Jenna's Truth

Jenna's Truth is a "raw, real, and heart-wrenching" YA novella by Nadia L King.

King writes honest, contemporary fiction that aims to prod readers into thinking about everyday situations more deeply. She writes to forge a human connection.

She is passionate about using stories to connect with teens. Jenna’s Truth is her first book.

"It’s a lesson in empathy, self-awareness, and speaking out about what matters, especially bullying. Jenna’s Truth...explores the themes of cyberbullying, teen drinking, sex, and suicide... What happens when the very group of teens you crave to belong to, end up being responsible for one of the most painful and humiliating events in your life?"

Jenna's just a teenager who wants to fit in. The popularity that she wanted though, quickly turns into infamy when two "well-meaning" friends spark a controversy that alters her life forever. Life isn't black and white, and sometimes teens can be the most insensitive people.

"The book is told entirely through the eyes of the main character, Jenna. This is where King excels, I believe she really worked hard to get inside her character’s skin and provide the reader with an authentic voice. The feelings Jenna expresses through the novella accurately reflects the ups and downs experienced by a typical teenager..."

- Mrs B’s Book Reviews

Why did Nadia write Jenna’s Truth?

“One ordinary afternoon in 2016, my teenage daughter showed me a heartbreaking Youtube video. The video had been posted by a fifteen-year-old Canadian girl who shared her story of being bullied. The girl was Amanda Todd and she ended her life on 10 October 2012. She had faced bullying, harassment and cyber-bullying, and had struggled with self-harm, alcohol and drugs. Tragically, Amanda’s life became another teen suicide statistic. My initial reaction to her video was intense sadness. I grieved for Amanda and her story.

Some tragedies in life touch you no matter where they happen or how small the human cost. The tragic death of one teen across the globe changed my life. I had to do something. I didn’t make a grand gesture or fund-raise for suicide prevention programs. I didn’t volunteer at a helpline call centre. I’m a writer so I simply sat down and rewrote history in my mind; I wanted to leave readers with a message of hope. And that was the birth of Jenna’s Truth.

If I could have one wish it would be for an end to teen suicide. I pray my slim book has honoured Amanda Todd’s short but inspirational life and that one teen somewhere will stop and know that although ordinary, they are infinitely precious and they must stay to fight for their lives.

My wish is that, by reading Jenna’s Truth, the teens that read it will come to believe their life matters and that there is always hope.”

"[Jenna's Truth] is amazing, honest, pure, true. I am grateful for the trigger warning in the beginning. I was moved by the story, the life lived within the book. And the positive ending. I am and always will be saddened by Amanda's story, but Jenna's Truth gives us an alternate version filled with hope."

- Kevin Hines

King has a background in journalism and media relations, enjoys writing short stories, and keeps a blog at nadialking.wordpress.com. Nadia was born in Dublin, and currently lives in Western Australia.

“I really hope to leave teen readers with a feeling of hope - that they know they will see a way through the bad times and they will go on to thrive.”

- Nadia