Author Interview with John Evans

Today we're talking with John Evans, author of The Home School Advantage: A Public Schoolteacher’s Case for Homeschooling


FQ: After reading your book, I would love to know how Clint is doing now. What has he been up to after graduation?


Clint continues to do well, and right now he's working two jobs at the San Antonio International Airport. I think he may have found the perfect career for himself because he loves to work on machinery and be around the planes, but he also loves to interact with people. Mostly he helps to keep the conveyor belt systems running smoothly. Clint enjoys the hustle and bustle of a major airport and always seems to be excited about his work. At a time when many are struggling to find a job, I can't help but believe that Clint's homeschooling background and good work ethic have enabled him to stay employed.

FQ: What style of homeschooling best describes your personal educational philosophy?


Well, since I came from a career in the public school system, I think I tried to take the best of what I saw in the traditional education model and adapt it to Clint's special needs. If I had to give my style a name, I think I would just call it "practical teaching" or "going with what works." The home school choices we made were specifically geared to help our son in a way that traditional public schools could never match. My wife and I aimed for truly individualized learning. Clint responded well, and we were very happy with the results.


FQ: What led you to arrive at this style of homeschooling?


I was led to my style of homeschooling by observation and experience. If a teacher is conscientious and self-aware, he or she figures out what works and what doesn't. Also, you have to study the child. A parent or a good teacher can tell if the lesson is effective. You can see it in the sparkle of a child's eye or the enthusiasm of his response. Again, it gets back to trying many approaches and seeing what's effective. What works for one family may not work for another. It's not rocket science, but it does require attention, patience, and discipline. I would add that both parent and child need to keep a positive attitude.

FQ: What sort of interactions did you have with your public school colleagues after you pulled your son out of school? Were they angry with you for rejecting the system?


Well, I stopped teaching in the public schools before Clint started his home school experience, so there wasn't much direct interaction with former colleagues. Of course, many of them remained my friends, but our relationship was more casual. I think I would term their attitude toward our decision as "guardedly supportive" or "politely questioning." Also, you have to remember that many public schoolteachers leave the classroom after a few years, often from their own frustrations, so their own emotions can be somewhat mixed. I now know of several other former public schoolteachers who teach their own children at home.


FQ: At the very end of the book, you talk just a little about how homeschooling has brought your family closer together. Can you talk about that some more?


Candidly, my biggest regret is that we did not go to homeschooling sooner. Frankly, the more I think about it, and the more I observe what is happening in our public school systems, the more supportive I become of home education--provided that it's done in a thoughtful way. When I look back on my homeschooling years with Clint, I can't help but smile. We were never closer than when we were in homeschooling...and the entire family feels that way. If I could go back and change the past, I'd start homeschooling sooner and do an even better job.


FQ: Are you still working with the homeschool community?


As a full-time minister, I interact with homeschooling parents and children all of the time. I love to share experiences with them, and they remain among my warmest friends.


To learn more about The Home School Advantage: A Public Schoolteacher’s Case for Homeschooling please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Author Interview with John Evans

Today we're talking with John Evans, author of Canaan's Land


FQ: Tell us about the significance of the title you chose for this book, Canaan’s Land?


Canaan was the promised land for the Israelites in the Bible, and Joshua's father sees West Texas as his "promised land" as well. Just as the Israelites faced hardships and difficulties in conquering Canaan, even so Joshua's family faces its share of trials.


While the book is not overtly religious, I did intend for it to echo certain spiritual themes and references. For example, "Hannah," Joshua's mom, takes her name from Samuel's patient mother in the Bible. Joshua was the leader of Israel into the promised land after Moses died, just as our protagonist is trying to help his family make its way to West Texas. "Truman," the daddy, is not religious at all. He sees himself as a "true man," though he depends too much on himself and is too headstrong for his own good sometimes.


So, while Canaan's Land deals primarily with such themes as love, survival, and forbearance, it does echo certain biblical themes in its title and characters.


FQ: Your book takes place in the late-1800s Old West. What drew you to this era and place?


In my younger days, I hiked the rugged mountains and draws of West Texas quite a bit and grew to love its rough beauty. The post-Civil War era was the perfect time for a survival story because Texas was in turmoil following years of conflict. Many families were just getting back on their feet; mothers and fathers had to figure out what to do just to survive. It was a time of hardship and struggle, and such times bring out both the best and worst in people.


FQ: What are you hoping that your readers, particularly young boys, take away from your book?


Well, first Canaan's Land is meant to entertain. I want my readers to enjoy the book as a good frontier novel and survival story. But I'd also like the boys to see that what makes us strong can also ruin us. In the story Papa shows great determination and courage, but his stubborn streak almost gets the family killed.


Life is filled with challenges, and a big part of maturity is facing those challenges in the right way. For example, Joshua endures a horrible loss in the story, but that loss makes him stronger as a person.


I'd also like my readers to understand that love motivates us to look past the weaknesses in people to see their good. Mama, Papa, and Joshua have their strengths and shortcomings, just like all of us, but together they make a strong family. Being a man means accepting the good and bad in life and learning the lessons from each.


FQ: To me, this book seems like a successful adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series except for the boys. Is this just a happy coincidence or did her work inspire you?


While I'm a great admirer of Wilder's work, I didn't particularly have the Little House books in mind as I wrote. I do think that there are common elements to frontier stories which inspire all of us. Making do with what you have, learning to depend on providence and each other, struggling to make a day-to-day existence . . . I think these are eternal themes that are common to many books for young people.


FQ: I found myself wanting to know what happens next in Joshua Lee’s life. Have you considered making Canaan’s Land a series?


Well, I have . . . and I might . . . but this first novel took so long to write that I'm a little afraid of the task! I do appreciate readers' encouragement, however.


FQ: What can readers look forward to next from you?


Most of my writing is nonfiction, and I have a homeschooling book that will be published as an eBook in a few weeks. The Home School Advantage: A Public Schoolteacher's Case for Homeschooling describes how I became a supporter of homeschooling after teaching in the public schools of Texas for 12 years. An earlier edition of the book has done well, so I'm releasing an updated edition with more research and interviews to support the points.


To learn more about Canaan's Land please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.