Friday, February 27, 2015

PUYB: Deborah Serani's Depression and Your Child - Guest Post and Review


“Adult vs. Child Depression”
Deborah Serani, Psy.D.

Did you know that depression presents differently than in children than it does in adults? Though the disorder of depression can occur in in kids, teens - and even babies, the symptoms don’t always look like adult depression. Take a look at the differences below so you can learn how to detect this serious, but treatable disorder. For more, read my award-winning book “Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.”

Signs of Depression in Adults

Signs of Depression in Children
Depressed mood


Irritable, fussy or cranky
Anhedonia (Decreased interest/enjoyment in once-favorite activities)

Negative thinking, helplessness

Boredom, lack of interest in play, giving up favorite activities

Blames self for failures, misperceives peer interactions, socially isolates, resists new experiences

Significant weight loss or weight gain


Failure to thrive, fussy eating, overeating and weight gain especially in adolescence

Insomnia or Hypersomnia (Excessive sleeping)


Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, difficulty emerging from sleep, hard to awaken, frequent napping.

Psychomotor agitation, restlessness or slowness


Difficulty sitting still, pacing, very slow movements, clingy, little or no spontaneity, overly aggressive or sensitive

Fatigue or loss of energy


Persistently tired, appears lazy, sluggish, reports aches and pains, frequent absences from school

Low self-esteem, feelings of guilt


Whiny, cries easily, self-critical, feels stupid, unloved or misunderstood

Inability to concentrate, indecisive


Sulks, appears foggy, distractible, poor school performance, forgetful, unmotivated

Recurrent suicidal thoughts or behavior


Worries about death, talks about running away, writing or drawings about death, giving away favorite toys or belongings



My thoughts on Depression and Your Child
When Pump Up Your Book offered this book tour, I immediately signed up. As the mother of adolescent sons, I feel that reading and learning as much as I can about what could affect my child is very important, especially in the case of my older son who was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety disorder when he was five years old. He has had a very hard time of things, and has even been bullied, on and off over the years. Sadly, the bullying still continues and I know that these situations can lead to depression so I want to be as proactive as possible...with both my sons.

This is a truly great book. The author is very knowledgeable on the subject and clearly outlines the steps to define, diagnose and treat depression in a child. The use of real life case scenarios gives the reader a more broad understanding of how depression applies in different ways to different individuals. A very important chapter on self-harm and suicide is included and I found this to be most informative and helpful, especially since "suicide is the third leading cause of death for children ages ten to twenty-four." I mean, we hear the horror stories in the news and it's scary. Knowing what to watch for is very important and this chapter is a terrific resource for that. The book also supports those who are parenting a depressed child. Emphasis on self-care and "me time" for the parent is discussed and I liked that. Being the mother of a child with disorders, I can sometimes forget about my needs and it's good to be reminded. The chapter that covers the "Twenty Depression Myths Every Parent Should Know" dispels any doubts one might have about depression...that it's very real and it is a medical problem, etc. Finally, I found the appendices in the back really interesting and informative. Appendix B with a list of High Profile People with Mood Disorders. This is a great list to share with your child to show him/her that they're not the only ones who have suffered from depression. Appendix C is a list of Resources and I was especially grateful for the Antibullying resources.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has children. Even if your child is an infant, as I learned in the book, depression can be present from infancy so this is an important read for new parents too. My view is that it's better to be safe than sorry and staying informed on all aspects of what could affect my children is very important to me. This book will be a much appreciated, and referenced, addition to my parenting resources bookshelf.

About the book
Seeing your child suffer in any way is a harrowing experience for any parent. Mental illness in children can be particularly draining due to the mystery surrounding it, and the issue of diagnosis at such a tender age. Depression and Your Child is an award-winning book that gives parents and caregivers a uniquely textured understanding of pediatric depression, its causes, its symptoms, and its treatments. Author Deborah Serani weaves her own personal experiences of being a depressed child along with her clinical experiences as a psychologist treating depressed children.

2013 Gold Medal Book of the Year Award – IndieFab (Psychology Category)
https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/depression-and-your-child/

2014 Silver Medal Book of the Year Award – Independent Publishing (Parenting Category)
http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1791

For More Information:
  • Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers is available at Amazon
  • Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads
  • Watch book trailer at YouTube.

