For Immediate Release
YA author, D.K.
Smith was shocked by the astounding rate of teen suicides resulting from
bullying. Wanting to send a positive message to bullying victims
wrapped in a cleverly told fictional tale, Smith may have created the
next hot YA novel.
Los Angeles, California, USA –
According to a 2014 U.S. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 14.8%
of students surveyed nationwide admit being electronically bullied
(including through e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites, or
texting during the 12 months before the survey) as reported by
anti-bullying website NoBullying.com. The act of bullycide (suicide
resulting from bullying) has escalated as well, and at an alarming rate,
with the trend expected to continue.
It was only four years ago
that author D.K. Smith was awaiting the birth of his niece, Summer, the
first grandchild of the family. Thoughts of a new addition spurred Smith
to begin creating a children’s book series with characters created
specifically for his niece to be. Now four years later the smith family
boasts seven grandchildren, but with the joy of an expanding family came
the realization that inevitably the little ones would grow up and be
confronted with some of the ugly realities of life−bullying and
bullycide in particular.
The result was a novel that has drawn
comparisons by some to The Hunger Games. ‘Mind Over Bullies: A Mob Forms’ follows Latin female lead character, Margo Rios, a pretty and
popular teen from Oak View High School, as she learns just how intense
bullying can get. The comparisons to the wildly popular Suzanne Collins
Hunger Games novel are likely born from the strong teen female lead and
robust cast of other multi-dimensional characters that Mind Over Bullies
presents.
The main character Margo, is followed closely in
likeability by a group of unlikely heroes that set out to solve a
citywide mystery and teach bullies a lesson in understanding through
cleverly executed plans and cutting edge technology.
The story is
ingeniously told with simultaneously unfolding plots−a mystery involving
a counterfeiting ring and of course, that of bullying−that keep the
plot moving and the pages turning at a steady pace. The story goes far
beyond what a reader might imagine they would encounter in a story of
this nature with twists and turns that are unexpected. US based book
reviewer Self-Publishing Review called Mind Over Bullies “Suspenseful,
shocking, and introspective,” and “an unflinching look at the problem of
bullying within a page-turning mystery with an overall message of
overcoming adversity.” Advance copy reviewers are already in expectation
of the sequel and even a cinematic adaptation of the novel.
Still,
even with much positive feedback in advance of the August release of
Mind Over Bullies, Smith has kept the original goal in mind. “I
recognize that the characters and situations in the book may not
represent every bullying situation and that realistically the book won’t
change the world, but I do sincerely hope that it sends a subtle
message about there being life after bullying. If just one young person
can grasp that point from the story, I will be proud. We’ll just have to
see how the public continues to receive it,” Smith said.
Press Contact:
James C. Brackens
Khamicom Publising
Info@Khamicom.com
www.Khamicom.com
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