Book Review - The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis:  The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette’s brilliant and charismatic father captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

 My Thoughts: I usually don't read much non-fiction or memoirs but as this one has been on my bookshelf for so very long and the opportunity arose for me to read it for a reading challenge I decided to jump on it and wow it was so very interesting observing Jeannette's life and bringing up.

My heart poured open for her and her siblings as it was a daily task for survival for them... never knowing where or if they would have a next meal or where they would be sleeping from night to night. She tells us stories of her alcoholic father and a mother who pretty much only cared about art supplies over caring for her family.

I was happy with the way she divided everything up into sections and then each part or segment was only a few pages long. I hate long chapters and so forth so this was awesome.



View all my reviews

Book Tour/Giveaway - The Buddha and the Bee by Cory Mortensen

The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America's Forgotten Roadways on a Journey of Discovery by Cory Mortensen 

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GENRE: Memoir 

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BLURB: Life-Changing Journey... ...

But this is NOT a typical blah-blah-blah memoir 

Planning is for sissies. A solo bike ride across the country will be filled with sunshine, lollipops, rainbows, and 80 degree temps every day, right? Not so much. The Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, an alkaline desert, and the Sierra Nevadas lay miles and days ahead. Disappointment with unrealized potential, and the thirst for what’s next drew farther away in the rotating wide-angle shockproof convex rear-view mirror. 

 "I will ride my bike down a never-ending ribbon of asphalt wearing a backpack." 

 Cory Mortensen began his bike ride across the United States from Chaska, Minnesota, to Truckee, California, without a route, a timeline, or proper equipment. Along the way, he gained more than technical skills required for a ride that would test every fiber of his physical being and mental toughness. Ride along as he meets “unusual” characters, dangerous animals, and sweet little old ladies with a serious vendetta for strangers in their town. 

Humor ■ Insight ■ Adventure ■ Gratitude ■ Peace 

 From long stretches of road ending in a vanishing point at the distant horizon, to stunning vistas, terrifying close calls, grueling conditions, failed equipment, and joyous milestones he stayed the course and gained an appreciation for the beauty of the land, the genius of engineering and marvel of nature. 

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Excerpt: 

CHAPTER 7 DAY SEVEN AUGUST 28, 2001 

 Today’s Ride: Ogallala, Nebraska - Sterling, Colorado Today’s Distance: 90 Miles 

Though the Oregon Trail Motel didn’t offer breakfast, it did have coffee and a stack of foam cups in the front office. 

 I wasn’t that hungry, still pretty bloated from the beer, noodles, and MSG I had for dinner. 

Hanging around the motel sipping cups of watered-down coffee, watching as the sun rose over the dusty town, bustling with early morning activity, I waited for the coffee to do its trick before checking out. 

When nature called, I preferred a bathroom with an abundant amount of toilet paper over squatting behind a tree. I waited on the curb outside my door. 

Perhaps a conversation regarding bowel movements wasn’t classy this early in the morning, but real nonetheless. When you found yourself reading a book about someone biking cross-country, you might otherwise ask yourself: Where did they go to the bathroom whilst out on the open road? 

If the sudden need to shit arose on the road, you could only hope there was a bush, tree, or berm to hide behind. The other option was to keep walking as far away from the road as you could until you were out of sight, or at least blurry. Of course, without the proper equipment (toilet paper), things could get messy. You might find yourself sacrificing a sock. Personally, I had a dresser drawer of mismatched cycling socks at home. 

Public options, if you were lucky enough to be in a town or city when things started moving, were:

 Restaurants: Now, I would stay clear of anything fancier than a Cracker Barrel. The best were fast food joints, as the bathrooms were typically really clean and out of sight of the counter (so you could get in and out without running into an employee). 

Truck Stops: If you came across one of those truck stop fortresses like a BP or Bosselman, take it. Nobody would give you two looks, even if you were dressed in Lycra. The bathrooms were surprisingly clean, and there was typically an abundance of stalls. 