About the author
Dr. Deborah Serani the author of the award-winning books “Living with Depression” and “Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.” She is also a go-to media expert on a variety of psychological issues. Her interviews can be found in ABC News, Newsday, Women’s Health & Fitness, The Chicago Tribune, The Daily Beast, The Associated Press, and radio station programs at CBS and NPR, just to name a few. She writes for Psychology Today, helms the "Ask the Therapist" column for Esperanza Magazine and has worked as a technical advisor for the NBC television show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. A psychologist in practice twenty five years, Dr. Serani is also a professor at Adelphi University.

For More Information:


A copy of this book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for providing it.

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

Cat Thursday - Dogs...friend or foe?


Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

It's so confusing! The memes either depict cats and dogs as friends or foes. What do you think? Personally, every cat I've had has always got along famously with our dog(s).







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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Cat Thursday: Authors and Cats (40)


Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

Authors and cats usually falls on the second Thursday, but last week was Valentine's day so I postponed until this week. Here we go...

Donald Michael Platt and his cat, Bodo
Donald's most recent novels, released in 2014, Close To The Sun and Bodo, The Apostate.

Author of four other novels, ROCAMORA, HOUSE OF ROCAMORA, A GATHERING OF VULTURES, and CLOSE TO THE SUN, Donald Michael Platt was born and raised in San Francisco. Donald graduated from Lowell High School and received his B.A. in History from the University of California at Berkeley. After two years in the Army, Donald attended graduate school at San Jose State where he won a batch of literary awards in the annual SENATOR PHELAN LITERARY CONTEST.

Donald moved to southern California to begin his professional writing career. He sold to the TV series, MR. NOVAK, ghosted for health food guru, Dan Dale Alexander, and wrote for and with diverse producers, among them as Harry Joe Brown, Sig Schlager, Albert J. Cohen, Al Ruddy plus Paul Stader Sr, Hollywood stuntman and stunt/2nd unit director. While in Hollywood, Donald taught Creative Writing and Advanced Placement European History at Fairfax High School where he was Social Studies Department Chairman.

After living in Florianópolis, Brazil, setting of his horror novel A GATHERING OF VULTURES, pub. 2007 & 2011, he moved to Florida where he wrote as a with: VITAMIN ENRICHED, pub.1999, for Carl DeSantis, founder of Rexall Sundown Vitamins; and THE COUPLE’S DISEASE, Finding a Cure for Your Lost “Love” Life, pub. 2002, for Lawrence S. Hakim, MD, FACS, Head of Sexual Dysfunction Unit at the Cleveland Clinic.

Currently, Donald resides in Winter Haven, Florida where he is polishing a dark novel and preparing to write a sequel to CLOSE TO THE SUN.

For more information please visit Donald Michael Platt’s website. You can also connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.

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Thursday, February 12, 2015

Cat Thursday - Be My Valentine


Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

(The second Thursday of the month is supposed to be authors and cats, but I'm going to postpone until next week due to Valentine's day)

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day! Since I don't do Valentine's Day, I thought I would share someone who shares my sentiments. That's right...Grumpy cat!






And just because I found this incredibly funny...



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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

HFVBT: Heather Webb's Rodin's Lover - Review


My thoughts
My first introduction to Camille Claudel came in the form of the 1988 French film of the same name, Camille Claudel so I entered into reading Rodin's Lover knowing a bit about her. However, the film did not quite capture the depth of her character as this book has.

Once again, the author has completely captured the character of Camille, as she did with Napoleon in Becoming Josephine. Camille struggles with being a woman in a man's world and fights for her independence at every turn. When she comes under the tutelage of Auguste Rodin, her work continues to grow, but their tumultuous affair starts to take its toll on her. Always a passionate and outspoken person, Camille begins to exhibit signs of a mental disorder which is later confirmed as schizophrenia. The excellent writing brings her struggles and triumphs to light in vivid color and so, makes it all the more difficult to read the eventual tragedy of her life. In those days, it was so easy to put a woman away in an institution and so, Camille had little say when her beloved brother has her committed. One can only wonder what more she could have accomplished had she not been struck down with mental illness and then put aside as an inconvenience and burden.

The author has written another excellent work of historical fiction. Her exquisite prose and captivating characters really make this book a must read. She is clearly becoming one of my favorite authors in the genre.

About the book
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Plume
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 320
Genre: Historical Fiction

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A mesmerizing tale of art and passion in Belle Époque France.

