EMPTY Releases Today
I am proud to announce that my next contemporary young adult novel, titled EMPTY, is out in the world today.
EMPTY is Dell's story.
Dell's story is important.
Dell is in desperate pain. Her pain is in her soul. Her heart. Her very skin.
She is overweight, which, remarkably enough, renders her practically invisible to everyone in her life. Except of course when they want to humiliate her. But no one takes the time to see her. To see that she isn’t happy. To notice her broken heart…her deflated sense of self.
No one.
The important people in her life aren’t there for her when they should be. They fail her miserably.
Dell’s depression is consuming her, making it nearly impossible for her to focus on anything other than what she sees: the weight.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE READERS OF EMPTY DO,
IN A PERFECT WORLD
If Dell’s story touches your heart, do something about it.
By “do something” I mean reach out to anyone you know who's in pain, who's lonely. Let them know you care somehow.
And on the flip side, look out for fellow human beings in pain that you don’t know. The people who are alone or depressed. The bullied. Anyone who has been publicly humiliated.
Smile at them. Say hello. You could also visit projectlinkup.org. It’s an incredible organization started by a big-hearted and amazing teenager! Projectlinkup.org’s tagline is: One Paper. Two People. Endless Possibilities – and it centers around doing kind acts.
Lastly, if you know anyone who is being abused, suffers from depression, or is suicidal: TELL SOMEONE who can help. Do not sit on this information. Use your words to save a life. Do everything you can to get them help.
Words matter. Kindness matters.
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR EMPTY
"Walton writes books that matter. She writes with the intent of saving lives. Words are weapons-- but as Walton has deftly illustrated in EMPTY-- they are also hope."
~ Kim Sabatini, author of Touching the Surface
"K.M. Walton's EMPTY is riveting, compelling, and brutally honest. Walton has crafted a very brave novel that draws readers not only into the complexities of a discarded teen's troubled world, but also toward the inevitable questions we must ask ourselves -- the questions EMPTY dares to explore. This is a very powerful book."
~Andrew Smith author of Stick, The Marbury Lens, Passenger
"Empty is a brave book written by a brave writer—relentless, unblinking, harrowing. We read it to know. We read it disabuse ourselves of the easy notion that those young people floating on the margins will be just fine without us, that they somehow don't need our attention or care. They are not fine without us. They need our care."
~ Beth Kephart author of Small Damages & You Are My Only
Read full review HERE.
1. A GIVEAWAY* to five lucky blog readers. The lovely and talented Christina Lee, from Tags N' Stones (and Write Brained) has created custom made EMPTY keychains. Look!!
*Everyone who leaves a comment on this post is officially entered. Winners will be announced next Tuesday, January 8, 2013.
2. You're invited to the EMPTY launch event!
6. For a deeper insight into my motivations for writing EMPTY, watch my TEDx talk on THE POWER OF HUMAN KINDNESS.
EMPTY is Dell's story.
Dell's story is important.
Dell is in desperate pain. Her pain is in her soul. Her heart. Her very skin.
She is overweight, which, remarkably enough, renders her practically invisible to everyone in her life. Except of course when they want to humiliate her. But no one takes the time to see her. To see that she isn’t happy. To notice her broken heart…her deflated sense of self.
No one.
The important people in her life aren’t there for her when they should be. They fail her miserably.
Dell’s depression is consuming her, making it nearly impossible for her to focus on anything other than what she sees: the weight.
**************************
WHAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE READERS OF EMPTY DO,
IN A PERFECT WORLD
If Dell’s story touches your heart, do something about it.
By “do something” I mean reach out to anyone you know who's in pain, who's lonely. Let them know you care somehow.
And on the flip side, look out for fellow human beings in pain that you don’t know. The people who are alone or depressed. The bullied. Anyone who has been publicly humiliated.
Smile at them. Say hello. You could also visit projectlinkup.org. It’s an incredible organization started by a big-hearted and amazing teenager! Projectlinkup.org’s tagline is: One Paper. Two People. Endless Possibilities – and it centers around doing kind acts.
Lastly, if you know anyone who is being abused, suffers from depression, or is suicidal: TELL SOMEONE who can help. Do not sit on this information. Use your words to save a life. Do everything you can to get them help.
Words matter. Kindness matters.
***************************
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR EMPTY
"Walton writes books that matter. She writes with the intent of saving lives. Words are weapons-- but as Walton has deftly illustrated in EMPTY-- they are also hope."
~ Kim Sabatini, author of Touching the Surface
"K.M. Walton's EMPTY is riveting, compelling, and brutally honest. Walton has crafted a very brave novel that draws readers not only into the complexities of a discarded teen's troubled world, but also toward the inevitable questions we must ask ourselves -- the questions EMPTY dares to explore. This is a very powerful book."
~Andrew Smith author of Stick, The Marbury Lens, Passenger
"Empty is a brave book written by a brave writer—relentless, unblinking, harrowing. We read it to know. We read it disabuse ourselves of the easy notion that those young people floating on the margins will be just fine without us, that they somehow don't need our attention or care. They are not fine without us. They need our care."
~ Beth Kephart author of Small Damages & You Are My Only
Read full review HERE.
*****************************
7 THINGS IN HONOR OF EMPTY'S LAUNCH
1. A GIVEAWAY* to five lucky blog readers. The lovely and talented Christina Lee, from Tags N' Stones (and Write Brained) has created custom made EMPTY keychains. Look!!
*Everyone who leaves a comment on this post is officially entered. Winners will be announced next Tuesday, January 8, 2013.
2. You're invited to the EMPTY launch event!
This Saturday, January 5, 2013
7 PM
Exton, PA Barnes & Noble
4. The EMPTY blog tour starts today, complete with interviews, insider information, a giveaway, and the EMPTY playlist CD! Visit Lady Reader's Bookstuff for complete details.
5. EMPTY is available, in both hardback and ebook formats, anywhere books are sold.
Here are a few online locations:
6. For a deeper insight into my motivations for writing EMPTY, watch my TEDx talk on THE POWER OF HUMAN KINDNESS.
7. And in honor of Dell's story, I leave you with BATTLE SCARS by Lupe Fiasco & Guy Sebastian:
Love like you mean it everyone. Please.