Gas Stations: You knew you were in trouble when you asked the attendant for a key and he said the bathroom was outside around back. Check to see if there was any toilet paper in the room before starting. You might find rust stains on the sink and toilets surrounded by a lake of urine. The whole process would become an exercise in squatting. By no means did you want to make any sort of physical contact with anything in that room. Lift the seat with your shoe, flush the toilet with a hand wrapped liberally with a paper towel. It was probably best to find a tree. 

So, you could see why I opted to wait before I left Ogallala.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links: Cory Mortensen has ridden his collection of bicycles over a million miles of asphalt, dirt, mud, and backroads. In addition to the cross-country journey detailed in this book, he has traveled to over fifty-five countries, cycled from Minneapolis to Colorado solo to raise money for children born with congenital heart defects. He’s completed sixteen marathons on five continents, and survived three days of running with the bulls in Spain. 

Cory is a certified Advanced PADI diver, and has enjoyed taking in life under the waves in locations all over the world. In 2003, he took time off from roaming, and accidentally started and built a company which he sold in 2013. That same year he married his best friend and explored the state of Texas for two years. The couple sold everything they owned, jumped on a plane to Ecuador and volunteered, trekked, and explored South America for sixteen months before returning to Phoenix, Arizona, where he works as a consultant and is soon to be a bestselling author. 

 The Buddha and the Bee is his first memoir in which he shares how a two month leave of absence redefined his life’s trajectory of sitting behind a desk and his decision to break society’s chains so he could live life on his terms. 

Website: www.TheBuddhaAndTheBee.com 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/BuddhaAndTheBee 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CoryMortensenAuthor 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/CoryMortensenAuthor/ 

Buy the book links Amazon Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/Buddha-Bee-Cory-Mortensen/dp/1735498114 

 Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735498122 

 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FLLBBP9 

Indiebound Hardcover: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781735498119 

Paperback: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781735498126 

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One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast/Giveaway - The Three Kitties That Saved My Life by Michael Meyer

 

 

The Three Kitties That Saved My Life by Michael Meyer 

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GENRE: Memoir (True romance) 

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BLURB: "This is like drinking tea and honey on a cold day." When tragedy struck, I thought for sure that my own life was at an end. I was wrong. This is the true story of how two stray rescue cats and a woman named Kitty, whom I finally met after a wild ride of internet dating, brought love, romance, and laughter back into my life. Love was then. Love is now. Love is forever. 

WINNER of the 2018 Stephen Memorial Award FINALIST for the 2014 RONE AWARD A True Romance Memoir If you love reading feel-good memoirs, then don't miss THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE, where "Mike Meyer pens a tender tale of love, loss, and renewal. The depth of emotion is palpable...The Three Kitties will tug at readers' heartstrings, as they ride through the emotional highs and lows of Mike Meyer's remarkable story." - InD'tale Magazine 

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 Excerpt: It is amazing how time helps. In time, I have learned to overcome my own albatross. I have learned to live again, to love again. Life is a gift reads a plaque on our dining room wall, and that sums up what I have gained from the three kitties that saved my life. From Coco, I learned to care again. From Kitty, I learned to love again. From Pom Pom, I have learned how to cope with my own demons, the effects of aging being one of these. Pom Pom has taught me to accept what is and then to move onward. Yes, I have learned plenty from my three kitties.  

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AUTHOR Bio and Links: Michael Meyer is the author of mysteries, thrillers, humorous fiction, and non-fiction: Love and romance, laughter and tears, thrills and fears. He has resided in and has visited many places in the world, all of which have contributed in some way to his own published writing. He has literally traveled throughout the world, on numerous occasions. He has lived in Finland, Germany, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He gained the wanderlust to see the world, to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left him. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as he has aged. As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, he now lives in Southern California wine country with his wife, Kitty, and their two adorable rescue cats. 

