A Sunderland-based journalist who was bullied at school has written a novel to let young people know it is okay to be different.
Sarah Millington, 46, used her own experience to write novel, Demelza Rice Is Not Very Nice, which tells the story of Sophie Miller as she starts secondary school and is bullied.
The award-winning journalist hopes sharing it will raise awareness of the pressures young people face in a social media-obsessed climate.
The mum-of-two said: “My main inspiration was my own experience of being at secondary school.
"Like Sophie Miller, the protagonist, I was bullied on the first day and never felt like I was cool enough.
"I now have two girls of similar ages to Sophie and feel that, in the current social media-obsessed climate, the pressure to fit in is even more intense."
In the book Sophie knows she is not cool and is dreading starting secondary school, with her worst fears coming to life when she is targeted by bully Demelza Rice on her first day.
As she struggles to stand up to her enemy, Sophie's life starts to unravel and she acts out of character, which lands her in trouble.
Sarah said the story aims to prove it is okay to be different and shows that with help from friends and family you can achieve anything.
She said: "I wanted to let young people know it’s OK to be different and inspire confidence in them to be themselves.
"As a journalist, I’m privileged to tell other people’s stories on a daily basis. I wanted the chance to tell mine.”
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