This is what Dr. Jean LeBlanc, principal of Nelson School in Niles, Illinois had to say about my recent series of assemblies at her school:
​"Ed Denecke captured and held the attention of students in grades K-6 by sharing his Dreaming Giant-sized Dreams theme through his story of getting his book published.  Emphasizing traits such as tenacity, asking for help, using feedback to improve his work and more, Ed showed how these traits served him well in fulfilling his dream of publishing his own book."

If you have any connection to an elementary school - whether through your own children or through some other means (friendship, business, or mere proximity) - please consider passing on my name to the administration. I promise you that I won't embarrass you by bringing a sub-par presentation!

​I am in the midst of more than a year-long research-and-preparation-project for my first chapter book (part of a four-part adventure series). I have another picture book that has already been presented to my publisher. It was enthusiastically received! Hopefully, soon it will be underway!  Because I am a new, unknown author being given a chance by a smaller publisher, the process that I am using to get published requires me to invest in a percentage of the cost of producing my books (My first book "What Happens at School When You're Not There?". easily ​made back my entire investment!). Now I would like to get my second picture book​, "The Nap Book", in print. If it is successful, as I believe it will be, then I will re-invest the profits into my adventure book series. Any help that you can give me in making contact with elementary schools (my target audience) will be greatly appreciated.  I can send inquisitive school administrators plenty of pertinent information to help them decide if I am a good fit for their 2017-2018 school year author visit.

​Thanks everyone!!

​I was late to Vogler's classroom. (It's funny but nearly everyone  with whom I discuss The Hero's Journey has heard of it before.  I find searching for someone unfamiliar with Vogler's  analysis of Joseph Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces (first published in 1949) as futile as trying - all these years after it has hit Netflix-level saturation - to surprise a friend with the eye-popping plot twist at the end of The Sixth Sense.) But Christopher kindly allowed me to stay after class and catch up with the other students. And catch up I did!

​If you have never heard of The Hero's Journey, stop reading this right now and go google it! (And then please give me credit for exposing you to it!) You won't ever be able to watch a movie or read a book with the same blind unawareness of, as Vogler defines it, "the pattern that lies behind every story ever told."

​In 1985, Vogler wrote a seven page memo describing Campbell's story insights and gave it to a story analyst friend and to a couple of key Disney executives. The rest, shall we say, is history. "The Memo," as it has come to be known, transformed EVERYTHING in the story-composing world. His exceptional book, THE WRITER'S JOURNEY, is required reading for anyone seriously attempting to craft a captivating screenplay or novel.

​I have taken copious notes on everything Hero's-Journey-related that I can find. I have even created a three-ring binder designated exclusively to The Hero's Journey for use in my present and future novel-writing projects. It would be impossible for me to summarize his analysis in less than thousands of gushing words.  Therefore, you are left to just trust me and go study it for yourself. You will thank me someday!

​In my next update, I will focus my attention on the extraordinary K.M. Weiland, the award-winning and internationally published author of the Amazon bestseller, Outlining Your Novel, and numerous other similarly helpful books. No one has influenced my writing more than Katie. Check back soon to discover why that is!