The first on-line coverage of this new edition of Strong at The Heart just went live. It's at The Pirate Tree, a blog about social justice and children's books. Strong is for YA and up, so it fits! They gave me a good amount of space for an interview, too, and I'm glad. It gave [...]
At long, long last Strong at the Heart is coming out in paperback. Before the actual launch in February, I'm updating this website to a responsive site thanks to the skill and the patience of Tiff Renée at DesignMotif. She's making it possible for you to read this site on cell phone or tablet. Here's [...]
As a survivor of childhood abuse, do you ever find yourself accommodating obnoxious behavior? Putting up with crap you really needn't? Do you trash yourself over it? Or do you give yourself a break? My friend poet Molly Fisk wrote and performed a fine radio segment on Stockholm Syndrome in her experience as a survivor.
I just stumbled on an excellent website with great resources for child advocates or for anyone concerned with child abuse/recovery/offender issues. Best Interests calls itself "a website for children's advocates" and it certainly is a great place for people like CASA volunteers, therapists and social workers. Survivors, too, find news and useful information. The books [...]
Twenty three years ago I wrote my first children's book about childhood sexual abuse, PROMISE NOT TO TELL. After it came out I received occasional heartfelt and touching letters, typed or handwritten, and forwarded to me by my editor in New York. Occasionally a therapist in my own area would call or stop me on [...]
Here's something you might want to check out. A young filmmaker is producing a feature film that examines male experience of sexual abuse within the orthodox Jewish community. I haven't seen the film but have visited the website for Narrow Bridge http://www.narrowbridgefilm.com/. From his description and the website itself, the film appears to be about [...]
It's been way too long since I posted here. What has absorbed me is my involvement in digital storytelling. This began as an invitation a year ago from Amy Hill of Silence Speaks to participate in a digital storytelling workshop. Digital Storytelling gives ordinary people the skills to make short, personal QuickTime/DVD movies about their [...]
I just heard from Mindy, one of the Cybils organizers, about a new interactive book site for children's and young adult literature. And Strong at the Heart has its own page there. At the Tandem Library Books site you can bring up four separate lists of recommended book in Texas state reading programs. (Strong at [...]
The results are in. The Cybils---the blogosphere's own children's literature awards---have been announced. Many of you know I was a judge on the nonfiction panel. We had five amazing books to choose from. Our discussion was deep and heartfelt. And in the end we all were happy to select Russell Freedman's Freedom Walkers to receive [...]
If you want to see a sweet film featuring a strong survivor, insight into the ways incest affects families through the generations, a sense of humor, and vibrant faith in the ability to face the pain of the past and heal, then check out Volver, by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar. Penelope Cruz plays Raimunda, a [...]