As a woman, aspiring sculptor Camille Claudel has plenty of critics, especially her ultra-traditional mother. But when Auguste Rodin makes Camille his apprentice—and his muse—their passion inspires groundbreaking works. Yet, Camille’s success is overshadowed by her lover’s rising star, and her obsessions cross the line into madness.

Rodin’s Lover brings to life the volatile love affair between one of the era’s greatest artists and a woman entwined in a tragic dilemma she cannot escape.

Advanced Praise for Rodin’s Lover
“Rodin’s Lover is a textured historical novel that captures the indomitable spirit of artist Camille Claudel, a woman whose mighty talent was nearly eclipsed by her potent love for fellow artist Auguste Rodin. Can two passionate, creative talents thrive together or will one flame inevitably consume the other? Webb gracefully explores this ignitable relationship while illuminating Claudel’s untold heartbreak and evocative artwork. A story of human emotion, once raw and malleable, now preserved to lasting stone.” ~ Sarah McCoy, New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of The Baker’s Daughter

“Rodin’s Lover is the story of Camille Claudel–one of history’s boldest and most brilliant artists. Forced to choose between a torturous love affair and the art that consumed her, Claudel is an audacious and authentic character who deserves to be remembered. RODIN’S LOVER is epic and unflinching–a book you won’t soon forget.” –Deanna Raybourn, NYT bestselling author and Rita Winner of City of Jasmine waltz

“Rodin’s Lover is an evocative portrait of the talented and explosive Camille Claudel who struggled between passion as the lover of Rodin and recognition as an innovative sculptor in her own right. From smoky cafés to clay-streaked ateliers, Heather Webb has created a vivid picture of Belle Époque Paris.” –Jessica Brockmole, author of Letters from Skye

“Dazzling!….. In Rodin’s Lover, author Heather Webb brings to life, with vivid detail, the story of brilliant and tormented sculptress Camille Claudel and the epic love affair with the legendary sculptor who worshiped her. Deeply moving and meticulously researched, this book will capture your heart, then hold it tightly long after the final page.” –Anne Girard, author of Madame Picasso

“A rich, sensuous novel…[was] written with great empathy for the very human Rodin and his lover, this novel of the visceral world of the 19th century Paris ateliers, of clay-stained dresses and fingernails, lithe models who vow to remain and then go, family love which stays through all difficulties and talent which endures, comes vividly to life.” –Stephanie Cowell, author of Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet

“Rodin’s Lover is a taut and engrossing look at sexism in the arts through the eyes of a lesser known figure, Camille Claudel, inspiring the reader to examine what’s changed and what hasn’t.” –Julie Kibler, bestselling author of Calling Me Home



About the Author
Heather Webb grew up a military brat and naturally became obsessed with travel, culture, and languages. She put her degrees to good use teaching high school French for nearly a decade before turning to full time novel writing and freelance editing. Her debut, BECOMING JOSEPHINE, released January 2014 from Plume/Penguin. Her forthcoming novel, RODIN’S LOVER, will release in winter of 2015.

When not writing, Heather flexes her foodie skills or looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world.

For more information, please visit Heather’s website. She loves to chitchat on Twitter with new reader friends or writers (@msheatherwebb), on Facebook, or via her blog. Stop on by!


Visit other blogs on the tour--Tour Schedule
Twitter Hashtag: #RodinsLoverBlogTour #Historical #HistFic
Twitter Tags: @hfvbt @msheatherwebb @PlumeBooks

A copy of this book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for providing it.

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Thursday, February 5, 2015

HFVBT: Tessa Arlen's Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman - Review and {Giveaway}


My thoughts
What a delight this book was! It's Downton Abbey meets Miss Marple, for lack of a better comparison. Clearly, Lady Montfort is no Miss Marple. However, the tone of the book and the mystery, plus the partnership of Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson, hearkens to Miss Marple's methods of solving a mystery, or perhaps Sherlock and Dr. Watson's. I like historical mysteries like this, where everyone is a suspect, and the reader is kept guessing until the end. I really did not suspect who the murderer turned out to be at all.

Mystery aside, I was impressed with the author's authenticity for the time period and the ins and outs of the upstairs/downstairs culture. While it was refreshing that Lady Montfort would co-conspire with her housekeeper to solve the murder, the discomfort Mrs. Jackson first felt from the overstepping of the boundary between servant and mistress was palpable. Fortunately, discomfort is soon swept aside for some top notch sleuthing, especially on Mrs. Jackson's part, and we have the makings of a first class mystery solving duo. I wonder what mystery they will solve in the next book? I can't wait to find out.