Website: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005E7M8CW 

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelMeyersWritingLife/ 

Buy links: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CGND93E/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2 

The book is on sale for only $0.99. 

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Michael Meyer will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blurb Blitz Tour/Giveaway - The PSP Chronicles Volume II by Tim Brown

The PSP Chronicles Volume II Keep On, Keeping On by Tim Brown 

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 GENRE: Non-Fiction Memoir 

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 BLURB: Readers will recall in September of 2013 and at the age of 57, Tim was diagnosed with early onset dementia. He was referred to a neurologist at London Health Sciences Centre – Parkwood, in south-western Ontario. Further physical and cognitive testing aroused the suspicions of the neurologist and Tim was referred to a neuro-ophthalmologist and a movement disorders specialist. In August 2014, just weeks away from Tim’s 58th birthday he was diagnosed with PSP – progressive supranuclear palsy. Frontotemporal dementia was concerning enough, but now he had to live with the fact of a life limiting illness. A disease that would steal him away bit by bit… inside and out. A journey with a certain ending. With a candid narrative he continues to share with readers his physical, mental wellness lamentations and their effects on the family dynamics. But Tim’s journey is more than these. More importantly for him, it is about a journey of unwavering faith in God, no matter the outcome. 

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NOTE: The book will be FREE during the tour. 

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 Excerpt : My lunch is over, and the meds are working their magic, it’s nap time. Luba came upstairs with me to make sure I got there. As she was leaving the room, I began to brush my teeth, but instead of toothpaste I used Voltaren Emulgel™. SHIT!!! I yelled. She ran back into the room. A panicked look on her face, it didn’t take her long to assess the situation. I had to rinse my mouth out several times with real toothpaste. FYI – Voltaren is a topical cream used for sore muscles and joints. It’s not guaranteed to make your teeth white but will help if your gums are sore providing you can stomach the taste.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links: T. J. Brown – an ordinary family man with an extraordinary story. In 2018 Tim published his first book The PSP Chronicles Volume I. The narrative details his personal journey with PSP - progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare terminal brain disease and frontotemporal dementia. The first book, and now the second in a series, are a platform to raise prime of life disease awareness, and advocacy. Providing support to organizations like CurePSP® and the PSPA – UK through the proceeds of book sales. One of the more popular PSP awareness campaigns is the Ice Cream Challenge. You can see by his Author picture he takes these challenges seriously. 

https://www.amazon.com/PSP-Chronicles-II-Keep-Keeping/dp/1699519633 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-psp-chronicles-volume-ii-tim-brown/1136037212 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50335820-the-psp-chronicles-volume-ii 

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 Tim Brown will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

RAFFLECOPTER: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review - A Man's Late Night Thoughts by J. Richman

We're thrilled to kick off the virtual book tour for A MAN'S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS by J. Richman. Scroll down and you can find out how to pick up a copy of his book!

A MAN'S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS

By J. Richman

Memoir/Narrative

A MAN’S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS by J. Richman is a creative and life-affirming collection of ponderings that expose the deep thoughts and feelings of a man who has lived a life full of diverse experiences and challenges. This uniquely constructed compilation of more than 300 reflections focuses on several areas of living, including intimate relationships and acceptance of human frailty, as well as the author’s internal conflicts.

A MAN’S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS homes in on the complications inherent in intimate relationships from the opening pages of the book: “Problems accrue when we confuse how a woman looks with who she is.” Richman brings the perspective of a mature man to the lessons on love presented in the book, including, “Exploitation of another depreciates both parties,” and “The reason we fall in love with flawed people is that that’s the only kind of people there are.”

In addition to offering a brief study of intimate relationships, A MAN’S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS
probes human frailty and offers readers guidance in accepting this fact. “We must learn to be strong enough to be gentle,” brings into focus the need to deliberately work at treating people well. The author also encourages readers to show self-compassion when dealing with their own baggage: “Sometimes it’s difficult to see beyond the wreckage of our lives, but we must! Take heart! We are more than our mistakes.”

