Just returned yesterday from a magnificent time in Durham at the ACCS conference. I had a vendor table there, selling copies of my books, as well as CDs of The Newsom Kids Radio Show, a new production by my kids, my wife, and myself. I’ll post more about that in the near future.
For those who don’t know (and why don’t you, perzactly?), ACCS is the Association of Classical and Christian Schools. This organization was founded by Doug Wilson, who I’ve been privileged to work with on a few occasions, most recently on Omnibus V, due out in August (more on that in a future post).
Plenary speakers for this conference were Doug, along with the always brilliant George Grant, and the always practical Matt Whitling; the keynote speaker was Os Guiness, probably the best-known author and speaker there. Multiple workshops were also conducted, led by the plenary speakers, and a host of others, including Marlin and Laurie Detweiler, publishers of Omnibus through their Veritas Press, and N. D. Wilson, author of the must-read Random House fantasy series, 100 Cupboards.
Wilson’s two workshops were the best, in my opinion, but that’s probably my writer’s perspective coming out. Wilson is always entertaining, always engaging. Here’s a few of my favorite quotes from his two workshops:
“Most of the pop stars out there today singing dirty pop songs got their musical training in the church singing Amazing Grace. In a weird sort of way, we’re further ahead culturally than we think.”
“Life choices are aesthetic choices: ‘which choice will make a better story? Which will make me a better character?’”
“’The Highwayman’ and Romeo and Juliet are just prepping kids for Mormon teen vampire fiction.”
How I wish every Christian family out there weeping over Twilight could hear those two lectures!
I’ll be blogging more about the conference and related topics in the near future, God willing, so stay tuned.
