Eighteen-year-old Windermere, Fla., resident Makaila Nichols was bullied as a young teen. Now, as an aspiring model, actress, and author, she writes about her experiences in Blatlantly Honest (Brown Books Publishing Group), which tops Amazon’s New Release list in both Teen & Young Adult Social Issues AND Parenting Teenagers categories!
Makaila has been named the National Ambassador for The Great American No Bull Challenge, a nationwide effort to raise awareness of bullying.
Everyone has their idea of the hardest job in the world --- policeman, firefighter, coal miner, the list is long. And, somewhere on that list has to be the job of being a teenager. The social, educational, and performance pressures put on teens are enormous. Teen model, actress, and author Makaila Nichols knows firsthand about the hardships and anxiety of such stress associated with growing up in today’s world.
Nichols debut book, Blatantly Honest (Brown Books Publishing Group), is a peer-to-peer inspiration of advice on everything she has experienced in her young life – from failed relationships to endless bullying. Earlier this summer, Nichols was named National Ambassador for The Great American NO BULL Challenge (www.NoBull.org).
“I wanted to turn my experiences and difficulties into a platform that could truly reach and help others my age,” Nichols said. “I hope the book sparks real conversation. Teenagers should talk about their problems to others and be able to make a change in their life.”
Nichols started her modeling career at age fourteen when she was discovered by a modeling scout at an Orlando, FL, mall. Since then, she has juggled school, modeling, a budding acting career, and now, her new-found passion for writing. She accomplishes all this while traveling between New York and Los Angeles for work, and then home to Florida for school and family. Nichols recently landed her first lead role in a major motion picture in the upcoming film, Sweethearts, currently in pre-production.
In Blatantly Honest, Nichols offers a fresh and honest perspective to the stresses she and other teens face every day.
“I’ve become more honest, and I no longer sugar coat anything,” Nichols says emphatically. “Perhaps I grew up too quickly, but it’s hard for me to grow ‘back down’, so to speak, although often I wish I could. Ultimately, I think my experience in a high-profile industry (modeling) and my life choices have made me stronger and more confident.”
Nichols’ beauty and steadfastness sometimes mask the scars of insecurity and doubt she battles, much of which stem from years of bullying.
“I’ve been bullied for as long as I can remember,” Nichols says. “Whether it was because of my glasses, braces, weight, height, or merely jealousy, bullying has never left me. When I started modeling and had to lose weight, I had food thrown on me, and kids would make fun of my weight and call me disgusting…even some of my own teachers. I am still a victim, but I have gained the confidence to stand up for myself. “
Readers of Blatantly Honest will turn pages with encouragement and trust in finding words of support from Makaila for the very challenges they are facing from someone their age that has experienced those same challenges.
“I’ve needed and searched for advice I could trust on relationships, sex, bullying, and all the challenges people my age face every single day,” Nichols says. “But, every book I’ve ever come across was tough for me to relate to. So, I wrote Blatantly Honest, to share my story and give readers and friends empathy, guidance, and understanding from someone their age.”
For more information, please visit www.makailanichols.com.
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