Sweet Magnolias-Catching Fireflies Guest Post & Review

Like the author of this timely and much needed book "Catching Fireflies" I could have been a target of bullying!! Always over weight and I had double vision--imagine 2 softballs coming at you!! I was never picked willingly for sports--but then I rarely made it to gym class!! I was a very inventive excuse maker back then!! I still shiver when I think of going up on a trampoline-the class made extra sure to be around that trampoline in a tight circle! When we were forced to do the 100 yard dash as part of "passing" gym--my whole class was there cheering me on! Yes, I made it (still don't know how). Small town living has it's drawbacks--but I, for one, am grateful for having been brought up in one--of course WAY back then--kids were brought up to respect others. My personal stand on bullying--
"NO TOLERANCE"

And here is Sherryl Woods guest post--this novel will be coming out in August 2012-and remember-a giveaway of all 3 books plus an apron will be included in the final Guest post!


Way, way back I was the fat kid. I dreaded walking into a classroom or attempting to climb a rope in gym class or waiting to be the last kid chosen for the team. Amazingly, though, despite the unthinking cruelty of kids, I was never bullied. In fact I recall a conversation my mom had with a teacher when deciding I would not have to go through the potential torture of camp to be a school safety patrol officer. The teacher expressed her own amazement at how seldom I was ever
taunted by classmates.

In other words, I lucked out. I was merely terminally shy back then, more a victim of my own insecurities than the cruelty of bullies. However, those days did make me incredibly sensitive to the impact bullying can have on young people. Recent news stories have only solidified my determination to do whatever little bit i can do to shine a light on these unnecessary tragedies.

Bullying is the focus of my latest Sweet Magnolias novel, Catching Fireflies (August, MIRA Book). In this story an alert high school teacher and a pediatrician, who've had their own devastating experiences with bullying, spot the signs in a high school student. Through their attempts to help this victim of cyber-bullying, they draw together not only the Sweet Magnolias, but the entire town of Serenity, South Carolina, to battle back, to say to the world that bullying is not acceptable here.

Though I pray that bullying is not an issue for your kids or in your community, I fear that's being overly optimistic. Therefore I hope every one of you will become more alert to the signs that your child is being bullied or more open to the possibility that your son or daughter could be guilty of bullying someone else. Parents, teachers, and pediatricians may be the first line of defense in putting an end to bullying among our young people.

Until bullying -- whether it's mistakenly called a prank, hijinks or a childhood right of passage -- is eradicated, the possibility of a tragedy is too high. Please, please, do whatever you can to ensure that the young people in your world are safe and can grow up with the sense of security and self-worth that they deserve.

I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.