In A MAN’S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS, Richman further challenges readers to take the reins of their lives when he says, “Name those things that you would do if you had no fear then do something about it.” He offers words of caution regarding political rhetoric: “Beware of politicians who whip up emotions to make us suspicious of others unlike us.” And rounds the book out by sharing his internal conflicts: “The world has bent me more than I have bent it”; “too often my logical mind and my emotional mind are hostile enemies”; “every time I look in the mirror, I expect to see a younger man.”

A MAN’S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS began as a series of notes that Richman wrote to himself. “I found that if I do not write out my true, and often painful, thoughts and feelings, I do not deal with them.” Richman wishes a book like this one had been available when he was a boy because the knowledge enclosed could have assisted him in navigating his teenage and young adult years. He hopes A MAN’S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS will assure men that they are not alone in their quiet musings. For women, Richman believes the book will provide a window into men’s unexpressed emotions.
  

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2RVEoqX

 Barnes & Noble → https://bit.ly/3b7HaRo

“introspection requires us to be an interested spectator of our own life.” …can this me be a better me…what happens when unimportant me wants to be important me...can anyone understand us and love us anyway…why must we clutch desperately to or fantasy…what happens when we need for from life than is available...do you frolic  and run with the deer in deer hunting season?...not to worry it’s all in the grand plan that you can change anytime.”

Richman is the author of A MAN’S LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS, a collection of thoughts about life, relationships, and humanity.

Richman’s work history includes his service
as an undercover intelligence officer in the US Air Force; later, he
established a thriving business in real estate investment. For 16 years,
Richman owned and operated Modify My Mortgage, a company that worked
with homeowners to prevent foreclosures. His business success allowed
Richman the time to pursue his passions, which included serving as the
president of Nova, a workshop that provided work and life skills
training for clients with disabilities; cofounding A Way Across, a
drop-in center for teenagers with emotional and substance abuse
problems; and fundraising for several more public service groups.

Richman enjoys writing and editing at night
after allowing his ideas to blossom and expand during the day. The
author is married with three sons and five grandsons.

Visit his website at http://www.amanslatenightthoughts.com/.

Review - Empower ED by Jennifer Price

EmpowerEd

Jennifer Oneal Price Esq.

* Mystery/Memoir * 

Title: EMPOWERED: USING REAL CASE EXAMPLES TO LOOK DEEPER INTO IEP MANAGEMENT

Author: Jennifer Oneal Price

Publisher: Independent

Pages: 107

Genre: Nonfiction

This book outlines the progressive steps taken to address the
educational needs of an exceptional child. From the Child Find process
to filing a Due Process complaint, courts have addressed many legal
issues. This book goes through court cases on some key issues from 2018
with an included workbook-style composition section after the cases.
Parents and educational advocates will be able to read the cases and use
the Thought Questions and composition space to take notes to better
analyze their own case and advocate for their child’s educational
rights.

My Thoughts:  A very informative book for parents who have or think they may have a special needs child whether it be intellect, physical, or behavioral disabilities. Early diagnosis is crucial to setting your child up for the best possible future and this book has worksheets and case studies that can help parents with this.

★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2q0Ql2Q

____________________

______________________

Introduction

I know the story. Your child is having issues in school and you suspect it’s not because s/he is “being bad.” You request an evaluation to see if s/he qualifies for an accommodation or special education services. The test takes awhile. Why does it take so long to get an evaluation? Then, you learn your child qualifies for special education services. What comes next? Then, you get your child’s Individualized Education Program, a.k.a. IEP. Why isn’t the school following it? You try to have meetings with the school, only to be met with obstinance. You walk in the meeting. You see a room full of people on the “school’s side.” Who is there for you? You feel overwhelmed and alone. I know the story because, as an attorney who represents children with disabilities, I’ve heard it too many times.

