Prior to ever thinking about "Ken Do" much less writing about him, I had decided I wanted to be a writer of children's stories.  I had often seen advertising about The Institute of Children's Literature in Redding Ridge, Connecticut which listed a toll free number.  I called them and asked for information about their Institute.  I promptlly received the information and brochures.  I was required to submit a "test" story to see if I had any writing ability.  I am sure everyone passes!!  I did pass and sent in the required remittance and became a student.

 

My first assignment was to go to a park and observe a child, any child, and write a story about that child.  I was very leery about doing that for fear that I would be thought to be a potential child molester!  Therefore, I never got close enough to him to observe his facial features.  Those, I described from a beautiful framed picture of a little boy hanging in my living room.  I observed his Mom sitting in the park painting her fingernails.  She refused all of his requests for help to get in the swing, always telling him "you can do it.  Just keep trying." 

 

I totally disliked my instructor.  I guess she DID know what she was doing because I wrote Ken Do under her tutelage and it was my first story to ever be published.  I wrote it in June, 1987 and submitted it to several publishers but it was rejected by each one.  It is the practice to never tell you why it is rejected because they do not not want to take the time to do that unless they plan to publish it once the changes are made.  It was finally accepted for publishing in the Fall 1992 issue of JOYFUL CHILD JOURNAL.  The magazine's statement of purpose is: "Joyful Child Journal is a quarterly publication to guide parents and professionals who serve children in nurturing the fullest development of the child's potential.  It provides information needed in these times of change.  Through educational and inspirational articles, plus stories for the child, it promotes self esteem, values and universal principles, thus reawakening that which is inherent and natural within each of us-----JOY!"

 

 

You must realize that the period from 1987, when I wrote it until 1992 when it was published was not a period of waiting.  It was a period of re-submitting the story to many and various publishers and receiving a rejection slip from each one.  You must also realize that even when it was published and I held the magazine in my hand with my story in it I got no monetary reward!  But money could not buy nor pay for the sense of pride and accomplishment I felt in finally achieving my goal of being a "published author".