I'm always asked by readers why I wrote a book about bullies and why I chose to make this my first novel.
Well, to tell you the truth. I didn't set out to do that.
I set out to write a book about some of the people I grew up with. I thought them interesting, full of life, and I just knew there was a story to tell about my home town.
Somewhere along the way - probably the fifth chapter - I observed a student push another student against the locker at the school I work. I was amazed that: 1. Absolutely nothing was done by the students watching the events unfold 2. The staff - while wonderful and intelligent - didn't seem to know what to do about it and sadly 3. The victim was blamed by his peers as they walked away saying, "He asks for it all the time."
What a sad world we live in when we blame the victim but I see it all the time.
So, I decided to take a different approach. I wanted to write for students in the middle level and I wanted to catch the attention of the male readers. I geared my writing in that direction and The Bully in Me was born.
In my long, extensive, gut-wrenching research I found that bullying happens everywhere: the workplace, school, the public libraries and parks, and sadly at home. I wanted to make my voice heard.
I've created this blog to shed some light on bullying and to gear it towards victims in search of help and bullies looking to change.
MG Villesca
