Lady Reader's Bookstuff: Heather Brewer on Bullying + Giveaway!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Heather Brewer on Bullying + Giveaway!

7:41 AM | Posted by lady reader |

Heather Brewer is sharing her Bully story today as well as donating a copy of her novel SECOND CHANCE. Big thanks to Heather!

The scene is from several years ago, but it might as well be today. You walk into the school library and see a girl. She’s sitting alone. She’s always alone. You know because you've seen her there before. She’s here almost every day, and she’s always quiet. She never makes eye contact. Her head is likely buried in a book, so deep in its pages that it's clear she's trying to escape her life between the covers. You recognize her from the halls of the school. She walks with her head down, avoiding eye contact, hoping like hell that no one will notice her. But they do notice her. Every day. Sometimes they knock the books from her hands. Sometimes they do much worse. You see it, and it's awful, but you feel helpless and don't know what you can do to help this girl, even though she clearly needs it. So you do nothing, and feel bad about it.

What you don't know is that this girl is me.

You wouldn't know that if you saw me today. Today I'm relatively well adjusted, confident, and an outspoken advocate against bullying. But I wasn't always so. In fact, after my experience growing up bullied (from before Kindergarten to after my senior year), I was still experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts. At the time that I wrote EIGHTH GRADE BITES, I was still crying over what had been done to me in school, still convinced that every whisper in the near vicinity was about me, still believing that every giggle I heard was in response to a joke at my expense. I wrote EIGHTH GRADE BITES (and the entire The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series) to purge myself of these emotions. And luckily, I found my strength in not just facing those feelings, but realizing that I'm not alone in having them.

I began speaking at schools, libraries, and bookstores, sharing my story, refusing to be silent about my pain anymore. I turned my hurt into strength--a strength that I relish in and fight for every day. And now my battle is a bigger one: I now fight to save Tweens and teens from the anguish that bullying has brought into their lives. I fight to show them that life really does go on, but you have to choose to make it go on. When they tell me they self-harm, I tell them to look up an amazing organization called To Write Love on Her Arms. And when they tell me (often just with a certain gleam in their eye) that they are having suicidal thoughts, I tell them to talk to someone--anyone. Whether it be a parent, friend, teacher, counselor, the wonderful folks at the 1-800-SUICIDE hotline, or me. I tell them to not give up hope. I tell them to never stop fighting.

And I tell them that I love them.

Especially that girl who's hiding out in the school library, trying to escape her pain.

Heather can be found writing in her funky, black Happy Bunny jammie pants, dancing under the full moon, devouring every book in sight, and attending Renaissance Festivals in costume (and in character).

When Heather's not writing, dressing up, dancing and reading, she's answering email, which she LOVES to get.

You can reach her by commenting on her blog or her Facebook, or by following her on Twitter.

Find more information here http://www.heatherbrewer.com/.

RULES:

Open to Everyone * Winner must respond within 48 hours*

Please note, all giveaways will be shipped out at the end of the month.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 comments:

Patricia Lynne said...: Beautiful post, Auntie Heather.; October 31, 2012 at 4:09 PM
Natasha said...: I like them all! Thanks for the chance to win!; October 31, 2012 at 5:02 PM
M.A.D. said...: They were all great picks, though most I haven't had the pleasure of reading yet (most are on my wishlist!)! Thank you for yet another wonderful giveaway! And also to Heather for sharing her courageous experiences, sometimes what doesn't kill us actually does make us stronger! I went thru a traumatic,shy, depressed stage where I *hid out* in the library a great deal as well. Today I'm much more confident and relaxed with my peers. Many times I've wished I could go back in time and help my younger self, but the journey has made me who and what I am :)
Mary DeBorde M.A.D.; October 31, 2012 at 5:57 PM
Allison Kirk said...: Maybe I'm just emotional tonight but this post almost made me cry too! All month the book choices, authors, guest posts have been so amazing. No way I could pick just one. Thanks again fir organizing this and hopefully next year I can be more involved.

Alli
mrscaptkirk51.blogspot.com; November 1, 2012 at 2:00 AM
Amanda Belyew said...: Actually, I just discovered this awesome website a couple weeks ago!! So I'm new to a lot of the authors.; November 1, 2012 at 7:12 AM
Anonymous said...: Aunti eheather is my favorite!! she is amazing!!!; November 1, 2012 at 3:02 PM
Froze8 said...: This is my favorite author/story so far.

Heather and I share a similar story in how we faced bullying, except I got out earlier. It breaks my heart to know this happens to other people.

-K8
http://froze8.blogspot.com/; November 1, 2012 at 11:02 PM
Kristia said...: Most of them are new to me so thank you for introducing them to me :) I like Leigh Bardugo, is the only one I've read. Thank you for the giveaway!; November 2, 2012 at 3:33 AM
Marmaladelibby (aka Ange) said...: Toss up between Skinny and Struck...I really want to read both!; November 2, 2012 at 8:51 PM
Sarah Handrich said...: I have liked them all!; November 2, 2012 at 9:52 PM
Reading Mind / The Loyal Book said...: So many good ones but I'd say Shannon delany!; November 3, 2012 at 6:11 AM
Ashley Johnson said...: I love hearther brewer she my fav auther of all time. I love her work.; November 6, 2012 at 8:03 AM