DIG INTO THE <3 AND THE 'UGLY' IN BULLYING

BULLY. It's an ugly word, isn't it?

And like the word, the act is ugly, too. Whether physical or mental, it's destructive. For the bullied. For everyone. Bullies included.

Bullies. Who are they? They, like the kids they pick on, are little kids, big kids, nice kids, mixed-up kids, straight kids, gay kids, smart kids, not-so-smart kids, pretty kids, not-so-pretty kids, disabled kids, you name it. And they come from every walk of life.

Have you been bullied? Witnessed bullying? Or maybe just heard about someone else's kid being taunted by bullies. Or has your child been bullied, but when asked for help to stop the bullying, no one came to you, or your child's aide? Maybe you don't have a kid and think that bullying really doesn't affect you.

Yes, there are anti-bullying programs set up in schools. But they don't prevent or stop bullying. We all know that.

Why is that? What can WE do? How do WE stop it? What steps can WE take? And who is the WE seeing to it that the bullying stops? You? Me? If not, who?

A few years back, Heather Brewer, YA author of the Vladimir Tod, Slayer Chronicles, and Legacy of Tril series, and a survivor of bullying while in school, asked these same questions. She tried to find a place where she could speak about bullying and talk about ways to stop it. She found none.

So, she took matters into her own hands.

Heather put together the Less Than Three Conference. The first anti-bullying conference of its kind that I've found. The all-day conference is set for Saturday, October 19, 2013 at the St. Charles County Public Library, 427 Spencer Road, St. Peters, MO. Heather chose the title of the conference based on the emoticon for the heart: <3.

Teenagers, tweens, booksellers, teachers, administrators, parents (and grandparents), librarians, and authors will gather together to tackle this issue head-on.

Tickets are sold out. That should tell us something.


Others have stepped up to the plate as well.

St. Louis local authors Antony John, Jody Feldman, Sarah Bromley, and Cole Gibson will moderate panel discussions throughout the day on "Bullying in School," "Self-Bullying," "Cyber-Bullying," and "Bullies & LGBTQ."

Panelists for the conference include YA/MG writers across the landscape. Many, like award-winning author, Ellen Hopkins, have tackled abuse in its many forms. As in her novel, Identical, Hopkins work reveals the sexual abuse (yes, a form of bullying) of one girl's identical twin sister. Parts of the novel are difficult to read. Unimaginable. But real. And just like all other forms of bullying, insidious. Even so, talking and writing about any form of bullying brings it to the forefront, as will this conference.


Other notable panelists include award-winning novelists, as well as debut authors. Some are survivors of bullying. The four separate panels scheduled throughout the day will include: Susane Colasanti, Jennifer Brown, Alethea Kontis, Dale E. Basye, Cheryl Rainfield, T.M. Goeglein, Ellen Hopkins, Rachel Caine, Carrie Jones, Mari Mancusi, Lisa McMann, Shannon Messenger, David Levithan, A.S. King, Carrie Ryan, and Andrew Smith.

Heather Brewer, along with a special guest, will present the Less Than Three Conference Luncheon Keynote.

This conference is for all of us. WE are the ones that need to shine a spotlight on bullying. Tackle bullying head on. Find positive approaches to not only prevent, but stop the atrocities and tragedies bullying brings about--for the bullies and the bullied. This Less Than Three Conference will be a good start to end bullying.

For more on the conference, Heather Brewer, and panelists, visit: http://lessthanthreeconference.com.



The Less Than Three Conference will be held Saturday, October 19, 2013 at the St. Charles County Public Library, 427 Spencer Road, St. Peters.

From the <3, I'll be happy to share what I learn.