Bullied
by Jeff Erno
Available Now On Amazon.com
Every day, all over the country, teenagers struggle with the realities of bullying. Tormented, ridiculed, and beaten—simply for being who they are—these teens face alienation, humiliation, and even the explicit assertion that they have somehow brought this upon themselves, that they should just blend in. Bullied is a series of short stories exploring the world of these teens from several different viewpoints: the victim, the bully, the gay bystander, the straight friend, the concerned parent.
Closeted Bryan wonders why Christian Michaelson doesn't just try to blend in if he hates being bullied so much. Star athlete David isn't a homophobe—after all, he's not afraid of anything. Jonathan, a Christian fundamentalist, must weigh the Bible against peer pressure and what he knows is right when he discovers his childhood friend is gay. Bully victim Chase Devereaux finds an unexpected ally in a brave fellow student. A single mom struggles to accept the reality that her only son is gay. Two tough gay teens are forced to confront their own inner demons when tragedy befalls a classmate they failed to help. And overweight Kirby finds the strength of character to make a friend, which leads to a lifestyle change and a chance at love. Each character grows as an individual as he or she comes to terms with what it means to be a gay teenager in America.
Reviews of Bullied
"These stories may be fiction, but they felt quite real to me. They made me think, broke my heart, and reminded me that while the teenaged years may be a carefree time for some young people, this time can spell darkness and torment for others. Hopefully, collections such as Bullied can help raise public awareness of this issue, because we must first acknowledge that the problem exists before we can addresses the terrible harm that it does. Excellent job, Mr. Erno."
" Overall, I very much enjoyed this anthology. Yes, it was a difficult theme, but it was also very rewarding and satisfying to read these stories. The quality of the writing was high and the use of the first person narrative was particularly effective in getting into the minds of the victims and the bullies... I'm recommending Bullied with a grade of 'Excellent'. It's a book you should read and recommend to your teenage children or grandchildren."
"This book is definitely one I would recommend, not just to the younger generation that are homosexual but to any of the younger generation that have bullied or have been bullied. It really does hit home and teaches some profound lessons on what it’s like to be in both positions, as well as going in depth into the mind of both the bully and the victim."
"What makes this book truly special is the talent the author has to make each character believable. From the bully, to the victim, or the mom trying to wrap her mind around her son being gay. It was like reading a story about real people, and their struggles. Though you might think. Man, this book sounds depressing. This book mostly is about friendship, love and the power to overcome all."
" I cried a few times while reading these stories of triumph. I was so afraid that these stories would leave me feeling depressed but instead they left me with hope. Thanks Jeff for such an enjoyable read."
"Jeff Erno is to be commended for not only writing these stories but for the approaches that he has used. We all should be as brave as our author here. His stories are very real and deal with problems that are too real. The book is like a floodlight in a wilderness showing us how to leave the area and find new hope and understanding. Everything about this book is excellent and I must also compliment the cover."
