Dunckel Teacher's Book Hits Amazon Kindle Market

When Dunckel Middle School social studies teacher Ryan Potter and his wife, Lisa, visited friends in New York five years ago, they experienced first-hand the spectacle of Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Held on the 4th of July, the event draws contestants from all over the world and draws record crowds to Coney Island amusement park. This year, six-time winner Joey Chestnut downed a mind-boggling 68 dogs and buns. 

After seeing the colorful event and the charismatic participants, Potter said, "I knew there was a story there, and I started working it out." 

For the past 10 years, the Royal Oak resident has spent his summers writing. A history major in college, he said he started writing screenplays "with the vision of making a huge sale and everything being great. That didn't happen."

He did hit sudden success with his first young adult novel, Exit Strategy, which was picked up by a publisher in 2010. Potter calls it a "realistic story" about a boy who wants to get out of his hometown and the challenges he faces.

The Cleaner, published this summer, is different in every way. First, it's a Kindle e-book - there is no paper version. Potter published the book himself. And the main character, an adult, doesn't want to get out of his hometown. In fact, he can't leave. 

"It's a quirky story," Potter said. "Spinks (Webb, the main character) has a fear of travel. There's actually a name for it, hodophobia." 

Fortunately, Spinks has talent – he can consume vast amounts of food, especially hot dogs and hard-boiled eggs. A friend talks him into entering the Nathan's contest, and the book chronicles the challenges they face getting there.  

A third novel will be out by Christmas. While Potter does the bulk of his writing in the summer, he works on revisions during the school year, he said. He's sticking with Amazon.com's Kindle Direct Publishing program, which he called an "unbelievable opportunity for authors".

"They make it very attractive for people who want to put their work out there," he said. "When you do it on your own, you have to rely on colleagues and friends or you have to hire people to edit and do the cover design. I've learned a lot of lessons, but I'm pretty pleased with the results."

Potter is in his 19th year at Dunckel. He could retire in five or six more years, and if he does, writing will move from an avocation to a vocation. 

"I would just continue to write novels," he said. 

That fits with the advice he gives his 7th grade students about what they might want to be when they grow up. 

"I talk with kids and their parents, and the thing I tell them is, whatever you decide to do, make sure it's something you're really interested in." 

Learn more about Potter's books on his website: NotSoMainstream.com.