JUNE SIMMS: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm June Simms. On the program today, we hear about a new album from jazz musician Esperanza Spalding...

We also talk to a relationship expert...

But first, a report about a new movie that millions of book fans are hungry for.

(MUSIC)

"The Hunger Games"

JUNE SIMMS: The book "The Hunger Games" became an international best seller following its release in two thousand eight. It was the first in a three-book series.

"The Hunger Games" appeared on the New York Times' Best Sellers list for almost two years. Currently, there are more than twenty-three million copies in print in the United States alone. Now the book has made into a movie, which opens on Friday. Faith Lapidus has more.

FAITH LAPIDUS: More than fifteen million tickets to "The Hunger Games" were sold before the film even opened. And the ticket sales website, Fandango, says "The Hunger Games" has become its top selling movie opener of all-time. It says that, by the middle of the week, more than two thousand show times were sold out.

(SOUND: "The Hunger Games")

KATNISS EVERDEEN: "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute."

GAMES ANNOUNCER: "What did you say to your sister when you volunteered at the reaping?"

KATNISS EVERDEEN: "I told her I would try to win for her."

GAMES ANNOUNCER: "And try you will."

Jennifer Lawrence admits she had some concerns about playing Katniss -- a part she knew would change her life.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE: "She is this incredible character in this incredible story for our generation. Personally, I was nervous because I knew everything would change. I didn't know what would change and if I would like it or dislike it. But, I knew it would never go back to normal."

The actor thinks she will play Katniss in the two other movies planned for "The Hunger Games" series.

Suzanne Collins also said that movie director Gary Ross was true to the book version. But she said he was also able to provide a rich and powerful new look into the future she created.

(MUSIC)

Advice for Two Women

JUNE SIMMS: Debby Rubenfeld has been giving a lot of thought to a couple of people who sent in problems to our relationship blog. Ms. Rubenfeld is a licensed clinical social worker in the Washington, DC area. We spoke with her briefly last week. And today we share more of her guidance for two young women, one an eighteen year old Russian; the other is twenty-five and from Brazil.

Both women reported that their boyfriends were unkind. One wrote that her boyfriend treated her as if she did not matter. The other expressed a sense of being used for sex. She wrote, "My love was trampled under his foot."

Now, both women find it difficult to break away from the former relationships and move forward. Debby Rubenfeld says they need to build belief and trust in themselves.

Ms. Rubenfeld says there is a simple way to start to build one's confidence. Try something new.

DEBBY RUBENFELD: "It can be as simple as listening to a new piece of music every day, or trying a new yoga or exercise class; seeing a play. Trying new activities, even once, builds confidence."

More confidence could help these women choose new and healthier relationships.

DEBBY RUBENFELD: "We move toward what we know. So we really have to learn to move toward what we don't know."

But while that advice may be simple, carrying it out is not necessarily easy, especially when emotions are low. Depression can cause a feeling of extreme tiredness, even pain, which makes it harder to get up and out. But, even making a small move could help these two women begin to recover.

DEBBY RUBENFELD: "Physical movement, just moving, opens up different systems in your brain that help to re-regulate you emotionally."