Summer Camp!

Back in my youth, children used to go to day camps whose descriptions included words like “outdoors”, “swim”, and “play.”

(Ah, the beaches of Wilmette. Camp has never had better location, says Amelia Trace circa 1992.)

Clearly, we were setting our sights too low; the camps of today are here to educate, inspire, and, in keeping with the old traditions, ensure children sweat to death outside.

My newfound understanding of today’s day camps comes from an experience I had yesterday, and one that Victorious Coach Lain will continue for the rest of the week.

Because it’s a great idea and we like friends in high places, Lain volunteered to work with a writing camp provided by the good folks over at the Margaret Mitchell House. However, being the “important” “man” he is, his schedule didn’t allow him to attend yesterday, and I went instead.

What I was treated to was a historic/architectural tour of Inman Park, complete with 21 children complaining they were hot.

(The King Keith House, a lovely and understated Queen Anne abode in Inman Park, and a focus of our tour.)

My favorite was my new buddy, a ~58 lb. girl constantly complaining of exhaustion, carrying a 20lb. backpack. Contents? Rubik’s Cubes. Of course.

After hopping around town, writing instructor Lawrence works with the campers to prepare them to write mystery stories, inspired by the lore of Atlanta. Neat, eh? Granted, I have no idea what the afternoon batch of learning actually entailed, as I had to high-tail it outta there.

Why? Well, for the Wren’s Nest’s very own literary efforts!

Where the Margaret Mitchell folks are churning out young writers, the Wren’s Nest is giving them a chance to publish through our very own and very new Wren’s Nest Publishing Co.!

Intrigued? Good! I’ll give you this to get you started, and dig in tomorrow once you’re all salivating with excitement. Or, you know, because you want something to read while you drink your coffee.