Caryl Dierksen

Caryl Dierksen followed the tried-and-true method of writing what you know for TEACHING MYSTERIES 101, her first novel. A retired English teacher, she drew on her experiences, and those of former colleagues, for this mystery featuring a first-year teacher. The action takes place in 1970 in the fictional town of Hancock, Illinois, which is based on Woodstock, Illinois, where Caryl spent her entire thirty-two years in teaching.

She was born in Davenport, Iowa, and grew up on the farm where her mother and grandmother had also lived. She attended the same one-room, eight-grade schoolhouse that they had. It was there that she first became interested in teaching.

Caryl earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Carthage College and a master’s degree in English at Duke University.

In 1970, Caryl, much like her main character, began teaching at Woodstock High School. During the ‘80s, she taught seventh grade English at Northwood Junior High, before returning to the high school to finish her career. She retired from teaching in 2002.

Beginning with summer vacations and then into retirement, Caryl worked part-time at a weekly newspaper, The Woodstock Independent. There she had the opportunity to write feature stories about many local people and issues. Early on, she realized that her favorite stories dealt with the schools and the people who teach and learn in them. Her ongoing interest in writing about education led to this novel.

Caryl wrote the first draft of this book in November 2008, as part of the National Novel Writing Month project. She is currently in the planning stages of a sequel to TEACHING MYSTERIES 101.