My friend Holly has a warm heart, a creative spirit, and a wonderful idea. She wants to write a book that allows young men to tell the world what life is REALLY like for them in this, the first part of the 21st century, a time when life can be a bit haphazard, confusing, and even dangerous. Why let so-called experts tell the story? Holly wants to invite guys to tell their stories themselves–knowing the truth can help others like nothing else can.

Here’s an email she’s sending out into the world, and I’m putting it on my blog today because I think it’s such a good cause. Please feel free to send it along to anyone you think might be interested.

The deadline is January 12, 2009 for submissions.

And now here is Holly:

My name is Holly Hanau Koncz and I am writing a book about what it is like being an adolescent male in today’s world. I am a former middle school teacher from Guilford, Connecticut. I have 3 sons, ages, 29, 26, and 22, and I have worked with teenage boys for 35 years.

Boys today are dealing with depression, self-image, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual and racial identity, stress, and loneliness, as they never have before. Many books have been written about you, from an adult perspective, but no one has asked YOU to tell us about your world. It is time to do that.

1- The book is going to be a collection of personal essays, stories, poems, and journal entries. I want to show as diverse a group of boys as possible, covering not only age, socioeconomic status, and race…but religion, birthplace (city or suburb), and a cross-section of the country.

2- Your work must be true and it will have very little editing from me, as long as there is nothing inappropriate. It is your voice I want to get out to the public, not an adult’s interpretation of your voice.

3- 500-750 words maximum

4- I wish I could reimburse you for your written work, but unfortunately that isn’t economically possible. I am hoping that being published will be an honor.

5- I will not reveal your real name in the book, but will list, for example, “a 16 year old from a city in the Northeast.” I will not share any of your personal information. It will be for my eyes only. Please include with your submission: name, home address, college, if applicable, age, cell phone #, home #, and e-mail.

6- I will contact you if your writing has been selected for the book. I need this by January 12th, but would love to receive your submission ASAP so I can show publishers samples of the work, as I am looking for a publisher for the book.

7- In addition to the underlined topics above, here are some subject ideas: friends, family, violence (the war, school shootings, etc), feeling different, learning or physical disabilities, prejudice, religion, academic pressure, bullying/hazing, cliques, hooking up, support, and love. You do not have to be confined to these subjects. Be creative!

You can e-mail me at teenboysbook@aol.com or write to me at PO Box # 243, Guilford, CT. 06437. I look forward to receiving your work. Thank you.

Holly Hanau Koncz