Well, I’m thinking ages 6-9ish…perhaps squeeze 10 in there too, depending. I want them to be old enough to read a good, full story, but young enough to throw in some really fetching illustrations in a non-chaptered book. And though I’m not British, I’d love it to have the wit and cheer of some of the stuff I grew up on and have since devoured as an adult. And animals often enter my head, but not the cuddly kind. And lastly, can one write a series for children on food? Kind of like a sort of G.K. Chesterton “trifle”, pulling out the beauty and hilarity of a thing, but for children…and on food specifically. I just finished a short on pie.

As you can see, I’m still formulating.

It was Rhetoric. I gave a speech while wearing white shoes and black pants. You asked the class to note that my eloqution was successful both because of and despite my overruling common dress code. The gist was that I got away with it in a rather whimsical manner, but to never do it again. But yah, what WAS I thinking, anyway!? Probably about Joe. Ha!

Thank you, Nate! Merry Advent to you and you fam!

Jen

Roger to the first two, and also on number three depending on how joyful the futility is (which hinges on the definition of ‘great’). Your closing thoughts lead me to believe that the futility you pitch isn’t joyful at all.

I can tell you this, the ‘great conversation’ (so-called) spans centuries and lifetimes. It is the published record of the masters. The people in that Manhattan studio frequently have nothing to do with that conversation whatsoever–they’re too absorbed in the ‘great most recent trendiness and it boy/girl’ to pay attention to those whose words have outlasted trend and will outlast them.

Last thought–writers today have an advantage over the masters (and plenty of educational disadvantages). We should be able to surpass Austen or Steinbeck or Lewis because we have the advantage of having them to look to and stand on. This is not to say that we will surpass them, but their backs are there for us to climb. Cheers (and thanks for posting).

NDW

Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you’re going for it. What age/market are you hoping to hit? (And I deny ever making any comment about your shoes when you were an undergrad–what I don’t remember can’t have happened, I’m sure.)

Cheers.

NDW