A hike through the woods can produce all sorts of lovely side effects: flushed cheeks, a sense of harmony with nature, an incomparable feeling of calm.
But for Clete Smith, the result of one particular hike was a lucrative book deal.
While wandering through the woods about two years ago, Smith developed the idea for a young-adult book, "Grandma's Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast." In it, a boy discovers his grandma operates a bed and breakfast for visiting aliens in a fictional town near Mount Baker.
Smith signed a deal Friday, June 5, with Hyperion Books, and movie rights were purchased by Disney, which owns Hyperion. He declined to comment on how much money the deal was for, only to say that it was much more than he makes as an English teacher at Blaine High School.
"It's surreal and wonderful, truly a dream come true," said Smith, 37, who lives in Bellingham. "It's always been my dream, since second grade, to be an author."
It took Smith about two years to get from wild idea to book deal, sneaking in an hour or two in the afternoons and dedicating his Sundays to writing, all while working toward his master's degree at Vermont College of Fine Arts. He credits support from his wife, Myra, and two young daughters for getting him through the rigorous rewrite process.
The book, roughly 200 pages, should be published in April 2011, with a sequel out in April 2012, though movie plans are up in the air. In addition to its release in English, the book is already set to be translated for sale in France and Brazil, an idea that's more than a little mind-blowing for Smith.
"I've lived in the Northwest all my life and wrote this little story that takes place up there," he said. "The thought of a kid in Brazil reading it in Portuguese is really surreal."
What thrills Smith the most is the idea of all kinds of kids sitting down and reading his book. It's aimed for children 8 to 11, the age when Smith really fell in love with reading. Smith's literary agent, George Nicholson, who works at Sterling Lord Literistic in New York City, thinks the book is full of fun, imagination and meaning - and potential for success.
"Here's a compact idea that is funny, it has a lot of vitality, the characters are fun. I think Clete has a real career as a writer," Nicholson said. "I've only met Clete once, and I liked him enormously. He's just a good guy, and that's what comes shining through in his book. I'm just thrilled to pieces about the whole thing."
Ultimately, Smith would love to be a full-time writer, focusing on writing children's books and perhaps traveling to schools to talk to kids. For now, though, he still relishes his role in the classroom, especially now that he can show the kids an example of how writing can lead to success.
"As an English teacher, it's fun to talk about the real-world applications of writing," he said. "It's fun to show them success."
Smith said he's got quite a few books stewing in his brain. With a sequel to "Grandma's Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast" in the works, Smith's imagination isn't going to get a rest any time soon, and he's thankful.
"Without a book deal, you're a 37-year-old guy sitting alone in a room thinking about aliens," he said. "This sort of legitimizes it."