Victims and bullies: the mystery revealed

Junior fiction novel STOP the Bully.

STOP the Bully

Author: Karen Tyrrell


Bullying is an ongoing problem in schools, and the reasons why some kids are victims and others bullies is often a mystery. In STOP the Bully, Queensland author Karen Tyrrell has revealed the mystery of the bullying dilemma from all perspectives, including the victim and the bully.

In STOP the Bully, Brian, 11, is hiding something. His life is falling apart, Dad abandoned the family, Brian hates his new school, and now an aggressive bully attacks him every day. Can Brian stop the bully without revealing his own secret?

Describe your book: STOP the Bully is a riveting junior novel empowering girls and boys with positive bully prevention solutions.
 

Author Karen Tyrrell with her book.

What was the inspiration for this book? My personal experiences as a bullied child and as a bullied teacher. Parents of my student bullied me to breaking point, and beyond. I wrote Me and Her: A Memoir of Madness, my journey into and out of insanity.


What was your favourite book as a child and why? The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I loved escaping into adventure fantasy.

What is your favourite book for children now, and why? Anything written by Kate Forsyth and Michael Gerard Bauer. I love Australian authors who create engaging stories with powerful characters.

Has it changed? Why? I read all genres and themes: including pathos, humour, adventure and fantasy. I’ve widened my scope.

Where do you write? Downstairs in my office, or anywhere with my laptop or notebook.

If I wasn’t a writer I’d be… No other option, I love writing. I’ll write till I die.

Other than writing I’m passionate about... mental health, bully prevention, health, my family and helping others.

My highest point in writing was... when my first memoir Me and Her: A Memoir of Madness won two awards.

My lowest point was... when one of the world’s top five publishers declined my kids’ sci-fi series after 14 months of being under consideration. I’m now rewriting it for publication.

What are you working on now? I’m tweaking two resilience picture books to support children and families. Working on that kids’ sci-fi series, and weaving a resilience theme into the storyline.
 

STOP the Bully is available through Amazon in eBook and print. Visit Karen’s website and Facebook page, and follow her on Twitter.