A FORMER Solihull Sixth Form student has put pen to paper and released her first novel.
Sophie Jo wrote her young adult book The Nicest Girl, which explores the complexities of ‘niceness’ and boundary-setting.
Inspired by her life as a teenager Sophie tells the story of 17-year-old Anna Campbell, a self-professed people-pleaser who keeps her own feelings buried inside, because everyone else comes first.
But deep down, Anna’s sick of being the nice girl, so decides she’s going to do something about it.
Sophie had her work published by UCLan, an independent, trade children’s publisher based at the University of Central Lancashire.
The former Arden School pupil said: “I started writing The Nicest Girl because I couldn’t stop thinking about the girls and women who are battling a constant, deep-rooted need to be seen as easy-going and likeable.
“As a shy, unassertive teen in the 2000s, I had no idea that it was OK for me to push back sometimes, to say no, to protect and prioritise myself.
“All I wanted was for people to like me, no matter the cost to my self-esteem.
“This is the book I wish I’d had back then – and it’s the book I want teenagers to have now.”
The Nicest Girl is available to purchase from online book retailers.
