F‑ing Freddy Fisher: A novella about seeing what others miss

F‑ing Freddy Fisher started as an experiment. I was taking a class on poetry for children and young adults, and we did a unit on novels in verse. I loved the way those books could convey emotion and perspective so efficiently, and I wanted to try something similar. I quickly realized I’m not enough of a poet to carry a full story in verse—but the inspiration stayed. What I ended up with is a novella made of brief, tightly written chapters, each told from the perspective of a different character. I aimed to be concise and to the point, like poetry, but the story is told in prose.

I still remember my great aunt Viola’s reaction when she read it. “Wow, Mandy—I didn’t know you had it in you,” she said. That cracked me up, because my family grew up thinking of me as the shy, quiet child who almost never spoke—a child I now suspect had selective mutism, though I was never formally diagnosed. I’ve mostly outgrown that, but I still notice moments when I can’t speak up, and I’ve learned to trust the intuition that tells me when I’m not in a safe space. (If I’d listened to that intuition when I met my ex, I would have never married him—but that’s another story.) My Aunt Rosetta is another huge fan and probably the book’s biggest promoter, telling anyone who will listen that everyone—teenagers, teachers, parents—needs to read this novella.

F‑ing Freddy Fisher is the story of a boy who seems impossible to like. Not even his teachers like him. Coach Carlson is frustrated that he skips basketball tryouts. Mrs. Foster spits his name like venom. Freddy irritates and terrifies nearly everyone around him—except his next-door neighbor Olivia, who notices there’s more going on beneath the surface. Told through the eyes of multiple characters, the novella explores the complexity behind Freddy’s behavior: does he deserve punishment, or does he need someone to reach out and help him?

Readers and reviewers have praised the novella for its depth and emotional resonance. One said, “Freddy Fisher’s story is a heartbreaking one, told convincingly from many unique characters’ perspectives. An important read for anyone needing a reminder that everyone has struggles we aren’t always privileged to see.” Another highlighted the structure: “I loved the different perspectives which really emphasized the importance of domestic violence being a community issue. An excellent read and an important topic.”

What I love most is how the novella gives voice to characters who are often overlooked—showing that even people we initially write off have struggles, feelings, and stories worth understanding.

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If you’ve read F‑ing Freddy Fisher, I’d love to hear which character’s perspective impacted you the most—and how it changed the way you see Freddy. Share your thoughts in the comments below!

This post is part of a series where I pull back the curtain on the novels I’ve written, beginning with Valley of the Bees, a dystopian YA novel about survival, freedom, and growing up in a near-future world where girls have little control over their own lives. Each post looks at how a story took shape and what it taught me about finishing the work I start.

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Now that Jack has been forced to reflect on everything he has to lose, he resolves to do better. He’s determined to spend more time at home with his family and repair the relationships that have suffered over the years while he’s been so focused on work. But as Callie’s behavior becomes increasingly bizarre, Jack realizes he has a lot more room to improve than he realized – and it might be too late to save his daughter after all.

For fans of We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Push, and Baby Teeth.