"Feddie Girl" Wins Finalist Award - USA Best Books 2010

Feddie Girl, the Nigerian novel authored by Nona David, receives "Best Books 2010" Finalist Award in two categories - Chick-Lit and Multicultural Fiction

FEDDIE GIRL the international adventure/thriller detailing  the experiences of an American teenager in a Nigerian (West Africa) boarding school has been presented two Best Books 2010 Finalist Awards sponsored by USA Book News.

USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE “BEST BOOKS 2010” AWARDS (BBA) on October 26, 2010. Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 140 categories covering print and audio books. Awards were presented for titles published in 2010 and late 2009, and Feddie Girl by Nona David was honored emerged as Finalist in two categories.  

Winners and finalists traversed the publishing landscape: Simon & Schuster, Penguin/Putnum, Rodale, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, Moody Publishers, American Cancer Society, Sourcebooks, Bernard Books Publishing & hundreds of independent houses.

FEDDIE GIRL - The recent double Award-Winning Finalist by author Nona David published in February of 2010 - Tells the tale of thirteen year old Carlotta Ikedi who didn't like attending her American schools, and gets into constant trouble leading to two expulsions as a result of her behavior. Seeking a solution to Carlotta's problems, her parents enroll her in a private girls school in Nigeria. Carlotta faces a culture shock unlike any that she has ever known, and faces the challenge of succeeding on her own in a strange environment. In this wonderful coming of age novel, author Nona David weaves a fine story of character, friendship, and triumph over adversity.

Nona David, the celebrated author of this Award-Winning novel, currently lives with her husband in Cincinnati Ohio. She has a passion for foreign cultures and zeal to visit new places, learn new languages, and experience new things. Her background, friends, and experiences in Nigeria, West Africa is the major influence for her debut novel, FEDDIE GIRL.

Copies of FEDDIE GIRL can be purchased from the publisher: Bernard Books Publishing https://bernardbooks.com

A Facebook Page, dedicated to the fans of this novel at http://www.facebook.com/FeddieGirl already holds over 10,000 fans and readers.

Excerpts and Reviews of this novel are available on the publisher's website https://bernardbooks.com

A complete list of the winners and finalists of the “Best Books 2010” Awards are available online at http://www.USABookNews.com

The Feddie School Life...

Being a Feddy Girl and living the Feddy school life is not as easy as one may envision. In truth, you need to have lived the life in order to fully understand what it entails.

You see, Feddy Girls always need to "represent." And by this, I mean to always portray the full potential of their Feddiness at all times.

Every Feddy Girl understands this.

"Aren't Federal schools just like any other boarding school?" you ask in a perplexed manner, peering at me with those cute eyes of yours.

Of course not! Feddy Girls are different, distinct in their manner, choice of attire, way of speaking, and general comportment. At least the female students of Nigerian Federal schools are.

The thing is, Feddy Girls take pride in who they are; always seeing the best in themselves--an attitude that lasts well after they leave the boarding school, I must say.

And so goes the saying: Once a Feddy Girl, always a Feddy Girl. 

"So what makes Feddy Girls so different?" You ask this question while considering whether to sit or stand, not knowing if my argument holds water.

Well, I'll let you be the judge of that. But first, you gotta hear me out. Deal?

Okay, here we go...



1. School Uniforms

All Nigerian Secondary Schools require their students be unified by a uniform that serves as a signature or symbol of the schools primary colors, which also helps identify students of the school anywhere at any given time.

Now, a school can choose the primary uniform colors of say, White Blouse and Black Skirt, and one would expect the finished look to appear as shown in these photos:

"Right," you agree. "That's what I'd certainly expect of a school uniform."

Exactly!

But, you see, even though the above is what is expected, it's definitely not what you'd get from a Feddy Girl.

Because students are allowed to make their own uniforms at home, what they'd finally come up with will still be the same "Black Skirt and White Blouse" stipulated by the school, only instead of drab and dowdy, the Feddie Girls would spice things up a bit.
The final outcome would be something you'll swear you've seen on a mannequin posed behind a dress-shop window somewhere. Just like in the photo below:

Lol!!! Okay, I exaggerated a little, but lose the high-heels, belt, and handbags and you'll arrive at the final picture. Or may be... Oh well, you get the idea. Moving on.


2. School Day-Wear

Just like the uniforms, every boarding school also issues day-wears to student boarders, and stipulates the color, design, cloth material, etc, that goes into making them. Some schools even base the colors for the day-wears on the colors of the school houses or dormitories the students belong to.

"Fine," you retort. "I can see how that makes sense." You finally decide I have a point to my whole Feddy angle and take a seat.

"Left over pizza's in the refrigerator," I inform you, before getting back to the gist.

Okay, where most boarding school students are made to trot around in a boring one-color check material, Feddy Girls, on the other hand, get to sample fashionable day-wears. Truth be known, same design is supposed to be the norm in any boarding school, but who pays attention to day-wear rules?

Certainly not Feddy Girls!

The day-wear designs many Feddy Girls return to school with will definitely pop your eyes out.
The ones with pretty legs make the skirts short.
Those with nice figures make the bodice clingy.
Tall girls introduce a split down the front, back, side, you name it--basically anywhere on the skirt that'll allow maximum showcasing of their long limbs as they glide about.
As for the busty girls--oh, jeez!--let's not even go there. Thank you!

