From time to time in this space, WestBow Press publishes articles written by our authors in which they share some aspect of their self-publishing journeys. The following are the words of Julie Federico, author of “The Bad Guys and Students Can Help Keep Schools Safe”
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I am children’s services author. I write about prevention issues for young children. I have written about child abuse prevention, domestic violence prevention, friendship and school violence prevention.
The two books I published on school violence prevention were published through West Bow Press. The Bad Guys and Students Can Help Keep Schools Safe are a must read for every school age child. These books have the potential to save many lives and belong in every private and public school.
I chose to write these books as an intervention to the Sandy Hook shootings in December 2012. Both of these books were written two weeks after the deadly shootings. I thought there must be a way to stop all of the violence? I believe there is. But it does not 
involve more metal detectors or formal security procedures. These books teach higher-level security measures by training students to notice who is in their school building and notice changes in classmates’ behavior. Each student has a responsibility to become educated about violence prevention and report information that they believe is dangerous.
Children understand how to keep their schools safe, “They tell.” Tell a teacher, and principal, call the police or tell your parents. Just tell. Getting children to report suspicious behavior goes a long way to protecting schools. I believe that educating children can save lives and deflect further school violence.
I hope to make a significant dent in the school violence epidemic sweeping our nation. Will you join me?
Julie Federico
WestBow Press authors who’d like to share a 350-600 word experience related to the self-publishing of their books, are invited to do so by sending a message through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WestBowPress, by tweeting us @westbowpress, or by emailing kgray@ westbowpress.com. We may not be able to use every story, but we will read and consider them. WestBow Press reserves the right to edit stories for content, grammar and punctuation accuracy; as well as for space.