Karen Hartley-Nagle, who is running for Delaware State Senate District 17, announced in September that her platform is The Protective Parent Reform Act, a legislative Act that has already passed in Tennessee and is in front of legislators in states such as Arizona and Michigan.

The Protective Parent Reform Act is an initiative launched by author Talia Carner in response to growing interest in her novel, PUPPET CHILD, and was drafted by New Orleans attorney Richard Ducote, who has tried custody cases in over 40 states.

According to Karen Hartley-Nagle, the purpose of the PPRA is to correct the trend in child custody and visitation cases where abused or neglected children, and children in homes where domestic violence exists, are placed by the courts in the custody of the abusive, neglectful, or violent parent with the protective parent's custody, visitation, and contact with the child limited.

"The American Judges Foundation found that 70% of abusive fathers who seek custody get full or partial custody," says Talia Carner, the New York based author. "When I participated in the 1995 International Women's Conference in Beijing, I heard about judges who placed molested children with their pedophile parents and I knew this would be the premise for a novel." But Carner admits that she had not expected the book to launch state legislative acts and to become a state senatorial platform that may bring the kind of change these children desperately need.

Talia Carner's novel, PUPPET CHILD, a family legal drama set on Long Island, is the first to deal with the treacherous morass our legal system has become for children caught up in the nightmare of sexual abuse. "I set out to weave a good, compelling tale, exploring complex characters with motivations and emotions the reader can relate to," Carner says. "I am delighted that the story now engages readers in a national dialogue."

Released on November 15, 2002 in simultaneous hardcover [$23.95; ISBN 1-58961-018-0] and paperback [$13.95; ISBN 1-930252-98-6] editions, PUPPET CHILD is listed in The Top 10 Favorite First Novels 2002, by BookBrowse.com.

"PUPPET CHILD has received over 40 rave reviews from independent book reviewers and published authors," says Jim Walters of Mecox Hudson, the co-publisher of the book. "It was consistently been praised as a 'can't-put-it-down,' 'taut and suspenseful,' 'gripping,' 'gut wrenching story' by 'a master storyteller' that 'will leave you breathless.' With its extensive readers' guide, the book has become a popular choice for many reading groups around the country."