The hero is a teacher? Totally believable.

I just finished writing an adventure novel about a Social Studies teacher (and former hockey goon) who, with the assistance of a colleague, takes on a conspiracy targeting young people around the world. 

At first, I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. I mean, who would believe this idea? How could an ordinary school teacher possibly challenge a powerful tech billionaire? Teachers are stretched thin, overlooked, and rarely treated as essential. Those who can do, those who can’t teach, right?

So, I set the project aside. But the more I thought about it, the more it clicked: who else would take this on but a teacher?

When I first stepped into an overseas classroom, I had no idea how much it would change me. Teaching abroad meant new languages, surprising friendships, unfamiliar cities, odd products on store shelves, rough climates – and the chance to learn new histories and cultures alongside my students. It was unpredictable, stressful, and exhausting… but also the best adventure of my life.

Through all of it, the core of teaching stayed the same. We don’t just teach lessons. We juggle chaos, troubleshoot disasters (like when the printer dies five minutes before class), and answer what feels like a thousand questions a day. We adapt, we improvise, we keep moving forward.

And that’s when I knew: a teacher would take this on. Of course a teacher would.

The Sargon Schema: A Social Studies Conspiracy started out as just a wild story idea, but it ended up becoming my way of celebrating what it really means to be a teacher – the responsibility and absurdity, the hope and frustration, and the love you still carry for your students even when they drive you up the wall.

If you’ve ever made a little classroom magic happen — no matter the country, subject, or situation — this one’s for you.

Ed X!