Notes From Home(schooling)

I had a fun and meaningful visit to Barnes and Noble tonight. I picked a bunch of books that I was interested in for one reason or another and so did the nice person I was with. One of the books almost made my draw drop, or suddenly faint, or do one of those other typical "I'm shocked, I tell you" reactions that I don't really do. 

Quinn Cummings has a brand new book out about a year of homeschooling her daughter.  It's been three years since her last book, which I believed would be her last book. It's been a while since I checked her blog and I missed a lot: the homeschooling, the book, the blog tour.  I'm most disappointed to have missed the back story as to how she agreed to write another book. 

It was my honor to interview Quinn back in the summer of '96. She had said that while she was writing she kept away from reading other funny/touching type authors so she wouldn't end up using their voice rather than growing into her own.  That led me to this exchange:

RNF: Now that you've gone back to reading Sedaris and co, do you worry that it will influence the follow up book? 

QC: I think that every time I think about the phrase “Follow-up book” I laugh and I laugh and then I make a sound like “Yeeesh….” And then I look worried. So I’m guessing the writings of David Sedaris won’t be compromising my work any time soon. 

Three years after publishing a first book seems like a short time to wait before putting out a second, especially when you sounded like you didn't have a second one in you at all. I'm surprised and excite. I'm happy for Quinn.  She seems like a good egg and I wish her success with her new book.