If you're a fan of mysteries along the lines of Agatha Christie, or perhaps P.D. James, and also a fan of Downton Abbey, you will especially like this book. Truly a great debut novel. I look forward to the continuation of the series.

About the book
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Minotaur Books
Formats: eBook, Hardcover
Genre: Historical Mystery

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Lady Montfort has been planning her annual summer costume ball for months, and with scrupulous care. Pulling together the food, flowers and a thousand other details for one of the most significant social occasions of the year is her happily accepted responsibility. But when her husband’s degenerate nephew is found murdered, it’s more than the ball that is ruined. In fact, Lady Montfort fears that the official police enquiry, driven by petty snobbery and class prejudice, is pointing towards her son as a potential suspect.

Taking matters into her own hands, the rather over-imaginative countess enlists the help of her pragmatic housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson, to investigate the case, track down the women that vanished the night of the murder, and clear her son’s name. As the two women search for a runaway housemaid and a headstrong young woman, they unearth the hidden lives of Lady Montfort’s close friends, servants and family and discover the identity of a murderer hiding in plain sight.

In this enchanting debut sure to appeal to fans of Downton Abbey, Tessa Arlen draws readers into a world exclusively enjoyed by the rich, privileged classes and suffered by the men and women who serve them. Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman is an elegant mystery filled with intriguing characters and fascinating descriptions of Edwardian life—a superb treat for those who love British novels.

A Party for Winston, the second book in the series to be released in January 2016.

Praise for Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman
“Tessa Arlen has a worthy debut with Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman. With a deliciously gruesome murder and an unlikely pair of sleuths, this is a treat for fans of Downton Abbey who will want to devour it with a nice steaming pot of Earl Grey.” —New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn

“In her debut novel, Tessa Arlen weaves an evocative tale of the passions, loyalties and ambitions that divide and unite two classes, upstairs and downstairs, in a stately home. She instantly transports the reader to Edwardian England.”—Christine Trent, author of Stolen Remains

“A dash of noblesse oblige sparkles between the upstairs/downstairs world of Lady Montfort and her housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson, as they work together to unmask the identity of a killer at large on the Montfort’s country estate. As sharp as a Nancy Mitford novel, Tessa Arlen’s sophisticated Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman deserves its place among the Great and the Good of classic mystery.”—Lyndsy Spence, founder of The Mitford Society and author of The Mitford Girls’ Guide to Life.

“Thoroughly enchanting. Arlen’s debut will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey, with its vivid descriptions, firm grip on the intricacies of the time period, and skilled portrayal of the often complicated relationship between upstairs and downstairs.” —Anna Lee Huber, author of the Lady Darby mystery series

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About the Author
TESSA ARLEN, the daughter of a British diplomat, had lived in or visited her parents in Singapore, Cairo, Berlin, the Persian Gulf, Beijing, Delhi and Warsaw by the time she was sixteen. She came to the U.S. in 1980 and worked as an H.R. recruiter for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 Olympic Games, where she interviewed her future husband for a job. DEATH OF A DISHONORABLE GENTLEMAN is Tessa’s first novel. She lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

For more information please visit Tessa Arlen’s website. Read Tessa Arlen’s blog at Redoubtable Edwardians. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Subscribe to Tessa Arlen’s Newsletter.


Visit other blogs on the tour--Tour Schedule
Twitter Hashtag: #DishonorableGentlemanBlogTour #HistoricalMystery #HistFic
Twitter Tags: @hfvbt @MinotaurBooks @TessaArlen

Follow the instructions on the Gleam form below to enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman by Tessa Arlen! (Open to U.S. only)

Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman

A copy of this book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for providing it.

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Cat Thursday - Boxes


Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

It never gets old watching our cats try to fit into any box possible. The other day I had a box that was about 5 or 6 inches, all sides, cube shaped and I swear that Arya tried to curl up in it. Hilarious! I have a set of those nesting boxes of various sizes. I almost want to start leaving them around...open...just to see what happens. What would be the smallest one the girls would attempt? If I ever do, I'll be sure to take pics. =)






I never get tired of watching Maru. Speaking of small boxes...



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