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Kids are sometimes quick to point out that Batman doesn’t fly.
Neither did Bill Finger.
He lived in New York most of his life, and as far as we know, usually did not wander too far. We know he vacationed in Provincetown (Cape Cod), MA.
We know he took the train to Washington DC when writing for the Army Pictorial Center circa 1969-70; he was apparently thrilled to get Pentagon clearance. But he never took a plane anywhere.The farthest I’ve tracked him is an unlikely destination for an unlikely reason. At point, probably in the 1950s, Bill went to a seder…in Texas.
Yes, Bill the non-observant Jew celebrated Passover in the not-particularly-Jewish-y Lone Star State.
And on 4/8/13, I went to Texas for the first time since Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman came out to speak to the sixth graders at Gregory-Portland Intermediate School in the Corpus Christi suburb of Portland. The district’s theme for the year is superheroes. I was honored to be asked to be a part of it. (They did not know the Bill Finger connection before I came.)
It was the first time I’ve presented flanked by two bodyguards.Favorite question of the day: “If you didn’t write this book on Bill Finger, do you think anyone else would have?”
Thank you, GPI, for allowing me to symbolically follow in the footsteps of Bill Finger, and for hosting such a lovely visit.
humor pinned to board in teachers’ lounge
GPI sent me a thick stack of thank-you letters and they contained an unusually large number of irresistible quotables:- “I can’t believe you went to other states just to get information.”
- “What did you think about us as audience?”
- “I am now part of the Bill [Finger] army! I will go around and spread the word.”
- “I liked how you had clarity, and great eye contact. Just keep on doing that and you won’t have anything to worry about.”
- “Could you consider writing a book about a superhero piglet? Maybe it could be a winning idea for a children’s series.”
- “It was a privilege to see where the first Superman comic was typed.”
- “from the third kid in the first row”
- “You kinda look like my Uncle, but with hair.”
- “I am sure someday you and I will be famous writers.”
- “You inspired me not just to do your best but also be unique in what I love to do.”
- “The part with the paperweight really teared me up. I almost cried!”
- “Maybe I will write a book about you and you can give me the paperweight?”
- “When my dad was little he loved to watch Superman movies or read comics. I told my dad all the information and he was amazed and I thank you for that.”
- “If they could, I bet Jerry, Joe, and Bill would say thank you.”
That last one especially moved me.
On 2/11/12, I spoke three times at my third Nevada Reading Week Conference in Reno. The theme was “Make a Date with History,” and I felt right at home because I do that for a living.
The kind organizers of the conference send the presenters feedback from the attendees; it comes anonymously on thin handwritten slips.
This year, I gave a diverse, hourlong keynote; a small part of it was my story of trying to publish a story I’m particularly passionate about.
Of all the topics I covered, I was thrilled to see that many people enthusiastically singled out that story, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon.
Here are some of my favorite comments about the book-to-hopefully-be:
Selected transcriptions (Thirty Minutes Over Oregon):
"Very interesting—this is great history no one knows about. I hope it will be published soon."
"I am interested in Thirty Minutes Over Oregon. Hopefully it will be published."
"Want to read Thirty Minutes Over Oregon."
"Especially poignant was the publishing process story of the Japanese [pilot] who bombed Oregon."
"The Japanese bomber story was amazing."
"Hope the Oregon book goes public."
"Loved his story about Thirty Minutes Over Oregon and hope it gets published."
"Interesting Oregon bombing story!"
"The sad story of a great story not yet finding a publisher."
This round bodes
On 1/19/12, I spoke at Stonehouse Elementary in Williamsburg, VA, a town home to events significant to the American Revolution. After, as I was leaving, a fourth grade boy asked my host, the school librarian, for another book on another war, World War II.
Because of my (still-in-progress) efforts to get my WWII nonfiction picture book manuscript Thirty Minutes Over Oregon published, this lifted my spirit and reconfirmed what I’ve been saying: WWII is a topic both appropriate for and of interest to students in upper elementary. (Mine is not the first picture book written about it, though sometimes it feels like it is.)
Even better, the librarian told me it’s not just this boy; the subject is wildly popular with many of her students—and it’s not yet a topic in the classroom. In other words, just because a subject is not on the curriculum (how you doin’, Boys of Steel) doesn’t mean kids don’t and can’t learn about it in school.
In late September 2011, I posted a pitch for a nonfiction picture book I've written that has generated humbling praise from editors but no offers:
Several days ago, a Denver mother (and librarian) kindly messaged me that her son Owen, age 8, had drawn a picture inspired by Thirty Minutes Over Oregon. She told me that they had not discussed the story since the post went up.
In her words: "Just another reminder that this topic is very compelling to a young person!"
I love the drawing; it depicts two key scenes from the book. I should note, however, that the book (nor the true story behind it) does not contain a scene of a plane crashing and burning. That's Owen's creative license!
Thank you, Owen, for the thought, and thank you, Owen's mom, for sharing. Keep them coming!
Please come back tomorrow for the continuation of the massive "Super '70s and '80s" series, running most days between now and 10/12/11! And for today, a post of "regularly scheduled content":
Recently I posted an unprecedented experiment on this blog.
I publicly pitched a nonfiction picture book manuscript I've written but so far failed to sell. To show that the project is commercial, I incorporated multiple "selling points":
- mock covers for it designed by professional illustrators of children's books
- mock covers for it designed by kids from the book's target audience
- examples of how I promote relentlessly, even books that are years old
- praise from editors who rejected it
Coby, age 10, IL
In doing so, I was fortunate to pick up another compelling selling point: reactions from others in or affected by publishing, from librarians to educators to bloggers to parents to fellow authors. Among the public ones:
Holy cow, those are great quotes.
And that one kid is right -- a superhero piglet really could be a winner. (Scott Shaw certainly thought so.) Perhaps the student who wrote that will go ahead and create one of his or her own...which would be the ultimate tribute to your school visiting skills.
Thanks Richard. I agree, on both counts!