Read this book: THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA

It's a grey gloomy day in Maryland and I'm dreaming of escape. Escape to somwhere very different from here, a place that would give me a stamp on my passport and a whole new view of the world. And watching Amazing Race tonight just may not be enough!

Luckily I've got Cynthea Liu stopping by my blog. Her new  YA release, THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA, takes readers all the way to CHINA while also spinning a great tale. Check it out!

And now, excuse me while I dig up that passport and call my travel agent...how far would three nickels and a toy firetruck with a missing wheel get me?

 

About Cynthea's new release:
Chinese-born Cece was adopted when she was two years old by her American parents. Living in Texas, she's bored of her ho-hum high school and dull job. So when she learns about the S.A.S.S. program to Xi'an, China, she jumps at the chance. She'll be able to learn about her passion—anthropology—and it will give her the opportunity to explore her roots. But when she arrives, she receives quite a culture shock. And the closer she comes to finding out about her birth parents, the more apprehensive she gets. Enter Will, the cute guy she first meets on the plane. He and Cece really connect during the program. But can he help her get accustomed to a culture she should already know about, or will she leave China without the answers she's been looking for?

Cynthea answered my favorite 3 questions for authors:

I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
Dear Grandma Grace,
Do you fancy yourself a world traveler? Have you ever been to China? If you have, would you like to take a walk down memory lane? Are you into hot Asian guys and Peking duck? If so THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA is for you!

Okay, I'll be serious. Grandma Grace, if you like stories about teens searching for connection, or if you enjoy a hopeful story that might tug at your heartstrings, this book is for you.

What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
16-year-old-self would probably say, "so this is where they've been hiding books with Asians in it!"

I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
So many places in THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA are real-life places. You'll see many famous hotspots in and around Xi'an and Beijing. My brother lives in China so I was lucky enough to go to most of the places featured in THE GREAT CALL. Enjoy reliving my experiences!

And finally, here's the scoop on Cynthea...
Cynthea spent her formative years in Oklahoma and Texas where she was a Whiz Quiz member, an Academic Decathloner, and a spelling bee champion. (Yes, she was very popular.) After attending college on the East coast, she worked at a corporate job where she mastered PowerPoint and racked up thousands of frequent flyer miles. Eventually, she traded in her suit for sweats to do the fun stuff–writing for children. In addition to PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE and THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA, Cynthea's nonfiction book WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE (how to write, revise, and publish your kid's or teen book with children's book publishers) is available in paperback