Welcome

CHECK OUT MY BOOK TRAILERS !
(How-to article in VOYA magazine...coming 2010)


A teen in foster care must choose between the woman who wants to adopt her or the mother who abandoned her amidst the cliques and bullying of middle school

ATTENTION BOOK CLUBS AND READING LISTS!!!

AWARDS


RETURNABLE GIRL
AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK
(Marshall Cavendish, 2006)
WINNER ALA'S POPULAR PAPERBACK 2010
(Hard Knock Life category--along with Push (movie Precious)
A Child called It, and some other very, very good books!)

INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION'S
YOUNG ADULT CHOICES LIST 2008

VOYA's TOP SHELF FICTION
FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL READERS 2006

American Library Association
2006 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

New York Public Library
2007 Books for the Teen Age

Pennsylvania School Librarians Association
Titles for 2007

Cleveland Public Library
Y READ PROGRAM 2007

Columbus Library TEENSCONNECT "Fearless Female"

The Statewide New Jersey Summer Reading Program 2008


My agent is Susan Schulman who represents authors of Holes, Women Who Love Too Much, The English Patient, and many more! Contact Susan at Shulman@​aol.com for questions about rights or at 454 West 44th St. NY, NY

EXCERPT FROM RETURNABLE GIRL

“Veronica Hartman has been returned nine times between the ages of eleven and thirteen.”
That’s what it says in my file, but if you include the return by my uncle and Raylene the week before Christmas almost two years ago, then it really has been a total of ten times--so far. The last time, I got kicked out of Lancaster Academy for throwing a pair of scissors at my art teacher. And the time before that, I buried my foster mother’s keys in the backyard behind the barn. That number doesn’t include the times I had to stay at the shelter, or the overnight emergency placements; I can’t even remember most of those.
“All that returning can do some damage,” Alison says, “but you’ve got to find ways to cope.”
Alison Hauser is my foster mom (at the moment) and she’s also a therapist. She hasn’t returned me yet, and I’ve been with her over three months, but that doesn’t mean she won’t. Lately, I guess, she’s been considering it. Like this morning, for instance, after I threw the frozen can of orange juice across the kitchen.
“I’m not a thief!” I screamed at her as I let the can fly.


SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS


SCHEDULED FOR 2010
Parenting Matters sponsored by Bradley Hosptial
April 2010
Barrington High School
How to Raise Out-of-Control Teenagers
Empowering parents to restore respect, love and sanity to their
families


PREVIOUS SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE
Continuing Education Friday March 14
They are Teens First(The not so secret lives of foster and adopted teens)

Adoption Rhode Island:Book Club for Foster Teens(2/​26, 3/​4,3/​11)

ACONE "TRAUMA DRAMA" Identifying and treating traumatized teens.(Adoption Community of New England)Professional Day
Westborough MA April 4-5 2008 www.adoptioncommunity

Community Action Foster Care Training
Woonsocket RI June 19th 6-8pm

LaSalle Parent Night December 9th

Past speaking engagements:2006 through 2007

READING WITH ROBIN (7-8 AM)
Saturday November 181-866-920-WHJJ (920AM)

(Tannerhill Adoption Agency book signing and Foster Parent Training at 11AM same day)

Rhode Island College Social Work Class November 20

St. Mary's Foster Home Staff and Foster Parent Training November 28th

MOMTALKRADIO December 2006

GORDON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL in Providence, RI
Wed. Jan. 24 at 7pm(At Gordon's Book Fair Nov. 14)

Tea With Marie (Channel 13 RI)Airing April 13th

At Providence College Social Work ClassFeb 13

The Resiliant Child Series ADOPTION RHODE ISLAND March 23rd

Barrington High SchoolBlogging and Podcast

NATIONAL FOSTER PARENT CONFERENCE WASHINGTON DC May 25, 2007

BookExpo America (BEA)New York City June-3

Connecticut Association Foster Parents June 19th 2007

Barnes and Nobel Warwick RI September 22 12-2pm

Author Series Philips Memorial Baptist Church Sept. 23rd

Caritas Dinner and Silent Auction Keynote October 24

"Let's talk Adoption" Conference
November 3 Rutgers University (my alma mater!)Piscataway,

NJ Author Talk Bayview Commons
November 14 Bayside YMCA Author Book Club

Already in 2010, 124,086 kids in foster care have had to celebrate their birthdays without a permanent family. By the end of the year, this number will reach 513,000.

Author photograph courtesy of Greg Spiess

Counseling Services


I am a licensed clinical social worker, a board certified diplomate therapist with a private practice in the East Bay Rhode Island area. I specialize in treating Women, Young Adults and their Families in the areas of depression, eating disorders,loss and trauma, self-care, anxiety, addiction in the family (and foster care and adoption.) I use a strenghts-based model, cognitive behavioral therapy, and EMDR. If you live in the area and want to try to schedule an appointment you can contact me by email, as I check my messages daily.
email: palwrites@​aol.com




Speaking Engagements


I have presented programs about adolescents at national and state-wide conferences, conducted training and parent education seminars at public and independent schools. For more information click above "workshop" tag.


For information on speaking opportunities including fees, available dates, or for any other reason email me directly at palwrites@​aol.com

SPRING 2010. MARSHALL CAVENDISH

Click down and to the right

A gymnast and her sister face the effects
of a traumatic brain injury.

AWARDS


In November 2008
I received a
Community Partner Award
from Adoption Rhode Island
in recognition of my support of children waiting for adoption.
I am now a consultant at Adoption Rhode Island
doing clinical supervision, case consultation and
training.



Foster Care Alumni of America


I am proud to be a "professional" member of Foster Care Alumni of America. FCAA connects the community of people who have been in foster care into a large extended family network. By working with others who care about foster youth, FCAA transforms foster care practice and policy. Whether you are an alumnus of foster care, a foster parent or professional, or caring community member, please show your support and make your voice heard by joining FCAA today.