Author With A Day Job

Mild mannered working stiff by day, author at night.

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  • Laura Ingalls Wilder – Dated but still relevant

    Thinking of the upcoming Laura Ingalls Wilder Children’s Literature Festival reminded me of efforts by some to cancel or restrict her Little House books because of her dated references to native Americans.  While many of the characters in the book indeed have dated attitudes, in my view the move is an over-reaction and infringes on others’ ability… Read more

  • The uncertainty of fire. It really can go up in smoke.

    I picked up this hidden gem of a novel in an independent bookstore.  It is written by Stephanie Daniels, a self-published author. Most people would never know about this beautifully-written story except for blogs like this one bringing it to their attention.  Sixteen-year-old Whimsey Greatheart, the daughter of a wealthy Chicago banker, thinks her biggest worry is what the society page in the local newspaper… Read more

  • Should the Bible Be in our classrooms?

    The governments of two conservative states are now requiring the Bible and the Ten Commandments to be taught in their public schools. Oklahoma is requiring every classroom in the state to have a Bible and all teachers must incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments in their curriculum. Louisiana is requiring the Ten Commandments be… Read more

  • Kids are More Diverse Than Ever

    The need for diversity in children’s books caught publishers flat-footed. Prior to about 2010 children’s books featured almost exclusively white characters. What the industry did not seem to be aware of was the nation was becoming more diverse.   It’s not hard to imagine why this happened if you look at the demographics of the United… Read more

  • School Shootings Are Caused By More Than Just Guns

    You have certainly heard of the school shooting in Georgia by now. This event has revived the argument of gun rights verses gun control.  I’m not going to discuss whether or not we need stricter gun laws. I will leave that to other blogs. I do want to express my belief that the causes of… Read more