Surviving High School

by M Doty

Published 1 January 2012

What's the secret to surviving high school?

Freshman Emily Kessler needs perfect grades, a rigorous training schedule, and record-breaking swim times. After her older sister Sara's mysterious death, Emily is under pressure to follow in her Olympic-track footsteps. She survives by limiting her fun to lunch with her best friend Tina and the rare Friday-night sleepover. But when she falls for Twin Branches High's mischievous heartthrob Ben Kale, and secrets about Sara start to surface, Emily begins to question the strict path her life has followed up until now. Maybe there is more to life than studying and swimming. But if she breaks a few rules, will she survive the consequences?


How to Be a Star

by M Doty

Published 1 January 2013

In the first Surviving High School novel, freshman Emily Kessler overcame her first-day fears, broke national records on her swim team, secured her place in the high school hierarchy, and even started dating the cutest boy in school.

Tired of playing Emily's sidekick, it's time for best-friend Kimi Chen to step into the spotlight and snag her own place at the coveted centre table of the cafeteria. But when a low-budget music video she made hits the web and goes viral, forget just being popular - Kimi is famous! Boys want to date her, girls want to be her, and she's even been asked to perform on her favourite television show. Things are finally looking up; what could possibly go wrong?

But when fame starts to get in the way of her friendships, Kimi chokes on national television. It turns out that being a star may be more than she bargained for.