Dr. JoAnn Deak is the author of Girls Will be Girls: Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters. She joined us in the FictionAddiction.NET chat rooms to discuss her new book and how you can raise confident and courageous daughters yourself. The following is a chat transcript from this special event.

[MOD-APRYL] *** Author JoAnn Deak, Ph.D., is an international speaker, educator and school psychologist. She began her career as a school teacher and earned her Ph.D. at Kent State University. Deak's new book, Girls Will be Girls has been praised by everyone from the Girl Scouts to Linda Ellerbee. ***

[MOD-APRYL] * * * When the floor is opened for questions, simply type a question mark, such as ? You will be recognized when it's your turn so please have your question ready. * * *

[MOD-APRYL] * * * You must follow the above order, typing a question mark (and not the actual question) to have your question answered. * * *

[MOD-APRYL] * * * And don't forget. We'll be giving away a copy of Deak's new book, Girls Will be Girls, at the end of the chat. You must be present to win so stick around. * * *

[MOD-APRYL] * * * FictionAddiction.NET is pleased to welcome author JoAnn Deak. Welcome! * * *

[Deak] Thank you for having me.

[MOD-APRYL] * * * * OPEN FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS * * * *

[Nessie] ?

[MOD-APRYL] Nessie, you have a question for Dr. Deak.

[Nessie] Yes, thanks. How did the idea come to you to write a book on raising daughters...not just children?

[MOD-APRYL] * * * If you have a question for Dr. Deak, please type a question mark, such as ? When it's your turn to ask a question, you will be "called on" so please have your question ready. * * *

[TheWord] ?

[Deak] I'm a psychologist and worked for six years on a study with Carol Gilligan from Harvard...

[Mesmereyes] ?

[Deak] about girls development, how they think, etc.

[Deak] A national org. of ed. asked me to write a book: my first: How Girls Thrive...

[Deak] Many parents asked for a parenting book

[Deak] The brain research is showing that...

[Deak] girls and boys are as different from the neck up as from the neck down

[MOD-CINDY] The Word, please go ahead with your question for Dr. Deak.

[TheWord] How much "power" would you say a parent has over a teenager these days with all of the outside influences that seem so much different than when we were growing up?

[Deak] If you started early and laid the groundwork, pretty much, but you have to work hard to hang in there.

[Deak] Studies show that....

[Deak] families who spend a lot of time together have a better chance of being effective

[Deak] in terms of influencing their children even against the peer tide.

[MOD-CINDY] * * * If you have a question for Dr. Deak, please type a question mark, such as ? When it's your turn to ask a question, you will be "called on" so please have your question ready. * * *

[mallory] ?

[MOD-CINDY] Dr. Deak, please tell us more about your book.

[Deak] One of the major points...

[Deak] is that females tend to have a slightly different

[Deak] brain structure, emotional structure and judment structure to their brains

[Deak] this is now documented by brain imaging

[Deak] for instance...

[Deak] females can feel higher levels of fear and depression...

[Deak] than most men for the same provocation...

[Deak] this can interfere with risk taking