The ultimate purpose of this book is to empower parents (and anyone else working as an educational advocate) about how courts rule on education cases concerning children who have disabilities - intellectual, behavioral, or physical. I include specific points of reference so you can use this as a resource guide for your own situation. Statistically, most parents in a due process hearing represent themselves in these types of legal disputes. The one consistent comment I’ve heard is that by the time things become this contentious with the school district, they feel overwhelmed and uninformed.

By law, public schools are required to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE). The issue is that there are extensive and complicated statutes governing children with disabilities. There are individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504 Service Agreements. Both are created for children with disabilities, but they are designed to address different areas of need. This short book sorts out your options, offers court cases as examples, and explains the steps you can take if you are not happy with the plans made for your child’s education.

As an attorney now in private practice, I spend part of each day answering telephone calls on questions from parents who are frustrated over what their school is or is not doing for their children, and concerned about what should be their next steps.

I left a District Attorney’s Office after seeing worst-case scenarios in juvenile court: when learning accommodations were not made, or plans were not implemented for children with disabilities. I realized that while these were similar stories told from different situations, the common thread in all of them was either IEP or 504 Service Agreement management. After some research and talking to colleagues, I decided to go into private practice to focus on representing children with disabilities. One major hurdle I quickly learned was the lack of information many parents and advocates have, including not knowing that their children even have legal rights when it comes to education. That is why I decided to write this book. It is meant to be a guide and a starting point.

While this cannot serve as legal advice, my goal is to help parents feel a little more empowered than before they read it. This guide is designed to get you past the basics by using real court case examples to show the practical side of how courts have ruled on familiar issues. In the end, the goal is to set your child up for educational success. This book is broken up into four steps that build on each other. There is a glossary at the end to help keep track of some of the terms parents may encounter in their journey, as well as full case citations.

To you and your child’s success!

Step One

What Is Child Find?

Child Find is a term of art that places a legal requirement on schools to identify, locate, and evaluate your child, but this process can also start with you, the parent. (Throughout the rest of this book, I use “parent” but I’m referring to parents, guardians, and educational advocates.)

As the parent, you know your child better than anyone else. If you see your infant son or daughter struggling to hold an object, you know whether the response will be frustration (throwing it down) or curiosity (picking it up each time it falls). You know this because you’ve been paying attention. This parental observation remains true for noticing developmental delays. I put Child Find as the first step for parents for a few reasons. You will know whether a behavior is typical or atypical. You’re with your child from the beginning, so you become a first line of defense. This places you in the best position to be proactive and address any potential developmental delays as early as possible.

Early diagnosis has been attributed to improving a child’s long-term educational success. Since your child may not see a teacher until three or four years of age, getting a diagnosis beforehand could reduce the number of interventions or aids your child may need during school-age years. A diagnosis before elementary school can be done by your pediatrician. Schedule an appointment and raise any concerns immediately. Give detailed information explaining exactly what you notice so the pediatrician can either run the appropriate test(s) or direct you to the right specialist.

If your child has already started school—no matter the age—the school is required to conduct a Child Find. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes regulations (34 C.F.R. Section 300.111(a)(1)(i)) that require schools to have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all children “who are in need of special education and related services, are identified, located, and evaluated.”

Child Find applies to all children residing in any state, even if that child is homeless or is a ward of the state. It also applies to children who are suspected of having a disability or might need special education, even if the child is advancing from grade to grade. The regulatory requirements affect schools because states receive federal funds to assist with paying for education. Schools, therefore, receive federal funds, through their respective state governments, to pay for special education expenses. These expenses include paying teachers, teacher aides, and supplemental materials necessary for instruction. As a result of receiving federal funding, the schools must comply with the federal regulations.

Child Find is significant. Even if you don’t suspect a disability in your child, a teacher is legally required to notice it. Once again, the earlier the diagnosis and knowing whether there is a disability, the sooner you can help your child. It’s also important to remember that your child may still have a disability even if advancing from one grade to the next. Early diagnosis and an IEP can set your child up to maximize potential, not just get by.



