyway, I had a good laugh and next time, I’ll make sure to find Mr. Davies’ real address before sending him my book.

Blogging Block

I hope no one's been holding their breath to read my blog!  I've been happily busy working away at my next book.  It will be Austen related!  Don't know if I'll blog much until it's done.  Thanks so much to everyone that's been following.  I've been a little frustrated with how difficult it is to leave a comment on Blogger.  Maybe by the time I post again, things will be easier.  Enjoy the sunshine while you can!