A fire drill is a great opportunity to connect with students outside in the fresh Colorado sunshine, so why not talk about writing and publishing? One of my ninth grade students recently immigrated from another country, and she was curious about my writing. During the last fire drill, she asked me, “Do you write anything?” and “Where could I find your book?!”.
So she checked out my book, In Those Other Lands, from the library and read it in a few days, then loaned it to her dad! She really enjoyed reading and we’ve had several discussions about various elements and themes, including immigration, grace, struggles, and hope.
Her dad speaks two other languages, and English is his third language. She said he has really grown in his English vocabulary since starting to read my book over the last few months.
Today during the most recent fire drill, she asked me, “Well, when is the next book coming out?” I told her I have eight short stories available on Amazon Kindle, but she wants a paperback to hold. It was heartening how she told me how the book has been really transformational for her.
I asked her, “What other authors are you reading right now?” She adores Franz Kafka, who helped her through many challenges, and Fyodor Dostoevsky is her favorite right now. We discussed the political and social climates in 19th century Russia as formative for authors like Dostoevsky, along with the burdens Kafka felt with self-esteem and anxiety.
She mentioned her affinity for poetry, and currently has four binders full of poems she has written and curated. She is also writing her own story of her family’s immigration.
As the fire drill was ending, I pondered so many things. I really appreciate how bold this student has been in getting to know me this entire school year, because she makes sure we have a meaningful conversation every day. I am proud of her for finding her own voice and for being honest with me. She feels joy in sharing ideas with me and in challenging me to continue my own writing.
At the end of the day, she was racing through the hall, heading to the bus, and I told her she inspired me to collect my short stories into a paperback version, and of course, she beamed.
I am an introverted writer and high school English teacher just navigating the month of May which is all sorts of zany and exhausting with many events and culminating activities over the next three weeks. But today was a different moment of peace, and inspiration. A moment like this is remarkable. I am grateful for students like her who encourage me personally, who love reading, and who feel bold enough to make a difference.
About the Author: Caroline Mertens
A native of Southern California, Caroline Mertens moved to Colorado as a teen. She received her B.A. in English and Secondary Education from Colorado Christian University in Denver. Her grandmother's immigration tales of adventure, love, pain, and redemption provided ample amounts of hope, grace, and literary inspiration for her debut, In Those Other Lands.
After a season of work in the Netherlands, England, and France, Caroline returned to Colorado. Over the years, she has worked as a magazine editor, a professional writer, and an assistant to a Young Life director. However, Caroline's most fulfilling career is teaching high school English and Creative Writing. She strives to encourage teenagers to read what they love, and inspires her students to engage in purposeful creative writing. Caroline is passionate about traveling, cooking Indonesian food, and exploring Colorado with her family.
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