This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barbara will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
If someone were writing a story about you, what would your blurb say?
Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein has always been a pathfinder in Positive Psychology, focusing most often on girls, tweens and teens so that they can recognize what is most special about themselves and gain courage, self-confidence and resiliency by utilizing their talents, strengths and potential. She herself has become an icon figure for women of all ages. She has been a psychologist and educator for over 35 years and is proud of it. Serving society with one's wisdom and knowledge never gets stale. In fact it helps us stay healthy and happy. As a women who is as active with her Enchanted Self mission now as ever, utilizing each new technology as it comes about, currently video is one of her favorites, (find her on You Tube at Barbara Becker Holstein). She reminds women of all ages to have the courage to stay with one' dreams and aspirations.
Would you tell us a little about your newest release that isn't in the blurb?
The Truth, Diary of a Gutsy Tween is part of a long chain of events. It was really birthed over ten years ago when I wrote a book that ended up unpublished in which a young girl met up with her adult self and a long conversation of shared wisdom, humor and love happened between them. And now the chain of events is moving on again. This time there is a play 'The Locket' about the girl which has had staged readings three times and hopefully a full production soon, and now in production is a short film about the girl. This is a fabulous and fun adventure!
What was your favorite scene to write in this story?
My favorite scene is in the last pages where the girl finally realizes that she has her own way of holding on to the best of herself as she grows older and she is no longer afraid of growing up. What could be a better moment in life?
If you could trade places with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
I would probably choose Angela, the girl's best friend because she has a more fun household and a mother who really listens to her. Also, she is a little lighter in spirit than The Girl. I may write a book where Angela is the main character. It would be fun to have her come alive and we would learn more about the world that both of them live in.
"I hate Angela and I wish she would move away tomorrow!" "I get so worried when I hear my parents fighting at night." "My mother thinks my crush is silly. I know I am in love!" "I have so many questions about growing up. Who will answer them?" "I feel so awful when Jake makes fun of me." "When I grow up I going to remember how to have fun with my kids and never look away." Growing up is tough. Adults don't always understand you (even though they were once kids), and children today face increasing pressure to be, look, or act a certain way. Written in the voice of a girl on the cusp of becoming a teenager, The Truth provides young girls with an opportunity to see how a girl, who is in many ways like themselves, handles her toughest problems and most personal thoughts. Each new page brings forth a discussion to help girls handle everyday problems: How do you survive a bully? How do you handle a crush on a boy? What can you do about relentless teasing by your peers? What really matters as you grow older?
In a positive and supportive diary-entry format, Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein encourages tween girls to carry the most precious parts of themselves into adulthood. A great book for mothers and daughters to read together, The Truth is aimed to improve communication, understanding, and self-esteem for young girls as they enter the rocky road of teenager-dom.
Enjoy an excerpt:
Date: July 7
Dear Diary:
I feel so lonely. I can’t believe my parents made us move. Don’t they understand how awful it is for me? I don’t have anyone to share secrets with. I talk to Angela on the phone, but it isn’t the same. Sometimes when I’m on the phone with her I get the feeling that she is on her computer at the same time or maybe just thinking about other stuff. I don’t feel that closeness with her anymore. I want to feel it, but I don’t know how. I’m afraid to ask her if she is playing a game on the computer or chatting on Facebook at the same time as she’s on the phone with me.
The only good thing that happened is I asked Angela if she wants to send selfies back and forth to each other. My phone is old and I don’t have FaceTime, but I can still take pictures and send them to her. She loved the idea, so I spent hours yesterday sending her pictures of me in different rooms in my house and in the backyard, too. It was a lot of fun. I dressed up as if I was putting on a play and each room was a new scene. I wore a velvet scarf and one of my mom’s fancy hats and put on an old long petticoat I used to dress up in as a kid and then I went outside and stood on the swing that is hanging from a tree. It was hard to keep the swing still enough to get a good Selfie, but finally I did, and I sent it to Angela. She sent back a selfie of herself dressed up like a Flapper girl from the 1920s, posing with a long stick as if it was a cigarette in a holder. We laughed and laughed on the phone, and it was the best I have felt since we moved. The best part was that if felt like we were together again even though we are apart!
Since developing this concept, I've been able to use many tools to bring the Enchanted Self to everyone, particularly women and girls. I've written many books, starting with THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy, and then Recipes for Enchantment, The Secret Ingredient is YOU! My books for girls are very popular, as they are great fictional reads and also help deal with many of the questions that trouble kids as they move into the tween and teen years. The Truth, Diary of a Gutsy Tween and Secrets, Diary of a Gutsy Teen are the first two books in this series.
I really love to teach and educate about happiness and how to benefit from positive psychology in ways that let us lead lives of meaning and happiness. You can find me all over the place on the web. In particular, www.enchantedself.com, www.thetruthforgirls.com, on Facebook at Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein: Psychologist & Author, on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/barbarabeckerho/ and on You Tube. Just look for me on You Tube via Barbara Becker Holstein.
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Barbara-Becker-Holstein/e/B001JXEZ8U/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/barbara-becker-holstein/2493846
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Thank you for hosting
ReplyDeleteIf you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
ReplyDeleteWell, it's the last day of your tour and I must say I've enjoyed meeting you and getting to know you and your book. Hope to see you on tour again soon.
ReplyDeleteGreat post I enjoyed reading the interview and the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed learning about the book. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteI liked the Q&A
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteGreat to be on this tour and this blog! If I weren't myself as an author I would pick Judy Bloom. She is really the pathfinder of literature for girls in our society. I admire her so much.
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