Guest Post with Deborah Reber, author of Language of Love & Giveaway

I’m pleased to welcome Deborah Reber, author of the YA novel Language of Love to Peeking Between the Pages today. I reviewed Language of Love yesterday (my review) and I really enjoyed it. It took me back to my teen years but more importantly it has an important message to share with teen girls. Deborah is joining us today to talk…On Writing for Women & Girls…

As a writer, speaker, and girl advocate, one of the questions people ask me the most is why I decided to make working with girls and women the focus of my career. The simple answer? I’m a recovering teenager. I’ve spent the past twenty years rewriting my personal life story to create the life I want, and I hope to empower other girls and women to do the same.

The long answer? I remember fifteen years old like it was yesterday (and believe me, it wasn’t…not even close!). On the outside, I probably looked like I was doing just fine. I had a group of friends who were part of the “cool” crowd, my parents were still together, I excelled on the track and field team, I was on student council, I got good grades. I even had my first boyfriend that year for a while, a guy I thought I loved. But despite all this “good” stuff, what I remember most about that year was feeling misunderstood, ugly, short, dorky…inadequate. I felt like nothing I did was ever good enough, like no one took me seriously. Unfortunately, this became the story of my life. A story I spent all of high school, college, and my twenties trying to take control of by proving I was worthy.

What I didn’t know then that I know now is that being good enough isn’t something you have to prove…it’s something you have to believe.

I wonder what I would have done differently, what alternate choices I would have made, if I’d had that knowledge back when I was still a teenager? Would I have pursued another career path? Would I not have looked for my confidence in the eyes of the boys I dated in college? Would I have been a better negotiator when it came to asking for what I wanted in my jobs? Would I have known had to speak up and make my voice heard?

Yes, I think so. And that’s why I do what I do. Because I know that, unfortunately, my experiences as a teen aren’t unique. I know that many young people are in the same space I was then, full of insecurity, doubt, low self-esteem, and low-body image. I hope that by providing girls with information and tools for tapping into their unique voices and passion, they will be empowered to forge ahead and create the life they want, no holds barred.

Do I love what I do now? Absolutely. Was it worth going through all the angst I did to get to where I am today? Definitely. It was part of my journey, that much I know. But that doesn’t mean it has to be part of everyone else’s journey. And if I can help even a few girls or women feel better about themselves, feel inspired and capable of creating the future they dream of, then I’ve succeeded in what I set out to do!
__________

Thank you Deborah for this wonderful guest post! I really believe in what you do. So many girls suffer anxiety over absolutely everything in their teen years ( I know I did) and truthfully many adult women too. Your books are such an inspiration for teens! Thanks for visiting Peeking Between the Pages!
__________

About the Book (from Deborah Reber’s website)

In Deborah’s debut YA novel, Language of Love, Janna is quickly adapting to life in Seattle as a high school exchange student from Hungary. Or at least Julian, the cute boy she met in a coffee shop, thinks she is. The truth is, he overheard Janna using a phony accent, and now she’s stuck playing the part….Will Julian want to be with the real Janna? Or will she discover that lies don’t always translate to love?

About the Author (from Deborah Reber’s website)

Debbie has written a number of books for teens, tweens, and even preschoolers, including Chill: Stress-Reducing Techniques for a More Balanced, Peaceful You (Simon Pulse, 2008), In Their Shoes: Extraordinary Women Describe Their Amazing Careers (Simon Pulse, 2007), the teen series from Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Real Deal (HCI, 2005-2006), and more than a dozen Blue’s Clues books. She is the creator and editor of Louder Than Words, a series of teen-authored memoirs published by HCI Books. She shares insights and advice for teen girls through her blog, Smart Girls Know (www.smartgirlsknow.com). Her first YA novel, Language of Love, comes out in December 2010 from Simon Pulse.

Debbie lives in Seattle with her strikingly handsome husband Derin, adorable little boy Asher and trusty, white German Shepherd, Baxter. She coaches running through Adventx, volunteers with Seattle Girls’ School, and is an advisory board member for the teen girl mentoring organization, WriteGirl. In her spare time she runs, hikes, plays the piano, gardens, and sings.
__________

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have one copy of Love, Love, Love which actually contains 2 book in it, one them being Deborah Reber’s Language of Love and the other being Cupidity by Caroline Goode up for grabs to one of my lucky readers. To enter…

• For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
• For 2 entries follow my blog. If you already do, thank you, and let me know in your comment so I can pass on the extra entry to you as well.
• For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway to spread the word.

This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Good luck everyone!

© 2010, Darlene of Peeking Between the Pages. All Rights Reserved. If you’re reading this on a site other than Peeking Between the Pages or Darlene’s Feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Share this post!