Big Changes at The English Schoolhouse

Hello all!

It's been awhile since I've blogged for the schoolhouse, and there's so much to share. I guess I've been waiting for the right moment and time to put into writing what I've been grappling over for a bit now. If you know me personally or follow the schoolhouse on FB or twitter, you know I recently lost my beautiful sister, who was just 39 years old, to cancer. There were only 8 days between her diagnosis and her death.

Though I'd already lost my father back in '95 as well as my maternal and paternal grandparents over the last 15 years or so, Nappy's (my sister's) death really struck me...and made me confront mortality in a way I'd not been forced to before. It just felt and was so...close.

I sat there caring for her and reeling over such a short period of time, if you think about it, and realized with this one event-just one event-in my 32 years of life, I couldn't view, act, or be the same anymore. It dawned on me that all the trite sayings are true...

Life isn't fair.
Life is short.
Life is grand.

It's like I became allergic to wasting time...and doing things I really don't want to do.
I'm grateful for that.

The English Schoolhouse is like my child. It was an idea, about a year and a half ago, that grew legs incredibly quickly and leapt and soared all over Rome in the most beautiful, unique way. I love it. But the place I'm in creatively right now doesn't allow me the time, energy or even desire to want to keep it open-at least not in Rome. And I'm too protective over my 'family' to trust just anyone to run it.

I am a writer.
Have been since I was a kid.
About 10 months ago I found some images online randomly that I simply fell in love with. Felt they'd go perfectly with the idea I had for a children's book. I had to know who created them. I searched and mildly stalked and found the phenomenal Phil Howell, a humble guy I've never met who is now working on my fourth children's book.

In short, I don't wanna run a school anymore. I wanna write. And see my mama often...and live between Italy and the US and enjoy both fully. And have more time to dedicate to my sons. And have beautiful life experiences that inspire me to write more and are worthy of being shared. And run a non-profit in my sister's honor. And paint nails and toes and drop off magazines for people in hospitals who are having a rough go of it.

I'm not abandoning The English Schoolhouse by any means...it's just growing up. It's a teenager now. It can drive. And say a bad word or two sometimes.

The big change is that The English Schoolhouse is now registered in the states and is a boutique publishing house. Our first title, The Ghanaian Goldilocks, is currently available on amazon.com. (Check it out!)



So you'll see some changes over the coming months with the site and FB and the direction we're going in with it all. I met some of the most wonderful and inspirational people, lifelong friends as well, while running The English Schoolhouse. I'm confident that these relationships will continue to grow and evolve, and look forward to making countless more beautiful connections in the journey to come.

Thank you guys for supporting The English Schoolhouse while it was open in Rome.
Off to bigger and better things!



1 comment:

  1. I am so sorry for your loss.

    "Life isn't fair.
    Life is short.
    Life is grand."

    That says it all.

    You are brave. You've chosen to start living the life you really want to live. You've chosen to prioritize the things in life that matter most. Follow your heart. It is never wrong. My thoughts are with you and I wish you the best with your writing goals.

    ReplyDelete