Great news about Killian, the quiet 15-year-old I’m mentoring in creative writing at Bishop Gibbons High School in Schenectady.

I’ve taught writing a zillion times but never mentored in this way. At first, I was unsure.Killian seemed frightened of me, and his first writing was stiff and cold.

It took a while before we could talk easily to one another. I have no sense of myself as being fearful or intimidating, and I am told this is because I am blind and dumb.

Killian believed he had no natural gift with words. He was wrong.

Killian and I  worked it out and talked again and again until we were comfortable with one another.  We never quit on each other.

Last night, great news. Killian has finished his first horror story, A Night At Procton’s Bowl. He’s sending it to me this week.

Killian seemed to have little or no faith in himself as a writer when I met him, and my first task was to help him gain some confidence and respect his work.

I told him never to speak poorly of his work again in my presence, and he agreed and didn’t.

His story is well-crafted and creepy when it needs to be. I am proud of him, as is evident. Life has not been easy or simple for him, not that he’d ever say so.

He says it is something of a morality tale, a comment on the short attention spans of the young today.

We worked intensely together on the phone, going over the plot repeatedly.

But the thing is, he is a natural storyteller with a keen sense of plotting and an appetite for those delicious, unexpected twists that make for a good story, especially a good horror story.

Killian is not like the other kids; he wants to be a horror writer like Stephen King. I told him the other night he can do that if he wishes, but I also respect that he is 15 and might easily change his mind, which is fine.

He loves to bowl and listen to vintage rock n’ roll and pop.

Until now, Killian has been sending me photos of his hand-written script; he prefers to write on paper in long-hand.

I told him as his editor, he needs to type it up in computer-friendly form, so I can go over it with him and edit it. He said he would.

There are a few rough spots. But they are small and far between.

I love the plot; he pulled it off and even came up with a surprise twist and ending. This is a big step for Killian and a big step for me.

Killian has a job outside of school and has very little time for creative plotting. But he found the time and pulled it off.

His teacher says he wants it more than anyone.

I am like the proud background spirit, not of Killian, but his story. I see what a mentor has to be.

First, he must encourage and make his student feel safe and supported.

Then he must be patient.

When we talked, I told Killian that I was not here to tell him what to do but to support him in doing what he wanted.

Now, he knows the truth. He can write..

Finally, a mentor must be helpful.

Then, a mentor must be helpful wherever he is needed. Killian is no longer afraid to ask me for help, and he is not the least bit afraid to disagree with me.

Trish White has threatened me with another student to mentor when Killian finishes his story and turns it in. Bring him or her on.

I’m going to teach a creative writing class at Bishop Gibbons in the Spring.

I believe he and I will stay in touch, hopefully for a long time.

I love that Killian has shed his fear of me. He is a good listener and a good learner. We fight in a very low key.

Soll, get the new manuscript and put it up on the blog.

Sometime next weekend, Killian will try out his new hat,  the feeling of what it means to be what he says he wants to be: a published writer.

It can happen, Killian. Go for it if it’s what you want.