Kathleen Desmarais

Every day I receive emails from customers wondering when the next R.E.A.L. Science book is going to be released. (Actually if I had a dollar for each time I hear this question, I could retire now. O.K., maybe not a dollar, but five would probably do it, I would like to retire well.) The truth is that I don’t have an answer to that question right now. Nobody wishes for another book more than me. But I have not been able to lower my standards or risk my company just to get another book out there. I have spoken to literally hundreds of writers in the last 3 years. I have come close, awfully close, to publishing another book. But something always seems to happen to the writer–serious illness, time conflicts, lack of family support, financial situations, contract disputes, substandard material, etc. You see, it turns out that writers have lives too. Who knew? I have had writers just seem to drop off the face of the earth. (Secretly I think the project drove them insane, but I don’t have the insurance to cover their mental health.) I have had writers who would be great for the program but were unwilling to sign a contract (which is suicide for a publisher). Writing a R.E.A.L. Science book is a REAL commitment. Bad pun, but seriously, it is an enormous undertaking. And I am VERY PICKY. I am not willing to settle for mediocre or biased writing. Home schoolers have enough obstacles to overcome, they need really good curriculum written by a writer that understands and has enough wit to keep their children interested. Don’t you think?

So why am I telling you this? Well, maybe so you will stop asking! Just kidding. I want you to know that I understand–I want it too and I will continue to search high and low for the perfect people and I will not stop until I have found those people even if it is the last thing I do as a publisher. This is my burden and a torch I gladly carry (okay, enough Chariots of Fire). We (the homeschooling community) need good, unbiased, no agenda, REAL science more than any other program. It is the thing we are most lacking. And I know why–GOOD WRITERS ARE HARD TO COME BY. But they are out there–hey, maybe it’s you! Call me!

The good news is that I have had recent contact with a few writers who look very, very promising. I am confident that there will be another book soon. Which one and when? Well, I need to keep some secrets! Stay tuned!