At the end of the day, whereas the "issued day-wear design" is supposed to look like a grand-mother nightgown made entirely out of checkered material, what you'd get from a typical Feddy Girl will look as in photos below:

Cute, right? Told you so. Feddy Girls are just amazing. Lol!

"Carlotta, is that you in the photo?" you ask, all wide-eyed with awe. "Long, curly, brown hair; blue blouse for your House color; preening in front of a mirror?"

"Yeah, right... You wish!" I smile impishly and refuse to say anything more on the subject. Moving on.

"Hey, Carly, do I hear your mom calling?" you say, giving me a pointed look. 

Er... Oh yeah, it's almost dinner time. I totally forgot. Guess I'll pick up this gist next time with Feddy Girls and foot wears, so stick around.

...And don't miss the Feddie Girl novel by Nona David. Available from the publisher: Bernard Books Publishing


Feddie Girl Book 2 also coming soon!


Lotta Luv,


Carlotta

Feddie Girl's Mom Speaks Out -- Judge me not...

"Until you have been in my shoes, you have no right to judge me..." says Shelley Ikedi, mother of the renowned Feddie Girl.

I understand my peers are skeptical of my reasons to send my only child off to a boarding school located in Nigeria. But I wonder, is your skepticism rooted in dislike for the country, the boarding school of choice, or just the idea of boarding school?

Tell me, what have you got against Nigeria? I am a Caucasian, married to a guy of Nigerian-American descent. Based on this, if I were to choose a country to send my daughter to school in, is it a wonder that Nigeria tops the list? Her dad being from there? Where she has family and blood relations?

As for the chosen school itself, if you attended one of the Federal Schools in Nigeria and think there are more prestigious boarding schools located anywhere within the country, please do not hesitate to call my attention to them.
From what I know, the Federal Government Colleges are highly recommended and the well-placed social status of most veterans of Nigerian Federal Schools definitely speaks for itself. That being the case, is it a wonder I want my daughter to be one of them? To hone good behavior and secure a prestigious place in the society of tomorrow?

How about the idea of 'Boarding School'? Why would anyone have a problem with that? As a parent, if you have an un-ruly child on your hands and have tried pretty much everything else to get her back on the right track and failed, what else can you do?

"Have you tried showing her love?" you ask, raising a quizzical eyebrow. 

Love?

And I ask you: Do you have a teenage kid? Have you ever tried dealing with a rebellious teen who has no regard for you and others, or has absolutely no compunction for the pain she has caused others? No? Well then, until you get to that stage and pass it with flying colors, I reserve the right to remain silent.

Carlotta's father and I are very nurturing, loving, and proud parents. But there comes a time in every parent's life when a difficult decision has to be made. If you have a thirteen year old who suddenly turns violent and starts smoking and stacking up condoms in her bedroom dresser, then the time may have come for desperate measures.

I love my daughter without reservation. I did what I could to turn her from the rebellious teen she was fast becoming into a responsible human being. It was difficult, but I had no other choice. Nothing else seemed to work.
Now, having spent close to a year in a good boarding school in Nigeria, my daughter returned to the United States a changed person. So tell me:

Does not the end justify the means in this case?

And what's more? Carlotta loved the school, made new friends, and is itching to return to boarding house, and nothing her dad or I can say will make her change her mind. 

So, unless you have been in my shoes and experienced what I did, and in the same circumstances, please judge me not.

Read excerpts of the novel (Feddie Girl) and obtain a copy: https://bernardbooks.com
To buy in Nigeria, please visit https://bernardbooks.com/gpage1.html for more info.
Or buy from Amazon.com.


Watch out for the sequel, Feddie Girl 2. Coming soon to Bernard Books Publishing.

SOLD OUT!!! And The Feddie Gist Continues...

Now that the first series of Feddie Girl is completely sold out, we are ready to move on to the next stage: A sequel!
Yes, of course, the sequel (Feddie Girl 2) and The Poker Legend (Read Preview) will be hitting the shelves later this year.

First of all, a big thank you to all those who read and/or reviewed this novel, both in Nigeria, US, UK, Canada, and all other countries. The novel was in very high demand, and the copies sold a lot faster than anticipated, with readers still asking for more. Wow!!!

For those of you who couldn't grab copies before it sold out, you may still be able to get the emergency copies kept on reserve by the Publisher for situations such as these. (Price $19.99; Only at the publisher's website. Not available anywhere else! https://bernardbooks.com)

To mark the start of a new season on this blog, we shall be hearing a bit from my parents (Shelley and Richard). They have some issues that definitely need addressing. Don't you just love it when parents have "issues"?

Did I just catch you rolling your eyes to high heavens? Jeez!

Yeah, Shelley and Richard (ehm, sorry, I meant Mommy and Daddy) definitely have something to iron out, right here... Lol! Be sure to hang around 'cos this is one saga you don't wanna miss.

Till then, I'd like to say "Thank you" once again for the attention - you all are the reason for my being here.

And, yes, you got that right. I'll definitely be going back for seconds--back to boarding school with me. Kinda looking forward to it, too.

Crazy, right? Yeah, I know. I gotta have my revenge!

Lotta Luv,

Carlotta