Chapter 1: Preface - Why Write About a School Shooting?

Featured Review on this writing by DragonWriter91

"Hi Secret Geek, Thanks for letting me know about this -- I am really enjoying it! As I mentioned in one of the text comments (not sure if you got that or not), you are a kickass writer and I love how vivid you are with your descriptions.

I think my favorite POV thus far is from Rue. And I love that you're using it for a boy's name! I can only recall reading about one Rue before, and that was in the Hunger Games. But since he is Mexican, it may be pronounced differently ? (Ru-ey?)

Lastly, if I was writing this -- I would probably structure it with having one POV per chapter rather than multiple in one. Gives readers the chance to process what they're reading and gives a clearer delineation of POVs. That's just my suggestion; if this what you would like to do and it benefits your style, stick with it. :)

Finally, I think you mean "Prank" instead of "Crank" at the end. Unless I read it wrong?

Cheers, and keep on writing! You got this. :)

- J "

Reads: 201

Preface: Writing About A School Shooting

There were nearly 500 mass shootings in America in 2024; at least 219 of those took place on the grounds of K-12 schools or college campuses. The purpose of this novel is not to make light of these tragedies, nor to profit from the deaths of innocents. The purpose of this novel is to explore the lives and loves, motivations and mindsets of young people who go to school or college every day knowing something like this might happen.

There is no single political position that is taken by this novel. Multiple perspectives are explored through different characters. While access to firearms is, of course, a factor in any mass shooting, it is often not the decisive one. The evidence for this statement is the hundreds of thousands of people who have access to firearms every day and do not turn them on their fellow human beings. This is a novel about exploring what factors might drive someone to do something so utterly awful and completely irrevocable.

If you wish to know more about how you can become involved in preventing school shootings, or helping those who are the unfortunate victims of them, there are a range of resources available at the following web address: https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/

This novel is a work of fiction. Any similarity to events or people living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Author's Note on publication of this novel

Chapters will be published on Saturdays and Sundays.

Submitted: January 17, 2025

Young Adult teen america lgbtq trump maga