My Confessions About Shy Shelly

JUSTINE HAIL is a content creator and entrepreneur. While running Checkers, a condominium cleaning service, with her sister, Justine writes stories and poems, and creates videos. ⁣

The idea for the book Shy Shelly came up when I was working at OMF Literature as a creative marketing officer. I was in the office pantry filling my cup of water, when I imagined a little girl who couldn't speak up even if she was bursting with courage and goodness in her heart. Her shyness held her back from being the great girl that she could become. I found myself relating to her character. There were times when I wanted to do what's right but I held back because I didn't want to be criticized or rejected .Then I thought about the kids I've met in birthday parties or family gatherings, and how they struggle with shyness, from introducing themselves to making friends. Everyone struggles with shyness and it gets in the way of what we could truly become. It gets in the way of what God wants to do through our lives. And so at that moment, in the office pantry, the shy girl with courage in her heart, Shy Shelly, was born.

In 2015, the first book of Shy Shelly was released as an ebook, then as a paperback a year later. Today, I'm excited to share that the third secret story of Shy Shelly: Shy Shelly and the Big Lie, has recently been published. In this story, Shelly will be facing things she doesn't like about herself, but she will grow to be humbler and bolder.

Since Shy Shelly 3 will hit bookstores soon, I decided to share three of my little secrets about Shy Shelly.

1. I had my own Butterfly Club. In the first book of Shy Shelly, Shelly became part of a group of friends called the Butterfly Club. In elementary school, I also had a name for my group of friends. We called ourselves the Snoopers Club and we even had officers in the group!

2. Claustro Field Academy is based on the name of my high school best friend. Claustro Field Academy is the main setting of the Shy Shellystories.The last name of one of my best friends in high school is Claustro. Since the book is about friendship, I thought of dedicating a part of the story to her name.

3. I was watching the series 24 when I wrote Shy Shelly 3. I believe in watching or reading something totally unrelated to what I'm writing, to help me think out of the box and to discover new writing techniques. Now you won't find any terrorist or nerve gas in Shy Shelly and the Big Lie (haha!) but you'll surely be in for a lot of secrecy and adventures in this one. 

I will share more secrets at another time but for now I can tell you that Shelly will blossom into a braver girl in Shy Shelly 3. You will learn more about Shelly and Shelly will learn more about what she is capable of. Shelly is growing up. And I can't wait for you to meet her! 

Shy Shelly and The Big Lie is now available at OMF Lit Bookshops (Boni, Il Terrazzo, and Pergola) and our online store, passagesbooks.com for only P195. The other two books in the series, The Secret Story of Shy Shelly and Shy Shelly and The Bully are also available for P195 each.