Unsung Heroes - Our Teachers

High school English teachers had quite an impact on my writing life. One scribbled a "worthy of publication" on a short story - I guess that planted the seed that a writing life was possible. But the English teacher I most admired was the one who made us read "Macbeth" aloud through class, then watch it on television. We didn't just analyse the play. We lived it! (and then we all went and watched the newly released "Hamlet" movie starring Mel Gibson even if our English teacher muttered about Mad Max in the role - and caught our shy history teacher out on a date! Poor guy). The result was that Shakespeare became part of life rather than a scary high culture icon.

This awesome English teacher even had a debate with us on dragons - were they real or were they a Jungian archetype? - not that he discussed Jung with us, but I recognised his argument later. He played a big role in expanding our thinking. The world was a wondrous adventureland and we had a place in it.

So, to Mr MacDonald and all awesome English teachers, thank you! Like Robin Williams in the movie Dead Poets Society, you taught us to seize the day!

Carpe diem!

And talking of seizing things, my steampunk novella, Clockwork Gold, is free on Instafreebie. As is my paranormal romance, Fire Rose. So whether you're into re-imagining the past (in this instance, the West Australian goldfields) or wandering in the Persian mountains with a dragon and djinn and some unexpected humans, why not seize your free reads?