Deborah Serani is an
award-winning author and psychologist who has been in practice for thirty
years. She is also a professor at Adelphi University and is a go-to media expert for
psychological issues. Her interviews can be found in Newsday, Psychology
Today, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The
Associated Press, and affiliate radio programs at CBS and NPR, among
others. Dr. Serani has also been a technical advisor for the NBC television
show, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The recurring character, Judge
D. Serani, was named after her.
★WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS★
Website: https://www.drdeborahserani.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeborahSerani
Dr. Alicia Reese, a recent widow
and a CODA – a child of Deaf Adults, takes on a new patient. Lucas Ferro
reveals the reason for his consultation is that he wasn't really open with his
previous therapist. After gaining Reese’s trust, he shares aspects of his life
that are clearly disturbing – experiences that create anxiety and panic, but
also reveal horrifying psychopathology. Instead of referring Ferro elsewhere,
Reese chooses to continue working with him, feeling reinvigorated by the
challenge of his case.
As sessions progress, and Ferro’s
disclosures become more menacing, Reese finds herself wedged between the cold
hard frame of professional ethics and the integrity of personal truth – and
learns just how far she’s willing to go, willing to risk and willing to lose to
do the right thing.
★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★
Amazon → https://tinyurl.com/y6qz2sto
Can you tell us what your new book
is about?
THE NINTH SESSION is a psychological suspense thriller about a crime
– and how this trauma touches the lives of those involved. It not a
who-done-it, but a why-it-was-done. Why it occurred. And how evil can be both
born and created. The novel unfolds in session format, so the reader gets a
nice feel for how psychoanalysis happens. And American Sign Language and Deaf
Culture are also explored.
Can you tell us a little about
your main and supporting characters?
The two main characters are psychoanalyst,
Dr. Alicia Reese, a recent widow and a CODA – Child of Deaf Parents. And Lucas
Ferro, as the patient who seeks treatment with her.
Supporting characters include
Alicia’s Deaf sister, Nicole, and her children, Rebecca and Seth. As well as
security guard, Steve, who keeps Reese feeling safe at work. There’s Dr.
Reese’s supervisor, Dr. Susan Prager, who signs with Reese and shares a CODA
background as well as psychoanalytic training. And finally, Elvis, the black
cat that lives with Reese, is a scene stealer in the novel.
Your book is set in the Gold Coast
of Long Island. Can you tell us why you
chose this location in particular?
I grew up on Long Island,
and spent many of my formative years in the cities, locales and restaurants I
write about in THE NINTH SESSION. Long
Island is a most beautiful place,
and I wanted the scenery to be as much a character in the book as the people
described in the pages.
How long did it take you to write
your book?
Six years. I work full time and spent many off hours and weekend
moments tapping on the computer to make this come alive.
What has been the most pivotal
point of your writing life?
Getting my first book deal. That was a huge moment.
What kind of advice would you give
other suspense thriller authors?
While querying agents or emailing publishers
can feel daunting, persistence is key. I like to say that everything I’ve ever
written has found a book deal. And this is true. The other half of this
statement is that I never stopped trying. So, you can’t fail if you never quit.
It takes only one person to believe in your work to get it published. And if
you feel you have a wonderful manuscript, keep dreaming. Keep querying. And
keep writing.
