Battle of the Bullies
Fenyx Blue
Publication date: October 27th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Ebony, Eris, and Emani Robertson have been through so much more than most high school freshmen. When they were younger, they survived a school shooting that killed their friend and left their oldest sister unable to speak. After giving homeschooling a try, they enroll in a promising new academy, hoping for the best.The Robertsons soon discover, however, that their new classmates are anything but kind. A mysterious group of bullies known as the Dimes rules the hallways and spreads fear everywhere they go. All three sisters end up being targets of the gang and have to find a way to defend themselves.The triplets couldn’t be more different, but their loyalty to each other and to their school never fails. Along with diverse group of friends, the Robertsons do everything they can to uncover the identity of the Dimes and restore order to the school.As if their lives weren’t complicated enough, they also get sucked in to a much bigger game—discovering who was responsible for the attack on their old school. Can they bring down the Dimes and bring the murderer to justice, all while trying to make it through ninth grade?
Interview with Fenyx Blue
What made you want to become a writer?
It wasn’t fame or fortune that inspired me, but I do believe in fate. Writing was going to be my secret hobby. My little buddies called journals would live with me forever. They would never move out of my house or get real jobs as novels. However, each time I’d write for people who I loved or for teachers, I would continue to hear encouraging words or applause. I researched becoming a doctor and a lawyer, but I kept writing for friends and family, and I kept hearing where can I buy your poem or your book. I stopped fighting it and decided it was time to listen to my audience. They thought I should do this thing that I would do for free, this thing that comes very naturally to me as a career. They said I was created to create.
What inspired you to write Battle of the Bullies?
Someone else may have been working at my school and met a group of girl bullies and thought those girls are so bad. They may have punished them. They may have even used them as a cautionary tale in real life to stop other girls from following their example. When I heard of the girl gang of bullies at my school who were stirring up problems in the sixth grade, I wanted to know more. Why were they bullying people? Why were they fighting? Who were they? Who were their targets? Battle of The Bullies was born from the question what if their story was fictional. What if there were a group of high school bullies even more “naughty” than the ones that terrorized my school? What if they were allowed to get away with it because people felt like snitches get ditches just like the real-life girls were getting away with their behavior? What would that story be like? Who could stand up to a group of anonymous bullies? Who would win the battle?
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Battle of the Bullies?
The Dimes are a group of girls with very diverse backgrounds, but who share one mission: to torture their classmates.
They are not friends, nor do they all know one another, but they are united in their desire to rule the school. If they can get you to leave Chicago International Academy, their mission is accomplished. Think of them as a secret sorority.
The Robertson triplets are the type of girls who aren’t going to run into the building to save the residents, but if they, their friends, or their family are in the fire, not only will they run into the firestorm, they are going to do everything in their power to squelch the flames.
You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?
There are many authors who I would buy a book from even if they released one each month for a year. I love their storytelling, characterization, wit, or humor. If I could combine them into one author, I’d name her Lorraine Angelou Reynolds to honor her three namesakes. Yet, I only get one so I’ll choose Jerry Craft. I have been enjoying Craft because he blends art with artistry. He has the ability to tackle complex issues with clarity. I’d choose him because I like the discussion I am able to have while using his book as a tool.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?
I do indeed have another book that will be coming out in the YA fiction category entitled Royalty about the triplets’ cousin who is forced to move to Chicago and finds himself in a battle of his own. However, I also have a project that I am working on with an aspiring writer that really excites me. It is about financial literacy and I have the pleasure of serving as his coach through the publishing process. It is as fun to publish my own book as it has been working with him as he goes through each intersection on his road to publication. I am so happy and excited for him to give birth to his own book baby.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I wrote this book with the reader in mind so I kept trying to think about what they would say or how would they feel about a character, conflict, or the climax of the story. It has been a pleasure to hear from real teenagers that they enjoy reading this story. I enjoy impacting my audience as a poet and an author. It gives me great joy to hear their applause whether it is in a smile, a review, a direct message, a comment, or a picture holding Battle of The Bullies in their hands. Knowing that this book may help someone gives me unimaginable joy.
Author Bio:
If author Fenyx Blue actually had a tattoo, it would be a heart. Ms. Blue has written every book with love. Blue is a teacher, coach, mentor, and motivational speaker focused on women and youth empowerment. She has written a young adult novel about bullying entitled Who Failed Johnny?, a poetry book about purpose named The Blue Ink Movement, and a children’s book about the power of a solid father daughter relationship called Worth the Weight.
Fenyx believes in service to the community. After being chosen as teacher of the year for her school district, she continued to mentor teenagers and facilitate discussions about controversial topics like drugs, sex, violence, cyberbullying and mental health. She has been a guest poet for several women’s retreats and workshops and loves the energy she receives from a live audience.
Throughout her years as an educator and youth ministry leader, Blue created Team Bully-Free Forever, a poetry team for her school, and a mentoring group called D.I.V.A.S to address the needs of young people. She is dedicated to teaching the next generation to follow their dreams and feels it is her mission to equip them for the future. Ms. Fenyx Blue is a proud mother of three beautiful children who inspire her to write each day.
You can follow Ms. Fenyx Blue @FenyxBlueInk on Instagram and Youtube.
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1 comments:
The book sounds really intriguing and the cover suits the story. I enjoyed the interview with Fenyx too.
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