Reading Blue Devils
In a poor suburban community in southern Ohio, Dieter Vogel is a failing English teacher at a high school populated predominately by minority students. He is bullied by the basketball coach, neglected by the principal, ignored by his crush, Esther, and pressured to work out with Jose, the art teacher. At the end of the first day back after summer break, Dieter is visited by Satan, who takes the initial form of a Twinkie. Satan convinces Dieter to overthrow the school mascot, Gretel the Pretzel, so the Devil can take its place. Dieter is promised Esther’s love and the position of principal in return. All Dieter has to do is follow the Devil’s advice and use classic literature to manipulate the students into a racially-charged frenzy against the mostly white staff.
About Jon Bennett (Cincinnati, Ohio Author)
Jon Bennett is a born and bred Midwesterner, who has a palate for Cincinnati chili, though he rarely can stomach it. He graduated from St. Xavier High School and went on to Miami University. He spent a year pretending to be a business major until his love of English kicked down his door and demanded attention. Almost failing Calculus and Accounting may have also aided the decision. He graduated with a BA in Creative Writing and Literature.
After getting his Masters in Teaching Language Arts, he student-taught at a secondary school in Belmopan, Belize. From there, he spent 6 years teaching in Chicago's public schools, where he met some of the most inspiring, frustrating, wonderful students and faculty in the world. It was in Chicago (in lane 2 of the local Bally's Fitness swimming pool) that he met his brilliant, talented, much-hotter-than-him, future-wife Nicole. And in their final summer in Chicago, Nicole gave birth to their daughter Charlotte, who is already cooler and more adventurous than her father.
Jon's debut novel, Reading Blue Devils, will be published in March '18 by Open Books Publishing. He currently lives in Southern California, and teaches ELL courses to international students from China. He is also an Instruction Specialist at his current school.