Case Example (Child Find)

Montuori v. District of Columbia School District

A.M. (minors’ names are disguised in court cases) was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A.M. had been under a 504 Service Agreement since elementary school. (This agreement details how a school will provide the necessary supports and remove any barriers so a child can access the general curriculum with their classmates). When A.M. entered middle school, another psychological reevaluation was conducted, and another 504 Service Agreement was implemented. The school wanted to offer a 504 Service Agreement, and conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to address A.M.’s escalating behavioral issues. However, the parents wanted an IEP, so they filed a due process complaint (an IEP allows for additional specialized instruction outside the regular curriculum).

The issue before the court was: Had the school district violated its Child Find obligations by not also evaluating A.M. for an IEP? The court found for the parents, that the school had failed to timely evaluate A.M. for an IEP, thus constituting a Child Find violation. Why?

The answer is because Child Find is an “affirmative obligation,” meaning it was a requirement of the school to identify A.M. as a child who may be in need of special education services, and thus should have sent a Permission to Evaluate form to the parents to have the school conduct an evaluation. The school district believed it was relieved of its Child Find obligations when the parents and school officials agreed at a school meeting to proceed with a 504 Plan in lieu of initiating IDEA services.  However, the court noted that even if A.M.’s parents had been content with having only the 504 plan, the school should have sought permission from the parents to do the required testing but failed to do so.



Thought Question:

1. Do you think your school has violated its Child Find obligations with your child? If so, what evidence do you have? For young children, remember to distinguish between behaviors consistent with other children the same age and behaviors consistent with the disability. These are the factors a court will consider and the school district will use in its defense.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Case Example (IDEA and “child with a disability”)

Durbrow v. Cobb County School District

C.D. was diagnosed with ADHD in third grade. Nevertheless, he advanced from elementary school through to his junior year of high school, and excelled in advanced academic programs and standardized tests. He was admitted into a select magnet school with accelerated courses, where he received accommodations through a 504 plan. His junior-year teachers dismissed the parents’ suggestion that C.D. also needed an IEP. Two teachers even wrote him letters of recommendation to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, C.D.’s academic performance plummeted his senior year. He amassed late and incomplete work throughout the year, which culminated in five failing grades. The school continued to change his 504 plan with different accommodations, but his grades continued to decline. His parents requested that the school begin the process to evaluate their son for an IEP, and said that C.D. was IDEA-eligible based on his failure to submit his assignments on time. The special education supervisor also believed C.D.’s incomplete work was due to his ADHD, but C.D. himself and his senior-year teachers attributed the failing grades to his procrastination. His parents filed a due process hearing complaint alleging the school district failed in their Child Find obligations. The issue before the court was: Did the IDEA compel the public school district to provide special education to C.D., a student with ADHD, who displayed vast academic potential but struggled to complete his work?

Under the IDEA, a child with a disability is defined as someone with “intellectual disabilities…other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities; and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.” One such health impairment is ADHD that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Therefore, to establish entitlement to a FAPE, a student with ADHD must show that the chronic condition adversely affects academic performance, and thus special education is needed.

The court found the school district did not deprive C.D. of a FAPE because he did not need special education and, therefore, did not qualify as a child with a disability. Additionally, the school district did not breach its Child Find obligations because the IDEA requires schools to identify, locate, and evaluate only children with disabilities. The court concluded C.D. was not a child with a disability because he did not, on account of ADHD, require special education; instead, he met or exceeded academic expectations. He had been admitted to a selective magnet program based on his achievements in math and science and had demonstrated college readiness by excelling on the PSAT. Until his senior year, he passed all of his classes in an advanced academic program, including Honors and Advanced Placement courses. Additionally, C.D.’s teachers testified that special education was inappropriate for him, and none attributed his poor grades to low ability. Although C.D. had difficulty with time management and organization, so too did many of his classmates, particularly at the demanding magnet program.



