Sticking Up For the Underdog - Guest Post by Jo Ramsey

Today I'm honored to turn my blog over to fellow YA author Jo Ramsey. Jo writes  young adult fiction about "underdogs" who rise above their circumstances and prove that anyone can be a hero. 

So, without further adieu, the floor is yours Jo:  

"It seems like a lot of high schools have hierarchies. From the popular kids who everyone else admires—or says they do, down to the underdogs, the kids who are bullied and picked on.

"I like to stick up for the underdog, having been one myself.

"In my young adult novels, most of the main characters have underdog qualities. From a girl whose mother abuses her, to a boy who grew up in an adoptive home because his biological parents turned him over to the state, to a boy who blames himself for his ex-girlfriend’s suicide. They all have things about them that generate insults and bullying from their peers.

"They also have qualities that make them special. The girl I mentioned fights demons and helps prevent the universe from being destroyed. The boy who was adopted, along with his friends, fights on the side of the light in the ongoing war between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. And the other boy is a kind, caring friend who’s always willing to listen when someone he cares about needs help.

"In high school, everything can seem very black-and-white, with no shades in between. But in reality, everyone has good and bad qualities. The key is to try to make sure the good qualities overcome the bad, and to try to see the good in yourself and others.

"The characters in my stories deal with bullying and even abuse, and could turn to negative behaviors because of it. But they don’t, because they’re stronger than that.

"Sometimes—many times—the underdog wins."

You can find out more about Jo Ramsey and her books on her website, www.joramsey.com, or by joining her Facebook group, http://www.facebook.com/groups/148370091840937/.