"'That's one hundred typewritten pages. You do have a choice. Summer school would probably be easier.'

"'You don't want a paper; you want a novel.'

"'You get to choose the topic,' DeMouy continued. 'It can be fiction or nonfiction, an action adventure, a tale of teen angst and neglected cries for help. Though I would suggest you choose a topic you know something about.'

"'Who's going to grade this? If it's Mrs. Croslin, it can be a grocery list as long as I punctuate it correctly.'

"'You'll turn the pages in to me, five to ten at a time,' DeMouy said.

"'Are you sure you're qualified? I mean, did all those years spent probing the teen mind leave any room for a true appreciation of literature?'

"'I can manage. My first six years out of college I taught English. Now, I've...