Songs in order of play/mention in GITA!
A DIFFERENT BEAST
My heart hammered in my chest when I read this Buckminster Fuller quote: “What can I do that isn’t going to get done unless I do it, just because of who I am?” GITA, definitely GITA—the first YA fiction about the realistic beginnings of the fallout of prolonged, repeated childhood sexual trauma, an entirely different beast than the fallout of circumscribed sexual trauma. A different beast I’ve spent 20 years helping many of my patients begin to tame (it’s always a lifelong task). A different beast I’ve endured, survived, and still tame daily. A different beast that needs to be exposed in the YA world, the way Judith Herman first exposed it in all of its biological complexity in the nonfiction world in her seminal book TRAUMA AND RECOVERY:
Herman, Judith. Trauma and Recovery. New York: Basic Books, 1997. Page 119.
COVER REVEAL!
A cover so destined to be iconic & so perfect for my überrealistic novel dropping 9/10/24 from Penguin Teen! ⚡Read an excerpt now HERE and crank Nirvana’s “Love Buzz” (Gita listens to it in chapter 6!) to feel the vibe of this game-changer novel about a silenced 18-year-old Gujarati-American girl—incognizant of the unspeakable in her childhood—whose mute language becomes repetition, chaos, and secrets, and she’ll continue to downward spiral unless she figures out how to rip off her family’s proverbial muzzle of chup-re (shut up)…⚡
Pre-order here: Gita Desai Is Not Here to Shut Up, Penguin Teen
Thank you Kristin Boyle for the striking cover design and Fatima Baig for the gorgeous cover illustration!
Thank you to my fantastic agent Victoria Wells Arms and my incredible editor Rosie Ahmed!
Thank you to everyone at Penguin Teen who’ve helped make this novel a reality!
The 2024 TAYSHAS Reading List is awarded by the Texas Library Association/Young Adult Round Table committee. So excited that the YA anthology AB(SOLUTELY) NORMAL—that includes my short story NOTHING FEELS NO PAIN—was choosen for the list!
Love This JAYA AND RASA Book Talk!
Gujju From Hawaii Reppin' at VCBF!
I’m pumped! Another creative and I will be leading a groundbreaking, dynamic, and powerful @virginiachildrensbookfestival program! I can’t wait to do this particular work with the young people in attendance. Stay tuned for the reveal!
So many great books exist but studies show that ⅓ of 13-year-olds and 17-years-olds never/hardly read. That’s why I’m a huge fan of VCBF programming, a unique way to address this unfortunate trend and create lifelong readers.
COVER REVEAL!
CHECK OUT THIS LIT PODCAST EPISODE!
This @itslitwithphdj podcast episode #149 just dropped! https://itslitwithphdj.wordpress.com/2022/04/02/sonia-patel/
Check it out for some nonviolent-hip-hop-YA resistance that be like 16-year-old Rani spittin,’ “My daddy’s gone. And I’m so done looking for another one.”
(Caveat: I hope readers/listeners will feel how difficult it is for Rani to liberate herself from her brain’s hardwiring to be groomed by older narcissistic/predator men like her father. Unlike Rani, most survivors of chronic childhood abuse DON’T gain insight/awareness into the abuse, or even disclose it, until the 3rd or 4th decade of life because the abuse has physically damaged and scarred their brains. But then RANI PATEL IN FULL EFFECT would’ve been a very different novel.)
My love & gratitude to hosts @pbanjoli & @jocelynkng for this opportunity. If you missed any episodes, catch up at https://itslitwithphdj.wordpress.com/
Shout out to @joannagordy for connecting me with these awesome podcasting humans!
Also, check out the podcast’s origin story: https://anjoliroy.com/bibliography/lit-on-radio-waves-holding-space-in-hawaii/
THE MENTAL HEALTH FALLOUT OF THE PANDEMIC
Check out the full CIVIL BEAT article: https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/12/anxiety-and-depression-youth-mental-health-got-worse-during-the-pandemic/
WHY THE TEXAS BOOK BAN MATTERS TO THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII
MY FOURTH YA NOVEL HAS AN AMAZING HOME- PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE/NANCY PAULSEN BOOKS!
I’m grateful for my book-dream-team…Stacey Barney (editor) and Victoria Wells Arms (agent)!
RANI PATEL IN FULL EFFECT IS A BANNED/CHALLENGED BOOK IN GREAT COMPANY…
…But the freedom to read is vital. Check out this report recently brought to my attention: AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION FIELD REPORT 2019 BANNED & CHALLENGED BOOKS
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HAWAII BOOK & MUSIC FESTIVAL PANEL ON LOCKDOWN STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION PANEL
My snippet: 9:46-13:05.
HONORED TO BE A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE UPCOMING YA ANTHOLOGY: AB(SOLUTELY) NORMAL, CO-EDITED BY NORA SHALAWAY CARPENTER & ROCKY CALLEN!
DIVERSE #OWNVOICES MENTAL HEALTH FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS? SHORT STORIES THAT SUBVERT STEREOTYPES AND INSPIRE? COUNT ME IN!
This is the first paragraph of my essay that was published in LENGUA LARGA, BOCA ABIERTA, edited by Isabel Quintero & Allyson Jeffredo, February 2017.
MR. TRUMP, SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN ANY FORM IS A BIG DEAL.
In my office, I guide survivors of abuse (sexual, physical, and/or emotional) on their healing journeys. The first steps are always to ensure safety and support, and then, hopefully, to escape the narcissitic, privileged abusers.
I’m hopeful our country will also escape on November 3rd.
World Literature Today, NSK Juror Interview!
Mental Health in Hawaii: Coronavirus & Quarantine
Check out this great article in Civil Beat by Brittany Lyte. https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/03/coronavirus-is-spiking-levels-of-anxiety-panic-and-stress/ I’m grateful to be included!
https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/03/coronavirus-is-spiking-levels-of-anxiety-panic-and-stress/
GRATEFUL FOR THIS HONOR FROM CINCINNATI LIBRARY'S WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH 2020 CELEBRATION!
BLOODY SEOUL SELECTED FOR THE 2020 IN THE MARGINS RECOMMENDED FICTION AWARD, TOP TEN!
SEX TRAFFICKING: THE MANY LEVELS OF VIOLENCE & OPPRESSION
Eva’s heartbreaking story published by both SLATE & SEARCHLIGHT NEW MEXICO reminded me of Rasa and the real life teenager she’s based on...violence and oppression on so many levels.