Some of you have been reading this blog for years – all 13 of them. That feels like a very long time, and yet it’s hard to believe that some of the most exciting things that have happened lately have taken place in a very short time. My first solo book Homeschool Hacks: How to Give Your Kid a Great Education Without Losing Your Job (or Your Mind) will be published by Tiller Press (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) on April 6th. It’s a book that I feel is much needed in the world.
Homeschool Hacks' genesis story
Why did I write it? How did it come to be? The story for my book started many years ago, when I had the idea for writing a book that working parents could read and get support for their homeschooling decision. At the time, I knew very little about publishing. I had been writing for newspapers and magazines and websites for years, and I even contributed a significant amount of the material for a non-fiction personal finance book. Writing something all my own, however, was new.
After hearing about a writing conference that would give me the opportunity to present my book proposal to an agency, I paid the ticket, booked my flight, and got my hopes up. The agent did not love my book. Neither did the handful of other agents I queried after that. The market, they said was too small. There just wasn’t enough people homeschooling, not to mention people working and homeschooling at the same time.
I put the idea way. I worked on a second non-fiction book, which got an agent but didn’t sell. I wrote a fiction book that sold directly to a publisher, but then got scrapped when that small publisher went belly-up at the height of COVID. I figured I would never write a book. It just wasn’t my game to win.
COVID changes everything
Then, I started seeing the horror stories online from parents trying to remote school and homeschool during COVID. I spent day after day copying and pasting the same responses to questions in Facebook groups. I sent out emails. I answered phone calls. Parents needed answers, and they needed them fast. Was this the right time to dust of that old book idea and try again?
It was. After almost 8 years after I first wrote my homeschool book proposal, I polished it up, and made it a book for everyone (not just one for the faith market.) I added new technology info, some context on remote schooling, and added updates for what happens when you take a child from Pre-K to college solely in a homeschool environment (Spoiler alert: amazing things happen.)
I found the agent who believed in my book. He sold it within months. We had a book deal signed and a draft turned in within another couple of months. This spring, my book will be in stores everywhere, as well as available in ebook format and audio CD. All of the things I wished someone would have told me when I started out will be included in my book. I also have parents from all walks of life sharing their experiences. From military families who move every six months to single moms to business owners – they have the wisdom to pass on to anyone who wants it.
I’m so pleased that I can finally share the little hacks I’ve discovered over the years with you, your family, your friends, and your children. Homeschool Hacks is available for pre-order right now! If you have questions about homeschooling or are already trying it or are even a little bit curious, consider adding it to your Wishlist.
What to expect
We’ll have some more updates about what it’s like to write a book with a traditional publisher and how even busy moms can find the time to pursue really big goals like publishing a book. I can’t wait to give you previews of the books, as well.
In the meantime, please reach out if you have questions about homeschooling! You can reach me on Twitter at @LKnerl.
Thank you for your support over all these years. I hope I can continue to be of service to you and yours.
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