Next week, my eleventh book, a memoir, will go up on Amazon, and I must say I’m proud of it. I also feel honored to have been the teacher of the students living in these stories.

In August 2010, I published a memoir about teaching at Monmouth High School as The Education of a Teacher (Including Dirty Books and Pointed Looks.) I must have changed my mind at the last minute because I found the directions I gave my cover artist back then, and the original title was Mr. Vonnegut and Me (And Other Incredible Tales from a Teaching Life). I didn’t know much about publishing, and I’d sent a book query to many education publishers. They all wanted textbooks, not books about teaching. So, I asked for advice from a writer friend, and he suggested I use a vanity publisher named iUniverse. I did.

As time went by, the book sold many thousands of copies. I spoke about the story on book censorship at a break-out session at the national convention of the National Council of Teachers of English. Likewise, I spoke to the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. I was invited to speak to pre-service teachers at the University of Illinois and at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where they WERE using it as a textbook. (Guess I got the last laugh there, right?) Signing books and meeting former students at signings was great fun.

Then I turned my attention to writing mysteries.

Sixteen years have passed since I published that book, and the stories still stay in my mind as do the students who were in those stories. I signed copies for my grandchildren because this book is the best explanation I could give them of who I am. As I used to tell my English students, you can discern a great deal about an author when you read between the lines.

Now, I’ve written a new introduction, returned to the original title, edited the chapters because I’m a more experienced writer, and followed up on the students in these stories. Sadly, I have outlived some of these students as well as colleagues. Bittersweet as that may be, I still think this book has much to say about human beings and about the amazing profession of teaching.

I’m a hybrid author now, using both traditional publishers and also self-publishing. This updated version is a self-published book, and now I have a production team that’s been with me for over a decade.

I’m so excited to publish this second edition of Mr. Vonnegut and Me (And Other Incredible Tales from a Teaching Life), and I hope you will enjoy it as much as the readers who reviewed it the first time around.

These are some of the reviews on Amazon for the first book in 2010. All were five-star reviews.

“I wish there were 10 stars because that is what I would rate this book! Susan has captured the teaching experience in high school perfectly! This is one of those books that, as you are reading it, you don’t want it to end. She is able to bring to life her classroom and the students in it and how she related to them throughout her career. The key element that Susan brings to this marvelous read is heart! It is obvious how much she cared for her students and her profession. I just wanted to go and sit down in her class and learn! And I never liked English!”  Le Hook

“This is a book that isn’t so much ‘how to do’ as it is ‘how to be!’ Susan Van Kirk reminds us to journey with our students, build relationships, and foster a love for learning. Any reader will enjoy the nostalgia and individual stories of courage and change.” Ginger Sanders

“As a former teacher, I loved this book. The stories are solid: thought provoking, funny and authentic. I lived through some of the same experiences and enjoyed the trip down memory lane.” Kimberly A. Post

“I loved reading about the changes this teacher faced over the decades. It was really well written and entertaining. A must for teachers or pre-service teachers but a great read for anyone!”  Amanda Behrends

“Van Kirk’s beautiful writing style and absorbing stories make for a heartwarming, and at times, heartbreaking experience. Valuable lessons for many audiences lie within these pages.”

“I truly struggled to put it down.”   cva

“I loved this book! Mrs. Van Kirk has amazing stories about her life as a teacher! I am proud to say I was one of her students!”  Jenny Cox

“Van Kirk is a fine writer. Her style combines a nimble mind with a very good—but not naïve—heart. She takes her readers by the hand, sometimes strolling and other times dancing with them through a fascinating journey. In this age of stilted education, when standardized testing is considered the “gold standard,” but all those tests do is regurgitate frigid numbers, Van Kirk brings us a very human story that fleshes out the emotional side of American education that has been so long neglected.” James Jacobs

“This novel is a must read for new teachers. It will give them incredible insight into the world of education that they are not taught during their college experience. It will also provide them with inspiration and motivation to become the teacher they have always wished to be.”

“The Education of a Teacher is also a wonderful reminder to veteran teachers of the joys of teaching. Veteran teachers will find themselves nodding in agreement, laughing and sometimes even crying at the events of this novel. It will remind them that although overworked and underpaid, they have a very important and gratifying job.” T Williams

“I am currently a college student aspiring to become a great elementary school teacher. I love to read, and was looking for a light, heart-warming, inspirational book. This was exactly what I needed. I laughed, I cried, and I learned quite a bit. It was beautifully written, and difficult to put down. I absolutely love how the author sprinkled in real photos of her hometown, of the school at which she taught, and of several key characters. It made the story that much more real. LOVED THIS BOOK, and I advise anyone interested in teaching to give it a read…”  Annie

Thank you, everyone.