Thought Questions:

Two key questions to consider if you notice failing grades:

1. When did your child’s grades start declining?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What other reasons could cause your child’s grades to decline other than the disability?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answers to this second question will allow you to take a broader view of issues that you may have overlooked or forgotten, and will also allow you to anticipate the school’s response.

 

______________________

Jennifer Price is a special education attorney in the Pittsburgh
metro area who has received awards for her legal skills and advocacy. 
As a former prosecutor, Attorney Price is very familiar with the courts
and believes in making sure every child has an opportunity to succeed
both in school and in life.  Her boutique law firm provides services
protecting and defending against abuses of the criminal justice system,
as well as the educational systems.  With 10 years of experience,
Attorney Price’s advocacy has resulted in successes, including getting
criminal charges withdrawn, preventing children from getting expelled
out of school and federal civil rights lawsuits. Aa a speaker, she has
presented at seminars and workshops and has also made regular television
appearances for her legal opinions.

★WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS: ★

Website →  www.jenniferpricelaw.com

Twitter →  twitter.com/jennoprice

Guest Post/Book Feature - Saving Mary by Deidre Havrelock

Today I have Deidre Havrelock and her book Saving Mary on the blog and if you’re a fan of supernatural fiction then you will be captivated by this true story about a spiritually sensitive girl and the path that led to her possession. Part one of a two-part series, Saving Mary is the story of a modern-day Mary Magdalene—the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons.

Deidre Daily is drawn to anything seemingly spiritual, desperately seeking a spiritual existence. But inside this vibrant girl hides a terrified child who sincerely believes she has married the devil. Through a series of spiritual encounters her fear turns into reality, and she ends up possessed.

Deidre’s fascinating memoir relays her story from childhood to adolescence: invisible eyes leering at her from the corner of her bedroom, horrible nightmares tormenting her, and her desperate attempt to find God—only to end up possessed. It is a candid account of possession from a first-person perspective. This dark memoir brings to light an intricate world of deceitful spirits hell-bent on manipulating and damaging an innocent girl’s life, not only through her dreams, but also through seemingly every-day encounters.

Travel with Deidre into the mysterious world of spirits, ghosts and demons. Awaken yourself to a world that isn’t supposed to exist; a world that’s as intriguing as it is sinister. And then emerge as a new person—invigorated, aware and intent on living in the light. Saving Mary; Not just another story about a girl and her exorcist.

Watch for book two, Saving Mary: The Deliverance

Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Paranormal, Non-Fiction
Rating - PG13
More details about the author
Connect with Deidre Havrelock on Facebook
Blog
Website
Check out where this author will be talking about her latest release!

What are the challenges you face as a writer in your genre?
By Deidre Havrelock

I think for memoir writers, the challenge is marketing. Memoir is said to be the least read genre. In fact, I was once told, “No one wants to read about ‘you.’ They want to read a story about something.” Which is true. So marketing a book about ‘me’ has to be done in the context of sub-genre. In other words, I can’t just write a memoir (unless I’m famous). I have to write a horror, a spiritual journey, a paranormal romance. I have to find my audience outside the realm of memoir. In my case, I’ve written a true story about a little girl who gets possessed. It’s a spiritual journey. And whether we realize it or not, we’re all on spiritual journeys.

Another difficulty with memoir…is the remembering. When I started out, I first wrote down every seemingly important memory; then, much later, I spoke with friends who were in the book—this helped me realize that I got a lot of it right. (I also had a few details wrong.) I had great conversations with friends mentioned in the book, learning about their spiritual journeys and their spiritual problems. (Let’s just say I’m not the only kid in the book who had spirits following her around!) When writing a memoir, you can get caught up in worrying about your memory, but you just have to trust it and do your best. Think of my book like, “This is what being me was like…these are the events that impacted me the most.”