Press Release

Anguish and loneliness, the pressure to conform versus the yearning
to be different, the ongoing need to discover one's identity-they're all
part of the fabric of this tightly written, disturbing, but compelling
teen novel.

Barbara Jean (BJ) Belanger has always suffered from low
self-esteem: she has a port wine birthmark on her face, she feels
overweight, and has repeatedly suffered the taunts of others her age
for which she is a natural target, a victim. One of the very few who
have treated her with respect, understanding and affection is Alex,
who becomes her best friend. And what's ripping her apart as the
story opens is that she knows she has betrayed him in the worst
possible way. She didn't realize that he needed her support just as
much as she needed his.

The real agents behind her betrayal are two other girls at school,
Victoria and Rachel, gorgeous creatures who like flirting with Alex
and who pretend that they want to be BJ's best friend. When Alex
takes on a new member of his garage band, David, the balance of all
their lives is upset as Alex seems to display more affection for David
than for her. Drifting away from her close friendship with Alex, BJ
gets drawn into the glamour girls' orbit, and people start gossiping
about Alex's close friendship with his new singer. Disaster comes
when BJ is persuaded that she should steal Alex's journal of poems,
in which he reveals the dark secret of his real feelings for David.
Very quickly, BJ's life is turned upside down in a terrible moment in
which the meanness of the world proves too much to bear.

Truth and rumour, fantasy and reality, love and prejudice collide in a
terrible, violent moment that will change their lives forever.Alma
Fullerton brings fresh twists to the meaning of love and betrayal in
her uncompromising portrayal of two lonely souls whose profound
regard for each other isn't enough to save their friendship. This
compact novel is a sharp read that few will be able to put down.