It's here. Finally.

Just in time for summer – your ideal beach read

Finally!

“How is your book coming along? Was it all an elaborate prank and there is no book in reality?”
Just one of many friends and eager readers who have given up on me…

What I can tell you is this: my post on 1 April was indeed a prank, but not so elaborate. Or rather, an April Fool’s Joke. I mention this because I think some of my readers believed it (sorry). Even though the best way to ruin a joke is to explain it, I probably should clarify things and be serious (for once in my life). I’ll blame my [former] colleague Martin, who had an annual tradition of emailing everyone in the office on April 1 informing us of fictitious meetings in fictitious meeting rooms (confusing colleagues who went looking for these rooms in vain) and making amusing announcements such as the directive handed down from company headquarters stating that all teachers and students had to wear masks – during online classes!

Hey, there’s no shame in falling for these mean tricks. We’re all gullible to a certain extent, right?

An age-old question that I put to the test in my book: does humour translate across cultures and languages? I have a chapter in the book, a very short one, thank goodness, with some terrible jokes and puns that probably won’t go down well, but try to have an open mind, hey?

Now for real: my book will be available, in both print and eBook, on 15 June. As we speak (or rather, as I write) it is up on Amazon, but don’t go looking for it just yet – it’s not publicly listed, and it’s not set up for pre-orders.

Regular readers might remember previous posts where I got into the writing and publishing process and the challenges and delays I faced. No more of that, for the time being – let’s move onto the more important details.

The cover you see at the start of the post is, in fact, the real one – no joke. It took me 6 attempts and dragged on way too long, but I finally got a cover I’m satisfied with.

Here’s an extended look:

That blurb you see on the back is a shortened version of the book description you’ll see on Amazon, my website (almost finished), and one or two other retailers. The full version follows:

Embark on an enlightening and heartfelt journey through the world of language learning and teaching

Step into A Classroom in Kyiv and uncover the secrets to becoming a better learner.

Join Daniel as he explores the challenges of language acquisition in this one-of-a-kind book offering a fascinating perspective on teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in Ukraine and beyond. Drawing from experiences across eight countries over nearly two decades, this delightful language-rich narrative of tips, tales, wit, and wisdom, will enchant readers of all backgrounds.

From the quirks of English pronunciation to awkwardly amusing language misunderstandings, to how the profession has evolved and what the future has in store, peek behind the curtains to discover the challenges teachers face and how we truly feel about our students (mainly nice things, but…). Discover strategies for improving fluency and activating vocabulary in this treasure trove of insights and captivating anecdotes.

Against the backdrop of war-torn Ukraine, this compelling blend of memoir and learning guide will not only boost your vocabulary and develop your communicative skills, but also offer reflections on navigating unexpected career paths and life-changing decisions.

Immerse yourself in its pages and find answers to the questions you never knew you had.

Whether you’re a language enthusiast, a teacher seeking new perspectives, or simply intrigued by life’s twists and turns, A Classroom in Kyiv is a vibrant literary adventure that promises to instruct, entertain and inspire.

“Our world needed this book!”
Iryna Veklyuk, highly successful and proficient language learner

A confession:

I have about 250 words (approx.) of AI-generated content in one of my chapters. However, I make it very clear in that chapter, and I have a very good reason for doing so (as you’ll see).

A second confession:

Getting the blurb and description right was one of the hardest parts of this process. And I tinkered with some generative AI blurb generators, and then edited and re-edited and tweaked and deleted and second-guessed myself.

A third confession:

“Write drunk, edit sober.”
Ernest Hemingway

In the end I gave up, took Hemingway’s advice and made myself a stiff dry martini, and wrote it myself. In 5 minutes.

And then edited it again later, tinkering with AI a tiny bit, but leaving it largely as it was and rewriting it to the point where it’s barely recognisable from my first attempts.

I’ll be sharing a couple of updates in the next fortnight or so about pricing and availability and other fun stuff, but for now, I leave you with a few pages from an earlier draft of the book, with notes from my ‘editor’, who is only 6 years old:

I’m not sure whether to be proud or concerned here. My daughter seems to have mastered the art of disinformation and false advertising (or plain old manipulation?).

“Why did you add ‘classic’?” I asked.
“So that people will see you are a classic writer, and more people will buy the book!”