North of Beautiful Blog Tour: Mitali's Fire Escape

The first stop of my North of Beautiful Book Blog tour is at none other than with Mitali Perkins, author of Monsoon Summer and Secret Keeper. We're having a fun contest all week long. Be the first to answer the question about yours truly on Mitali's blog, and you'll win an autographed copy of North of Beautiful.

Here's a tidbit from our chat:

Mitali: As the mother of teen boys who don’t often see an Asian-American as the “it” guy in pop culture, I’m grateful that you created such a hunk in Jacob.

Justina: One of my missions as a writer was to create a hunk who happened to be Asian! That was a gift for my two brothers and my son…and all the Asian-American dudes out there who need to see guys like themselves as cool. Heartdroppingly cool. Devastatingly cool. It makes me feel great that readers of all ages are emailing me: “I. Am. So. In. Love. With. Jacob.” Mission accomplished!

To read the whole interview, please visit Mitali's blog at www.mitaliblog.com.

NEXT UP
Feb 3, Tuesday
Shelf Elf with Kerry Miller
www.shelfelf.wordpress.com

Feb 4, Wednesday
Archimedes Forgets with Sarah Rettger
www.sarahrettger.blogspot.com

Feb 5, Thursday
Bibliophile with Jennifer Rothschild
www.tushuguan.blogspot.com

Feb 6, Friday
Teen Book Review with Jocelyn Pearce
www.teenbookreview.wordpress.com

Celebrating Mitali & Secret Keeper!

Mitali Perkins--author, blogger, readergirlz scout, and all-around wondrous woman--swung through Seattle on her book tour for SECRET KEEPER. She wasn't able to make it to our photo shoot for the readergirlz READ poster masterminded by YA librarian Darcy Brixey of KCLS. So we made up for it this weekend.

Kicking off The Day of Mitali, Brenda Gurung at Barnes & Noble greeted the standing room only crowd.

People lined up eagerly to get their hands on Mitali's many novels. I just love the Secret Keeper cover (and I'm not-so-secretly coveting the cover model's eyelashes.)

It seemed like the entire world of writers turned out to laud Mitali, including readergirlz postergirl, Jackie Parker, as well as diva emeritus, Janet Lee Carey. Is it just me or do they look like sisters of the heart?

And here's me with my Jackie girl. I've decided that I want Jackie to dress me and that I would follow her wherever she goes, GPS or no GPS. She is THAT smart.

Holly Cupala--she of the talent behind the North of Beautiful invite--is giggling because we are all salivating for the Indian dessert she made in honor of Mitali.

Today I am grateful for writers like Mitali who bring so much meaning to the world.