Mitali Perkins's Blog, page 4

STEEPED IN STORIES Finished Copies are Here!

The finished copies of my forthcoming book, STEEPED IN STORIES: TIMELESS CHILDREN'S NOVELS TO REFRESH OUR TIRED SOULS , arrived today from Broadleaf Books , with a special surprise when I took off the dust jacket! (You may pre-order here , so it arrives on pub date on August 31.) What do you think?

You're Invited! STEEPED IN STORIES Book Launch Parties

Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children's Novels to Refresh our Tired Souls (Broadleaf Books) is my way of making peace with seven "Aunties" and "Uncles" who formed me with their beautiful stories (A Little Princess, Anne of Green Gables, The Silver Chair, Little Women, Emily of Deep Valley, Heidi, and The Hobbit), and yet (like all of us) were trapped in their own eras. You're invited to celebrate the launch of this nonfiction book for adults virtually on August 31, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. EST  OR on November 1, 2021 at Newtonville Books in Newton, MA at 7 p.m.  Hope to see you! RSVP using the links above.

You're Invited! STEEPED IN STORIES East and West Coast Book Launch Parties

Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children's Novels to Refresh our Tired Souls (Broadleaf Books) is my way of making peace with seven "Aunties" and "Uncles" who formed me with their beautiful stories (A Little Princess, Anne of Green Gables, The Silver Chair, Little Women, Emily of Deep Valley, Heidi, and The Hobbit), and yet (like all of us) were trapped in their own eras. 
You're invited to celebrate the launch of this nonfiction book for adults on August 31, 2021 at Rakestraw Books in Danville, CA at 7 p.m. OR on September 12, 2021 at Newtonville Books in Newton, MA at 3 p.m. Bring a friend or two and join us if you're near the Bay Area or the Boston area. We'll reminisce about our favorites, I'll read briefly from my book, and we'll discuss the issue of how to deal with flawed books, whether written in the past or in the present. A signing will follow, so if you can't make it to the events, order from either indie and they will send a signed copy to you. Hope to see you! RSVP using the links above.

BARE TREE AND LITTLE WIND: Cover Reveal!

My friends at The Englewood Review of Books were kind enough to host a cover reveal of my next book, illustrated by the illuminating  Khoa Le . Bare Tree and Little Wind (Waterbrook & Multnomah | January 11, 2022) is set in Jerusalem during a turbulent week that came to be known as Holy. See the beautiful cover here . Below, I introduce the collaboration with Khoa and how much joy seeing the cover gave me.
 

The Rickshaw Girl Movie Official Trailer is here!

Thrilled to share the official trailer for Rickshaw Girl , based on my novel of the same name. The film, which releases fall of 2021, is directed by Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, produced by Eric J. Adams of Sleeperwave Films, and stars Novera Rahman as Naima. Enjoy!

The film will compete at the Durban International Film Festival, one of the largest and oldest festivals in the southern hemisphere. Of the 3000 films submitted, only 100 features were accepted, and of those, only eight are in competition for “Best Feature Film.” Rickshaw Girl is one of them! It has also been accepted to the International Film Festival of South Asia in Toronto, the largest South Asian Film Festival in North America, and we are waiting for news from other festivals as well. Depending on how well it does in those venues, we'll know about theatrical releases in the fall. Can you tell I'm excited? I hope you are, too! Find out more at rickshawgirlmovie.com and search for the hashtag #rickshawgirlmovie on social media.

Why Read Books From The Past?

The Horn Book Magazine recently excerpted a chapter from my forthcoming nonfiction book for adults, Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children's Novels to Refresh our Tired Souls, coming 8/31/21 from Broadleaf Books. In it, I ask the question, "Why read flawed books from the past?" Here's a peek at my answer:

Cultural and historical contexts matter. The problem is that when you’re steeped in them, they shape you — for better and worse — and it’s hard to see how. So what is “goodness,” and who gets to determine its shape and scope? No single culture or era can fully hold the answer to that question; cultures and eras, like individuals, are marred and beautiful at the same time. To widen the narrow vision of our own perspectives, I encourage readers to cross borders of race and culture and learn from a diversity of contemporary storytellers. But to widen the narrow, limited vision of our own era, we may — dare I say, must — also cross borders into the past to seek goodness in stories there as well.

Read the rest here.

Welcome to the World, Shanti!

In Home is in Between , which releases today, my main character’s name means “peace." I hope readers will love Shanti as much as I do. Find out more about launch parties and how to order the books here .
The day your author copies arrive never gets old. 

Here's a photo of me when I, like Shanti, first arrived as a newcomer from a foreign land to a foreign land.

You're Invited to a Book Launch and Stuffie Party!

You're invited to a West Coast (hosted by Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore) and East Coast (hosted by Brookline Booksmith) Book Launch Parties for HOME IS IN BETWEEN. I'll be reading the book aloud and taking questions. Can't wait to see you; all ages welcome. Registration information is here. Scroll down to see a video of me seeing the finished book for the first time.

The day your author copies arrive never gets old. My main character’s name means “peace,” and I hope readers will love Shanti as much as I do.

Giveaway for Educators: Virtual Author Visit

 

Cover Reveal: STEEPED IN STORIES

I'm delighted to present the gorgeous cover of my forthcoming nonfiction book for adults, Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children's Novels To Refresh Our Tired Souls, releasing August 31, 2021 from Broadleaf Books. Here it is, designed by the phenomenally talented Olga Grlic.