HUGE Back to School Sale!

 I am personally hosting a back to school sale on my book LOCKDOWN! for a limited time. This back to school sale is a great opportunity for your child (or grandchild etc.) to talk about school safety. This message is so important that I want to make it as affordable as possible for you. Since this is my personal sale, you can only get it through the link provided because I am working directly with my printer. I was encouraged to only limit it to one book per code, but I have decided to make it unlimited at this special price. Please purchase one for your 12+ loved one and donate one or a couple to your local library. My goal is to sell 500 during the sale and really start to foster conversations in our communities. Will you be part of the change to make schools safer?

LOCKDOWN! by Betsie Morris

My goal is not to make a ton of money so I can ride off into the sunset with a hefty early retirement. I actually have cut all but a dollar of my royalties to host this sale and the dollar that I earn has been used to promote the sale (I am out 100 dollars if it does not work. I hope I break even). So, why am I doing it? Because this conversation is so important! School shootings do not only affect the communities they happen in, but every single student in American schools.

HOW? Because every student has to sit under a desk roughly once a month from Kindergarten through 12 grade for LOCKDOWN! drills. That is over 100 days (3 months) each student has been exposed to the reality of a possible shooter.

NY Bill Seeks to Make Lockdown Drills Less Traumatic

Now, before we go any further I want you to understand that this is not the fault of the teacher. Do not blame administration or the district either. This also is not the fault of the Department of Education.

To be blunt, the reason our children go through this is your fault. This is my fault as a voter and citizen. Up until now I have not done enough.

There I said it. You are not doing enough to keep children safe. If you are over the age of 18 you must vote and be aware of the individuals you are voting (or not voting) into office. There is also a pretty good chance you are not even aware of what happens during a LOCKDOWN!. That is why you need this book and you need to help spread the word.

School Lockdowns Remain Appropriate and Necessary

I have done the hardest part. I have literally put my money where my mouth is to get the conversation going and to foster a safer environment for our students. I have spent over $5,000 of my own money to write, hire a team to publish, and promote this book. I am fortunate enough to be able to do it because most teachers with no other source of income can not do that. Don't believe me? Google how much money teachers make in your state. I had to save and go without a few wants over the last 22 months to publish LOCKDOWN!.

The Best (and Worst) States for Teachers Wages

I am not telling you this so you buy LOCKDOWN! and I can make money. Realistically speaking I am going to lose money on this book. I knew that going into it. Children picture books are the lowest selling books on the market with the exception of poetry books. This sale by no means is going to pad my wallet.

But, if it can spark a few conversations that lead to a few people actively working towards a solution to keep our children safe, it is worth it. I did the hard work to get the ball rolling. Now my students and your children need you to keep the ball rolling. It is easy and cheap. For less than $9 you can purchase LOCKDOWN! and have two conversations. The first (and most important) is with your child or loved 12+ year old. Ask them about how they feel during these drills. Let them know they are seen and heard. This is so important to their mental and emotional well being! Second, have a conversation with another adult about it.

Watch Rare Access Inside a School Lockdown Drill

Will you do this? Will you be part of the solution and help keep our kids safe?

Click here to purchase → LOCKDOWN!

Is There Really a Bucket?

 Yes, there really is a bucket in my classroom. 

This was a question I got from a person translating Lockdown! into Spanish. She had several issues with the book. She really hated it, but the one thing that she really took issue with was the bucket. 

 Lockdown! is realistic fiction. It is not true, but the elements in the story are based in reality. The bucket I mentioned in it is a real thing. Every class has one at my school. When I told her that she pretty much called me a liar until I offered to send her a picture of the bucket. 

Then she backed off and started to dig into how poorly written it was and the importance of hiring an editor. I provided the two names of the professors at American College of Education that read and graded it (it earned 100% for the class and 100% for the capstone) and the three editors through my publisher that I paid.

Then, she told me I did not do enough research because in the Hispanic culture suicide is not discussed. I told her that she needs to do some research on how women tend to kill themselves -- it is not with a gun as hinted at in the book. See, I am going to let you in on a little secret. Oliver's Mom did not commit suicide. She was killed. Lockdown! is told through the eyes of Oliver (first person). He is not openly discussing his feelings with anyone. Instead it is the narrative in his head. Therefore, he is not talking about suicide with anyone. 

But I digress....

Let's get back to the bucket. I recently opened the bucket with one of my classes. My students are used to seeing a bucket in every class they have ever had. Thankfully, they did not know what was in the bucket. I say thankfully because that means there has not been  a need to open the bucket. So, one day, out of curiosity we opened the bucket. 

What did we find? Two rolls of toilet paper, several plastic bags, a tarp, paper cups, water bottles and a dead cockroach (no joke!). The purpose of the bucket is to be a toilet. If needed, the items would be removed and one of the garbage bags would be placed in the bucket as a liner (think about poop). The tarp would be draped over the two doors to my closet for privacy. The student would use the bucket, tie off the bag and exit the closet. 

I would like to add hand sanitizer and air freshener to the bucket as well as some granola bars. I really hope I never have to use the bucket, but it is important that it is there. It also was beneficial to the students seeing what was in it and why. 

So what now? First, if you have not read Lockdown do it! :-) Secondly, talk to your child about the bucket. Most parents and community stakeholders do not even know there is a bucket. Have an open conversation with your child about how they feel regarding the bucket. What would it be like if they had to use it? What if they had to go number two and some gas passed? What about the smell? What if their classmate had to use it? 

I know it is uncomfortable and something we do not want to think about or children having to do. But, this is our reality. This is the America we live in. We have to have uncomfortable conversations.

LOCKDOWN! One of a Kind YA Picture Book

 Published!

In April of 2023 I was working on my M Ed in English through American College of Education. I had an assignment that was a struggle. Normally, I was able to have my assignments complete for the week by Wednesday when they were due on Sunday. The week of April 24th I had to write a flash fiction. A flash fiction is a narrative using a1000 words or less. It is a new trend inspired by social media posts that used to have a character limit.

Flash fictions also go against (at the time) every grain in my teacher soul. I am constantly telling students to write more and expand on their ideas. Now, I am suppose to write less? Ha! Regardless, I had to do the assignment and I was stuck. It was Thursday and I still had no clue about what to write. Then the routine lockdown happened at school, As I got up off the floor with a smudge of dirt on my dress, I knew I had my topic. The flash fiction Lockdown! was born.

After I wrote it, I knew I had something special and my instructor agreed with me. She told me I really should have it published. But, how? It was only 956 words. I am not a short story author. It is not like I could just add it to a book I was working on. In the meantime I also I had my capstone I needed to start in order to graduate in May of 2024.

I struggled with both how to publish Lockdown! and what to do for my capstone. In the meantime, I was using picture books in my 7th grade ELA class to teach the Elements of Literature. In October on 2023 it finally dawned on me that I needed to publish Lockdown! as a picture book and use it as my capstone. 

On May 1, 2023 Lockdown! hit online bookstores worldwide. It also served as my capstone in which I was able to graduate with a 4.0 M Ed. in English. I expanded on the 1000 world limit per suggested by my Publisher to around 4000 words. It is scary to have such a controversial piece of literature published. However, it is a story that needs to be told because it happens on a regular occurrence across the United States of America. My hope is that it opens up conversations between community stakeholders, teachers and students. 

I need your help to get the conversation started. Would you share the link with your friends and family? Purchasing a book to share with others, keep on your bookshelf, and/or donating a copy to your local library would be greatly appreciated as well! 

Check out my official website: Betsie Morris